In Toulouse, mechanics suffer from a lack of car parts
In recent weeks, mechanics and dealerships have had auto parts supply problems, putting their customers at a disadvantage.
Patrice*, driving his Peugeot 308, suddenly brakes when he sees smoke coming out of the bonnet. The vehicle was towed to a workshop and after a series of tests, the cause of the breakdown was found: one of the AdBlue tank lines was defective. Problem, the part is sold out. The car stays in the garage for two months – from May to July – until the part arrives. “Nevertheless, it’s crazy to have waited so long for a spare part,” plagues Patrice.
Like him, many motorists experience more or less the same situation. This is due to a lack of auto parts. Some workshops wait weeks or even months for supplies. “In the beginning, we mainly had trouble getting headlights from German manufacturers. We’re still waiting for her. But recently the shortage is spreading. Parts from French manufacturers can arrive. For some, we no longer have to wait at all…” confirms Sylvain Michelin, workshop manager at the Lava Garage in Toulouse.
Auto suppliers had to raise their prices. A manager at a resale company admits that prices have “up nearly 10%” in recent weeks.
“The problem will not be solved before 2023”
This defect is mainly due to a lack of material. According to Christophe Maurel, dealer and member of Mobilian, the union for trade and automotive services, three accompanying factors explain the situation: “World regions like Asia produce fewer parts. Some countries have been living under glass and production is hardly getting going again. The war in Ukraine is also slowing down this market. It is a country that supplies important parts, especially cables. At the same time, Russia is no longer living up to its role as a supplier of rare metals. It must also be considered that the demand for parts has not decreased, resulting in longer lead times. »
Consequence: The market for new vehicles fluctuates. Due to a lack of order fulfillment, many factories will be closed.” “We observe that the production of new cars fell by 60% in the first half of 2022. The decline in demand is not just associated with a decline. It is above all an impossibility of production, due to a lack of car parts, especially electronic components,” explains the entrepreneur at the head of the Maurel Group.
According to him, manufacturers have reviewed their supply system to be less dependent on areas where production is slowing. They forecast an exit from the supply crisis by the end of 2023.
