TIFFIN, Ohio — You've probably noticed empty shelves at the grocery store or long waits for home renovation projects, but supply chain issues are also impacting how fast people can get their cars back after a crash.
"There are more cars to fix than I have ever seen in my time here," said Jeff Feasel, general manager at Feasel's Frame and Collision. "There's more cars than my father's ever seen, and he's been here for almost 40 years."
The lot outside the Tiffin body shop is nearly filled to capacity. Feasel says his shop has been swamped since it reopened after the 2020 shutdown, but he's now having difficulty finding parts.
A combination of slowed or shut down factory production, and slower shipping are the blame. He says it's rare to find anything at local dealers, and aftermarket parts are few and far between.
"I've been running to Columbus," Feasel said. "I ran outside of Pittsburgh once to pick up a part for a customer to get their car done."
That leaves used parts, which aren't regulated by a vehicle's market value. So once a part is discovered at a junkyard, it's usually sold for a much higher price than if it were brand new.
Feasel says his shop is fully staffed plus two additional positions, which is more than before the pandemic. But the lack of accessible replacement parts has him fully booked for the next two months.
"I mean, we're releasing cars right now that aren't finished if it has a nonessential part that we're missing we'll let it go," he said. "I have a shelf sitting over here that has 'We Owe Parts,' they come in eventually and we'll call them and put them on."