What's the dumbest thing you've heard at a parts store?

LOL--do you have prince albert in a can>

 

amen brother......

 

By the way, keep in mind that parts stores don't pay counterpeople shit. That's why it's hard to keep anyone around that knows anything. They figure the computer does all of the thinking, so having a name is about the only requirement they have for being employed.

There are still some good ones out there, and if you find one at your local store, stick with them. I know where there are several good ones near me. Found another one Friday night!

 

my most recient one is a little off topic but on topic. i went to circuit city to buy the fm antenna thing for satellite radio. the kid helping me started to ask what vehicle this was for. i told him one with an fm radio. the kid told me he needed to know exactly what vehicle. so i told him. he then went so far to ask if it was a 2 or 4 door. i left with out the antenna thingy.

 

x2
This is how it's done.

Of course you will have difficulty getting parts for a 350 when you tell them it is in a 32 Ford, or a 385 series Cobra Jet engine in a 62 truck. Who are the retards here, the parts guy or customer Joe Cool trying to sound like a badass spouting off about his ride to the "dumb" counter guy?

 

What about when you walk in and know the part number tell them and they ask whats it for. WTF oh and by the way Frams part number is ph13 ,ph5,hm5,tg5 or a xg5 and K&N is hp3002 just so you know....

 

I ordered rod bearings from RockAuto by the part number.
The next day, I get a call that out of stock on that number and they will cross reference by application. When asked why not use the part number the response was that I might have selected the wrong one. So, I gave it to them, Ford B crank in an A model block 1928-1934. They said they would have to do some looking, I still haven't heard from them............

J

 

Ok you got me. How is this dumb parts guy going to ship poured babbit rod bearings for your B crank? Keep waiting by that phone, ring, ring, oh that might be them calling right now....

 

You completely missed the detail, I ordered bearing inserts for a set of aftermarket rods. PN CR4424AM std. I gave them the part number......... You don't live in Michigan, do you??

 

"You don't have to gap those spark plugs."

 

I had a brain dead female counterperson at a Vatozone (who might as well been working im mc- donalds) tell me that a front hub seal for a 89 dodge van would be a dealer item and that they couldn't get one!!!! went down the street to napa and the counterperson just said "how many do you want. when my wife had an 89 chrysler le-baron they all used to ask for almost any part (which one do you have? the nippendenso or the bosch or the mopar or the etc.etc.etc!!!!) unfortunatly this wasent their fault as at that time mopar would whore themselves out to anyone that would make then a part for a nickel less per unit and the use them in a totaly random order so you only knew which one you had after you removed it to id it!!!!!

 

On the customer side at Advanced Auto there was a guy trying to order a part for a 331 Hemi. When the guy behind the counter could not find the right year on the computer, the guy says " Try 1980."

 

Man ,that brings back a shit load of memmories from my childhood! Thanks!


YA-Let him out!

 

Dumbest thing I've heard is the customers that don't know or won't tell you the information you need to get them the correct part-then are pissed off when they get the wrong part.

 

I've worked the counter at motorcycle dealerships for about 5 years now. Customers say a lot of dumb things. Like the people who come in (Harley dealership) wanting a master link for their dirt bike, or worse yet go kart. They get all steaming mad at how I'm a motorcycle dealership and don't have chain links on hand. Harley hasn't had a chain driven bike in over 10 years, so at our small store we don't have a bit of chain, especially not go kart size.

I've tried to work at a couple auto parts stores, but I get told I know too much about cars. Yes, that's right. I know too much. (not that much) They prefer people who aren't gearheads so they can train them to do it their way.

 

They have a set way to do things. It was designed by the program/software engineer.
Log in, define vehicle, locate parts.

That computer also records the particular sales persons activity
and what vehicals are the most common they are supplying parts for in a particular region.

The computer wont let them do it the way you used for an example.

This helps the purchasing department order parts from China eventually.

 

Went to O'Reilly auto parts to get a 180* thermostat for my 1974 455 Cutlass and the parts person told me that the only thermostat I could get for that car was a 195*... I was going to argue with him but I just walked out.

 

"I put a new alternator on my car but it still won't start"

"Are these points pre-gapped?"

When asked what engine was in the car a customer replied "the big one"!

What's a Volare'?

 

that my "batwing" aircleaner came off a '49 Merc.

 

I used to work at a dealership and before the big wigs took it over, it was a great place to work and customers loved us. We all loved cars, so we had a passion for our jobs, (parts people, service manager, and us mechanics). When the big wigs took over we got a gal in to act as a service manager. Wow it was bad. I had overheard her say to one guy that his glow plugs were not firing properly (which supposedly caused the surging in his diesel truck), and another customer that the oxygen sensor wasn't burning the fuel properly (can't remember what the customer complaint was). I have never told anyone that I know everything, but I promise that I will never try to cover it up if I don't (it only looks worse when you come up with stories like that).

 

On my side of the counter, I don't have answer programs like most car parts guys do. I have to ask questions, educated mostly by seat of pants, to know what my customer needs. In some cases, I can just ask them how many. Many more, grab a paper catalog or hit an internet site cat that I bring up every morning while my coffee is still warm. An still some, I have to make ph calls to known sources around the country to find what I need if it's worth that amount of effort. Still others, I don't have time to waste because it just is not worth my effort for known or $$ reasons.
My time costs money. I'm not a bonehead like the customer or parts goober in the Rock Auto commercial. Both are boneheads.
Get you a Fabco big PTO box, 15 1/2" two disc clutch, pinion yoke for a 22060D rearend, kingpins wheel seals tie rod ends for a E1200I, u-joints for a 57 Ford car or pickup? What else?
22 years of dealing with smart customers and roaming dumbasses from customer and sources of parts.

 

My daughters first boyfriend inherited a 79 Ford beater. I told him "check the oil". I forgot to mention the dipstick part. So, my daughter calls from Autozone asking how much oil do they put in until it's "filled up?". The guy thought you added oil until it came out somewhere. I had to go down to the Autozone with my oil drain pan and drain 5-6 quarts out of his engine until the dip stick read full. My mistake for assuming he knew about a dip stick. He was raised by a single mom, so i didn't want to make him feel bad. We need to teach the kids stuff, especially the ones from single parent homes.

 

...

 

I found that my local O'Reilly has the best car people. I've established some good relationships with them and they've been very helpful with my quandary of questions. One time I went in for a brake light switch that someone had put on my Ranchero. It is a mechanical switch that was jerry-rigged on the car. I went and showed the guy what I needed. He asked what it came off of to which I said I had no idea. He did some looking and found a new one for me. Yeah, they're the only ones I go to for parts.

 

I have been on both sides of the counter so when I need something out of the norm I try to very cooperative and give them as much info as I can realizing that I am probably not dealing with a "car guy"

However this was funny, my Father-in-Law has a big 5th wheel camper and they go to the Snowy Mountain Range for 3-5 months at a time, so he decided to install extra deep cycle batteries and he has it wired with solar and windgenerator charging. We went to a parts place because he wanted to get Optimas (on my recommendation). When he was checking out the counter guy asked "make and model the batteries are for" My F-i-L asked him why, and the guy says "for the warranty information" so he gave him the information and then they guy asked " What size engine does it have ???!!!???

 

When I was in high school I convinced a girl I knew that her turn signal wasn't working because her blinker fluid was low. I gave her a ride to Checker and told her to ask the counter guy for DOT 3 blinker fluid. She fell for it and I thought it was funny, but she didn't for awhile.

 

Looking for a 710 replacement cap!



OIL

 

I guess alot of people dont understand is that is that you need a application to the part you are ordering. If you have a 350 chev car and truck motors are not the same.
A gm clip is not the same in all years and parts may vary. Brake parts are different with
the same type of cars with v/8 s as opposed to 6 cyl cars...Sometimes you need be a patient customer with custom applications!

 

Went in the Chev dealer in 92, and asked for a set of plugs for my dz 302.
SORRY Sir but this is a chevrolet dealer. We don't have any Ford parts!
The old timer is the back laughing his ass off.

 

When I was looking for a second job, I applied at the local Advance Auto. I was asked if I knew how to use the computer. I sez I could tell the difference between a distributor cap from a brake pad. Manager sez "We don't have to know cars, we use the computer to find the parts"