Are parts companies slow to update catalogs for new cars?

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Rant based on my wife's new, brand new 2019 prius.

1) The oil filter is an unknown. This is partially excusable because they switched back from a canister to a metal can as a running change in 2017-18. But rock auto shows few (expensive) results. I have a stash of Champ PH2840s for my old 2005 Prius but I want something "on the catalog" for warranty reasons. Champfiltration.com is finally my go-to and they list the part.

2) Snow tire rims and TPMS sensors are a hassle! Many catalogs only go up to 2017. Found myself cross referencing cross references. Rockauto shows the same Schraeder model for 2017 and 2019 but several more brands for 2017. eBay finally condensed it all into the PMV-C010 which is apparently part of the FCC ID number. I got the "genuine" Pacific-branded ones. Hey, if these don't work, I'll report back. Slight concerns arose about steel vs aluminum rims (on Tacomas of all things) that take different sensors-- sensors that have different "bend angles" to fit different rim profiles and naturally have different part numbers but transmit the same. Wanted to make sure, as much as I could, that my cross-cross reference will fit a universal steel wheel and work with the stock computer.
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BTW, local parts stores are even worse than rock auto. They want to sell universal sensors that need programming by some pricey tool. I want ones with the serial numbers pre-printed on them just like the stock ones.

I'm trying not to be a hack since it's a new car, special and all, but people selling stuff seem uninterested. Is this a normal view of how the other half lives? There's a "surge" of buying accessories for new cars that they could be missing out on.

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I remember when I worked at VIP all the smokers coming in for the window vent things for their brand new rides. We were the place for that! Guess we either had a good catalog or the packaging was clear about what they fit.
 
Yeah, aftermarket parts makers only make what will sell. When it's brand new, you're somewhat stuck with the dealer. Only after they're a few years old do you get aftermarket support.

Same issue with low volume cars. There's several parts that I wish I could get aftermarket parts on a Mercedes, but there's a few items that you can only get from the dealer because no one bothered to make aftermarket parts for it.
 
This car's at least in its 3rd year of its body style and other nuts & bolts tech should be established.

I'm not really expecting parts related to the brand spanking new AWD-e system to be widely available.

But the simple stuff? c'mon. They already know it fits the 2017, why not update the catalog? Cut & paste!
 
Basically, yes.

Just be glad it's not Kia or Hyundai, a lot of aftermarket cataloging for those cars is terrible. Nothing like figuring out the mounting point on the aftermarket strut is clocked wrong and the car has to go today!
 
Well, you can technically just go buy the OEM filter for the 1st year so it is really not a big deal (unless you have to drive there), doesn't new car come with 3 years of oil change anyways?

The TMPS, I remember Denso has the first time fit that you do not have to program, should be compatible with other similar cars right?. If you mix and match with steel wheels then it may be a problem as Prius are all aluminum or alum with hub caps. You will need to cross ref a car that still has steel (Corolla?) and buy that sensor for steel instead.
 
Originally Posted by eljefino
This car's at least in its 3rd year of its body style and other nuts & bolts tech should be established.

But the simple stuff? c'mon. They already know it fits the 2017, why not update the catalog? Cut & paste!
How do you know the parts didn't change ? You don't but if you're so confident they didn't, just buy parts that are spec'd for '17 and '18 models.
 
Originally Posted by PandaBear
Well, you can technically just go buy the OEM filter for the 1st year so it is really not a big deal (unless you have to drive there), doesn't new car come with 3 years of oil change anyways?

The TMPS, I remember Denso has the first time fit that you do not have to program, should be compatible with other similar cars right?. If you mix and match with steel wheels then it may be a problem as Prius are all aluminum or alum with hub caps. You will need to cross ref a car that still has steel (Corolla?) and buy that sensor for steel instead.


Depends on the manufacturer and whether maintenance is included or not. Most don't include it.

Mercedes does it correctly with their electronic parts catalog. All you do is punch in the VIN and you can find all the parts specific to your car. Then you can search for the part number and if there's an aftermarket manufacturer, they would just cross reference the part.
 
Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Originally Posted by eljefino
This car's at least in its 3rd year of its body style and other nuts & bolts tech should be established.

But the simple stuff? c'mon. They already know it fits the 2017, why not update the catalog? Cut & paste!
How do you know the parts didn't change ? You don't but if you're so confident they didn't, just buy parts that are spec'd for '17 and '18 models.


In the TPMS example RA only lists the Schraeder 28360 for 2019 but they have 4 options including the same part number for 2017.

The only way I can get snared is if they make them backwards compatible but not forwards-- like if they improved the product, miniaturized it, so the smaller new one fits where the balky old one no longer will.

If I buy expensive stuff under 2017 and then need to return it because "duh it doesn't fit" I'll probably eat the cost, so it takes careful research. Shouldn't be this hard!
 
Yes it is an issue on first year cars. We even have issues on brand new cars, especially body shops. Thankfully the parts catalogs update nightly but back in the day when we had CD/DVD updates the brand new VINs wouldn't always work.
 
A few cars will never see a common aftermarket part made for them. I have a 2008 Saturn VUE here with a GM 3.5 (not Honda) V6 that is in great shape other than 140K and a bad exhaust and tires it is going to the junk yard for $300, a great body and paint, no rust, good interior, engine runs like a champ and tranny shifts fine but there is no aftermarket exhaust made by anyone and never was.

OE is over 1K and still available, 4 tires a tune up and all fluid changes will put it at about 2K about what its worth so off to yard it goes.
 
Yes I have a hard time with simple parts for wife 2018 VW Tiguan which is new generation. Amazon sent me wrong part in their configurator because they also had previous generation
 
Originally Posted by Trav
A few cars will never see a common aftermarket part made for them. I have a 2008 Saturn VUE here with a GM 3.5 (not Honda) V6 that is in great shape other than 140K and a bad exhaust and tires it is going to the junk yard for $300, a great body and paint, no rust, good interior, engine runs like a champ and tranny shifts fine but there is no aftermarket exhaust made by anyone and never was.

OE is over 1K and still available, 4 tires a tune up and all fluid changes will put it at about 2K about what its worth so off to yard it goes.


Maybe someone with a good exhaust can buy your car off the junkyard to salvage his exhaust's hidden value.
 
Originally Posted by Trav
A few cars will never see a common aftermarket part made for them. I have a 2008 Saturn VUE here with a GM 3.5 (not Honda) V6 that is in great shape other than 140K and a bad exhaust and tires it is going to the junk yard for $300, a great body and paint, no rust, good interior, engine runs like a champ and tranny shifts fine but there is no aftermarket exhaust made by anyone and never was.

OE is over 1K and still available, 4 tires a tune up and all fluid changes will put it at about 2K about what its worth so off to yard it goes.


No economy exhaust shop available up there? Someone who can put together a system with compression bends?
 
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