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

Went to one of the local craptastic chain stores looking for assembly lube. They looked at me as if I had lobsters coming out of my ears. Went nextdoor to the one with the orange logo and Auto in their name and the kid behind the counter just stares at me. A-S-S-E-M-B-L-Y LUBE. You know, the stuff you put engines together with so you don't fry it when you fire it up?

"We don't carry that."

Really? You SELL internal engine parts, but you don't sell the simple stuff that goes along with putting it together?

"Guess not. Just use motor oil, that's what I do."

Motor oil won't stick to parts for any extended time period so it's possible you could dry start something the first time. You should probably coat most bearings and valve train parts with lube to avoid that.

"Well, I buy my parts on ebay, so I figure they'll blow up anyway."

Genius.

 

Just this week, I was trying to find a spring shackle for my 52 Dodge Truck. Advance had it listed on their site and said "call store for availability". So I call the store. Gave the guy the part number and was surprised to hear "Yes, we have it in stock".

So I drive over there after work (takes about 25 mins with traffic) and they don't have it.

So I guess "Yes we have it in stock" doesn't mean it's physically there.


Did wind up getting a 20% off discount on a future purchase for their mistake...at least the manager had some good customer service skills.

 

2 best things I've ever heard is after 5 minutes waiting on the phone I was told to call back in 5 minutes the store is busy.
We don't deliver to shops.
I cancelled my shop account there

 

working part time at an auto parts stores i'm constantly amazed what people think should be in stock. the other day a guy needs a right front brake hose for a `67 Volvo. i found we had one in the distribution center and could have it in the afternoon same day.....he says he needs it now and will go elsewhere were they actually stock parts


a `67 Volvo?? in a small town of 25,000 were there never was a Volvo dealer ?? good luck! i thought we were doing good by having it in a few hours

 

The need to tell others who you are, really means you are nobody.

 

Went to an autozone type store. Asked the young female clerk for a universal muffler hanger. She asked what year and make of car. I said no, they weren't made for any specific car, its one that you could use on a lot of cars and is basically a 2 piece clamp, with a rubber like piece inbetween a steel strap with holes drilled in it.
She said if I could give her the year and make of car, she could open some of the boxed muffler hangers the computer spit out, to see if she could find the one I was looking for or one that would work (at least she was trying, if clueless).

 

Okay, first off, let me just say that NAPA/Riebes seem to be the only places with knowledgeable guys;

I will be in dire circumstances before I EVER shop at "O'Reileys"
(I like to call it "Oh-Really's?" 'cause they have no idea what they stock)

Example:
Me: "Hi, I need a front flexible brake line for a '73 dodge"
Parts person: "Sorry, we don't carry steel braided lines"
Me: "Ummmmmmmmmmmm.... that's not what I need, I just need the flexible line, I'm not going for the upgrade,"
Parts person: "Yea, we don't carry that,"
Me: Uhh, well, I'm pretty sure you have to, because-
Other parts guy walks up to cut me off: "Oh, we HAVE TO huh, buddy?"
Me: "It's a consumable part DUDE, I'm sure you carry it!!"
(asshole finally checks the computer)

"Oh, well, look at that. We carry it, but I'll have to order it"

Me: (rolleyes and leave,)

 

I walked in with an alternator and the guy at the counter said "need a new starter" I said noooo I need an alternator, then he said "no thats a starter" and continued to argue with me that it was a starter....

 

Needed front wheel bearings for my 73 International 1210 4X4 pickup. after convincing them International did in fact make 3/4 ton 4 wheel drive pickups, i got the two inner bearings and races and the seals and no outer bearings and races. The gauy said that will do both wheels. I got tired of arguing and went to a bearing supply house who had everything I needed

 

I dropped a uni on the parts counter and the kid said ''what is it?'' the stores slogan is... wait for it..........''We know what it is, we know where it go's'', 100% TRUE.

 

what's a uni?

 

I'm guessing a universal joint.

 

I blew a pancake on the semi trailer a few days ago. I took it off and stopped in ORiellies . set it on the counter and not one guy there knew what it was. I didnt even bother to tell them. Went to the farm supply place and the counter man seen me come through the door wih it. he went back and got one before I said a word.

 

I have plenty of those.. "Make, model and year Sir?"

"Doesn't matter, they are all the same..."

Go back and get an oil filter and sell it to him with a notation on the receipt noting customer unable to give exact application.

When the oil pressure blows by the filter and destroys the engine, I don't want to hear it.

Guy walks up to counter.

"I need so and so for a so and so."

I am looking through the microfiche and the guy says, "It can't take that long to find the part!"

I spin the microfiche around and tell him to pick out a number and I will walk back and pull it for him or better yet, allow him to pull it.

He got kinda quiet after that...

One fits all and they are all the same... Until you try to put it on...

My main problem these days (as I order most of what I need online), is finding someone that actually speaks English.

 

Or I thought I made a mistake once but was mistaken...

 

And is ex-Special Ops...

 

Dumbest thing I heard was "I need front pads for a Ford Taurus" (in a very deep voice) ... actually the odd part wasn't the request ... it was that fact that the dude asking for them was in his mid fifties, over 6', and wearing a skin-tight miniskirt, blouse and make-up (yet had the weathered face of a sailor ... oh, and it wasn't Halloween either).

 

as i've said, i work for an O/T dealership; i had a call for ATF the other day. and, as usual, my first question is "what's the VIN for the car?"

asshole starts laughing and says "you need the VIN to get ATF?"

"if you want the RIGHT fluid for one of SIX different applications for THAT car in THAT year, yes. otherwise, i'll GUESS and we'll BOTH be wrong."

things are not as simple as when one filter covered every Chevy and one kind of ATF worked for several different manufacturers; shit, we almost have to have the actual PART in our hands to identify the version number we have to replace it with now.

maybe you guys with old Chevies should stick to those places that only sell old Chevy parts... oh. yeah... they're all closed down now.

 

Just setting a noob straight. When someone questions you or refers to you as a "dork" as Kawbaby did, he get's a response. If you think I'm a nobody, that's your right as an American to voice an opinion. You finally got a chance to use your Jr. College Psych 101 to quantify someone. Bravo. Well done

 

That sums it up in a nutshell.

 

AMEN.. to that brother.

 

Ive beena counter man at Oreillys for 2 years and the customers are just as bad as some of the employees. they dont know what they are looking for so they cant tell the idiot looking up the parts the right thing. Then you get the FNG counter guy that thinks hes a know it all and doesnt know shit.

Ive finally gotten to where customers know I know my old car/truck/tractor parts so they come in and ask for me every time or their buddies send them in to ask for me too. I can use the computer to find the new car shit but when some one says its old you gotta go to the books. sad thing is that the books are getting to be a lost art. companies are stop updating them and replacing them it sucks bc the computer doesnt have shit.
I aruged with a guy about a month ago that I knew what a 1961 Divco was! he didnt belive me. I finally convinced him i knew my old stuff now he waits for me and asked when i work next for him to come back in.
What gets me is this guy that has a 53 chevy bel air with a 235 wayne covers,offy 2 1bbl intake and he swears ins a corvette blue flame 6 b/c the offy intake!

 

I work at an auto parts store so my stories are on the other end. I've had my share of challenges, normally if a customer really gives me the business I hand him over to someone more knowledgeable. You really need to have an open mind when working there. Cars don't lie, people do.
Some people can't even tell me what year their car was made or barely what make and model it is. If you can't tell me that, you shouldn't buy parts for the car. Another thing that kinda aggravates me is the type of customer that comes in with that "special version" - you know, that one car that was made just for that guy, stock parts don't fit on it at all.
I try not to ask a lot of questions, but I want to be sure I am selling the right parts for the vehicle. I really hate running returns, it is like three times as much work for me. That and I don't like the program I use at work since it asks me stupid questions. Case in point, if I look up clutch parts for a car, it will ask automatic or manual transmission. Then it will ask me if the car is in the US region or the Canadian region. This is southern California.

 

I've dealt with some great parts guys and some that were not so good.

The best ever was an old gentleman named Orv at our local Ford dealer. He only messed up one time and I threw some oddball orders at him. The common stuff he didn't need to look up. Turns out he had a photographic memory. 20 years after that dealership closed I was installing cabinets in a bank. This old security guard walk up and says hi Bob. Starts talking cars and racing. Couldn't figure out how he knew me until I saw Orv on his name tag.

The worst had to be the guys at either of the 2 NAPA stores in town. Pre-computer era......I was with my Dad when the upper rad hose blew on his truck. He pulled into the NAPA lot. I told him it would take the idiot 3 tries to get the right hose and he'd ask an irrelevant question like if it's 4wd.
Dad tells counter guy: need an upper radiator hose for an '81 F350, 400 w/air, towing package.
Counter guy: 2 or 4wd?
Dad laughs and says: my son said you ask me that. It's 2wd.
Counter guy gets the hose and heads to the register.
Dad: My son says it's gonna take you 3 tries to get the right hose. I only have one check on me. Do you mind if I take it out to see if it's the right one before you ring it up?
Counter guy: Sure, no problem.......Wait! Your son says what?
Dad: (must have been feeling like a bit of a shit stirrer that day)... Actually he said you're an idiot. Heads for the door.
Me: I've got the hood up and I can see from 30 feet away the hose is wrong. Tell Dad to take it back.
Dad returns to the counter and tells the counter guy it's not even close.
A few minutes later Dad followed closely by the counter guy with a hose. Again, from 30 feet away I can tell it's the wrong hose. I just shake my head.
Counter guy can't believe it's the wrong hose. Starts cussing when he realizes it's the wrong hose. He says there are only three choices!
Me to Dad: Told ya so.
Dad: Yes.
They return to the store.
Dad comes out with the correct hose.
Now I'm sure there are good counter guys at some or even most NAPA stores, but this particular store was notorious for their inept help. It's now closed.

I've had mixed results at the other NAPA store. More attitude issues than anything. Told the counter guy we were building a race engine and needed two push on breather caps and didn't care what make, model or engine they fit, and didn't care what size tube they fit. Just needed 2 breather caps. Comes back 30 z seconds later complaining that racing and hot rod guys are a pain in the ass with these oddball things we want. I made sure not to bother him with my business after that.

Local family owned parts store....
I was building a stock car and needed some 5/8" fine thread lug nuts.
Me: I'm building a stock car and upgraded to 5/8" lug bolts. I need 5/8" fine thread lug nuts....don't know what they'd cross reference with. I set a lug bolt on the counter.
Counter guy: What kind of car?
Me: doesn't matter, they're not stock to the car.
Counter guy: Make, year, model.
Me: (sigh) '69 Ford Torino with a '62 Mercury stub, XXXXX spindles and hubs with non-stock lug bolts.
Counter guy: Umm.
Me: Look, I drilled out the hubs and put in bigger bolts. Surely you've got bins of lug nuts.
Counter guy: Yes.
Me: can't you just take the bolt and find nuts that will fit it?
Counter guy: Any idea what application used a 5/8 lug nut.
Me: I'm sure it would be a truck. Let's try an F700 first.
Counter guy: What year?
Me: Take your pick.
Counter guy: (looking in book.....) ah! 19XX FX00 used 5/8" lugs!
Me: Great! I'll take 20. No, make that 30. I like to have spares.
Counter guy: (still looking in catalog) does it have A/C?
Me: (disbelief!) nope.
Counter guy comes back with 5/8" fine thread lug nuts, but not as many as I wanted.
I buy them (and a pile of other parts) and head to the Ford dealer.
Walk in and tell Orv that I need X number of 5/8" fine thread lug nuts. Before I can tell him 19XX FX00 ol' Orv rattles off the part number from memory. He has then in stock, and they're 50% cheaper.

Wife and I were in a department store. Wife reminds me that I need to give her car a tune up. I think, what the heck, I'll see if they have anything here. I didn't really think they'd have anything. To my amazement that had the distributor cap and spark plugs! But no plug wires. I find the guy working that department ans ask for plug wires for XXX. He looks confused. He says we don't stock those. I tell him they should. He says we really don't carry stuff like that so theres no reason to carry that kind of thing. Me, with distributor cap in one hand and box of spark plugs in the other explain that plug wires connect the distributor cap to the spark plugs. Store guy's response was a blank stare. I handed him the cap and plugs and walked away.

Another from the non-racer/rodder friendly NAPA...
I was helping my nephew put new brakes on a '70 F350 car hauler. Calipers were junk and he couldn't find any that were a direct replacement. He got a set from an Econoline van. They bolted on but the flexible brake hose was different. Nephew goes to NAPA right before they were going to close. HAS to get the truck going that night as he had a buyer wanting to drive it the next morning. Nephew tells counter guy: I need both brake hoses for a '70 F350...
Counter guy: (looks them up) Those are out of stock.
Nephew: I'm sorry, I meant XX Econoline.
Counter guy looks them up, leaves, then returns with the brake hoses. Sets them on the counter, then hesitates, picks them up and asks my nephew if he's using the Econoline calipers on an F350.
Nephew: yes.
Counter guy: I can't sell you these for a non stock application.
Nephew: ( happens to be a Harley guy with an I don't give a shit attitude......reaches across the counter and grabs the counter guy by the throat) Listen closely. You are going to set those back on the counter and ring them up. I need these hoses, and I need them tonight. We won't have any problems if you sell them to me, but if you refuse, well then we're going to have a little problem.
The counter guy agreed it would be best to ring up the hoses.

For the most part the parts guys do a good job. I don't expect the counter guys in the computerized stores to find the oddball stuff without good information from me, but I don't have much tolerance if they're too lazy to try, or if they have attitude problems.

 

I'll never forget the time I went to an auto parts store for a quart of Type-F transmission fluid (it wasn't even for the transmission, it was for the power steering) for my old Ford.
As I set it onto the counter to pay for it, the "kid" said "Are you sure you want Type-F?"
I said "yeah"., and he said "Well I hope you're putting it in a vehicle made before 1974!".

That irritated me. I didn't ask for any automotive advice. I just went in there to get what I needed and pay for it...

 

was in auto zone the other day to some some brake clean, and over heard the lady behind the counter, hold the fone down and ask the guy next to her what a oil fill cap was, and then notice she didnt cover up the fone. i just paid and laughed out the door, because i couldnt get a job there because i know to much about cars

 

I have good luck with my local Orielly's and NAPA. I am sure I have asked some stupid questions in my time. I can think of one time in particular, so I try to stay humble.

I usually research and at least figure out beforehand if they carry the part. I price shop sometimes, but I usually just end up going to Orielly's. I am a pretty patient person so all the questions don't bother me. Getting upset about it ain't gonna make the part appear any faster. And while I can be a dick at times, I try not to be a dick to somebody who is just trying to do their job. If I am going to get a non original part, I just find a cross reference before I go to the store.

 

Some years ago I entered an auto paint supply store who brags about their fiberglass supplies.
Me : I'd like some gel coat.
Guy : What?
Me : Gel coat
Guy : you mean gelly coat
Me : What?
Guy : Gelly coat, that is the transparent gel you put on the mat, it's called resin.
Me : Huh? No the Gel coat is like paint, you apply it in a mold, then you apply your fiberglass with the resin.
Guy : Huh? What is that, I never heard of that.
At this moment the owner of the shop, an old guy comes out with a huge smile on his face: He doesn't know anything... No sir we don't carry Gel coat, it's gonna be hard to find, don't know where to get that anymore.

Try to find parts for a car that's not in they computerized world. I layed on the counter a spark plug, I ask for 4 of those.
The guy barely look at it and ask me what brand the car is.
I tell him it's not in his computer, their is no need to try to look up for it.
He insist.
I'm like : ok a Citroen.
The guy gets puzzled : A what? Is it a Chevrolet, Ford or Chrysler?
A Citroen...
Ok lets try Chevrolet, what model?
The brand is Citroen, the model is a DS.
There is no Chevrolet DS, lets try Chrysler.
No thanks...
I took back my spark plug and after trying Pep Boys, Kragen, Auto Zone, the only one who was willing to look up the spark plug by the # was Napa.

 

AUTO ZONE - Last Week
I need a rebuild kit for a 4150 Holley Carb. What kinda car is it in? It doesnt matter its after market. Is it a 4 barrel? Umm yea. Do they still make this carb? *facepalm* Yes. Who makes it? HOLLEY. *types in computer Holly* Its spelled with a E. Oh ok. What was the part number for it? Uh I dont know, I dont work here. You said it was like 4510. No 4150 is the type of carb. Ok *types in 4150 for part number* Hmm nothing is coming up. Bye.

 

The computer age has left us with geeks that know nothing about cars and they dumped most of the counter books which leaves us old timers in the dark. I went into
Our local conclave of morons and simply ask for a 12X 4 k&N air filter. Well, there actually k&N dealers and I got ask motor-VIN-year make model , you know the usual crap they ask that's not remotely related. I was polite and ask the young geek if he had a dimension chart--O boy here came the 1000 yard stare. "A what chart"? He was still talking shit as I calmly walked out the door. Went home and called my speed shop and had it the next day via UPS.