‘A problem’: Parts shortage could fast track death of the Holden Commodore
Holden Commodores are increasingly being written off by insurance companies and the cars made into scrap metal after minor prangs because of a desperate shortage of spare parts.
Will Keech
2 min read
May 4, 2024 - 3:00PM
Sunday Herald Sun
Ziad Mesto from Westgate Commodore Wreckers Picture: David Crosling
Holden Commodores are increasingly being written off by insurance companies, and scrapped, following minor prangs, because of a desperate shortage of spare parts.
Enthusiast owners of the iconic, Australian-made cars, panel beaters and insurers have all told the Herald Sun they have been left waiting months for some spare parts, while others are not barely available at all.
The last of the Australian-made Commodores rolled off production lines in Adelaide in October 2017, but seven years on, a shortage of spare parts has made many of them undriveable and unable to be repaired.
Burwood resident Libbie Chellew was shocked when she discovered the front right bumper of her 2017 Holden Commodore was unable to be replaced due to a lack of parts.
Ms Chellew was involved in an incident in Mitcham, with her insurance company pointing her in the direction of their preferred repairer, Kerrigan’s Panel Repairs in Templestowe Lower on March 20.
Burwood resident Libbie Chellew was shocked when she discovered the front right bumper of her 2017 Holden Commodore was unable to be replaced due to a lack of parts. Picture: Supplied
The following day Ms Chellew was asked to collect her vehicle, with the business telling her they’d contacted Holden and were unable to get parts.
Another Commodore in for repairs had been waiting on a front bumper for five months.
Three weeks later, Ms Chellew’s insurance company offered a cash settlement of $3541, leaving her to find parts herself.
Used late model Commodore bumpers in good condition, taken from scrapped cars, sell for thousands more than other makes and models.
Ms Chellew lodged a complaint the same day, asking to write the $26,000 car off.
Kerrigan’s Panel Repairs said a lack of new parts was “becoming a problem” for late model Holdens.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to obtain new Holden parts Picture: David Crosling
“It’s starting to become a pretty common issue with Holdens,” a spokesman said.
“This particular one, when we went to order the parts they said they just aren’t available.
“We did find some aftermarket, or non dealer supplied parts.”
The spokesman said using non-dealer supplied parts — essentially parts not made by Holden — could have drawbacks.
“Sometimes the parts are wrong — they’re incorrect parts of the car” he said.
“I always say, when I’m talking to an insurance company who wants to use them, ‘I’ve got a brand new Rolex at home that I bought from Thailand, but do I believe it’s a Rolex?’”
General Motors retired the Holden brand in both Australia and New Zealand in 2020. Picture: Kelly Barnes
Another busy repair shop, Cuthbert Prestige Collision Repair in Box Hill confirmed there were widespread issues sourcing spare parts for Commodores.
A spokesman said one customer had been waiting two years to find a grill.
“It is common,” he said.
“We don’t know when new parts will be released.”
He said that due to the perceived value of the cars following
the brands closure in 2020, some owners were taking their off the street, and keeping them garaged as collectors items, which in turn made it harder to find second hand parts.
When Holden‘s parent company, General Motors, announced it was closing the Australian company, it said it would “provide existing Holden customers after-sales support for at least 10 years” before closing its spare parts division.
