[KNS]

Of course we all know that the average age of cars on the road is getting higher and higher. I read an article that manufacturers are fully aware that owners are holding on to their cars for longer and longer, delaying the purchase of a new car. This is frustrating for them. Some European manufacturers are discontinuing (sooner than normal) parts availability on older models to make it harder for owners to keep their old car on the road - forcing people into buying new.

This was somewhat confirmed when I stopped by the local BMW dealer parts counter and the parts guy said BMW was starting to eliminate a whole bunch of E46 parts. The E46 is 20-25 years old now so this was inevitable but he mentioned the exterior door lock cylinder which is a bit more critical than common items available from the aftermarket.