Ever have a parts store guy tell you you're wrong...

[roundhouse]

I remember when they used to say they had whatever it was you called them for, then changed their mind when you got there. It was Jeckyl and Hyde. On the phone, "Yeah, we got that. Come on down." Then when you got there, "Oh... no we don't have that," usually accompanied by a vacant expression. That really cheesed me off.

To some extent I blame the businesses. They want to hire the cheapest person they can find. Then they don't train, so the guy behind the counter only knows to punch keys and follow the script. Try to go into any store and say "I need a filter for a TH400." Even if they know what you're talking about, they'll still go through the script. Parts guy used to be a career you retired from. Now it's just another low wage retail job.

Hey, just be glad you can still get parts for these trucks. My beloved Red Car is sitting dead in my yard because I can't get parts for it anymore.

parts for just about every car in the universe on eBay

What kinda car you got that parts can't be had ?


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[Dr_Snooz]

'89 Honda Accord. I can't find a prop valve for the SE-i trim level. It was the only year with 4 wheel disc brakes. I'll have to fab a universal one in there and well, that's just another project on my list. Now that I have the Suburban, it's way down the list.

Be grateful you guys can pick up any part you could ever need so easily. I was floored to find all the hardware I need to convert my rear window from power to manual crank within about 5 minutes of searching. It was all brand new too! Man, on the Honda, that would be months of junkyarding. Then when you found it, it would be an afternoon's project restoring the parts to some semblance of usefulness.

#threadjack

[Engineer]

At our local O'Reilley's and Autozone it seems like every other week there is a complete new set of faces behind the counter.

I typically go to the dealer or more traditional parts stores when I need things. At those places I feel I'm respected more because the guys are people I have known for years. I usually only use the retail chain stores for late Saturday or Sunday buys when the other places are closed.

I recently had a LONG OVERDUE visit with a guy I graduated college with. He is now an in instructor in the automotive department at a prominent St.Louis technical school. He says the kids he gets in now have little or no knowledge of cars. Many have done little more than changed the oil on their cars and very few have ever rebuilt an engine or transmission. Few can even explain what an alternator does. He said he has had to change his curriculum so that he can't assume his students have any prior knowledge of automobiles.

[SkinnyG]

I teach high school mechanics for a living. 

In my "Level 1" class, students disassemble, diagnose, and rebuild an automotive engine.   They also learn how the ignition system works, the fuel system (both carb and efi), and the cooling system.  My lessons and activities are rich in diagnostics and troubleshooting.

"Level 2" learns drivetrain and they rebuild a manual transmission.  They also learn brakes, suspension, steering, electrical (including explaining how an alternator creates electricity, and how a starter creates motion - they need to explain where the magnetic fields come from and everything).  They also learn about emission controls and how they work and how/if they hinder performance.

"Level 3" learns engine performance, balancing & blueprinting, nitrous and forced induction, automatic transmissions (including rebuilding an automatic), lifting and lowering, and limited slip differentials.

The students who leave my program and head to the college for their apprenticeship do very, very well.

Having said that, they are in the minority.  Most students don't care enough to adequately learn the material, and do not seem to retain much, if any, of it.

On topic - my parts guys are really good at just letting me paw through the books and find the parts that I want.  Except two of the moved to a different store, and now I have to train the new guys.....

[Engineer]

Skinny-

You are the high school auto mech teacher I prayed for and didn't get. My auto mech teacher was a good guy but was a short timer looking forward to retirement. Despite that fact I still managed to learn a lot. Most of the guys I was in class with were just looking for graduation credits.

I doubt your students will ever know how fortunate they are.

[82oldskid]

I can't help but chime in on this, as I've been working for Advance Auto Parts for about 5 1/2 years.  I started as a part time driver, and over the years moved into the commercial manager's position at my store.  Stepped down from it at the beginning of 2015 (still part time for the discount) to become a service manager at a local garage because of many issues, and I don't miss it.  Half the people my manager hires have no clue when it comes to cars, and I'd get asked all the time "where can I find this?"  I'd go in the computer and pull it up in seconds.  U-joints are always fun...  the way its listed in the computer is terrible, so I always just grab the book and look it up there.  Never had one come back unless the customer gave me bad info.  My co-workers can't understand that though, they insist on fumbling around, grabbing about 6 u-joints, and trying to match them up.  Too lazy to get the old book out.  People just don't wanna work anymore, and it sickens me.  Or management will hire any moron who can say "battery" and they get a job.  I hate the scripts they make us do on the phone.  "thanks for calling advance auto parts and batteries..."  last I checked, a battery is an auto part!  I've had commercial accounts laugh, cause they're like "they really make you say that?"  I've been there long enough too that I'm brutally honest about our parts sometimes.  If its junk, and I know its junk, I'll tell the customer not to buy it.  I refuse to sell our reman transmissions.  have yet to see one that doesn't die in less than a year.  Or Airtex fuel pumps.  same deal.  Had one guy buy one anyway cause it was cheap, and when it died less than a month later, he came back and said "you were right, its dead already."  He's still a regular though, cause I was honest.  I know, I could get fired for saying all this, but I don't care.

I should probably stop now though, cause I could write a book on how pathetic the auto parts business has become.

[VileZambonie]

I went to Napa which I try to avoid at all costs but was right near there, asked for a 45° exhaust pipe 2.5" ID/OD He says you mean a 90°, I say no I mean a 45°. He says there's no such thing, I laughed, he opens the book up right to the 45° pipe page lol Moron...Oh and he owns the store.

[Irish_Alley]

talking about phone greetings. autozone used to have us say "thanks for calling autozone, best parts and prices guaranteed. how can i help you". then you have those little packs they try and sell with batteries, plugs, wires, brakes and water pumps. they have a weekly competition to see who can sell the most then the winner gets a $20 gift card.

[LTZ C20]

Sometimes I'm really really glad I work at the dealer lol. Our company moto is "The family business that treats you like family".

[timthescarrd]

One of my funnier was I went into Napa for a PCV valve and gasket for my 2000 Camaro V6

Me:"I need a PCV valve and Gasket for blah blah blah"
Parts Guy:" You mean grommet"
Me:"No, mine has a gasket"
Parts Guy:"grommet"
Me:"gasket"
Parts Guy:"Ok, this is a PCV valve"(pulls up picture on comp)
Me:"Yep"
Parts Guy:"and this is the grommet that goes on it"(pulls up a generic pic of a grommet)
Me:"Nope, mine uses a gasket"
Parts Guy:"Oh, we don't have that then"

[enaberif]

I've shown the old guys at Napa a time or two about parts and how things do exist. I picked up a new master cylinder for my truck the other day and asked if it was their NUP line and the guy says "its a new part"... Well no shoot but I want the NUP line as its better than your economy line.

Another time I ended up with some 18 year old behind the counter who didn't have the first clue about carburetors at all.

[blwn2000pu]

Most of the time I just buy parts by the part number. Keeps it quick and simple. Cross reference part numbers on the interweb if you haven't memorized them. With me I have modified vehicles so even if I did give them specific vehicle information, it wouldn't do much good.

[bd]

If you ever have a spare moment... put on a straight face and order a case of engine compression....   



Tell 'em you want the high dollar stuff!

[SkinnyG]

Years ago I was building a V8 Vega.  I needed an air filter that was yeah big by yeah high to fit under the hood.

Them: "What's the vehicle?"

Me: 1975 Chevy Vega, but it's not the original engine, I need..."

Them (interrupting): "What's the engine?"

Me: "It's a 350 V8, but it's not the original...."

Them (interrupting): "There's no 350 listed."

Me: "I know. I'm doing an engine swap and I need a filter that's yeah big by yeah big.  It's not the original engine."

Them: "What did the engine come out of?"

Me: "It came out of a Toyota Landcruiser, but that's not going to help you either."

Them: "If you can find out what that engine came out of, ~then~ we can help you."

No filter that day.

[Engineer]

Hahaha. Good stories.

While we're at it, I can't remember HOW MANY TIMES I have taken the old part along only to find out that they can't match it up. The parts counter guy acts like the part doesn't exist despite the fact that one is laying right there on the counter. At that point is usually when the flunkies will exclaim "it's been discontinued" or "that's a dealer only part". Grrrr. The non-flunkies then move from their computers to the books or start making phone calls. It doesn't take long to figure out which type of parts guy you are dealing with.