Funniest lines from the parts counter

I went into the local spring shop(which is where you should have gone) and asked for the same bolt and was given a round head bolt. I told him, Its a Ford from the 1940s and needs a square head. He OWNS the business and told me he had never heard of a square head bolt to hold the spring pack together!

 

Young man at Auto Zone: Can I help you? Me: Yeah where is your help section? He says Help section???? Me: yeah you know the section that carriers misc parts to fix or replace dealer type items. Him: deer in the headlights stare. His partner behind the counter says it's down that aisle pointing, so I walk to it and he now wants to know what exactly I am looking for... so I say GM steering column turn signal cancelling cam. Him: deer in the headlight stare again and he turns around to his partner and says: Can we get GM cams?

 

It's not our job to teach them if they don't even listen to you to begin with. These are not car people for the most part doing this work anymore. Now if a parts person was to say something like , "Oh wow that's cool, but I need to input some info (cuz it's needed for stocking reason's as to what's a mover part vs a special order so they don't have to stock so much stuff anymore) and our willing to listen, things would be differant.

 

A small 1/16th bead of RTV does it even faster. Now you don't have to eat all the Corn Flakes before changing the Thermastat .

 

Me: Hi, I need 8 NGK BP5FS plugs for my 308 (Holden V8)

Store manager: Sorry, we only stock 7 at a time........

 

Ya go in with a chip on your shoulder and looking for a fight.........Why don't some of you guys with all the answers open a chain of parts stores that meet your expectations? If you would do that the rest of us would be happy....until.........

 

Good to see a few level heads here amongst the Communications 101 dropouts.

I shop at Jay's Auto in Mesa a good bit of the time because he's more H.A.M.B. friendly than me and understands when I make reference to some obscure, useless (still OT but kinda old to me) stuff.

And I've started to find that A---z--- doesn't even stock the full Dorman (HELP!) line. Which means my OT accessory wiring project that required some new crimp-terminals for packard connectors involved me looking stuff up my damn self, learning a bit along the way, finding out A---z--- doesn't stock the pieces I need, but Jay's distributor connections get them in quick.

 

We gotta have somethin to complain about when the days over!!

 

So how long have you worked for autozone?.......Sorry i coudn't help myself...LOL

 

Would any of you work for a chain outlet? Could you tolerate the general public/back yard grease monkey? Why are you there? Cannot find what you need online? Call ahead and have it waiting for you. Trollies.

 

I've had pretty good luck at the local chain stores. Napa, AZ, oriellys all have been pretty decent. Even with the slightly oddball requests for my 68 caddy. Az guy suggested I check home depot for a clip to hold the new braided fuel line to the front of the bloak. Got a small package of conduit brackets that work for my line.

I try to do my homework before I go to the store. I usually know if they have the part or not before I go. And usually I know who has the best price.

 

When I go to get parts for my LSR sidecar (my avatar) I bring a photo along just to mess with their heads when they ask me what model is the part for.

 

I don't make a habit of jacking up the kids on the parts counter at a chain store, but sometimes the stupid does lead to some profanity...

I will do my homework. I was looking for a pair of calipers, knew they were likely not in stock. I found the best price on the Pep Boys website, so I printed the page for each caliper.

"Can you order these for me please?"

Counter Clown: Year/make/model?

It is all right there, all the way to the part number - right off your website.

CC: I can't use the part number, need Year / Make / Model.

Top of the page kid. Right above the pic of the caliper

CC: Oh. Click-clack-click etc. We don't have that.

Yeah sherlock, that is why I asked you to order them. The website says no local stock.

CC: Well these would be special order.

No shit? Really?

CC: Do you have the cores? If you don't have the cores with you I would have to add a core charge.

Nope. No cores. Just order the parts.

CC: I have to check with my manager.

OK, call your manager

CC to MGR: Uh, he wants these parts?

MGR: Ok, sir we will have to order those.

Uh yeah. I have been trying to get that across to this imbecile for 10 minutes now. Here is the screen shot from your own website.

MGR: Oh.

Yeah, Oh. Lackluster the Counter Clown here can't seem to process that idea. can you just shove him out of the way and take my money?

MGR: I will show him how.

Oh boy.

CC,back on the terminal: That price is not right.

Web page was printed an hour ago.

MGR: Over-ride the price

CC: That's like 60 bucks!

Does that come out of your bonus dipshit?

MGR: Sorry sir.

eventually the parts got ordered. CounterClown tried to just order 2 lefts because they looked the same, but I caught that as the paperwork printed. So the Mgr had to re-enter some stuff.

3 days later I got the calipers.

Almost as bad as trying to get some Left Hand lugnuts for a mopar.

B

 

When I was a dumb ass kid working in a Chevy Dealership, I had to put a water pump on a 350 1969 Caprice wagon. I take the work order to the parts dept. and the dumb ass kid behind the counter asks me if it has a power tailgate window. I tell him that they are all the same, just give me a water pump.
He SHOWS me that the wagons came with two pumps, the H.D. cooling system version was identified by the power window option.
I found out I wasn't quite as sharp as I thought. (Hot Rodder, Drag racer, college student and about to become an Auto Shop Teacher)
That was 42 years ago! I've answered a lot of dumb questions and asked many myself since then, but I never forgot that lesson.

 

Me: I need the rubber pad for a clutch pedal...

Pimple face kid: Is it a stick shift or automatic trans ?

 

At Autozone with my brother.

Bro: I need to see your assortment of spindle nuts.

Guy behind the counter: What year of vehicle?

Bro: That will not help you. Let us just look at what you have so we can find a match.

Guy behind the counter: I need a year make and modle.

Bro: Ok you asked for it- 1928 Ford pick up.

Guy behind the counter: With a blank stare on his face- Our database does not go back that far...

Bro: We know that, now show us to the back so we can find what we need.

 

Ha Ha Ha!

Both in you're probably right about the cereal box and couldn't be more wrong about me being rich!

Exactly!

Good parts people can (and in some places still do) know part numbers and applications as well as "what fits what". I good parts person is an asset. These dingbats today don't know a spark plug from a lug nut unless their computer shows them a freakin' picture.

Our future is in jeopardy!

 

Sounds like some of you guys go out of your way to piss off the counter guy. Let's say you have a 1973 Chevy 350 in your '48 Ford coupe. You have to tell the guy that the engine is a '73 350 out of (pick your Chevy) and tell him that. Telling him that the engine is in a '48 Ford coupe is irrelevant to the search. Your brakes are on a Ford 8" out of a '72 Ford Maverick. Do you tell him it's for a '48 Ford or a '72 Maverick? The battery? You are using a 24F, tell him you want a 24F!!! Not a battery for a '48 Ford!

 

I went into my local NAPA about a year ago for parts for one of my old vehicles. The younger guy behind the counter couldn't find the answer on the computer and asked another person about the part. The second guy didn't have an answer either and said, "Joe had all the old catalog and took them with him when he left." From that I assumed some of the vetran counter guys had their own library of parts books that traveled with.

Skip this thread and don't worry about it.

The problem I have with these dunderheads is I look the part up on their company web sites and get parts numbers and they still won't get it until I tell them make, model, year, engine and transmission. There are many parts for my '37 Buick that can either be direct be replaced by parts, or made to work, from cars from the late '60 , years they can usually find in their computers. When I look up the parts on their web site I remember it was for a 1960 something Buick or Oldsmobile and the model. I don't write down the engine, transmission and tire air pressure. I give the part number, you'd think they could just look up the location on the shelf and get it.

The other thing is the variety of quality of counter guy. Most, at least at my local McParts store won't even take five minutes to help you find something. I have found the counter guys to avoid and ones to go to. Unfortunately, it seems to almost change on a weekly basis. I've gotten to the point of flatly telling a counter person I don't want him to help me and I will 10 minutes while the one good guy finishes with the customer he or she is dealing with. A my local Advance Auto the worst guy to deal with is the pimple faced manager. He seems to know very little about cars and auto parts and is constantly riding the other counter guys for the most minor things. He is also very unprofessional, IMO, by berating his employees in front of customers.

 

I wonder if any of the chains have people that research threads like this. Could give them an edge. I mean, how hard would it be to have a class about automotive basics, for the counter poeple?

 

Me: I need brake drums for a 72 Maverick...

Them: ?????????????

Me: That is a Ford

 

SBD, I applaud your wisdom. So many education lacking HAMBsters seem to feel the need to feel superior to someone. We don't need another "I'm smarter than the dumbass................(fill in the blank) thread. Ron

 

I LOVE my local NAPA since I can get a lot of the "obscure" stuff for my '53 right off the shelf, and Alex knows what will interchange. Most of the books will list a part for a BelAir, but when he pulls it up on the computer it says it is discontinued. Then he goes back to the shelf and produces a part that is still listed for a Corvette. Our running joke every time I go in there is that I'm looking for more 'racing parts', lol. I.E. a 6V racing coil, a racing master cylinder rebuild kit, etc.

Also, I've found that O'Reilly's is AWESOME in both their customer service and the knowledge of their counter people. I still get a few blank stares occasionally, but let's face it, most of the kids behind the counter weren't born until 30 years or more after my car was made. But they'll jump through hoops to find the right part, and if there's ever a question, they'll order in a half-dozen similar parts and then sit there with me and compare each and every one to the original until we find it.

Auto-Zone is the Burger King of Auto parts stores, and I won't spend another nickel with them after the fiasco that ensued last week. I needed four new shocks for my '53, so I looked up the P/N on the computer, walked in and said I need two each of these. I knew they would need to be ordered in from a hub store, so I got there early in hopes that they would be there sometime that day. Person 'A' says "no problem, we can have them here from our other store by noon." Fantastic, I'll be back at noon. Went back at noon and they produce TWO shocks, one front and one rear. I asked where the other two were and I'm told "They only sent two. I don't understand, I ordered four."

"OK, things happen, when can I get the other two?"
"We can have them here by four this afternoon."
"Great. That works, I'll pick them up first thing in the morning."

Next morning, 8am, I go to pick up my other two shocks.
"Sorry man, I don't see anything on the shelf. I dunno why they didn't send them, it shows they were ordered through the computer..."
"When can I have them?"
"I'll reorder them right now and get them here by noon."

Noon comes, I go to retrieve my other two shocks. They go to the back and bring out the two shocks that arrived only minutes earlier.

I said "If you don't mind, I'd like to take a look at the shocks since the boxes are open at the top." (ALWAYS put a visual on your new parts before you leave or you may find yourself driving back there again...)

The shocks in the boxes were completely different than the first two I had purchased the day before, which were already on the car, so I knew the first two were correct.

I said "THESE are not the right shocks." The counter person tapped the number on the box into the computer and said "This is what the computer says is correct for your car, sir." I said "Then the shocks that are in the boxes were reboxed in the wrong boxes." "Sir, where do you propose the shocks that are supposed to be in the boxes, according to you, are at?"

At that point I had had enough. I pulled my 'Rewards Card' from my wallet and put it on the counter, and said "Here, you can have this crap back. I'll never spend another dime with Auto Zone again." I went back to the garage, pulled my TWO newly installed shocks from my '53, and drove them back to Auto Zone and got my refund. I then called the Corporate office and got the number for the Regional Manager, who was apologetic but really didn't offer any recourse. I told him point-blank "I will never spend another dime with Auto Zone."

Drove down the street to O'Reilly's and they had them right on the shelf. NO MORE AUTO ZONE FOR ME. They lost a good customer to the tune of a couple hundred bucks a week.

NAPA and O'Reilly's on N. Tryon in Charlotte, NC, I tip my hat to you both for making my crazy list of parts obtainable, as well as for the opportunity to get some of these younger guys interested in what we do. BOTH places genuinely care whether or not they can get your part for you, and they seem to take as much interest in the car I'm working on at the time as I do. Thank you for making my crazy 'hobby' less frustrating. Auto Zone, you could close your doors tomorrow and I don't think I would even notice.

 

i have had this many many times. i need to replace the radiator hose on my willys. previously i had one didnt remember the part number (my bad) but i took in the old one. told the guy it looks like this. he asked me what it was from and i told him it wouldnt matter. he then told me they didnt have radiator hoses bent that way... it bends 90 one way.

 

===that's funny because I just checked on some parts for one of my cars at Auto Zone and when the guy asked for my phone number I saw the screen completely FILLED with year/make/models of cars that I made up on the spot during the last hundred visits just to get the part that I needed at the time. From the looks of that screen, I must have 150 cars around here somewhere!

I also agree that NAPA is usually higher priced, but you USUALLY get a better part and you don't get a headache from arguing with the morons at some of the "low priced" chain stores. The same reason applies there as it does to why I shop at Target or Kohl's... Yes, I'll pay a little more for the same thing, BUT I won't have to put up with the white trash and ghetto trash in the aisles at Wal Mart or be checked out by a girl who can't handle money or key in prices because she has 8" fingernails and a bad attitude. Not hating, just stating the facts.

 

It can be a real pain to get stuff from auto parts stores, but a lot of you guys aren't doing yourselves any favors by being cryptic. You have to understand that 99% of the things parts stores deal with is replacement parts for modern cars.

I don't understand why you guys expect a 17 year-old kid to be able to help you right away when you have a 1940-something rod with a non-OEM engine when you tell them you need this or that. They haven't been sitting at work all day thinking about your car like you have.

Besides, they really don't have an efficient way of finding parts for our cars because all the computer systems are based on year, make, model, etc. because that's what's most efficient for 99% of their business.

 

Strange Agent has a point. Most of these kids weren't even thought of when our cars were made, and the Wal Mart mentality has taken over pretty much every retail outlet in the US. In their minds, hiring a (low wage) kid that is good on the computer is better than having an older (higher wages) old guy like me that knows what a "choke pull off" is.

My 19 year old nephew who is a huge fan of "drifting" and has a BMW that is nicely modified to perform & handle outstandingly well, regularly blows me out of the water with his knowlege of the new stuff and can tell you from memory which Toyota engine or BMW transmission fits what years & models, which ones were better for street & strip, daily driving or drifting. Not my cup of tea by a LONG shot, but that's what he enjoys and knows EXTREMELY well. If the tables were turned and he walked into your Auto Parts store and asked for a set of spark plugs for a Toyota 4A-GZE engine, would you be able to just walk back to the shelf and get the right box? What if he said "They're all the same, just get a box of plugs to fit it!!!"

 

Most of the parts guys in my town are pretty old, but they sure have got lazy since the Internet came around. If they get stumped they will point you to the net. The young people really are clued out generally. But there are some real keeners too. Just find a decent parts person and make that guy or gal your go-to and you might find they cough up better service because you are a real person to them and not just a another face. personally I try to make it easy to get out of there.

 

Me: I need a brake cylinder for a GTO.

Parts guy: how do you spell GTO?

 

Did a 2wd conversion to 4wd on a 77 chevy truck back in 78,got all the parts except could not find the mount on the transferr case,went to a couple parts store with no luck including chevy dealers(some parts guy were getting anoid when they could not find the part and would just give up), went to another chevy dealer in the sticks where I happen to be working that day(construction),the guy behind the counter took my information,could not find it and was getting mad(here we go again)looked at me and asked for my phone# and said He is not leaving until he finds the part and will call me! Next day had the part(motor mount for a diesel truck was use for transfer case mount)He smiled and said he has never been beat!!(finding a part) Coffee and a donuts was on me!! Pete