General Spare part issue

[mss1641]

I have a 500L Trekking and unfortunately someone damaged my rear wheel arch plastic trim. Getting a new one on a 2 year old car should be quite simple, however it isnt, apparently the part I need which is a light metallic grey colour is not made anymore!? After 2 years? What I have been advised is that a standard black coloured one is required then has to be painted?
Anybody else have this issue?

 

[mss1641]

Further to my last entry... My rear wheel arch trim was damaged, ordered one from Fiat, only to be sent a shiny black trim (mine is a grey metallic finish colour) the part was sent back and I asked for the correct one to be resent, only to have the same part returned. After many phone calls and getting different answers and submitting a complaint to Fiat I was told my particular part wasn't made anymore, after 2 years?! I was told only shiny black available and it would have to be painted, if this wasn't bad enough I asked what paint colour was needed for the body repair shop who was doing repair, and was told they didn't have one?! Nothing more can be done, just a brief apology and nothing more, incredible.
Therefore a word of warning, if you have a Fiat 500L trekking or a model with similar colour ie metallic grey wheel arch trims, beware you are in for a battle, my body shop did a great job in the end, however it took many hours and attempts to get the colour and texture correct.

 

[Michael Dranfield]

I repair consumer electronics for a living and the problem you are having is all to common and has been for quite a few years now,its not unusual for a TV set to be only 18 months old and parts not available,i wondered when cars would go the same way.

 

[varesecrazy]

in this situation I would et the correct Part Number - for the coloured part,
then "Google it",
there will no doubt be parts still in stock around europe.., as the body parts shouldn't be a LHD vs RHD thing..

of course with shipping cost - it may be more cost effective to have it painted locally,
Charlie

 

[varesecrazy]

I repair consumer electronics for a living and the problem you are having is all to common and has been for quite a few years now,its not unusual for a TV set to be only 18 months old and parts not available,i wondered when cars would go the same way.

we had a "special order" piece of kit made at work, after a couple of years of good service it blew an oil seal..,
simple enough..I stripped it down , and took the worn part to a local wholesaler..non-standard part.:bang:

so I spent a while googling and got hold of the UK distributors number..only an hours drive away,
they told be it's ALL made in China, and every batch comes from a different factory / supplier.:shakehead:

so they now carry NO SPARES, as it won't carry over from week to week.:bang:

cheap for a reason.. Progress , EH..

 

[Ez2517]

I think that generally they usually do stock parts which can have different colors only umpainted, same goes for body parts or mirrors. In this case it is annoying because there are most probably only 2 colors out there, but still it is not surprising. I dont think it is different for other manufacturers.