Papirex
May 19, 2004, 9:12 PM
Post #13 of 14
(428 views)
Shortcut
|
One thing to know is that automobile assembly plants are just that, assembly plants. They receive parts and components, complete engines, complete transmissions, etc. and assemble them in to a car. They manufacture few if any parts in the assembly plants.
When you order auto parts, you are dealing with the manufacturers parts division, not the assembly division. Some parts may, but probably won’t, be available from an assembly plant. They order just the parts they need for their monthly production goal.
We brought two cars here from The States. Four years ago, the Oldsmobile that I drive had to have the transmission rebuilt. The rebuild kit had to come from The U.S.A. According to the tracking site it reached U.S. customs at the Mexican border in two days. It took them a month to release them.
About that time some engine work needed to be done on the Dodge Caravan my wife drives. We were told that the engine was made in Japan, and the only source of internal parts for it was The United States. Same as the transmission parts for the Olds, two days to the border, one month hold up in U.S. customs.
A year later, the windshield wiper assembly on the van my wife drives fell apart. That assembly was the subject of a recall, I received a letter to that effect after we were living in Mexico. I took it to the Chrysler dealer here in Cuernavaca. The first thing they told me was that they did not honor foreign guarantees. The van was out of warrantee, the wiper assembly was subject to replacement under a recall. Chrysler here told me it was the same as a foreign guarantee, they would not honor it.
The service manager said they could fix it. I showed him the letter from Chrysler Corporation stating the assembly was a defective design, and needed to be replaced. He said OK, they would get the parts from the Chrysler factory that was still operating in Mexico City at that time. I had my doubts that he could get any parts from them, but three days later we picked up her car. The cost was only about 90 Bucks total.
Later that afternoon it started to rain. She turned on the wipers, and the linkage immediately fell apart. Back to Chrysler. I got a little stern with the service manager and told him I had paid for a new assembly, and he better come up with it. He then admitted that they had just snapped the old linkages together again, because a new assembly had to come from The U.S.A., it was not available in Mexico. He agreed to order the proper parts this time. Well, two days for the trip to the border, and one month sitting in American customs, and we had her van back, properly repaired. The dealer did honor his own guarantee, I was not charged any more than I had already paid them.
Not finished yet guys. Last December the transmission started to fail on the van. Same as before, rebuild kit ordered from The U.S., two days to the border, one month in U.S. customs.
Those illegitimate sons/daughters in U.S. customs seem to just love to jerk the chain of people living in Mexico. Oddly, the offenders are usually Chicanos themselves.
You will find routine maintenance parts for most cars anywhere in Mexico. Spark plugs, belts, filters, etc. It can get a little dicey when you’re looking for the innards of a major component though. Don’t expect to find a Pep Boys type store, if there is anything like them they are few and far between. I haven’t seen one where I live yet. If you are trying to locate the parts yourself, you will be looking in lots of little unlikely looking specialty stores. The pros know where to go to get anything that’s available. Until you know your town, it’s pretty hard to find stuff on your own.
Until you know your dealer, or mechanic, try to verify that you are getting what you paid for, just like you should do anywhere. Those guys at the Chrysler dealer here had charged me for a new wiper assembly even though they just snapped the old linkages together. Unfortunately, I couldn’t visually verify that, because that assembly is located under the cowl. It was actually lucky that it fell apart on first use, a month later and the local dealers’ repair guarantee would have been expired.
I’m sure some people have had great luck, and prompt delivery of auto parts to them in Mexico. I haven’t. I do believe “Be prepared for the absolute worst thing that can happen, anything better than that is pure gravy.”
Rex
"The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved" - Victor Hugo
|
Forums Index
Search Posts
Who's Online
Log In or Sign Up
