Spare Parts

[professorsabre]

Can someone confirm the truth of this statement, I was told that car manufacturers are obliged by law to have spare parts available for 10 years from the build date of the car. Is this true because I can't find it anywhere in writing. I'm not having a problem but my friend is, he's going to challenge Holden with this. he owns a 5yo Vectra and he was told that they can't get a coolant reservoir for it anymore and they would have to modify a current model reservoir. Seems dodgy to me, the cars only 5yo done 60k already has had major engine rebuild a few month ago and now radiator cracked and leaking. They're saying it's b/c of the rebuild.

Cheers.

[JBonDSS]

yeah its some kind of consumer law,

the year vary on the product & its intended use

I.e laptops its 5yr from the end of the warranty of the last unit built in that model range.

[Laminge]

Can remember at the Geelong plant tour that the had to keep some of the old stamping templates in stock for the old models for upto 10 years due to consumer law.

So i would be comfortable saying this was for Holden as well.

[4.9 EF Futura]

Does this only apply to vehicles manufactured in Australia?

I think they were making Vectras at Elizabeth with the 2.2L but before this they were all imported (from germany?) with the 2.0L engine...

[b2tf]

That is correct - any vehicle sold in Australia (but not neccesarily built here) has to have parts available for it for 10 years after the final date of sale. Example of this is Toyota now looking at becoming distributor for Daihatsu parts when they pull out later this year.

I dare say in the case of the Vectra, what Holden need to do is get the part from Vauxhall in the UK (they'd still most likely carry them), but the parts guy is either too dumb to know that or too lazy to do it.

[professorsabre]

Thanks guys, I'll let him know and see how he goes with it.

Cheers