DALLAS — Mechanic shops in the Dallas-Fort Worth area say the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge blockade, which has since ended, will throw a wrench into an already backed up supply chain, meaning fewer auto parts and pricier repair bills for some Texas drivers. 

It hasn’t been an easy two years for Abdullah Kareem and the rest of the staff at Al’s Auto Repair Shop in Dallas. 

Kareem is the vice president of the auto repair shop, stating that the pandemic has created a volatile supply chain market. 

“A/C compressors — we used to pay anywhere from $115 to $300… it’s over $400, $500 now,” Kareem said. 

On top of that, the auto repair market has been playing catch-up with supplies. Kareem says they’ve even resorted to shopping for items on Amazon.

“We have to outsource our parts even online, which a mechanic shop hardly ever does,” he said. 

The recent protest at the border to Gov. Greg Abbott’s commercial vehicle inspection policies has left many commodities at a standstill. 

The City of Pharr says motor vehicle parts make up more than a half a billion dollars in commodities brought over from Mexico at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge. It’s ranked second out of 25 other supply items that are transported through this bridge. 

Kareem says most of their motor vehicle parts come from either China or Mexico. “I can guarantee it’s more than 30%, because most parts are made in Mexico nowadays,” he added.

Spectrum News 1 reached out by phone to about a dozen other auto repair shops in Dallas. A few of them say they’ve been able to maintain a solid supply, while others, like Kareem’s shop, are trying to get back on track. 

“I have at least four, five cars just waiting over here for parts,” Kareem said. 

While Kareem states they don’t expect to feel the immediate impact of the blockade, it won’t help in their efforts to catch up with an already unstable market.