As a car owner, you know that your vehicle’s parts will wear out and get faulty sooner or later. To some extent, you can repair most defective parts, but sometimes it’s just better to replace the component altogether. But what do you do when the manufacturer stops making the specific part that you need? Searching for out of production car parts can sometimes make you feel helpless and leave you with very few options to none.
So, is it still possible to find discontinued auto parts? Even when a car company or OEM has stopped manufacturing the parts in question, all hope is not lost! Remember: while those parts were in production, the manufacturers must have produced thousands and thousands of them. That means that somewhere out there, the part you need still exists.
So, where do you go to find these out of production auto parts? Read on to find out more!
Why Do Manufacturers Stop Producing Car Parts for Their Models?
Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s try to understand why this problem exists in the first place. Why do manufacturers stop producing car parts for their models, even though those models are still on the road?
Well, it’s usually because the company has changed its priorities. You see, a manufacturer can make thousands of identical car parts on their production lines, thanks to automation. Machines can do this work non-stop. However, there’s a catch: each production line can only produce a few types of parts. And that’s assuming that they make multiple parts, as a lot of them only focus on building a single component non-stop.
Eventually, the manufacturer decides that they need to re-tool that production line to make newer parts. Suddenly, older parts like the ones you’re looking for are no longer worth producing, meaning there’s less demand for them. So, manufacturers discontinue those parts.
As I said earlier, the discontinued car parts you need still exist out in the world. They could be brand new, sitting in a box on a shelf somewhere unsold. Or, they could be used but sitting in someone’s garage. All you’ve got to do is find someone willing to sell you those discontinued auto parts.
Where Can I Buy Out of Production Auto Parts?
Finding and buying out of production car parts can be quick and easy, or it can take a long time and require loads of logistics. That depends on how rare or common the component is. Thankfully, most businesses and private sellers are online now, which makes your search easier. You don't have to rely solely on the sellers in your area. Instead, your search for discontinued car parts can span the entire globe!
eBay, Craigslist, and Gumtree
Ask anyone where to buy discontinued car parts online, and even non-car people will recommend sites like eBay or Craigslist. Gumtree has also become a popular place for Aussies to buy all sorts of things online.
What are all these sites? They’re online marketplaces and classifieds. Individuals like you and me buy, sell, and even exchange all sorts of things on those sites. That includes discontinued auto parts, as well.
The challenge with these sites is that you never really know who you're buying from. Your best-case scenario is that someone honest sells you the parts you need in good condition. Worst-case? You get someone who's trying to scam you out of your money. They might send you the correct part, though it might be in not-so-ideal shape. Or worse yet, they might take your money and run.
If you do decide to use this method to find your discontinued car parts, do so with caution! Always remember to do your research on the seller and use safe payment methods.
Specialist Websites
Quite often, you’ll find websites that specialise in finding and selling used parts for specific brands. These sites exist for many car brands, especially for luxury, vintage, and collector’s brands. If such a seller has these hard to find car parts available, they’ll typically ship the parts to wherever you are in the world.
Car Clubs and Swap Meets
No matter what car make or model you’re driving, there’s probably a car club dedicated to it somewhere near you. A benefit of joining such a club is that you’ll be surrounded by people who drive the same car that you do! That means someone in the club probably has the parts that you want. Or, at the very least, they’ll know where to get it. On top of that, some clubs organise swap meets; social events where people come for the sole purpose of buying, selling, or exchanging car parts.
Car Wreckers / Junkyards
You also have the option of shopping at car wreckers or junkyards. These are among the best places to get hard to find car parts. How these businesses work is pretty simple: they buy cars that have reached the end of their lives. Then, they dismantle those cars piece-by-piece and sell off the parts that are still functional.
Car wreckers operate in a few different ways. Most have websites you can use to see if they have the parts you need. You can also drop by and talk to them about the discontinued car parts that you want. Some even offer a DIY option, where you can walk through the junkyard and take those discontinued auto parts out yourself!
Carpart.Com.Au and Its Part Finder
If you’re not the kind of person who likes shopping around, a faster and simpler option would be to use Carpart.com.au and its Part Finder. Instead of searching through many different sellers yourself, you can choose CarPart’s hassle-free way. All you have to do is fill up a form. Include all the details about the auto parts you need. Then, give the platform some time to reach over 500 sellers across Australia. Suppliers who have the part will then send you their best quote. You can then choose from the offers that you receive!
Are Used Car Parts a Good Replacement for Discontinued Auto Parts?
No matter where you get them from, a fair question to ask is, “Are these parts a good replacement for discontinued auto parts?”.
Well, there are a few ways you can look at this. First and foremost, your options are limited. If the original manufacturers aren’t making the parts you need, and neither are third parties, then you’ll need to get them from whatever sources you can find. With that said, used car parts are not necessarily bad!
A well-built car part could last you a lifetime if it’s maintained or restored correctly. So, unless it’s heavily damaged, the used car part you buy could still have many years of usefulness left in it. The key is to get your out of production car parts from trustworthy sources! That’s where we can help you. Request a part from our certified sellers now!
By Ray Hasbollah