Have you ever been looking for that OEM part and was told, "I'm sorry, but that part is on backorder?" Sadly, this phrase is becoming a reoccurring theme lately as it pertains to many OEM manufacturers. So what do you do when your part person gives you this horrific news? Panic?! No, don't panic. Here are a few helpful ideas that could help you weather the storm.
The very first thing to do is channel your inner Sherlock Holmes or Nancy Drew, and start your investigation by calling around for the part. This is the obvious first choice of most because at this point we are still clinging to the hope that our needs will be answered by the next person that picks up the phone. So if you find that each place you call offers the same regurgitated 'it's on backorder' response, perhaps its time to switch tactics.
Now that we have exhausted the many part stores in our vicinity, shift your focus a smidge and start calling around to some local repair facilities. Ask them to go see if they have anything on their shelf. Often times parts sit on shelves for whatever reason and you never know what dust covered, long forgotten part might be waiting for the right person. Solicit referrals at every corner because people know people.
If you still have no luck finding what you need, and getting an OEM part doesn't look like an option, it might be considered time to go aftermarket. These days, aftermarket parts are now often exceeding their OEM counterparts in quality costing thousands less and making them the obvious choice.
Many of these aftermarket retailers, like Aftermarket DPF, exist for the sole purpose of supporting very specific market segments. These hyper focused businesses can end up being a wealth of information, and can potentially even open up an entirely new catalogue of parts. You need to be fast though because where there is one backorder, there is bound to be more.
Backorders for aftermarket parts is not a good sign either. This could spell the end of your journey, at least momentarily when this information comes out. Backorders with aftermarket parts could mean a few things. Faulty OEM parts can cause a rush that devastates supplies, and delays in materials could impact manufacturing, such as what we experienced, and are still experiencing because of COVID-19 today.
So, when Aftermarket DPF informs you of a backorder and all of your other efforts have all been in vain, when in doubt just get in line. Backorders are not your enemy, they can be your ally too. Place the backorder! Get in line! Worst case scenario, your part will be ready for you, and you already found the part during the time it took to manufacture the backordered item. All that happens is you decline the backorder and go about your day thus opening the backorder up to another person that is in line, thereby making their day/month/year.
See the trend? That means you could be that lucky person getting a call from us informing you that your order is available now because you were in line and the person in front of you didn't need it anymore. So when in doubt...get in line. You never know just how lucky you might get!