# Yesterday was the last day you could buy a new Pontiac **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 1, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yesterday-was-the-last-day-you-could-buy-a-new-pontiac/559091 "2010-11-01T14:53:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yesterday-was-the-last-day-you-could-buy-a-new-pontiac/559091/21 "2010-11-02T00:03:28Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > I believe federal law requires that manufacturers provide suitable replacement parts for 10 years or 12 years. Typically they won’t stockpile parts unless there’s going to be a major tooling change. Instead they’ll set up for “service parts” and build them every few months. That’s for stuff the OEM’s build themselves. Sometimes they’ll sell the tooling to a Tier 2 who’s then contracted to build on demand. I believe that you have to retain the ability to make additional replacement parts for ten years and be able to supply them on demand. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yesterday-was-the-last-day-you-could-buy-a-new-pontiac/559091/22 "2010-11-02T00:15:27Z")
hmmm, I used to write auto body estimates and there were many times that parts for vehicles less than 10 years old had been discontinued. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yesterday-was-the-last-day-you-could-buy-a-new-pontiac/559091/23 "2010-11-02T00:20:03Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Somewhere Michael Knight is crying. > [@joebuck20](#): > > Somewhere, Burt Reynolds is shedding a tear. Knight and Reynolds together aren’t fit to put a coat of wax on Jim Rockford’s gold Firebird. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yesterday-was-the-last-day-you-could-buy-a-new-pontiac/559091/24 "2010-11-02T00:48:20Z")
Maybe not all body parts are covered under the 10 year law? There are 3rd party body parts and you can also get them off junked cars. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yesterday-was-the-last-day-you-could-buy-a-new-pontiac/559091/25 "2010-11-02T01:13:52Z")
> [@](#): > > Just for the sake of accuracy, the Flex (and MKT) and Explorer are on the D4 platform, whereas the Taurus (and MKS) are still D3. the only key difference is wheelbase. It’s not like “D4” is the next generation from “D3,” but that D4 is an extended version… which makes sense given that Flex, MKT and Explorer are all three-row vehicles. ---
**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yesterday-was-the-last-day-you-could-buy-a-new-pontiac/559091/26 "2010-11-02T01:48:16Z")
> [@](#): > > (I think the CD3 is little more impressive: Fusion (and MKZ), Edge (and MKX), and the Madza 6 and CX-9 [and a few more not available in the US market]. All CD3 vehicles are available in the US market. The rest of the world Fords are on the Volvo/Mondeo EUCD. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yesterday-was-the-last-day-you-could-buy-a-new-pontiac/559091/27 "2010-11-02T02:13:40Z")
I had a 72 LeMans GT. Bought it from my grandfather. It had one problem after another, so I was glad to get rid of it. Still, it was my grandfather’s, so that part was pretty cool. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yesterday-was-the-last-day-you-could-buy-a-new-pontiac/559091/28 "2010-11-02T03:14:22Z")
I don’t like gas guzzling SUV’s and think the Hummer was a waste of space. However, I’ve already wanted to test drive one. I’m sad I’ll never get the chance now ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2010, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yesterday-was-the-last-day-you-could-buy-a-new-pontiac/559091/29 "2010-11-02T05:33:22Z")
> [@Ruby](#): > > hmmm, I used to write auto body estimates and there were many times that parts for vehicles less than 10 years old had been discontinued. They shouldn’t have been. Granted, I specialize in body shell parts, and a big part of my job (for my company) is ensuring that we have capability to produce service parts for 10 years or more. In some plants, it means keeping a line decommissioned until we need the parts. In others, it means outsourcing the same. In others (newer) we can run them on current tooling during the weekend. I wonder if the law (I’m in manufacturing, not legal) requires that only “equivalent” parts be available, or if a new engineering change has obsoleted the part you tried to order? > [@jz78817](#): > > the only key difference is wheelbase. It’s not like “D4” is the next generation from “D3,” but that D4 is an extended version… which makes sense given that Flex, MKT and Explorer are all three-row vehicles. In principal, you’re right. But there’s always an out, and in this case, it’s this: Really, it’s not just the wheelbase. While the virgin platform is pretty flexible, there’s another key difference: the ride height, which encompasses all of the suspension components. Often there are enough changes that a new designation is called for. That’s actually very convenient. In the following examples, I’m talking body in white only (because that’s what I do). The CD3 is still common despite the sheet metal changes (the Fusion is solid, the Edge is a frickin’ tank with its different sheet metal). There are obvious suspension and drive line differences. The D3 and D4 have the obvious differences in length, but they also have different drive-train and suspension interfaces. The B2, though has an underbody where the only difference is length (so, same platform for the 3-, 4-, 5-door and van). While the D3 and D4 are similar, the importance of the platform differences are what can be built off of them with minimal extra engineering. > [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](#): > > All CD3 vehicles are available in the US market. The rest of the world Fords are on the Volvo/Mondeo EUCD. Almost. To clarify, the CD3 is used by Mazda and Ford Americas (it’s a Mazda platform). Worldwide Mazdas use the CD3 (and others). South America and Asia-Pacific are a mix of EUCD and CD3 platforms (import vs EU vs local production). Really, it’s been (and still is) a friggin’ mess. With Ford’s divestment of most of Mazda, the EU and NA platforms are becoming worldwide platforms. The B2 (still Mazda, but with EU influence) and the next-gen C1 platform (actually the basis for EUCD). Confusing as all hell, but it’s getting less so! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yesterday-was-the-last-day-you-could-buy-a-new-pontiac/559091.md?page=1)