Holden Commodore Owners are facing long delays for some replacement parts, but General Motors says it is finding a solution.
Since Holden stopped local production in October 2017, owners of the Australian-made Commodore have relied on a backlog of parts produced before the store closures or signed-on suppliers contract to supply new plastic parts, such as new bumpers.
However, Adelaide-based Trident Plastics – which makes new bumpers for General Motors and specializes in bins – fell into administration in June 2023, with In everyday reported in July that the injection molding company owed creditors more than $52 million.
This has led to a huge backlog of parts, affecting not only those wanting to restore their beloved cars but also the repairers tasked with bringing damaged Commodores back on the road.
It is not yet known how many generations of Commodores this affects, although owners who have expressed their concerns on social media say models from the last Australian-made VFs right up to Vietnam in the late 1980s was facing long delays.
Some disgruntled owners said they had to wait up to a year for a new bumper, with some insurance repairmen refusing to use old parts from other cars.
If they choose to source parts from used vehicles rather than directly from the manufacturer, they will now have to pay significantly higher prices – resulting in insurers having to pay out to owners instead of forcing them to wait for a costly and lengthy repair job.
“These days, it’s cheaper for the insurance company to pay them because parts are hard to find and they’re so expensive that they have to write off the car,” said Ziad Miestro, owner of Westgate Commodore Wreckers. 7News.
While there are aftermarket and third-party companies selling new, unpainted bumpers and other plastic parts for Australian Holden models, owners still run the risk of a different installation than Supplies come from the factory, while insurance companies often require repairers to use genuine items. .
A spokesperson for General Motors – which still operates in Australia, despite Holden’s closure in 2020 – said Car expert it is now looking to work around supply constraints, claiming new parts could be available before the end of August.
“We occasionally experience disruptions in our parts supply chain due to unforeseen challenges but always work to overcome these as quickly as possible,” a General Motors spokesperson said.
“There have been challenges in delivering Commodore facias due to supplier administration, but GM Australia and New Zealand has continued to work with suppliers and administrators to find solutions so that production can operate. can start again and we now estimate that supply will gradually recover.” Restart operations early in the third quarter of 2024.
“Customers can contact our Customer Care team at any time to resolve the issue. You can contact our Customer Care team by submitting an inquiry online at Holden.com.au or calling us on 1800 GM Holden.”
More than 2.3 million Holden Commodores were produced in Australia for the local market between late 1978 and October 2017, not including those exported to markets such as the US and the Middle East.
Not only does General Motors still operate in Australia through GM Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) – the local distributor for Chevrolet and soon GMC – but also Cadillac, which is due to launch later this year.
It also owns and operates ACDelco, the service and spare parts division that took over the branding of several former Holden dealerships after the automaker closed its doors.
