A combination of backed-up vehicle part orders and a labor shortage has meant that it takes longer for body shops to repair vehicles, with some cars stuck in the shop for months while waiting for the needed parts to come in.
“If you don’t have parts, you can’t finish the job,” said Sean Scalley, body shop manager at Lynch Toyota in Manchester, CT. Scalley said parts such as bumpers, doors, airbags and many electronic components are usually on backorder, and manufacturers of these parts are blaming the pandemic for the extended delays.