You might not care about getting your Halloween costumes or buying a new electric car. However when it comes to your automotive aftermarket parts that you ordered on-line... that will choke your chain!
Maybe you ordered some wheels for your SS lately. Maybe you ordered some valve covers for your GTO, or how about some shocks or suspension for your G8 you want to finish this weekend? However vendors are telling you they are "Out of Stock" or "It's on the way" or maybe the ETA you were given has been delayed and it keeps getting being pushed forward. What gives?
If it was any other time you could say these companies are just making excuses. Well as much as we wish they were... it is a true issue now!
When one of the biggest Autoblog Jalopink starts writing about "A Record Number Of Cargo Ships Are Stuck Outside Of California As Ports Can't Keep Up" it is effecting the automotive sector!
This Traffic jam of freight ships off the coast of California and New York have amounted for up to 90+ ships are waiting up to weeks and some months to offload your parts. These parts you ordered need to get to the manufacture, to get to us, then to you, but they cannot even get off these boats! Even if those ships were able to dock, there are no truck drivers to bring those goods to manufactures!
Though most manufactures have known about this issue as well many retailers months ago, this has only become public with in the past few weeks.
The Today Show has mentioned this;
This question was also asked to Jen Paski the Whitehouse Press Secretary in the Whitehouse press conference just a few days ago;
Or this from 60 Minutes only a few days ago.
With that said where are your Wheels, Valve Covers and Struts? In the California Long Beach or the New York Harbor that's where! Or manufacture hasn't even shipped them because it cost manufactures for these boats just to sit in the harbor, so they will not ship any items out from their location.
And price increases? Yes your parts will increase in price period! Why? What used to cost maybe in the low thousands to import a container last year, now can be double to quadruple the cost to bring in. According to Time Magazine;
How long will this last? The director of the Los Angeles ports said this will extend into next year! So don't expect your parts anytime soon!
What about parts made in the US? As oblivious as some may be, we hate to bring it to you, but some materials do also come from overseas. This can be anything from chip to a hard material. The New York Times states "The World Is Still Short of Everything. Get Used to It." All materials have shortages now from plastics to cardboard to metals and yes carbon fiber too! Though the part could be made here in the United States, if there are no materials and a big shortage of workers who choose either not to work or are afraid of COVID, it is an issue!
If you ordered a part it is our best advise is keep the order in! Why? Because everything coming in will just get taken by someone else and price will go up! "Prices are soaring" according to CNN Business for Christmas items and CBS News says "Consumer prices are rising!" This is no joke or excuse to keep your order in! If you cancel, or think you can get it from someone else, this problem effects everyone and it will just a be longer wait for you.
We know, it sucks! Hang tight we want the parts just as bad as you want to get your build done!
On the bright side the ports are looking for workers so if you need a job, GO GET IT!
What other news is going on?
California law bans small off-road gas engines!
Live in Californa with a Tuned Car? You're Screwed Now!
Used Holden Air Bags for your Chevrolet SS... are they safe?
