Quick Answer
Finding genuine parts for a 2005 Bentley Continental GT or a 2010 Rolls-Royce Phantom is harder than fixing it. Here's how specialists source parts for heritage luxury vehicles in the UAE —
When your 2008 Porsche 997 Turbo needs a specific turbo oil feed line, or your 2006 Mercedes CLS 63 AMG needs an engine mount that's been discontinued, the repair itself isn't the hard part. Finding the part is.
Modern luxury cars have parts readily available through dealer networks. Heritage vehicles — typically 10-20 years old, sometimes older — exist in a gap where dealer stock is depleted but the aftermarket hasn't filled the void. This guide covers how specialists navigate that gap in the UAE.
| Vehicle Age | Parts Availability | Why | |-------------|-------------------|-----| | 0-5 years | Full dealer stock | Active production/support | | 5-10 years | Good dealer stock, growing aftermarket | Production may have ended, stock held | | 10-15 years | Declining dealer stock, aftermarket variable | Dealer returns unsold stock to manufacturer | | 15-20 years | Limited dealer, aftermarket patchy | Manufacturer tooling retired | | 20+ years | Specialist suppliers, used parts, fabrication | No mainstream supply chain |
Dubai's used luxury car market includes a high proportion of heritage vehicles — the favourable import conditions and collector culture mean that 10-20 year old Bentleys, Rolls-Royces, Ferraris, and Porsches are common on the road.
But the UAE parts supply chain is:
Professional specialists use multiple sourcing channels simultaneously to find parts efficiently.
Best for: OEM parts still in the manufacturer's system, even if not physically in UAE stock.
How it works:
Cost: Full retail OEM pricing (highest cost option) Lead time: 1-21 days depending on location Reliability: Guaranteed genuine, warranty on part
Limitation: Once a part is "NLA" (No Longer Available) in the manufacturer's system, the dealer cannot source it. This is where other channels become essential.
Best for: Parts originally manufactured by Tier 1 suppliers who still produce them under their own branding.
Key suppliers for heritage vehicles:
How to cross-reference: Use the OEM part number to find the Tier 1 supplier's own part number via TecDoc, Partslink24, or manufacturer EPC (Electronic Parts Catalogue).
Cost: 40-70% of OEM retail Lead time: 3-10 days (UAE distributors stock popular items) Reliability: Identical to OEM — same factory, same specification
Best for: Heritage-specific parts, discontinued items, hard-to-find components.
Examples by brand:
How specialists use these: Direct accounts with heritage suppliers, cross-referencing part numbers, and leveraging relationships for hard-to-find items.
Cost: Variable — sometimes higher than OEM, sometimes lower for discontinued items they've stockpiled Lead time: 7-30 days (international shipping to UAE) Reliability: Generally excellent — these suppliers specialise in authenticity
Best for: Discontinued parts, complete modules (ECUs, instrument clusters), body panels.
How it works:
Key used parts networks:
Cost: 30-60% of new OEM Lead time: 7-21 days Reliability: Variable — depends on source. Reputable breakers with return policies are safe. Random online sellers are risky.
What to source used: ECUs, instrument clusters, interior trim, body panels, glass What NOT to source used: Rubber components (seals, hoses), brake components, safety items, anything with wear
Best for: Parts that are genuinely unavailable from any source.
Options:
Cost: Variable — remanufacture is often 40-60% of new. Custom fabrication can be expensive. Lead time: 7-30 days for remanufacture. Fabrication varies. Reliability: Depends on the remanufacturer's skill and quality standards.
Dubai's open market and free zone structure, combined with high demand for luxury car parts, creates fertile ground for counterfeit components.
Most commonly counterfeited heritage parts:
How to verify authenticity:
For heritage vehicles, the key to managing lead time is diagnosis first, then parts sourcing.
The wrong approach:
The right approach:
This approach prevents: Your heritage Bentley sitting in a workshop for 3 weeks waiting for a part that could have been sourced while you were driving it.
Q: How do I know if my car has heritage parts availability issues?
A: Generally, vehicles over 10 years old may have some parts with extended lead times. The best approach: ask your specialist to check parts availability for common service items and known failure points before they're needed. Proactive identification prevents emergency sourcing.
Q: Should I stockpile parts for my heritage vehicle?
A: For critical items that are known to be scarce or discontinued — yes. Items worth stockpiling: brand-specific gasket sets, hard-to-find sensors, model-specific trim pieces. Items not worth stockpiling: filters, fluids, brake components (available from OE-equivalent sources).
Q: Can I import parts directly to Dubai myself?
A: Yes — Dubai's free zone import structure allows personal parts importation. However, customs clearance can add 3-7 days, and you may need to pay 5% VAT. Most specialists have established import channels that are faster and handle customs automatically.
Q: Are remanufactured parts as good as new?
A: When done by a reputable remanufacturer, yes. Quality remanufacture involves complete disassembly, inspection, replacement of all wear components, reassembly to OEM tolerances, and functional testing. The result is effectively a new part. The key word is "reputable" — not all remanufacturers maintain equal standards.
Q: What if a critical part is genuinely unavailable from any source?
A: This is rare but happens with very low-production models. Options: fabrication by a precision machine shop, adaptation of a part from a related model (requires engineering knowledge), or sourcing from another market (Japan, South Africa, and Australia sometimes have stock that European networks have depleted). A specialist with global sourcing contacts can usually find a solution.
Finding the right part for a heritage luxury car is a skill in itself. It requires knowledge of supply chains, cross-referencing databases, relationships with specialist suppliers, and the patience to verify authenticity. The garage that says "we can't find the part" may simply not know where to look.
Equipment. Knowledge. Patience. And a very thick contact book.
No Fix, No Fee.
Reviewed by [Heritage Vehicle Specialist], MotorMec Dubai. Last updated: February 2026
