GM Looks To Strengthen International Operations With These Six Key Changes - GM Authority (blog)

Fun fact: While Japanese brands produce spare parts for decades, even after ceasing production of a model, GM stops after 7 years. (1) Japanese brands break down and need replacement parts at a much lower rate and (2) the 7 year cut off is probably another way for GM to save a penny so it can be mismanaged elsewhere. A mechanic once told me that GM fuel pumps put his kids through college and he could count the number of times he replaced fuel pumps on other makes on one hand. GM doesn’t stop producing all parts after 7 yrs. Our parts department can get parts for 1990’s vehicles yet (my brother in law is rebuilding a 1987 Silverado Short Box 4×4 and many of the parts I pick up right in our parts department). It is the more common parts that are now produced by many aftermarket companies (jobbers) who make them cheaper and sell them cheaper that GM chooses not to keep in production. There are so many jobber/aftermarket suppliers of GM, Ford and Chrysler/Mopar parts that the big three choose not to compete with those parts. Plus, many of the aftermarket companies also have contracts with GM, Ford and Chrysler to supply parts for new vehicles coming off the line, so it makes no sense for GM to compete with them on parts for older vehicles and put their own suppliers... Source: gmauthority.com