Local dealerships impacted by supply chain issues in different ways

Three major auto brands are facing strikes in their manufacturing plants, and local dealerships are doing their best to provide for their customers despite the upset.

Jeremy Wellman, General Sales Manager at Tim Short Ford of Morehead, said getting parts and inventory has been an issue since the COVID pandemic.

“We’ve found that we had to work a little smarter, work a little harder. I’ve had vehicles ordered for eight, nine months,” said Wellman.

Wellman said the supply chain holdups started well before the current strikes. That means some customers haven’t been able to get the vehicles they want.

“I didn’t get a new Super Duty for a year last year, F-250, F-350. Those are things we’ve been adjusting for throughout the last three or four years, so we’ve kind of become numb to this type of thing,” said Wellman.

Problems securing parts and vehicles do not discriminate, with big and small dealerships across the Commonwealth impacted.

John Hyatt, General Manager at Cheap Chevrolet Company in Fleming County, said he’s had better luck lately getting parts.

“I remember the strike, the last time it was brakes and oil filters were shortage and stuff. But we don’t have that issue this time. Again, we have to play it by ear. But again, with the COVID and stuff, there’s still some shortages in chips and parts and whatnot that’s really hard to get,” said Hyatt.

Even while facing shortages, local dealerships report they are not panicked about potential issues the strikes could cause in the future.

“We still have to sell cars and we still have to fix cars and we still have to run a business. So we have to do the very, very, best we can and we’ve got to make sure that we treat everybody with the best experience that’s possible that way that they understand that we’re limited. So, that’s kind of what we’re doing,” said Wellman.

The auto worker strike began September 15 when workers for General Motors, Ford and Stellantis walked out of manufacturing plants in Missouri, Michigan, and Ohio.