Funniest lines from the parts counter

A lot of time it's funny, and sometimes it's frustrating. I think we're all after the same thing though, and that is making the experience as quick and easy as possible. Most of the time it's not that bad. I try to make it as easy as possible on the parts kid by making up fictitious applications, if necessary. Sometimes I have to explain basic things and cannot assume that he knows something that may be very obvious to most of us. I don't think it helps to be condescending. If you're nice, they'll be more willing to help next time. Wouldn't you?

Where I get pissed is when some young smartass argues with me and acts like I'm a dumbass when they don't have a clue. Then we have a problem. Fortunately, that rarely happens and most folks do their best to help you.

^^ Like the post above, I've had some parts guys go to incredible lengths to find things for me. For them, it was a matter of pride.

All that being said. I still find these threads entertaining and pissing and moaning a bit probably helps to relieve a little frustration...all except the inevitable first hand account of the 710 cap that always gets posted. That's lame.

 

Guy comes in to local NAPA with a tiny pc. of what's left of a wheel bearing race.
Counter guy said what car and year ?
Guy said Olds 74, I think ?
Counter guy said you want me to get ya an I think bearing ?

 

I find that the best way to do it is to just spin the computer around and look it up yourself before the morons get the chance to ask if they can help you, then by the time they get a free minute away from yaking with their fishing buddies to ask what you want all you have to do is point to the screen and say "that".

 

30 + years ago they would pay you for what you knew - now they hire non-car people to push buttons on a computer & they are only paid about $3.00 +/- an hour more than I was paid back in 1975. Go figure......

 

Sounds like ones i deal with!
alot of guy see breast NOT brains!
a buddy bought an O/T charger & stopped to price brake parts,the gal at the counter asked for the VIN #'s -he was a smart ass & asked WHY? she was like june was the year break & they went to disc after that!-LOL it was priceless!---{Rob's face-}

Our checkers only hire folk that have some knowlage of cars--NO trophy girls {eye candy-look nice in a Tshirt,but brainless}

 

Duck is right as some counter people are surprising. Local Pep Boys, of all places, go in for a Datsun heater hose cause it has the right angle in it and size I need for my Olds and measured size and part numbers water pump and alternator belts, the older woman at the counter didn't bat an eye and got them all. Later she asked what they were for cause she was curious. Local CarQuest has older counter guys and as a bonus a warehouse attached. All good. On the other hand the nearby NAPA is starting to go dumb.

 

I usually do my parts research first and get part numbers for any of the older vehicles I'm working on.
I went in with the Fel-Pro number for valve cover gaskets for a 324 Olds. The counter guy looked it up and said, that's a good part number, but we've never stocked that part in any of our stores ever!. I told him I wasn't asking for this chain to stock them, I just wanted him to order one for me.

Just last week I popped in a place for a cap and rotor for a SBC. They use to be on the shelf and I'd just walk in and grab one. Not anymore. I had to go up to the counter and the guy told me the manager came in and said "no cars use distributor caps anymore and I can make more money selling toilet paper in that floor space"
Of course the worst part is he had to look it up on the computer, and didn't even know what section it was under....try ignition!

I found a young guy at one of the stores and he actually knows his stuff. He told me he started at a mom and pop store and they wouldn't even let him touch the computer until he learned how to find parts using old catalogs. That guy can find me anything.

 

idk about any of the other chains but oaur carquest system does not have shelf designation. that all goes by memory. for some reason now the IT geeks made the computer ask if you are using the car in USA or canada. most of the lil pop up screes that ask the nonsense questions have a dont know option to get you through faster and without aggravation. you guys would be surprised to stand behind the counter and see how many different variations of the same part there is in the same year. ex. 1985 chevy used 5 different calipers on p/u. dodge mini vans, you must know what the wheel size is to get the correct lug studs, brakes and rotors. i am 27 and get paid $9 an hour which is a far cry from what i could be making with my degree in Industrial Maint. and Machine Tech with PLC programming exp. but it is a job, there are few and far between in my trained field anymore as we dont produce anything in the good ole usa. THE biggest problem i have had is customers giving the wrong year of vehicle let alone the model. some times it is just easier to go out and look if they are driving it. be pateint, it will get you further than losing your cool. trust me.. if someone has an attitude coming in it does not make me want to help them.

 

Yeah, he probably started working at the chain store when the mom and pop had to shut down because everyone on this thread likes to go to the chain stores and bust the counter guy's balls!!!

 

It's not the stupid questions the nerd who wrote the computer program asks that bothers me. It's that after all that and we finally look up that 1968 red 2 door Camaro 2 wheel drive 5.7 litre 4 speed manual SBC oil filter they tell me they can get it in by next Thursday if I pay for the part and shipping now...


BTW it's not just car parts. In the Navy back in the 70's if you went to look up stuff in the supply catalog you found things like this...


No order number for flashlight, but if you know where to look you could find "933-U Portable Beam Generator, 1 each"


And my favorite. Wastepaper Basket was listed under " Can, Shit, 1 each, grey only."

I did NOT make those up! Grin

 

the person reading the info is only as good as the person puttiing it in the system

 

I have both sides too. The funniest was this dude came in and asked for "this". It was a phenolic disc with some transistors on it and an aluminum can.
He said,"I skinned it for you". After the initial shock and howling laughter from the other guys, I gave him a 552 flasher. Another time this couple came in and wanted to know if we had the foam like they put on roll bars. As I raised my nose outta the books and asked what diameter they wanted, I noticed this largish decent looking blonde with a really skinny dude on a leash. They didnt have a roll bar. We still laugh at those and they happened in '81.
I have a guy now at O'Rielly and he's awesome. Jim, in Rita Road in Vail.I get him a jug-o-Beam at least twice a year. I couldnt believe Jesse James was doing a comercial for Auto Zone. They are the "oil and wiper blade" store.

 

i never said i like to bust their 'balls'
hell my 48 Hudson is cleverly disguised as a 1980 dodge truck when i need engine parts,i've had play the 'parts game' on every damn car/truck i built,& a couple choppers, i exspect shitting service when i go in parts houses wheather it be a mom & pops or a chain store! the mom & pops Napa store here can kiss my ass! & 2 local chain stores can kiss my ass also! i go where i CAN get the right parts! they treat me right & i'll be back even if i have to drive across town! as it was pointed out earlier you get what you get when you pay $9 an hour to any joe that comes off the street!

 

Here at work we say "shit in--shit out !"

 

I alway try to set the counter guy up for this one...

Me:
I need some 5/8 heater hose.

C/G:
How long?

Me:
Long time, I'm gonna install it on my truck.

 

I'm going to have to remember this one at a few different places.

 

This makes me wanna bring up buying alternators from the "chain" auto parts stores. Literally 3 for 3 duds.

 

Me: do u sell these connectors individually I only need only need one
Parts guy: no just the pack
Me: but I don't need that many there to expensive
Parts guy: well its the American way if u only had one leg you would still have to buy two shoes

 

Are you saying the parts guy is wrong or you???

 

Well I guess I'm one of those 'been there, done that' persons that's experienced this issue from both sides of the counter. As Ford parts manager and having to deal with the know-it-alls who are gonna teach me a thing or two about parts, to going into a parts store and getting the rookie kid who doesn't know s*** from Shinola about anything automotive.

Oh the stories we can - and have - told! Now in my older years and having long ago left the parts counter for a much greener career, I have to give credit to the oldsters behind parts counters these days. They very likely aren't there for the $$$, but more likely because it's what they do - and love doing. For the kids, hoping one in ten will be able to survive the low wages and endure the sarcasms, mistakes, bad bosses, bad customers, etc. and later on, become one of the oldsters who people seek out for help.

I'm guessing the 1:10 ratio was about right for when I hired new persons to work the counter. Put 'em on the back counter for awhile, figured if they could survive the Svc Dept techs without to many bruises, they could someday graduate to the front counter. Had one young gal that did it - and did it VERY well - she was probably the BEST counter person I ever had. Not afraid to ask the techs if they needed a screw, nuts or some gear lube .... but at same time had the G2 (intelligence) to temper her discussion with the general public. But on the flipside, some I hired were so bad - they couldn't have found a tree if lost in the woods... Hated to fire them but it was a business.

I tried to use an open-door policy with customers, as I found that most builders and DIY mechanics were honest and good people. Invited 'em in to let them have a look-see for something they might use, instead of trying their - and my - patience, with inane questions.

I'll never forget a QUESTION one person asked..."I have some 15" tires, will they fit on 14" rims?" REPLY: "No but DuPont makes a product that will shrink them to fit, the parts stores in town usually stock it..." (NOT from me but one of the smart alec techs in the Svc Dept told him that - not sure if it was original, but sure was funny at the time)

I could write a book. . .

 

He's saying it's funny, hence the original point of the thread before it was derailed...

 

I have to say the the local NAPA and O'Reilly's stores are pretty damn good. The counter guys (and one girl) that work at them DO know how to look numbers up, and they've also got the real paper parts books at-hand to look up the inevitable part that is not listed in the computers. Kudos to those places that deserve the props!

I'll stick to the stores that provide a knowledgeable counter person. Thankfully, they really DO exist. I reward them with my continued business. AND, I tell my friends about them, too!

 

"What you need is a metric screwdriver."

 

I was looking through a parts book at our local auto parts store.
A customer walks in, counter man asked "can I help you?". Customer points to me and says "help him, he's next"
All three counter men replied: who him, he's beyond help

 

Try telling them you got a Cleveland in a 28 Ford. All they said at AutoZone was huh......
Then I said ok forget that, let's start over. Lets say I have 72 Mustang and so on...

 

I had this one at O'Reilly 4 weeks ago:

Me: I need a bump stop bushing for the lower front control arm on a 1965 Pontiac Tempest
Them: 4 Wheel Drive or 2 Wheel Drive?

 

Great timing. I was in our parts dept. (Ford dealer) just a few minutes ago and got to overhear this gem of a conversation:

Customer on phone: "Hi, I need sparkplugs for a 2008 Ford F250 with a Powerstroke."

Parts Guy: "Sir, the Powerstroke is a diesel, it doesn't use sparkplugs."

Customer: "Then what the hell did I just take out??"

Parts Guy: "I don't know sir"

Customer hung up.

 

Customer " Do you have bicycle wax?"
Me " uh I guess you could use Turtle Wax"
Customer " no wax wax for the wood of your car!"
Should have said take the cock out of your mouth before calling please.

 

I ALWAYS have the starters and alternators tested there before I take them home. Had too many not work after they get installed! THAT sucks!!

 

in all fairness i am a counter guy and the cpu systems parts house's have suck. the ask every damn detail. and as many fun stories theres are from the customer point of veiw, there are from the counter guys point of veiw. but i wear my hamb hat with pride everyday and keep throwing parts