just a little confused

[bob w]

Yikes! I feel very lucky after reading this thread. My lifetime friend has an auto parts store/engine machine shop. I helped him run Gas class drag cars in the 60's, then he moved on to a funny car. I have always had access to the catalogs behind the counter. Even though my friend is having some memory problems his son has become my go-to expert.

When I need something fast and don't want to drive 20 miles, the local Car Quest is excellent.

 

[shakey56]

Parts?

I worked for a regional parts company. We had guys who are real "parts men". Don, you are right. We asked for it. We want it cheap...if they sell it cheap, they can't afford to hire knowledgeable people. I was outside commercial sales and the battle I fought every day was price. My delivery was faster, my guys more knowledgeable and good quality parts.....but they still wanted cheaper!

Shop around and find a good parts guy with quality parts and then pay his price. And he probably isn't at Autozone or any of the big box stores. They can't afford him. JMO

Lynn

 

[Willowbilly3]

It's your peace and they can only have control over it if you let them so don't blame the parts store/person. Besides, that's just how their computers are set up, you have to enter vehicle information. Most of us with homebuilt or modified vehicles learned a long time ago how to deal with it. On Belts, I get all mine from the local farm store. I can measure my own and get them down off the wall until I find what I need.
Maybe you should try being a partsman for a while and see all the dipwad customer crap you have to deal with on a daily basis.

 

[izzy]

My wifes cousin runs one of the local parts stores, she always cringes when I walk in but I pretty much have the run of the store.

 

[Sam_Fear]

Another one that bugs me is the "associate" who has been to Autozone school and as soon as you walk in the door they are stuck to you like glue. "What are we working on today? Did you notice our sale on injector cleaners? How about some rags to go with that purchase?"

I feel like Toad in American Graffiti when that used car salesman was trying to sell him a car........."For God's sake, leave me alone !!!!!"

Don

They leave me alone until I check out, then it's time to sell the snake oil or the club card or whatever. Can't stand it! I can't even walk into an AutoZone because of that - and it's right on the way home from work!

 

[BigIrish]

Autozone is the absolute worst. In my area it's staffed 100% by young latino girls.

I asked for brake pads for an F150 and she said "we don't carry those". For an F150??? I look over at the computer and she had typed in "Break Pads". Can't even spell brakes at an auto parts store!!!

O'Reilly is pretty good, and NAPA is too - if you can wait in line for the one old guy who knows his stuff.

 

[Willowbilly3]

Autozone is the absolute worst. In my area it's staffed 100% by young latino girls.

I asked for brake pads for an F150 and she said "we don't carry those". For an F150??? I look over at the computer and she had typed in "Break Pads". Can't even spell brakes at an auto parts store!!!

O'Reilly is pretty good, and NAPA is too - if you can wait in line for the one old guy who knows his stuff.

Not surprising, half the guys on the car forums don't know the different between break and brake, parts person should but it just shows the average level of education these days.

 

[sgtpontiac]

Oh come on Willowbilly....

Not surprising, half the guys on the car forums don't know the different between break and brake, parts person should but it just shows the average level of education these days.

GIVE ME A BRAKE!!!!! lol.....I say, I say.....that's a joke son....that's a joke!!!

 

[shakey56]

Very Phunny, Sarge.

 

[moparcowboy]

I won't go to a Auto zone or Advance Auto either![S

 

[billy]

i buy most parts online .even though there are a half dozen parts stores here.
if they cant provide a useful service.
i dont care if they go belly up.

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

Most the people that work at the local autozone are mexican. Not an issue except im in line with $300 worth of parts and they will abandon me to go serve a mexican guy buying a $20 part. I only go there in an emergency now.

 

[Willowbilly3]

I guess I'm lucky to live in the heartland. We have a real good NAPA with good partsmen and another indy store that is good too. The indy store doesn't inventory as much and you might have to wait for the afternoon truck or the next day. We also have a great farm store that does some parts, batterys, belts, oil, filters, bolt, welding supplys ect. I use them the most. Self serve on most of it so you can compare, measure ect. to find the right bolts, belts or whatever. And we have TSC a couple towns over, Bomgar's and Carquest in the next town. O'Riellys about 20 minutes out is a great store too but I seldom have to go that far.

 

[sgtpontiac]

Man, I guess that I'm lucky.....

The autozone here is great.....they let me look up stuff myself, order what I need without "pre-paying".....heck they recognize my voice on the phone! yeah most of them are kids but they do a great job..... O'Rielly's just built a store in our town and there's never anybody in it.....other than the employee's.... Napa store went under.....bad management...Autozone here has 4 trucks that they do deliveries with...pretty busy considering there are two other Autozones within about 10 or 15 miles to the north and south...so I haven't had any issues or problems with this Autozone.....guess I'm lucky...

 

[hearseman]

More of the same

Went to dodge dealer, needed the metal piece that the gas cap goes into.
Said he would order it! Tried to give me a package with hoses and clamps and stuff, told him it's wrong stuff and he'd liked to cry about havin to put it in his stock. went to local Pick-n-pull and fetched me a used one.
Asked him about a 6 pack of 16oz cans of compression, said he'd have to order it!

 

[sgtpontiac]

True Story....

At the GM dealership I was working at, we had a young lady that did the billings...she was always talking about giving to the humane society and other "save the whales" stuff and such....
We (all the techs) were all sitting at the lunch table and she walked in...I asked her if she wanted to donate to the "Save the Nauga
foundation"....she asked what that was....I told her that since the auto manufacturers were making so many naugahyde interiors the Nauga was becoming extinct.....she said wait a minute, my purse is in the office...the guys were all trying to keep their cools and not laugh.....she walked out of the room and shortly after came back with $10 for the cause.....that was all it took...they all broke out laughing and she asked what was so funny?? None of us could talk.....for laughing so hard...finally one of the salesman came in and she told him what we had told her and he explained that there was no animal called a Nauga and that there was no Save the Nauga foundation...luckily she had a good sense of humor...every time I tell that story it makes me laugh......

 

[hankthebigdog]

we have 4 in town and I always go to oreilly's. they will listen to my ideas on a build and try to help a fellow out. others in town ask the same questions. what car? 2-4 door? etc. heck, I have used things from all makes and models froma shelf of goodies that are older than I am. I have no clue sometimes. the guys at oreilly's know my voice on the phone and order without pre pay most of the time. I will stick with them.

 

[junker39]

I'm real lucky to live in a small town. The auto parts/hardware store is owned by two brothers and are real car guys. One runs a '67 Mustang and a '63 Falcon. He rebuilds Holleys and his son runs the local auto machine shop. The other brother is into buying and selling 60s and 70s factory hot rods. He's got a 69(?) Boss 302 with extremely low miles that he bought new. Great guys. I keep their computers running in exchange for discounts or freebies on the parts. They've got lots of old obsolete parts that have been on the shelf for years. I go back and look around almost every time I go in. I've found some interesting stuff laying around. And if they don't have a part that I'm looking for, they've always got an alternative or two that usually work. I'm going to be lost if they ever go out of business or sell out.
The next closest auto parts is Orielly's. About 10 miles. I found out the hard way to either take the old part in with me or be prepared to make a second trip to get the right one. If it ain't in the computer, they are lost. I called one time, looking for a fuel pump for a '47 Jeep. First question: What size engine? Second question: Overhead camshaft? I hung up on the guy. Went to the local guys to get them to order me one and they had one on the shelf. The box looked about thirty years old but the pump was still good. I got a good deal on that one.

 

[hearseman]

Just remember!

My son says that their only "PARTS MONKEYS"

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

I think your son is being nice