If you own a smartphone, you will understand planned obsolescence. Every few months, your favourite smartphone manufacturer will introduce a new model that is slimmer with better features and will weigh less than a packet of Twisties. Every few months, you will feel the need to swap your old phone in for the newer, better model. In many ways, your old phone works and functions without any problems but soon you will find that it is harder to find parts for that cracked screen or even to find accessories for it.
It is the same for car manufacturers although the period may be in years instead. It is definitely not very fair but it is necessary for the company’s survival. For instance, it would not be fair for a manufacturer to stock parts for an old, unpopular model for very long. At the most, they will produce parts for a current model for a few years then stop producing parts altogether. Have you brought in your car to a dealership only to be told that it is difficult to source parts for it, especially if you are looking at interior or trim parts? This is an indication that the manufacturer has stopped producing the parts altogether. This is a fairly subtle signal that a newer car will probably be a better choice for you.
But, sometimes, the newer model may just be a facelift or simply an updated model. Most times, service parts remain the same and engine parts may be shared between platforms (which also means between manufacturers). It pays to do some Googling to find out if some manufacturers share the same OEM supplier and have interchangeable parts. Just because the new model wears some snazzy LED headlights and taillights does not mean your model is obsolete. Engines and powertrains are usually carried forward to the next model in order to save development costs. But it is definitely a signal that a new, improved model is imminent.
A car may just be five years old before it starts getting difficult to find parts. But all is not lost. First of all, there is your friendly neighbourhood parts shop. Look for the ones which proudly display your particular make. The older the shop and the more remote its location, the better. Who knows you might find that 2CV fender in the Citroen parts shop in Kampar, Perak.
The other option is the breakers’ yard or ‘potong kereta’. Many now specialise in particular makes and models and even stock supercar parts. So what that your Kia Spectra’s engine is kaput and no engines are available? That beautiful Subaru flat-four turbo might just fit into that engine bay.just kidding. Please find out from the JPJ what particular engine is permissible to put into your car. A particular model might have several types of engines (from 660cc turbos to 1.1 litre normal aspirated; a Proton Juara) fitted to it. A Proton Wira had 1.3 to 1.8 TwinCams fitted to the range. As long as you follow the JPJ’s recommendations, there are a multitude of engines you might fit to your car.
There are also numerous Internet marketplaces where you might find parts such as mudah.my or lelong.com (locally) or ebay.com or yahooauctions.com. Looking through these websites will uncover a treasure trove of parts where you might not expect. Just be aware that some left-hand drive parts (such as headlights) do not conform to our regulations.
So the next time you’re shopping for a new car, just know that they already know what the next model will be and whether that model you’re purchasing is at the end of its model life. The manufacturer has planned an entirely new chassis and drivetrain for the new model and the only similarity will be the model name. Sometimes it pays to do some research and find out. After all, this is no longer the age of the Beetle or the Mini, where model lives of 20 years were prevalent. To be fair, sometimes the manufacturer will take in your old model for a hefty trade-in price. Free service and sometimes, parts are also a sweetener for you to commit to a new car.
Planned obsolescence doesn’t mean your car is designed to fail regularly once a certain period is passed. It just means that the manufacturer designed it to be unfashionable and undesirable after a certain time. Witness some manufacturers changing the complete style of a range of cars just by switching designers, for example. Overnight, that marque changed from a bar of soap to edgy and sharp. But the powertrains underneath remained the same. Styling is a big part of planned obsolescence and that bar-of-soap didn’t break down because the manufacturer designed it that way. It pays to maintain your car properly and replace parts as per the manufacturers’ recommendations.