Supply Chain Making Wait Longer for Auto Repair

May 16, 2022

Auto shop foreman says cars have been in the repair lot for upwards of two months waiting on parts.

May 16, 2022—Once upon a time, it took six weeks to get a package and three or days to get your car from the shop. Now, the roles are reversed.

Supply chain issues have affected some shops to the point where wait times have become unreasonable. Edgar Barron, shop foreman at Long Lewis Ford in Hoover, Alabama, said engines and transmissions are among the hardest parts to obtain and he's been cars in the lot for as long as two months waiting for parts

“A lot of our parts come from overseas and those parts being shipped from overseas are really difficult to get here,” Baron told WBRC. “Then, they get deployed all throughout the United States and then get shipped to your actual dealership or stores, so that makes it really tough to get your parts.”

He added that on top of that, parts prices continue to rise, and finding skilled workers who can perform the job has been difficult.

About the Author

Ratchet+Wrench Staff Reporters

The Ratchet+Wrench staff reporters have a combined two-plus decades of journalism and mechanical repair experience.

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