Ben, As a former Western Auto/Auto America employee, I apologize for this jerk. We didn't let anyone behave that way in my store. I can't imagine speaking that way to a customer. He deserves to have his block knocked off.
No I didn't bother calling corporate but did I mention he was the manager and "was" being the operative word? I really am a piece(sic) loveing person. Mr Pontiac I'm not sure that appologies are necessary at this point if you catch my drift.
Yes ,there are dumb***es an both sides of the counter ,But yesterday I went into the local branch of a major chain with my after market holley carb numbers written down .I was looking for a renew kit. First guy ask what I needed ,when I told him,He yelled for Bob who grabbed the holley catalog and two minutes later said "54 bucks and two days" You want it? Thank goodness for the Bob's it this world.
You think you guys have it hard? I've been selling truck parts for 20+ years and ASE certified and know my way around a truck or car. Try walking into the "chain" stores and GIVE them the part number you need and they still can't find it without the Year, make, etc, etc. I'm lucky I have a real parts store I go to, I don't ever ask the price or beat them up on something I need. I will pay more for the knowledge and the ability to walk in and say I need a lower shock bolt for a chevy and the guy walks to the shelf and pulls it off and gives it to me.
it mostly goes back to you get what you're willing to pay for. You want cheap parts, you have to put up with cheap service. Most that complain, bring it on themselves. They want the cheap price, but don't want the cheap service. Can't get one without the other. Find a non-chain parts house, or a home-owned chain store. Be a little patient when asking for parts, bring as much info with you as possible, the part would be good to. Don't do the 350sbc in a 32/36/49 ford **** either, that's asking for trouble. It only took two weeks with the CarQuest in my area to get them to shut down the computers and grab for the books when I hit the door. And they've gotten better and better in the years I've dealt with them. Ranting and complaining never got me my parts, but a little common sense had me down the road with the RIGHT parts every time.
OK, here is my story and it happened yesterday. It is quite the reversal of all the above. First I went to NAPA to get a carb rebuild kit for a two bbl Carter carb that had no numbers on it and I had no idea what it came off of as I bought it a a swap meet. After two hours with five different parts guys and three books, they suggested that I send the carbs off and have them rebuilt. At least they gave me the phone numbers of several rebuilders in my area and took the time to actually look. Next I went to Advanced Auto to find a 14" wiper blade for the Henry J. An older guy spent almost an hour, robbing parts off of several different wiper blades to build one that would fit and only charged me for the one. I would not go back and buy any wiper blades in the near future as several are missing some attachments parts. I guess it all depends on their how their day is going at the time???
Boy can i relate to this thread, been down the road of the bad parts guy so many times its crazy. I dont know how it is in the US for finding 63 Fairlane parts but up here you better know where to find it in the parts book yourself and hope you know what its the same as or you wont find anything you need ever. If its older then 66 its not in a book that practically any store carries anymore around here, and certainly wont be in the computer... for some reason when you do find it in a book its in with the ranchero section... does ANY parts guy know this...nope!! So a couple weeks ago i got em back. Bought a clutch set for my 28 ford sedan (67 OHC inline 6 in it), plus a seperate 91 stang clutch disc for it so i can run the Ford T5 i adapted to it. Now the guy that took the order knows i am a hotrodder and make things work... the guy that i pick it up from however is a different guy as its after 5 when i get it. He brings it out for me, looks at me and says "what... the clutch disc in the kit isnt good enough or what?" I reply with nope, wont fit... so then he runs the number as if to double check i have the right clutch and then tells me, "well this one you bought is for a 91 Stang with a v8"... i say "Sweet man thats perfect" ...he looks all confused... "but they are for the same thing", and i was... "its ok, the motors pontiac 6, trans is V8 T5 ford, and its all in a 28 ford" I think that completely confused him as he never said another word, just stared at me, so i said just ring it up... haha
Johnson County auto parts Cleburne, Tx. right next to the railroad tracks no computer no uniforms. ther is about twenty cats runnin' around the store, he's got a couple several old cars and trucks surrounding the shop . He does machine work cuts drive shafts anything you really need. This guy knows his ****. If he doesn't have it there he can find it. That's where all the kids at the chain stores send you when they don't understand what you're asking for and it doesn't exist in their computer.
now i'm not a parts guy, but put yourself in their postion, have you ever tried finding an odd ball item doing an internet search and not coming up with what you really want.Its basically the same for parts guys,they only have a limited amout of info and have no idea what you're trying to do but you get frustrated because you know exactly what you want.I know there is some stupid people out there but some times its the lack of info in their database that will piss you both off in the end.can't we all just get along
i could tell a few HATED parts guys stories but i wont. what i will say though is there's a GREAT parts guy in Hillsboro, Mo. a small hole in the wall parts store where the guy uses nothing but a book to look up part numbers, hand writes u out a receipt for ur parts & has to look at his cheat sheet for ur tax amount. the best part is he's even OPEN on Sunday.....joe
With my printout in hand off I went to advance auto. I usually know what i need and have the part# or a printout when i go. This time i was working on a pontiac van for the step daughters boyfriend and we needed tie rod ends. It was so bad i didnt want the grand daughter riding back from mich to indiana in it! We get to the store and the counter kid looks it up and i told em if thats what they look like in the picture on the puker they wont work! He asks why. I tell him cause they are male threads and we need female. Oh back up a bit i think they were the outers. He says thats what they look like cause the puker is never wrong. I asked him to get one and i opened the box and smiled. He actually told the manager they needed to get the pics fixed I got a s-10 caliper on my 32 and ill be dammed if i couldnt figure out what it actually was. I got a book from enjenjo that had casting numbers for calipers. Looked it up found out what year and model went to the advance web site looked it up clicked on the pic and holy **** That was it. I look up stuff all the time . Its a lot less hastle if you can look it up first then go buy. Dave
Well right now we have a fairly knowledgable guy at our advance auto store in my neighborhood. I walked in thinking it was going to be a h***le to get wheel cylinders for the rearend in my 36 chevy rodded sedan. He asked me whats it for, I told him its a Hotrod. He never flinched as I thought he would and said can you tell me a little about it. I said lets start with 1969 chevelle 12 bolt. He did use the computer, left the counter and came back with a package. Opened it up and said "nope" yours are 15/16 inch. Went back got the correct ones. I paid for them and left. I Thanked him as I went out the door. Was a good day they worked perfect. Same guy helped me pick out rear shocks for it later....out of a catalog. Another good day. Sedanman
The Jalopy Journal
