Are there any real parts stores left?

WTF? In the past 2 days I've had the absolute worse service coming from the most incompetent "counter people". Is there no need to know anything about cars anymore? Back in the day if a part existed, the counter guy found it. If it aint a fuckin windshield wiper blade, or a quart of oil these idiots know nothing. If anyone knows of even a half way decent place around Rochester NY please share it with me.

 

This is true there are not meny places you can go and find somone who nows anything. part number , year , make,model eng size lol . Id say find a speed shop or find the stuff on line .

 

You just have to know what to tell them. I have a smallblock in my 54. They guy gets told 1970 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup..........a common vehicle still around here.

 

Short Answer "NO" they are like Dinosaurs. And there is getting to be no counter person that knows how to look in a book, or has an independant thought as far as that goes. I love it when you ask for a tail light and they want to know if your car has air and or Automatic. Find you a little farm town close by, some of them have terrific Parts shops and knowledgeable parts people.

 

As far as I'm concerned, as soon as they put computers on the counter, it went right to shit.

 

the chain parts store just like to have "bodies" to work in their store,i should know ive worked for two different auto part chain stores for a total of about 5 years,they hire cheap help.they usually have at least one guy their that knows some thing

 

Yeah, the corporate philosophy of the chain stores is basically that if we have a large computer database to look up parts with, we can hire people with far less qualifications and pay them much less. For your average Joe that needs a starter for a 90 Nissan or what have you, the system works. Kind of. Well not really.

But for us....if we HAVE to go to them....know exactly what you want beforehand, part numbers and all. Only way to make sure you'll leave with the parts you came to get.

 

Good parts stores are really, really hard to find anymore, what zip code you looking in?

 

I worked in the auto parts for 20 years and I was ready for a change. When I walk in a parts store now days It is a total JOKE. You have to know what year car it is to get a air freshner. I still have friends in the parts business that know what plug my small block chevy use in my 32 ford. Try that a at Auto Zone.

 

14606, or anywhere within 25 miles!

 

what you need to do is find a part store where the manager retired from owning a junkyard, or working as a mechanic. the manager at my local store owned a junk yard for like a million years and he knows his stuff. And he makes sure his employees do to. HAROLD YOU RULE!!! =)

 

Yeah you kinda have to be your own parts guy. The only place to get service anywhere, in any market, is the independant stores. The chains from Wal Mart down to Autozone are either partly responsible for, or benefiting from the middle of the road idiot that a lot of Americans have been allowed to digress to.

You gotta wha? Nah, computer says a 1955 Mustang came with a 2.0 you muss have dat.

You have to do what Tman says and figure out around thier computer.

BTW....another reason I use Chevy motors. Good luck ANYWHERE, much less with the incompetent people hindering the situation, finding a usable part to fix your antiquated Olds Rocket on the side of the road away from home.

 

Loop Rd. Auto Parts, Garner NC... sorry that doesn't help you though...

 

I found a pretty knowlegable guy at our local Autozone of all places. Also, Autozone has a sub distributor for obsolete parts. Got the ball joints for the '63 Pont. there. You have to ask though and have the newbie go get the old guy.
GV

 

I've given up.
The last real parts store in my area gave up last year. Couldn't compete with A-zone, advance and p-boys. The sad part is 90% of their business was professional mechanics. These assholes didn't support them, and now there gone.
I get my stuff from www.rockauto.com you can look stuff up, chose what you want, no sales tax, 1 or 2 days it's here. Don't talk to anyone. They even got a lot of OLD stuff,(got whell bearings for my 40 Ford hubs) Beats driving around getting dumb looks from the counter kids.

Frank

 

To me it's a total shame. I should be able to walk into the store and say "I need a carb kit for my 235 chevy" or "I need an exhaust flange gasket for this manifold I'm holding in my hand". The guy litterally told me that if he didn't have a year, make and model he couldn't help me. I told him to just look up the size I need in a book, and he said he didn't know how to use it. He didn't know how to use a book! I'm sorry, but the info is right there, and these people are too ignorant, lazy, or stupid to look it up. I asked him if I could thumb through his books and they said no.

 

if you're here in our area then it's Midnight auto parts. It's like the old days...they grump a little and walk in back and come out and hand you your part. We're lucky!!! I would rather be grumped at then explain for 15 minutes why automatic door locks and tire size do not matter for a fuel pump.

 

Gas pumper, thanks for that link. I have a feeling I will be using it.

 

I am in ther with Zman, those guys are great!!

 

were one of the places you tried one of these stores? they appear real close to you?<TABLE class=copy cellPadding=6 align=center><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD class=copy>




</TD></TR><TR><TD class=copy>LONG POND ROAD AUTO PTS
1620 LONG POND RD
ROCHESTER, NY 14626
Phone: (585) 227-5270

Distance from 14606:
approximately 2.8 miles




</TD></TR><TR><TD class=copy>ALLEN AUTO PARTS
80 SAXTON ST
ROCHESTER, NY 14611
Phone: (585) 235-0930

Distance from 14606:
approximately 3.8 miles




</TD></TR><TR><TD class=copy>BROOKS AUTO PARTS
973 GENESEE ST
ROCHESTER, NY 14611
Phone: (585) 235-7050

Distance from 14606:
approximately 3.8 miles




</TD></TR><TR><TD class=copy>SCHNABEL AUTO PARTS INC
247 BUFFALO RD
ROCHESTER, NY 14611
Phone: (585) 436-8230



</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

Has anyone thought to try and buy the books for the parts stores that end up closing? They sure would be a cool thing to have. if anything, for old times sake.

 

dude we feel your pain! i'm a old dude and look all my parts up on the internet. napa,parts america,autozone,rock auto.. then make the call to see if they have it. i just looked up brake shoes this morning for a 1952 chevy 1/2 ton truck (3100) and autozone and parts america had both front and rear listed. the carb kit you need is 2-5158 that is a echlin # (napa) if your working on the chevy in your avitar join www.chevytalk.com those guys will have 99&#37; of the part numbers you need.

 

Sometimes the little guy's got smart and bought into a chain franchise. The Napa near me is not corporately owned it was a small auto parts store that later became a Napa and only a guy his son and one employee work there and the owner is my parents neighbor so I know them well and they are just like all of the rest of the old guy's, they have the Napa books and then they have the "old" books.

 

Fred, part stores get new books every year, they will give you the old ones, really. get to know a manager. They just throw them away

Frank

 

Thanks, I'll check into that!

 

So.....Do you want to hear the other side of the story? It comes down to this. 1. The old guys that knew all the stuff are getting old and retiring. 2. The kids nowdays dont want to work. 3. It does't pay enough. I have lots of more reasons but those are the just of it. It pisses me off too beause I have to try to get someone/anyone to work the counter. But if you need anything looked up for now...pm me. I would be glad to help get you a part number.

 

What are the store and manager's names? I'm up in Oneida.

 

Lots of are parts suppliers are getting their catalogs on line. Some good some suck. I will put together some sites that might be handy for you. Standard Ignition is one that pops into my head. Great site with pictures and it goes way back in the years.

 

Speed Unlimited in Morningside, MD. Since 1967, the founder & his son run the place. It kicks ass, the guys there know their shit. Some of the best car advice I've gotten (besides the HAMB)

http://www.speedunlimited.com

 

Do you have any idea how many carbs were used on 235s, or how many times it could have been changed before you got it? Some of you are right and some of you have your heads up your exhaust flanges and the gasket size is most likely your hat size! Its true that counter folks today don't generally have the ability of those in the past, but they also don't have the resources. I'm talking about books, warehouses, parts and customers who have a clue. If you are working on ANYTHING that is not as it came from the factory it is you responsibility to know what parts you have and need. Today floor space =$$. If it doesn't sell it's history. Parts are recalled by the warehouse when the manufacturer can't make a profit producing it. You can't keep it to sell because if it breaks you can't warranty it. The computer programs that parts shops are forced to use were created by computer geeks that know nothing about cars, some of you can relate, so to get to the tail light numbers you often are asked about engine size and transmission type etc. To err is human, to really screw up takes a computer. I agree that the average parts person is not as sharp as the old guys, but don't think for a minute that the average customer is any better. I can find your part if you give me some information. I'll search our books,and computer. I'll call shops,and other parts houses. I'll search in my old books at home and go online as long as you treat me with respect. If you ask for a set of pistons for a small block Chevy I'll sell'em to you! I take great pleasure in sending a rude asshole home with the wrong stuff to spend frustrating hours trying to install them. It's only getting worse as more of the old stuff is pulled from the shelves. Find a good parts house and help them stay in business. If you only buy the things that you can't find in the cheap place the real place will not survive!