No one really talks about parts availability and how much it blows

Posted by mocoyne@reddit | cars | View on Reddit | 413 comments

It's been interesting to watch cars that don't feel that old start to move toward "classic." I'm talking about all of the 90s and early 2000s cars that millennials grew up with and are now buying as fun second or third cars. But what has already started happening in a fairly dramatic way, and what really sucks the fun out of ownership is parts availability drying up.

In the last year I've sold both an e39 m5, and a c5 z06. Both great cars.. representing the peak intersection of "old school" and "new school" that people are starting to chase. But what really tainted the ownership experience was the increasing difficulty of part sourcing. Before I sold the m5 I went through and replaced all of the rubber under the intake manifold and around the ITBs. I was told at the parts counter that some of the molded hoses were down to single digit availability in the WORLD.

The C5 was even worse. GM's corvette support is surprisingly dog shit. You would think they'd keep everything in supply to allow for restoration but they seem to rely on the aftermarket to fill that void.

It's really making me think twice about what other cars I'd like to own. I enjoy keeping my cars nice, replacing small things as the my wear out. The dried up parts problem makes that sometimes impossible. I don't really enjoy scouring eBay for parts that I should be able to grab at the dealer. Have others noticed this? I assume some cars are worse than others.