Projects Discount auto parts shocker

what about the old Honda crowd? probably spent over 2 grand at Nappa in the last 5 years just on suspension parts, everyone carries Civic parts, nearly no one carries quarter century old Accord parts whats great is having a parts store who knows who you are,knows your car, and has the parts waiting for you if you call them. Plus has your obscure old import parts no one else ever has in stock. That's how you get and keep customers. No bling junk or cheap add on's at this one, just parts, body supplies, and some tools and chemicals you may need. Thats the way they all ought to be, leave the plastic junk and cartoon floor mats for Walmart. Ok I'll get off my soapbox now.

 

Our Autozone here in Melbourne has a manager named Jack that knows his stuff. When I go in I ask for him and 9 times out of 10 I get what I need.

 

We don't get to many of the older Hondas in my area. It is usually someone doing an Integra swap or looking for neon lights or a shift knob for their Civic hatchback. There is this guy with a really cool Datsun 210 that comes in and another guy with a bunch of MGs. A guy came in a while back looking for a fuel pump for his old flathead. I asked him if he needed a single diaphram or a dual diaphram pump. He tells me nobody has asked him that at the other stores. I ask him if it still has the vacuum wipers and he says no. His car had been swapped over to electric wipers. I ordered him the single diaphram pump since it was $30 cheaper. He still shops at my store.

 

Man, I'm not gonna lie, there is a connotation with working at Le 'Zone that does put me at odds ends. (Le 'zone is autozone for those who aren't worldly haha). If he wants to see me, he can pm and ask for my hours, or look for my car, or even see me at the suds.

Also, I'm pretty sure I'm an idiot, I play with old cars and bikes don't I? AHaha.

So yeah, if he wants to go to my work, and proove that I'm one of the many then fine. I'm sure that I'll grow over it and learn stuff, or get punched in the nose! Ahaha.

 

I could care less where someone works. I have had good parts guys at Checkers, Auto Zone, Pep Boys and many others. Hell, I knew a laid off machinist that worked at Harbor Frieght. However, 99%+, other than a VERY select few, should find the nearest fast food place and apply there instead.

If you are a good parts guy, then "40Standard" should try you out, praise you if you deliver, berate you if you don't.

 

haha thats the crowd i hang out with old metal don't even have fuel injection, don't have much to do with the ricer civic crowd, I made the mistake of buying one for a DD, it was cheap, what a POS, tore up a water pump on Monday, who put the ^^&%%$#@@ water pump under the timing belt cover?? 250 dollars so far in PARTS! Just keep doing a good job, and thank you for it, and all the other good counter guys.

 

He speaks the truth about O'Reilly's hiring some real pips at their southside indy stores. I went into the one on Madison by Southport and asked for a front axle U joint for my truck. Mensa asked me if it was 2 or 4 wheel drive.

And the one on Raymond is no better. Go in and ask for oil, and they direct you to the oil rack and ask you what you're putting it in. Tell them it's a '51 Chevy and they'll say they don't have anything for it.

 

Another thing i've noticed missing at these chain auto parts stores, where are the stools with part brands on them? used to be you could go to the store, grab a stool and look through some catalogs or just BS with the counter guy,who probably knows you by name, no rush, no hurry, The Nappa here still has em, and they get a lot of use, car quest used to,but they moved and didn't put them back, Bumper to bumper also has them, not thats a small old store, great place to look for a part. still smells like old oil and tools, the way a parts store should. not an air freshener in sight.

 

I'd like to know which store you work at. Would be nice to find someone old car oriented to go to. When Troy Auto parts still had their store in Greenwood, they had a guy who would do his damndest to find parts for old cars. Got a kick out of finding what everyone expected him not to. Oh, wait- that was me.

 

I love when the car guys come in and walk right past me because of my age( I am 31) and go right to the older guy. About 2 minutes into the conversation they realize he is an idiot. He is then faced with 2 options: Anger the customer or ask me for help. I always enjoy the look on the customer's face when I can answer their questions and find their parts. I grew up around cars. It is in my blood. My DNA actually has a torque sequence.

 

I wish i had that luck. I bought a fuel pump from some mom and pop auto parts and they gave the wrong one. Now the jack ass says "too bad we dont exchange parts". Im out 80 bones.

 

Blades,sorry to tell you but thats your fault,anytime you go to get a high dollar part take the old one with you to match up with new because of so many applications,just cause the computer or books say it will fit doesn"t mean shit.but I damn sure wouldn"t deal with any store with a policy like that.

 

My absolute favorite parts store in this area is Powell's in Rome GA. They've been in the same location and run by the same family about 65 years. I've got a Mazda hydraulic clutch setup on my '38 Ford pickup with 307 Chevy and T-5 transmission, just fabricated a bracket to mount the slave cylinder on the bellhousing. I needed to replace the hose from the end of the metal line to the slave cylinder. The local parts places looked at me like I had three heads and even one that advertizes that they can make hydraulic hoses to order said they couldn't help me. Had to go to Rome anyway and stopped in at Powell's with my old hose. The counter guy, who looked to be about 80, looked at it and said "That ain't nothin' but a plain old brake hose." About two minutes later, I had the hose I needed. He didn't have the hose that the book listed, but he found a brake hose that was close to the same length and had the right fittings on the ends, $11 and I was good to go. I did record the number for that hose in my little book I keep in the truck--I keep a little pocket size notebook with a record of what various parts on the truck came off of and numbers for things like filters, belts, hoses, etc.

 

I tryed to shop the parts stores in my neighborhood, but they just don't get it when you tell them what you have, and the parts you need. I found this old parts store that is 45 mintues away from my house on the southwest side of Indy, call tell them what I need, what they fit or I think they fit, he then says I have then on the shelf, or I'll have them this afternoon, only bad thing closed on saturday. But I can live with that.

 

I worked my way up from the parts counter to being the district manager with 7 stores under me. When I started,we had the long book rack and not much in the way of a computer. I learned when someone called to have pen and paper ready while the person told me the vehicle and what part they were needing. Nowadays,I have my own service center and am the one calling the parts store for pricing and availability. There is nothing more frustrating than having to tell the parts guy the vehicle info and then have to tell him again what I am working on and what part I need.
A good parts guy is usually worth more than what he is getting paid and if you find a good one then you need to let his or her boss know what they have so they will make sure to take care of them. That way,the next time you call or stop by,he or she will still be there as there is nothing worse then having to break in a new parts guy or gal.

 

It's not just the southside, it's all sides of Indy.

 

The local NAPA store in Mansfield Ohio will do their durndest to help you out. They guys are knowledgable and will look things up in their books. If they don't have it, they will try to get it. They support the local clubs. That's why I go there first. Try to get that kind of service and support at the big box store. As for bling and air fresheners, let's be real. They sell and help with the store's bottom line. If you don't want them, you have the privilege of walking past them.

 

Same thing here in Nashvegas...NAPA is not the best store to deal with. They seem like you are really bothering them when you ask about anything older than 1985. My O'Reilly's is the bomb. Miss Mary can come up with anything that you ask for. She can give you other ideas also. That lady can tell you which of the old catalogs and which page the stuff you need is in. She has saved me many a times with her knowledge. Anything for the old 350 I just go to Advance Auto. Anything with the 1949 dodge coronet specifically (with the 350 in it) I go to O'Reillys. The worst place in Nashvegas to get anything from is Pepboys.

 

These days it seems that almost everyone who makes a comment, written or spoken, complains about poor service or product. Some years ago I started doing the opposite.
I write or call management to compliment a person, by name. Yes, good...excellent... service is expected, but when you get it, say so. And they hear about you taking the trouble to contact the compnay. This definitely helps when you contact them again and ask specifically for that person. They know your name and you get even better service. Win-win situation. Why waste time with bitching? Just never do business with the losers.

 

I would laugh so hard I would drool, but it's not much better here. I ask where are the headlights. They ask what kind of car? A '52 Ford. They ask, yes you guessed it, does it have A/C? I just grin.

 

LOL...I loved reading this post...Im a woman that runs a radiator shop in Des Moines..been doing it forever(or at least it seems that way)..I have the people that call or come in wanting the parts GUY...lol...They get pretty surprised when the guys come right back over to me wanting the part #...lol..But ya, I can still relate to what is said..lol...being a woman I kinda like to mess around a little...rad for a 85 camaro..thats a pontiac right...lol..love doing that..lol...its nice to have the old mom/pop shops.

 

I would give the parts guy a fuel pump enema.

 

(Cars are in my blood, my DNA actually has a torque sequence)...Man that needs to be yours or someones sigature.

 

Only if all business owners understood how important it is to have employees who are interested in the products they sell, It creates customer loyalty more than anything else.
chuck

 

Went to the oreily's the other day for a few things, walk in and the only one at the counter was a girl. Couldn't have been out of her thirtys. I first thought was oh hell here we go. Told her I needed a set of plugs for a sbc she turns and walks off and before she gets out of sight she yells what year heads, BAM right on, no computer nothing. So i ask for a carb rebuild kit 53' buick special. She asks straight eight? Yes. Don't have in stock. She says why not use a 2G on there and you can get parts. She had one at her house. Just blew my mind. If I wasn't married.........................

 

Chuck, one night the owner came into our store while I had three parts books open across the counter looking for part numbers for different manufacturers for a brake spring set. The spring kit was for a '61 Falcon. I'd just told a customer that I coulodn't promise I'd be able to order him one, but was going to check our warehouses stock in several different lines of brake parts.

The owner told me I was working too hard for an eleven dollar sale. I explained to him I was working hard to try to sell the man every part he'd ever buy. Owner still didn't get it.

 

So I'm standing here with cash in hand talking to the parts guy at NAPA. The phone rings and I get set aside so he can answer dumb questions to the caller. Ten minutes later the same thing happens again. Light bulb comes on. Thank you for cell phones. I dial up the store number and walk over to the next guy that answers the phone, talking to him by phone on the other side of the counter. You should have seen the look on his face.

 

It's becoming clear. Now I understand why so many small businesses fail.
chuck

 

Isn't there some rare disease that makes old people look 18???

 

I worked at Unlimited Auto parts in San Diego in the early 80's. We'd have folks 5 deep on the counter on saturday, all day. Man I learned alot. It was the best.
3 racks of books and 9 to 15 sharp parts guys/mechanics bustin a$$. Still have dayum fine friends from those days. We allready had a Tom, so when the other Tom got hired, he was Tom Too." Ya wanna talk to Tom, or Tom Too?"
Now its the Oreilys in Rita Ranch. Ask for Jim. He knows all, see's all. The rest of the guys are sharp too.
The bling sits and rots on their shelves but those guys tango the lingo.