AutoZone counter people?? (Rant)

I was wondering if all of the counter people at AutoZone are stupid or is the store in my town the only one?

I went to buy a couple of U-joint straps for a GM 10 bolt. I told them what make and year the rearend came out of. The guy walks back to the counter with a couple of Doorman brand straps (Tiawan made). I went to install them and there was no way these were going to fit.

I went back to the store to exchange the parts and got another brain child. I told him they were wrong parts and he ask me if they had any others in there stock. I looked at him, shook my head and told him I didn't work there and that he did. He stood there looking at me like my hair was on fire. I just ask for a refund and went on my way.

It seems like everytime I go there I get pissed and heaven forbid if they ever come out from behind the counter to show you where the item is you are looking for. I guess customer service is a thing of the past.

I went to O'rilley Auto got the right part and saved $4.00

 

My friends dad went to Pep Boys for an A/C compressor belt for a Town Car or some shit.

Floored when the counterperson asked if the car has A/C....

 

These dudes only make 9$ or 10$ an hour. I gave up on expecting them to know anything a long time ago. Napa still works for me though.

 

It doesn't even matter if it's Pep Zone or Auto Boys (they are all the same)...

I recently went to NAPA, which used to be "Mechanic's Auto" -- THE regional local supplier for ALL the local shops.

I asked for 1/2" exhaust manifold studs.

I was told, by the owner, "NO, WE CAN'T GET THOSE. YOU NEED TO GO TO A MACHINE SHOP, AND NONE EXIST ANYMORE."

Thanks, Genius.

 

The thing about that I think is that they dont hire people who know anything because, people who know alot about cars dont wanna work there.

I went to kraigen a few weeks ago and asked for a v-belt that was 4 feet around in length, to which the guy responded "oh, we can't do it like that, we need to know how many inches"

 

ask for a Ballast Resistor... no one will have a damn clue what you are talking about - amazing.

 

My AutoZone is the same. Asked for a kickdown bracket...got the blank look. Asked him where do you shelve your dressup kits?....got the blank look. He follows me around the store saying "I don't know anything about carburators". I found the throttle/kickdown bracket but I'm just looking for the kickdown bracket. As I'm looking at the bracket he's pulling things off the shelve saying "Is this it", "Is this it". It's like never mind just go away. It was like shoping with an 8 year old.

 

I think it just depends on the area. We've got a mixed bag here. Some of the guys (or gals) seem to kinow what's going on, others are just dumbasses. I deal with both A/Z and Advanced Auto at work, 1/2 the time Advanced will bring the wrong part. A/Z isn't so bad. The boss doesn't like to use Napa as their too pricey on the parts. Personally, I get all of my parts from a local owned independent parts store. They get me the right parts and better quality too.

 

Ya, They hire 17-18 year old chicks at my local A/Z. They stand around and gossip like they are still in high school ! And don't ask any of them for a small block chevy part without telling them how many doors and what color the interior is. I see 'em in the parking lot testing customers batteries and plugging in to their obd 2 . I just shake my head and head to the NAPA store across town. Normal Norman

 

It's a total roll of the dice around here. I'd say that 1 in 10 employees is not a complete moron, but it's been a while since I found a parts guy that actually new anything about parts. Intelligence and experience are no longer job skills, they just rely on that friggin computer to tell them the part number, which of course never works unless you're trying to find an oil filter for your grandma's toyota camry. You pretty much have to do your own research and then go in there with a part number.

 

Here in Everett when I walk in the door I get "MAY I HELP YOU". Anywhere else you're lucky to even get someone to man the register (Schucks or Pep Boys). At least they're trying here; they just need to stay open longer to compete better with Schucks. But I know what you mean about "counter" people and their year,make,model,engine,trans,a/c,cigarette lighter,dome light deal; even when you give then the part number."Ugh yeah, I need a set of fallopian tubes for my 1983 Corvette".BUTCH.

 

I went in a few years ago to get a gasket for an intake. Set the intake on the counter and said "I need a gasket for this". Genius says "what is it"? I said "it's a Chevy 350". He says "no, I mean what is that part?". Dude had no clue what an intake looked like!

On the other hand, there are some knowledgeable folks at my local shop, but they aren't as fun to talk about!

 

I sometimes go to the Autozone here in Burbank, and they had some real idiots working there in the past, but now they hired 2 really sharp guys.
They don't ask me "what year is your vehicle" anymore.
They acctually cross reference part #'s etc.
But my favored is still, Carquest, there is one guy, Bill, who does get the whole hot rod thing.

 

Amen.

 

Alot of what you are experiencing is the fact that they want to hire people with retail experience not automotive. They tend to hire someone with years of retail before they will someone who actually can work on a car. Fortunately at the Autozone I work at there are a few people who do know at least a little about cars. I've been to other stores (Autozone included) and seen the gambit. Good service, Bad service, No service. I've walked in with part #'s (the store specific #) and still got the wrong part. It just all depends on if your lucky enough to get someone who actually knows and cares, like dreddybear said 9$ or 10$ an hour, I'm in management there and unfortuately im not past the 10 mark yet, ive been sticking it out there waiting for a position at the local custom/audio shop, alot of them arent paid enough to want to learn more than what they already know, or paid enough to care...... i know sometimes i find it hard too....

 

last trip to autozone I asked for 3ft. of heater hose, dipshit kid went right to the computer and asked the usual: car model and year. Screw knowing about cars, these people have zero common sense. I just try to let it entertain me rather than piss me off.

 

I don't get why, if I go to Auto Zone for a tail light bulb for a '57 chevy they have to ask what motor is in my car.

 

Like every where there are several of these stores around me. I've walked out more times than I can remember shaking my head. I would plead with everyone to go to the non-chain parts store and spend the extra money to get good service. You might not get the $1.49 quart of oil but they know how to search for a power steering pump for a `63 Ford or can comprehend a Chevy engine in an old Ford.

 

I went to autozone once to get a muffler for my dads van and the guy gave me the wrong one so we went back and the the guy that was helping us could not even speak english! So we went around the corner to napa got the right muffler and what a shock we were not the only people that have been in there bitchin about autozone

 

our auto zone people no nothing i get to go in back now and pick it out myself cause they do not know hot rodding what so ever. how ever there is a lady there that FORGETS to ring up all the items good for us though

 

Had to get a battery for the daily yesterday...went to A/Z..wandered over to the battery rack, foolishly looked up the correct battery & took it over to the checkout....

Guy says...whats it for...

I tell him make, model & year...

He bashes away on the computer & says...thats not the right one....

OK, I say, but thats what it said in the book....

So we go over look at the book....sure enough, its the ONLY battery listed for my car (in fact, for my whole make!!)

Hmmmmm....says A/Z boy....it says it needs this one (points at another one....)

I look at it & tell him its too wide, no way will it fit....

Well, thats the one that it says in the computer he says..

Give me a Phillips, a 10mm wrench & a couple of mins I tell him, and I'll pull it off, you need a core right?

Ummm, yeah, we do...its a $12 charge till you bring the old one back

Go outside, pull the battery & bring it in to him.....

Oh...he says...it looks like the one you got 1st...

I guess I will have to sell you that one then.....

 

I agree, but they are getting really tough to find.

 

There are some great storys here. Ive actully gotten asked if i knew if they had it or not before. I was floored and just said i dont know i dont work here! My girlfreind calls em the "whats it for's" thats allways the first thing out of there mouth. When i send her to get parts for me she has even gotten pissed at them and had to school em haha.

 

I use to work for a Car Quest and I know exactly what your talking about. We use to prank call other stores and ask for a Standard Ignition part # Id ten D = ID10T= IDIOT.

Slick Wilie

 

The last time i went to Auto Zone they just pointed to the back and told me to help myself. They didn't want to deal with my want's since it wasn't in there computer.

 

Let's see
auto parts place
fast food counter
bank teller -bank manager
any 800 customer no-service center
lot of that sort of thing going around no particular industry
better than any other
MArk

 

To make things worse when you go to there web site to research parts your screwed. Whoever the MORON is that set these sites up knows SQUAT about cars.

 

We are a small town but we have an AutoZone, Carquest and Napa stores. I buy from AutoZone and Napa. The personnel in AutaZone are very helpful and if they haven't got the part or you can't wait for an order they suggest you check with Napa and tells the customer how to get there. The younger guys aren't as car smart as the old guys are but they are learning. I think when the auto parts stores went to the computers and got rid of the parts books something was lost that the computers can't replace. Used to go into the parts place and if you didn't know what part you needed to fit on your build they let you go through the books looking at the pictures until you found what you needed. Computers are good but so are the books. I sure wish I had ended up with some of those counter books.

Vergil

 

chris ya forgot the worst part...when i looked at the dudes name tag...above the "naga..naga..naga..nagonnaworkhereanymore" type name it was proudly labeled "STORE MANAGER"!!


wtf?!



...meckalecka...

 

Heck, if the auto parts stores in your area are as bad as my area, your lucky to find any Auto Parts at all.

But you sure can find all the toys you can imagine. It's more like ToyRus, than AutoParts.