Not a rant - but I did leave shaking my head

X2 - Treating store employees like they are morons are a sure fire way to be treated back the same way. Treat them with the respect that you would want to be treated. Easy concept for most.

 

Auto parts stores in my area are kinda "self-serve" for smaller items. I find it myself.

 

It's the same old story. Went in for a water pump gasket for a 351w I building and the guy asked what year and car. "Don't know it's stilling on and engine stand, Just look up any 302/351 windsor they all use the same basic gasket". "so it's out of a Windstar?" he said.

I just turned and walked away. Ended up ordering all my gaskets form summit now since I can pick and choose. Takes a little more planning but at least I know what I'm getting.

 

I had a friend who worked a regular day job and weekends at an auto part store. He was a really good mechanic and he would get parts at the store for their cost, so you can see where this is going.

We had 2 or 3 of almost every part we ever needed. You just have to look at it in the right light to make your shopping more enjoyable...

 

this is the weakest parts store rant ever. who goes to the counter for a bulb?

 

This has to be a joke....how many car guys does it take to find a light bulb?

 

Why did you even go to the counter? The bulbs are all hung on a rack in the isle.
********This Thread Is Beyond Dumb.********

 

Someone with some sense right here!

Agreed!

 

yeah this is pretty weak but im really bored this morning and im in too much pain to go out to the shop so here i sit, shit im gonna take more pain pills and go out to the shop anyway!

 

Do all you guys live in places that don't have small, local parts stores? Must be sad....
Here in Tucson we have the O'Reilly's PepBoys and AutoZone. I don't go there. We have Merle's Automotive. Decent pricing, REAL service and several locations in Tucson and Green Valley.
It would suck if I had to buy stuff at Orallys, PoopBoys or AutoBone..

 

I went to the counter because chemo treatment has caused my eyesight to be temporarily less than optimum. Additionally getting in the truck and going to the parts store is physically exhausting for me.

The best assurance I had of quickly getting the right bulb was to hand it to a guy at the counter and let him go to the bulb aisle for me.

Next thing you know I will be asked to go the lumber yard, pick out what I need, and check myself out!

 

In the "real" parts store I used to work at they were not in an isle, they were behind the counter and 20 feet of catalogues. Our local Napa is a 35 store chain. The store that is in my town is run by one guy. Unless it is Sunday or he doesn't have it and I have to have it, I buy it from him. He knows his stuff and has never given me a wrong part. He probably doesn't make a ton of money for the 56 hours a week that he works, but it is a liveable wage with benefits. I know that sometimes I can buy things cheaper from Advance, O'Reilys or AutoZone, but i really don't like giving the big chain stores any of my money. I "vote" with my money, in other words, I support the Napa store because I get good service and they have a store in town. If they didn't, I would have to drive 10 miles one way. The way I figure it I should support them, otherwise they might close my local store

 

That's where I prefer to shop for lumber. Lowes is pretty good for that, having all their lumber inside so I can pick out my own lumber.

 

A little secret. Advance Auto has a bulb aisle where you can buy two light bulbs in a bubble pack for 5 bucks. Or you ask for a box at the counter and get a box of ten bulbs for 4 bucks. I found this out several years ago, and no longer use the "bulb aisle".

 

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Crist I went to the local Dodge darlership to get a plastic wiper arm bushing for my daily 85 Dodge truck. I walk to the counter, the kid asked what I needed. I told him. 1985.. before I could finish, OH! We don't have any books.... I gasped loudly and said You dont have any books?!! Before I could ask if the Nazis were out back burning all the books, A guy my age told the kid go help the other kid I'll handle it. Thank god , Ive told that to more than one person at the parts store before, And they get really uptight when you say that. After a few minuets he came out with an old cardboard box. I baught all three of them.

 

I am always intrigued by these 'auto stores suck' threads. Why would any modern day chain business carry inventory items that might sell once in a decade for some obscure 60 or 70 year old application? I have a couple of old cars and the chain auto store is the last place I would expect to have parts, especially unique applications.?

For 'common , consumable stuff'....just figure out the most popular model and years that they where used and make up a car that they will have in their computer, then buy spares and keep em on hand.

 

Try and find a sealed beam these days. Never mind round ones....

 

I worked at a few parts stores in my younger years as the big chains were just getting into my area. I worked at those stores... Flat out they suck. The big chains don't even pay a living wadge, and thus hire bottom of the barrel people. From my own experience, what happens is that decent people move on in a year, those that don't move on, are idiots who will forever be stuck at the counter because they have peaked, it's as good as it will get for them. Then there are the slackers, they sometimes have a good grasp of parts, books, and the whole corporate system, but they show up for work late... because they can, and they've done it so much that it's now acceptable, they don't go out of their way to do anything extra, such as make the store look nice, and they often bitch about the company they work for, you know "I don't get paid enough to _______"

I had counter people tell me that I need to go to a "real parts store, and not here". I've listened to the parts people complain about their jobs, and coworkers... forget that I'm not a bartender, don't share your sorrows with me.

Oh an they never have what I want. Not even non hamb stuff like shocks for a mid 70s nova, or brakes for a 88 mustang, or a starter for a 03 dodge stratus, etc... nope had to special order it. I just order most stuff online, takes just as long to be delivered to my house as it take for the stores to get it. And I don't have to deal with the crappy employee attitudes.

 

Just to defend some of them, my daughter covered all the auto places in town and was the manager at one. She knew her stuff as she helped me build sbc engines. She would agree with most of you, some of em are bad but those that have above a 85 IQ and ain't on drugs do a good job. And I always tell it has 5" white wall tires blows their minds. Don't know what they are. Now she's at the Big K and I have to drive about 25 miles to a NAPA with a bunch of old guys that usually don't even need a catalog.

 

I think they would have better counter help if they were to pay for better counter help.

 

Hey, we got to sing the praises of our NAPA guys here. Our two local stores are great about problem solving. They have saved my bacon several times....

 

Not at all parts stores.

 

Still got a few good parts stores here,most are not.

 

Randy, if you are near Stillwater, just some to our Napa. They are great! There is one dufus, (it is a college town after all) but he wont last long. A couple of them dont even use the computer, they just know the part number.

 

A lot of the auto parts places I go to have bulbs racked on display by numbers.

You can get what you need without talking to anyone.

They sell them sometines 2 to a pack so you wind up with a spare.

I suggest you shop somewhere else.

 

Just this week I went to my fav parts store to get a bulb for a old dash light socket.Small bulb ,two straight accross pins,push and turn.Easy enough you say??My guys didnt have these so I go to city store.Young guy comes up to counter,I explain two 12 volt bulbs to fit this.He looks at it,saids, I got to get advice on this and heads to the back room.Comes out and goes over to bulb dept.He cant find anything and is only looking at big bulbs.I say hows about that one,pointing to something close in size.He looks at the bulb and said"hows this go in?,Is the vehicle here?.HOLY CRAP.
Come on a flipping light bulb!!!I sure miss the old days.

 

since I own some Studebakers...get's them all worked up....they used Delco dist from about 62-64...

like was noted....try and do a serch of Votozone or O'riels u on the computer before u go....

 

lol!!!!!

 

You see the same kid working morning shift at the chain parts store and selling hamburgers at Mcdonalds in the afternoon. Both jobs pay the same so neither require any training or knowledge of the product. Kid you talked to probably couldn't tell you the difference between a dual or single element bulb. Kinda funny though that you didn't go straight to the electrical aisle and get it for yourself in the 1st place.