Register now to get rid of these ads!

You Can Tell You're at a REAL Auto Parts Store When...

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by chuckspeed, Mar 24, 2006.

  1. dbird
    Joined: Apr 11, 2011
    Posts: 7

    dbird
    Member

    Did a quick search but didn't see this. In my memory, any decent parts house can so at least basic machine work. Maybe not turning a crank, but at least turning brake drums.
    Don
     
  2. tommythecat79
    Joined: Jan 3, 2010
    Posts: 251

    tommythecat79
    Member

    There isn't an entire wall of trailer-hitch testicles. Man those things are dumb.
     
  3. 38zephyr
    Joined: Sep 3, 2006
    Posts: 622

    38zephyr
    Member

    I read a bunch but didn't read them all , some real good ones .

    I was thinking ... It's a real parts store when any of the counter guys know what car the part in your hand is from as soon as they see you walk through the door with it .

    They ask "How's your Dad ?"

    They can make up custom brake hoses and u bolts , turn rotors and drums , flip and reweld a flywheel and have them delivered to your shop in a couple hours .

    They have the fittings and hardware that you need , everytime no matter what .

    They have , mic's , calipers and all sorts of measuring devices to let you know what you are going to need , then go in the back and come out carrying it .

    If they don't have it , one of their other stores does and they will deliver it within a couple hours , or worst case they can get almost anything you need by tomorrow .

    North Hollywood auto parts is still pretty much like that and also Valley friction .
     
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2011
  4. nexxussian
    Joined: Mar 14, 2007
    Posts: 3,240

    nexxussian
    Member

    Wow, didn't comment in this one when I originally found it because it was "dead", glad it's back up. :)

    As for my "you're in a real parts house if"

    1) They have parts in stock and lip is on backorder.
     
  5. Nice to see this one take a second breath.
    1. pic's of customers project cars on the wall or counter. check
    2. belts and hoses hanging from the rafters. check
    3. machine shop guy been there forever(1974). check
    4. manager been there forever too(1979). check
    5. lack of Jesse James and O.C.C. crap. check
    6. Fellow HAMBer behind the counter (me). check
    7. Dorman bins up the wazoo. check
    8. boxes for parts instead of bags. check
    9. counter stools(with duct tape) to sit and shoot the shit for an hour at a time. check
    10. most of the old gear heads go there. Check
    11. they remember your name and what you are messing with. check
    There ya go! 11 reasons to go to Baxter auto parts in Parkland Wa.
    Gotta love shameless self promotion!
     
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2011
  6. gasser300
    Joined: May 25, 2010
    Posts: 486

    gasser300
    Member
    from Ft Worth

    I went into S and S last saturday and this was the convo.

    Me....I need pushrods for a SBC

    Guy....full set?

    Me.....yessir.

    oh and I got a calendar
     
  7. Stan59
    Joined: Sep 7, 2009
    Posts: 7

    Stan59
    Member
    from RI

    (1) They have a stack of porno mags in the bathroom. Not a mens and a ladies, 1 bathroom, and the toilet hasn't been cleaned in at least 5 years.

    (2) The guy with a few teeth that just sits behind the counter observing notices that your the type that is glad to get any helpful advise and starts telling you all the things to look out for on the job your doing. He doesn't waste your time or his with bullshit just fact after useful fact.

    Sadly those places are now gone around here.
     
  8. If they don't have women at the counter.
     
  9. alanwoodieman
    Joined: Jun 14, 2011
    Posts: 63

    alanwoodieman
    Member

    there is a street rod or hot rod in the store! Carquest, Pickens,SC and usually David ask what did you drive today?-if I show up in the Burban-tells me to go home and drive one of the oldies
     
  10. Some of my favorite things to do from my side of the counter, the one with the books and measuring devices...........
    Person walks in with a driveshaft part in hand for a backhoe, a 62 Impala, or even big truck stuff............After they ask for a replacement part, I ask them how many surrounding pieces they need to go along with that part and what it is most likely off of. I've done that enough to entice a customer to try to hide a part from my view before he would walk in the door, so I potentially tell him what the part was off of or availability before he even would say what he needed. Fun for me.
    Person calls in to want a gear ratio change for certain models of cars and shoot them a price for what it really takes and how many surrounding parts are needed. Then customer says someone priced "same parts" for what I know doesn't work in that application, and I have to explain why it won't work and time wasted or undesired results from using incorrect parts for particular jobs.
    As a shaft builder/parts counter man/service counter man, I don't bump into many folks that can give answers based on knowledge because their job is related to their hobbies. I'm picky about other counter folks and even vendor customer service agents I chose to deal with because of what I've learned. The O'Reilly store I deal with at work pretty much lets me have the run of their place, which I respect, and they have worked with me very well as I've built my hotrod A.
    The worst kind of customer I want to talk with on the phone or in front of me is the one that doesn't know what the %#<k he is doing or won't tell you what he's really trying to do. "I need parts for a Ford truck." OK, what kind of Ford, because there are many sizes and styles? F150, F700, L9000, etc?
    Just tell me---'48 F1, BBF/c6/'67 Mustang rear with the N on it. Damn, I can ask intelligent questions to narrow down how to build a shaft, etc based on info like that. I can do it with big truck stuff too, and also help a person identify stuf over the phone if the person has ears, eyes, and a brain that functions.
    Sorry about being windy, but there is a counterman side of this too.
     
  11. Tacson
    Joined: Jul 14, 2006
    Posts: 850

    Tacson
    Member

    They dont want to let you leave without helping to solve your problem.
     
  12. 62rebel
    Joined: Sep 1, 2008
    Posts: 3,232

    62rebel
    Member

    you walk in and the place turns into Mayberry RFD in black and white.
     
  13. white64
    Joined: Sep 15, 2008
    Posts: 679

    white64
    Member
    from Maine

    There is a small Mom and Pop and Son parts store here in Augusta (Maine), Tri City. They've been there for years and each of them know what they're talking about...including mom!

    After my Son tried the big box store he won't go anyplace else either , they may not be the cheapest around but in a pinch they will work to help you with what you need and have the experience to work out of the "box" and try to find a non-computerized parts solution!!

    We have all been to the new places where they don't have the experience and where we could find the part in minutes if they would let us behind the counter using their computers! It's not the computers that is the problem it's their lack of experience, and willingness to learn from the customers with experience.
     
  14. sport fury
    Joined: Jul 25, 2009
    Posts: 593

    sport fury
    Member

    when a counter person does not have an answer for you but then tells you "i don't know but i will find someone that does". i don't expect every counter person to know everything but when they don't have an answer i expect them to admit it and pass it on to someone that does. they then can listen in and learn. the big chain auto parts stores seem to have a problem with this. what good are cheap parts and advice if they are wrong.
     
  15. chrisntx
    Joined: Jan 20, 2006
    Posts: 1,799

    chrisntx
    Member
    from Texas .

    When I needed my drums turned last month, I called two real automotive machine shops and both told me that they had not turned a drum in many years
     
  16. I don't know if our place is a real parts store, we were NAPA for 40 years mostly a machine shop now, but if you come in and don't speak English or start to sound like you have now business working on a car, truck or tractor the 90+ year old owner will show you the door. In a not so polite manner. Maybe not the best way to run a business but it keeps the idiots out and away from me for the most part.
     
  17. HKDUP87
    Joined: Dec 26, 2011
    Posts: 2

    HKDUP87
    Member

    Getting ready to close the shop and tell fred to pickup some more beer.
    Don't have to ask me i'll come back with your change with a free t-shirt. I have advertising on peoples backs nation wide. And that gasket is no charge!@!!!!!!!!
     
    Last edited: Dec 27, 2011
  18. HKDUP87
    Joined: Dec 26, 2011
    Posts: 2

    HKDUP87
    Member

    I've been selling electrical parts for thirty years and now i had to hire someone who speaks Spanish. Most of these guys now day's i don't think , no their not electricians It's scary. Who needs a part number what do you need show me.
     
    Last edited: Dec 27, 2011
  19. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    You know you are in the right place when

    All the parts men have gray hair or no hair at all.

    At least one of them has fingers missing

    There is a cardboard display of tail light lenses on the wall. The newest lense fits a 1953 Ford.

    There are calendars with pictures of Marilyn Monroe on the wall that are older than you are.

    There is a rack of parts books on the counter 5 feet long.

    There is a rack of Weatherhead brass fittings the size of a billboard.

    There are head gaskets hanging on nails.

    They are having a sale on 20 gallon pails of axle grease.

    There are 15 car show and race track posters in the window.
     
    Last edited: Dec 27, 2011
  20. spgill2000
    Joined: Oct 16, 2010
    Posts: 21

    spgill2000
    Member

    They've never told you "you're gonna have to go to the dealer for that".
     
  21. sunbeam
    Joined: Oct 22, 2010
    Posts: 6,214

    sunbeam
    Member

    If you want a headlight and they don't ask if its got airconditioning.
     
    Last edited: Nov 13, 2012
  22. gatz
    Joined: Jun 2, 2011
    Posts: 1,817

    gatz
    Member

    ...they'll still accept checks (NAPA just implemented "no-checks" policy...at least in the stores around here)

    ...when they don't charge for freight-in from a sister store in another town (NAPA again.) that one really gets my ire.
     
  23. dirty old man
    Joined: Feb 2, 2008
    Posts: 8,910

    dirty old man
    Member Emeritus

    I'm thinking "Sugah Heel" is in Gwinnet County, right? Since it's built up so much, in the parts I've driven thru, at least, do you still have that? We've stll got people actually making money agriculturally, within a couple miles of city limits here in Griffin, and we've just about lost that kind of parts house.
    Closest to it is under the Bumper to Bumper group, that still has the countermen like we've written about here, but trouble is small inventory.
    Best of the chain stores here is O'Reilly's. They have a few people who can still get the catalogs down and help you find something that ain't in the computer. NAPA? A corporate store, not franchise by local citizen. Got a couple who try, some who sorta get that vacant stare if it ain't on the computer.
    Advance and Auto Zone both, it depends on which sales person you get, some seem to actually be willing to get the catalogs out from under the counter, but most don,t or won,t know how.
    As a just out of high school a couple years kiid who'd always been car crazy, I spent some time working in the parts houses we all bemoan the loss of now.
    But like many a guy who worked there while still young enough to try another career choice, even requiring less interesting and satisfying jobs be taken, did a better job of earning a good living. and we left the business.
     
  24. mphudak
    Joined: Jul 30, 2010
    Posts: 175

    mphudak
    Member
    from Atlanta

    When you buy chrome polish and tell them its for your grill and they dont ask, "what type a weber?"
     
  25. 57linc
    Joined: Feb 7, 2008
    Posts: 13

    57linc
    Member

    When its Sat afternoon and the parts warehouses are closing and the part you need is sold out, they call another ma and pa store a mile or two away and have it delivered in about half an hour. And they stay a little late waiting for the part with you.

    When you re working on a car and need a part and call them and tell them your young daughter will be up to pick up the part and they treat her just the same as they would you.

    Yes, the worn wood floors and duct tape on the stools.
    When you find them at a summer festivity 30 miles away and they see you and come over to see how you re doing.
    When you go to pick up a part and then tell them you need to go someplace else for some thing you didnt think they had and they tell you they have it over in the corner. Or we can get almost anything you need just ask.

    When you need a trans tail shaft seal and they bring one out and the owner looks at it and says that this must be the new style and the rubber doesnt look as thick as the old one and then looks for the old style and sells you it instead.
    Man, i still miss you guys-Dave, Gary, Jason and Rod. its now a national chain. so I go across the street to NAPA if i need anything old.
     
  26. mike in tucson
    Joined: Aug 11, 2005
    Posts: 520

    mike in tucson
    Member
    from Tucson

    as 38Zephyr said in post 243..."They ask "How's your Dad ?"

    I had that happen several times....the guy behind the counter was Mr. O'Reilly, the
    "old man". Before they got big. This was back in 1966. Things have sure changed.
     
  27. FLATHEAD VICKY
    Joined: Jun 4, 2008
    Posts: 112

    FLATHEAD VICKY
    Member

    Ok I went to auto zone. Yesterday. And asked for 5/16. Metal fuel line. The guy said I don't have any thing like that. Then the other bozo next to him said . I think all we have is 5/16. Brake line. And it won't work with fuel. Wow. I asked him if I could get fries with that. He gave me a dumb look. Then I left. I guess we are going to have to learn to deal with this kind of service. Unfortinaly the chain stores are not going to pay more min wage.
     
  28. ol'chevy
    Joined: Nov 1, 2005
    Posts: 1,283

    ol'chevy
    Member

    Just walk back in the back and get them off the rack.
     
  29. partsman59
    Joined: Aug 25, 2012
    Posts: 22

    partsman59
    Member

    Ive been a parts guy since I was 14 or 15 yrs old and still have an old cataloge rack in my garage. I miss the old days
     
  30. pug man
    Joined: Apr 9, 2007
    Posts: 1,010

    pug man
    Member
    from louisiana

    ......when there is nobody "texting" on the other side of the counter.....uhhhhh don't ask....
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.