Some insurers write off cars that need only small parts, because the hire car bill for the owner during a long wait for spares makes the repair unviable. Car parts shortages cause those waits across every brand, new and old.
A study the Insurance Council of Australia commissioned found average repair time rose from 38.57 days in 2019 to 61.25 days in 2024. Parts shortages and a stretched repair workforce mean insurers cover rental cars for longer, and every extra day costs them money.
In a case InsuranceNEWS reported on the 19th of May 2022, a repairer waited up to 6 weeks for 2 small parts, a wheel arch flare and a step. The owner was told to hand back the hire car. The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) ordered insurer Auto & General to reimburse the hire costs and pay $500 compensation.
Every carmaker has a parts shortage at the moment. In order to intentionally mislead, “some analysts” say the growth in EVs is causing waits of 6 to 8 weeks or longer for critical parts. BYD wasn’t taking this lying down. On the 16th of October, BYD published where its parts warehouses are and how long deliveries take.
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The Hire Car Bill
Most insurers use an internal write-off threshold, typically 70% to 80% of the car’s value, though the figure varies by insurer. Add weeks of hire car to a small repair and the total can cross that line.
An owner can lose a repairable car that way, over the wait for parts rather than the size of the damage. The badge on the bonnet offers no protection, because the shortage hits every brand.
Half a Million BYD Spares
BYD keeps more than half a million parts in Australia. Around 95% of BYD parts are in stock, and local dealers get them within 24 hours. Most interstate dealers wait 2 to 3 days, while dealers across the country or in outer rural areas wait around a week.
The largest warehouse is in Melbourne’s outer west, run with SF Express, which BYD calls the world’s 4th largest logistics company and the largest in Asia-Pacific. It holds parts for servicing and repair, plus special tools.
Those parts back more than 150,000 BYD customers, including buyers of the ATTO 1.
BYD Australia Chief Operating Officer Stephen Collins said, “Our commitment to Australian customers doesn’t end at the handover. It starts there. Having more than 580,000 parts available locally means we can support every BYD owner, when they need it, wherever they are in Australia.”
Ask About Parts Before You Sign
Before buying any car, ask the dealer how long parts for that model take to reach the workshop, and who stands behind the parts and warranty. When XPENG dumped TrueEV, it pledged to honour every promise made to buyers.
If an insurer stalls a claim or pulls the hire car during a parts wait, take it to AFCA. The service is free, and the Auto & General complaint ended with the hire costs repaid.
BYD Parts Network
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Parts and distribution centres | 4, in Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, and Brisbane |
| Melbourne centre | 15,000 square metres, 40 staff |
| Total parts warehousing | More than 24,000 square metres |
| Parts stock value | More than $25 million at any one time |
| Dealer network | More than 120 locations, 146 expected by December 2026 |
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Alan Zurvas is the founder and editor of Gay Car Boys, Australia's leading LGBTQI+ automotive publication. Before launching GCB in 2008, Alan's automotive writing was published in SameSame.com.au and the Star Observer. With over 16 years of hands-on car reviewing experience, Alan brings an honest, irreverent voice to every review — championing value and innovation over brand loyalty.
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