Nationwide parts shortage leaves Frisco man with new, undrivable car

An field-broad scarcity of vehicle pieces is leaving some drivers defenseless when they want repairs.

Just one North Texas man claims he’s out 1000’s of bucks mainly because his only decision was to provide again his brand-new auto right after a wreck.

Michael Gefteas of Frisco was using his spouse out on a morning espresso operate when he states a driver blew by means of a end sign and went through 4 lanes of targeted traffic in January of this 12 months.

Swerving to skip hitting him, Gefteas hit an additional car as a substitute. His model-new Acura RDX obtained about $30,000 in injury.

“At that place, I had not even designed the very first payment,” he mentioned.

The good news is, no 1 was hurt in the collision, and Gefteas was properly insured.

“Our expectation was 2-3 months we would get it back.  We’d have coverage for a rental, and we would be again in small business,” he reported.

That didn’t happen. 

Gefteas says he experienced this kind of a excellent getting working experience at the David McDavid Acura dealership that he experienced his car towed there for repairs. But when he arrived, the whole method strike the brakes — tricky.

“They knowledgeable me it would get 9 months to a yr to get the components from Acura,” he explained. “I will never ever overlook he went just like this. ‘Michael, search at all of these autos sitting down in my lot. I won’t be able to get parts for any of them, and you might be at the close of that line.’”

The dealership confirmed in a assertion to FOX 4 that “repairs throughout the country are remaining delayed months or months since of offer chain problems the marketplace is experiencing.”

And to make matters even worse, Gefteas’ insurance enterprise said as prolonged as the pieces are remaining created, they wouldn’t full his automobile no make a difference how lengthy the hold out, even although his policy only lined 30 times of a rental.

Gefteas’ car sat undrivable on the good deal. Months went by. The payments piled up. He suggests he manufactured 8 payments from January to August.

“$800 a thirty day period. That’s not which includes insurance,” he explained.

Gefteas put in hundreds of bucks to pay back for and insure a vehicle that was undrivable and — owing to a areas scarcity — unfixable.

“It truly is exciting that for all of the promises of not acquiring parts. Each and every time I went by the dealership, they had just obtained a truckload of new autos to market,” he explained.

FOX 4 questioned Acura Company about how parts are allocated. They pointed to the same supply chain shortage.

Gefteas questioned the company for a loaner until his car or truck could be mounted. He states they reported no. 

Finally, Gefteas convinced the dealership to invest in again his car or truck at a reduction. He supplied to acquire a new one particular if they’d concern a voucher for the difference. They didn’t.

“There has to be some amount of expectation of a reasonable time frame the place when you buy a little something new that it is heading to be supported and repairable by that maker,” he mentioned.

Gefteas is now suing Acura’s guardian business, American Honda Motor Corporation, for the income he is out. 

This trouble is just not unique to Acura.

Due to the fact FOX 4 spoke to Gefteas, we have received problems from house owners of other manufacturers of vehicles stating they’re acquiring the identical problems.

FOX 4 achieved out to Gefteas’ coverage enterprise to request why they wouldn’t full his car or truck or extend his rental when the pieces wanted had “unidentified availability.” They did not mail a response to our thoughts. 

The dealership and Acura Corporate released the pursuing statements:

“We try to assure each individual client has an excellent knowledge when they entrust their car or truck to our system store. Repairs across the nation are being delayed months or months for the reason that of provide chain challenges the business is going through. We are undertaking everything we can to decrease the inconvenience to consumers. We will continue on to resource original manufacturer parts from our community and assist get shoppers back again in their cars as rapidly as possible.” – David McDavid Acura 

“”In the course of this time period of unparalleled world source chain troubles influencing many automakers and industries, American Honda is doing the job to resolve all substitute component backorders as shortly as attainable, and we regret any inconvenience that our consumers could encounter thanks to these externally-brought on delays.  Since each delayed substitution portion may face distinct source troubles, we propose operating instantly with area authorized Acura and Honda sellers to guarantee that proper precedence is put on important portion orders.  If a buyer has worries over and above the dealer’s rapid means to answer, then customers are encouraged to get hold of Acura Consumer Relations (for Acura homeowners) or Honda Automobile Purchaser Provider (for Honda entrepreneurs) to identify if any supplemental help is possible.  Each shopper inquiry will be tackled by our buyer company professionals on a circumstance-by-case foundation proper to the situations.” – American Honda Motor Co