We read that the average age of cars is getting higher. Does this mean that parts are available for more years? My car is going on 16 years old. How old until I can't get new replacement parts? While they talk about the average age of cars increasing, I have a very hard time spotting a car older than mine on the road. Must be that the old cars are held in reserve and are not daily drivers.
Parts availability for old cars
- Thread starter Burt
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Depends upon the car.
Are you thinking of your Windstar?
They were built in enough volume with enough parts shared with other Fords that parts availability shouldn't be a problem.
You can get parts for certain makes, like Mercedes, virtually forever.
You can get virtually any part for an old Brit car without problems.
You could even get complete new shells for the MGB long after production ended, and they may be available even now.
Are you thinking of your Windstar?
They were built in enough volume with enough parts shared with other Fords that parts availability shouldn't be a problem.
You can get parts for certain makes, like Mercedes, virtually forever.
You can get virtually any part for an old Brit car without problems.
You could even get complete new shells for the MGB long after production ended, and they may be available even now.
I'd say OE parts are geting discontinued, no longer available sooner than use to be.
Cars seem to be update and more further now. And maybe the lean manufacturing, cost saving spills over to replacement parts inventory.
There's still usually aftermarket parts availability. They constitute more of the parts replacement market on older cars.
Cars seem to be update and more further now. And maybe the lean manufacturing, cost saving spills over to replacement parts inventory.
There's still usually aftermarket parts availability. They constitute more of the parts replacement market on older cars.
It all depends on how popular the car is in question. I owned a 57 Chevy PU for many years and could buy parts for it at any NAPA. If there is a demand for the parts there will be a source. I belong to another forum that deals in vehicles no newer then 1964. There are parts out there but you just have to hunt a little harder for them.
Replacement parts availability is still very good for many cars from the 1990s, at least domestics and Japanese cars.
Common vehicles from the 80s still have good parts availability too. It's pretty easy to find most things for a 1980s Ford or GM truck.
Common vehicles from the 80s still have good parts availability too. It's pretty easy to find most things for a 1980s Ford or GM truck.
I work on 90's80's70's 60's and older cars all the time. Common stuff like brakes ,ac parts and water pumps are in stock around here.
Yep they made a gazillion Windstars.. we roll a '98 too. It's days are certainly numbered more from rust than anything else though.
I've actually never owned a car so old that a part wasn't available anymore..and I don't buy expensive cars. Maybe when the kids grow up a bit and I pick up a project car, I'll run into that.
I've actually never owned a car so old that a part wasn't available anymore..and I don't buy expensive cars. Maybe when the kids grow up a bit and I pick up a project car, I'll run into that.
You might have a hard time finding a one-year electronic climate control head, or getting a VIN-locked gizmo unlocked by a willing dealer on a 15 year old car.
But I drive old stuff like a 1995 saturn and have no issues finding wear parts. In fact they're cheaper and more brands available for my car, now, than they were ten years ago when I started driving it. 11 years of 300k per year produced caused demand.
You may have slight issues with a mechanic who only uses NAPA and only uses them right away. Might have to special order through brick & mortar, might have to mail order. Has never been easier! I got filters for my antique tagged Mercedes 240d through amazon... a bookstore!
But I drive old stuff like a 1995 saturn and have no issues finding wear parts. In fact they're cheaper and more brands available for my car, now, than they were ten years ago when I started driving it. 11 years of 300k per year produced caused demand.
You may have slight issues with a mechanic who only uses NAPA and only uses them right away. Might have to special order through brick & mortar, might have to mail order. Has never been easier! I got filters for my antique tagged Mercedes 240d through amazon... a bookstore!
Mechanical parts will always be available as long as the engine/trans was used in other cars,its the body parts and trim items (dash pad,headliner,seat upholstery,weatherstripping....etc) that gets really tough to find.Imagine for a moment a 1978 Dodge Omni.The VW based engine parts and VW man/Chrysler Automatic tranny parts are somewhat available,but try to find doors,fenders,weatherstrip,bumpers,glass.....etc.So while it may continue to run,it might not look very good or not be "legal" for road use.
The Windstar used the Vulcan and Essex V6s, which are quite common. (also used in the Taurus/Sable)
Many boneyards have computerized their inventory.
Google the part and you will see.
Google the part and you will see.
JHZR2
Staff member
Depends on the manufacturer. I can get more or less any part for my 30 year old Mercedes even today. I tried to get a set of OEM floormats for my 20 year old BMW a year or so back, and there were no more in NA. Still, parts availability is still great.
Not sure about the domestic brands, but euro parts support has been great.
Not sure about the domestic brands, but euro parts support has been great.
I just recently junked my 1989 Olds 88 (RIP, old gal) because of terminal rust.
I hadn't noticed any problems with parts availability right up until then. Sometimes I'd have to special order them at AZ, but the parts would usually arrive the next day or reasonably quickly.
I hadn't noticed any problems with parts availability right up until then. Sometimes I'd have to special order them at AZ, but the parts would usually arrive the next day or reasonably quickly.
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You may have slight issues with a mechanic who only uses NAPA and only uses them right away. Might have to special order through brick & mortar, might have to mail order. Has never been easier! I got filters for my antique tagged Mercedes 240d through amazon... a bookstore!
yep, that'll be your biggest issue....even for my 88 ARIES I find rockauto has most everything I've needed....but yea, when it comes to upholstery stuff, bench seats, dash replacement (mine is all cracked from the heat....and the fact that it wasn't garaged previously), etc....that's where I've ran into issues. Gotta be careful with your mechanics too...had a local run in with one, my track bar snapped on my rear suspension....well, drove it about a week LOL...no damages appear to have done, maybe some abnormal tire wear from the dragging around curves lol...but other than that, yea, I rolled in and he says we might have an issue ordering this part......and immediately wanted to jimmy it up with a weld job....but I was not impressed...I informed him rockauto has the track bar made by MOOG.....why wouldn't NAPA, OReilly, Bumper to Bumper, or Auto Extra? Well sure enough, they went inside and made a call and found it....got it shipped in the next morning.
Now if the BRACKET breaks...I might be in trouble LOL....since I heard that is actually the primary failure point in the rear suspension on these cars....and they don't make the bracket....
Other part I ran into that can't be found anywhere is the rad overflow....or washer reservoir
So just keep patching mine up with plastic weld...lol.
You may have slight issues with a mechanic who only uses NAPA and only uses them right away. Might have to special order through brick & mortar, might have to mail order. Has never been easier! I got filters for my antique tagged Mercedes 240d through amazon... a bookstore!
yep, that'll be your biggest issue....even for my 88 ARIES I find rockauto has most everything I've needed....but yea, when it comes to upholstery stuff, bench seats, dash replacement (mine is all cracked from the heat....and the fact that it wasn't garaged previously), etc....that's where I've ran into issues. Gotta be careful with your mechanics too...had a local run in with one, my track bar snapped on my rear suspension....well, drove it about a week LOL...no damages appear to have done, maybe some abnormal tire wear from the dragging around curves lol...but other than that, yea, I rolled in and he says we might have an issue ordering this part......and immediately wanted to jimmy it up with a weld job....but I was not impressed...I informed him rockauto has the track bar made by MOOG.....why wouldn't NAPA, OReilly, Bumper to Bumper, or Auto Extra? Well sure enough, they went inside and made a call and found it....got it shipped in the next morning.
Now if the BRACKET breaks...I might be in trouble LOL....since I heard that is actually the primary failure point in the rear suspension on these cars....and they don't make the bracket....
Other part I ran into that can't be found anywhere is the rad overflow....or washer reservoir
Most everything I need for my '88 Caddy is available off the shelf, but my 60's cars I have to wait a couple days on orders sometimes. On occasion, some parts must be rebuilt instead.
Depends on the car.
With Ford and GM in my experience the dealers start to not want to know you after 10 years or so.
Coming from Mercedes its shocking because I can walk into any dealer in the US and buy an oddball part or order it and have it in a day or two regardless of the year. Need a gasket or some trim for a 1960 220SB? No problem sir its in NJ and we can have it tomorrow and its usually pretty fairly priced. But if I walk into a Ford dealer and need a part for anything from 1960 I'm SOL. If for some reason you go way oddball like when I needed a body plug for a W126.125 than MBUSA and Germany was actually a bit stumped. But do not fear! MB Classic Center had it, and if they don't they will make it! $1 latter I had my body plug! LOL.
No other manufacture does old car parts support like Mercedes, at least I have never found one.
They were doing parts updates for cars that hadn't been manufactured in 15 years, AFAIK they still do. It wasn't uncommon to see a few part numbers for say a starter and the last part number was from an update done in 2000 for a starter that was last used in 1987...
With Ford and GM in my experience the dealers start to not want to know you after 10 years or so.
Coming from Mercedes its shocking because I can walk into any dealer in the US and buy an oddball part or order it and have it in a day or two regardless of the year. Need a gasket or some trim for a 1960 220SB? No problem sir its in NJ and we can have it tomorrow and its usually pretty fairly priced. But if I walk into a Ford dealer and need a part for anything from 1960 I'm SOL. If for some reason you go way oddball like when I needed a body plug for a W126.125 than MBUSA and Germany was actually a bit stumped. But do not fear! MB Classic Center had it, and if they don't they will make it! $1 latter I had my body plug! LOL.
No other manufacture does old car parts support like Mercedes, at least I have never found one.
They were doing parts updates for cars that hadn't been manufactured in 15 years, AFAIK they still do. It wasn't uncommon to see a few part numbers for say a starter and the last part number was from an update done in 2000 for a starter that was last used in 1987...
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Rock Auto has sent me unsolicited close out sales on power window units and other stuff for the Windstar. Evidently some other vendor gets tired of holding it and so RA sends out a broadcast email to all Windstar owners in their data base. So I got a power window motor for $20. A headlamp for $35. So of late parts are getting cheaper, but I caused me to wonder if this will turn around.
I have a 1988 Fiero GT. Most parts are available, although some exceptions include certain rubber suspension bushings (88s have one-year-only suspension, brakes and front wheel bearings). Front wheel bearings are aftermarket and available in limited quantities. Brakes are readily available. Stuff that's no longer available include the GT rear quarter windows and taillights, as well as various trim pieces and interior stuff but that is true of all Fieros. Windshields are readily available and inexpensive but door windows (especially the drivers side) are long out of stock until recently when some aftermarket ones were made in small numbers. Rear windows are hard to find too. Its a mixed bag.
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