When the parts guy makes you question your sanity.

[Dechion]

This might be an interesting thread, or might die a lonely death as people let it slide into obscurity. We shall see.

 

Either way, I fgured I would post about one of those moments that made me just tilt my head and look funny at the guy at the parts counter. Hopefully I'm not the only one with a story or two.

 

 

Once upon a time I walk into the local parts store with a battery and a starter, needing both tested. Starter spins up fine, thats a good thing. Then we get to the battery.

 

The guy puts it on his tester, which spits out a little piece of paper telling him it's good, but needs charged. So far so good.

 

Thats when I explain to the guy that the battery has been sitting on a charger, not even sitting in a car, for a full 24 hours before the test.

 

 

 

Parts guy: Well then, it's your alternator. Lets get you a new one.

 

Me: You realize it was on a charger for an entire day right?

 

Parts guy: Yep. Must have a bad alternator, it's not charging.

 

Me: It's not the alternator, it wasn't even connected to the alternator while I was charging it.

 

Parts guy: Well then, thats your problem. It had a bad connection. You should reconnect it and try again.

 

Me: You're kidding me right? *looking around for the hidden camera* You do understand I had it on a battery charger right? Not in the car?

 

Parts guy: *holds up the slip of paper from his computer* This says you have a bad alternator.

 

Me: Never mind.

[SubSonic]

Sounds like you went to AutoZone.

 

They do that.

 

Commonly.

:roll:

[COMJNUT]

he using the windows trouble shooting on XP for cars... :rotf:

 

 

most if not all are that way now :nuts:

[terrawombat]

I'm at least 3X smarter than any parts counter guy at any parts store in my immediate area. I'd bet my life savings on that. This is why I would never go to them for any advice.

 

I always do my homework before I get to the store. I'll have part numbers and prices written down or printed out, however, this completely baffles the parts counter guys. They are so pre-programed to use their inventory computer a certain way that they don't know what to do when you throw them a curve ball - in this case, an actual part number.

 

They'll say, "uhhh, but what car is this for?"

 

I'll reply with, "Nevermind that, if I told you, it'd confuse you even further."

 

They'll come back with, "but I need to know the car to get the part."

 

And I'll try to correct them, "false - you can type in a part number on the screen and it will bring up the part with the quantity you have in your inventory."

 

They click randomly on their screen, "I don't think I can do that - can you just give me the car it's for?"

 

Then I'll give in, "Sure, it's for a 1988 Jeep Comanche that originally had the 4.0L six cylinder, but now has a 1998 5.9L V8 Magnum spliced together with a 1999 Jeep Comanche interior wiring harness. I need the headlight switch."

 

Them: "uhhh....let me get my manager."

 

Most of my parts come from Rockauto now. I usually only go into the local stores for their oil/filter specials.

[Silver88]

I usually don't bother any more. I usually get a blank stare with " You have a what?" or " You don't see those anymore". There are several dozen within 30 miles of me. I see them all the time. Rock Auto all the way.

[jimoshel]

Not sure what the order is. Do McDonald's hire rejects go to auto parts stores for employment, or do auto part clerks go to Micky D'S? This thread could get bigger than the 'What did you do to your MJ' one. I have met some knowledgeable parts clerks. Unfortunately they're few and far between. Needed an exhaust valve for Chevy I was doing a valve job on. Argued with the girl for 15 minutes who insisted that what I wanted was a EGR valve. Asked to speak with the manager. He was her father. Went to Checkers for a XJ fuel pump. 20 minutes later walked out in disgust. The idiot was still trying to figure out how to work the puter. Went across the street to a Auto Zone. 5 minutes after walking in the door I walked out with my fuel pump. Went to NAPA for a set of spark plugs for a 327 chevy. He didn't have 8. only could sell me 4. Took me 10 minutes to convince him that he could sell me 2 sets of 4 plugs would make a set of 8. I'm not even started good. Went to a Big A store. A well endowed cutie waited on me. Her blouse was open and could see her bra. When she leaned over to show me the parts pic I could see what was in the bra. Almost forgot what I went after. :doh: Jim

[MJRemi]

Went to a Big A store. A well endowed cutie waited on me. Her blouse was open and could see her bra. When she leaned over to show me the parts pic I could see what was in the bra. Almost forgot what I went after. :doh: Jim

 

This thread is worthless without pictures! :brows:

[jimmy21669]

Yeah, sometimes it is fun telling someone at a parts store I need disk pads for a 97 Explorer, front soft lines for a 96 Chevy C1500, And a Dakota rear break line.

 

They then ask me if I work at a shop, and would I like to set up a business account, and my answer...

 

"No...I drive a Jeep." :cheers:

 

Then going to Napa....telling them I need a bushing. They ask me for what? I tell them..."Just give me the book...."....lol

[dasbulliwagen]

Went to a car quest the other day wanting a 1 wire starter solenoid for an old Ford to mount in my riding lawnmower. Not looking up any numbers, this old timer, went over to the shelf and started pulling several different solenoids till we found the right one.... I thought that was great that he could do that and I walked out happy, but I too know that is not the case most of the time.

[camjeep3]

the orielys around me is normally pretty good. there was one guy in there that WAS BAD but hes gone now. worst experience i ever had was at an auto zone. before i went i looked up the part on THEIR website, so they carry it and it took me a min or two to find, no big deal. so i drive down the street...

after i told them my vehicle info

guy: what do you need?

me: the o rings for the oil filter adapter

guy:..... you get a new one when u buy the filter

me: no its for the adapter that goes into the engine, not the actual filter

we went back and forth and i finally got so frustrated i didnt know what to tell him.

so i said.... it about this big round and black, i found it in two minutes on your website before i came here

guy:.... I can't type that in the computer

:hateputers:

[terrawombat]

I think the Trenton, NJ Auto Zone may be the worst parts place in the nation. Don't believe me and have some spare time - go there for yourself. It's a shame because it's one of the biggest Auto Zone's in the state and they have a ridiculous amount of stuff in stock, but the employees there are just downright awful. Two weeks ago I went in for a part on my XJ and had to use their parts look-up system. The employee didn't speak a word to me, literally. He pointed to the computer screen and I had to tell him it was a 2001. Then he pointed again when the manufacturer's list came up. I was thinking to myself, WOW REALLY, but gave him the benefit of the doubt and thought maybe he's a mute? I said, it's a Jeep Cherokee with the 4.0L and I need the thermostat housing gasket. When we FINALLY got to the page with the part numbers, he reluctantly went to the storeroom and found it.

 

Oh, and on the way, he started signing along to the rap song playing on his iPod.

[Akula69]

Went to a Big A store. A well endowed cutie waited on me. Her blouse was open and could see her bra. When she leaned over to show me the parts pic I could see what was in the bra. Almost forgot what I went after. :doh: Jim

 

This thread is worthless without pictures! :brows:

 

Thats funny - I had the same experience with one here...but after she leaned over and gave me a 'visionary experience'.... when my eyes slid back up to her face she was looking steadily in my eyes and smiling.

 

It was all I could do not to use the tired line "When do you get off from here?"

[mule13]

when I'm in florida the only store near me is a autozone which normally i hate but since its out in the forest a couple of the guys there actually know what they are doing.they hired one guy about 3 years ago that actually owns a cj7 that he has built with a 350 and other stuff so i always go to him.he's the one that got me the bastard u-joint for my 9 inch rear end in the manche. i had went there a few hours earlier and asked for it and they looked at me stupid when i replied to the what car is it going into and i said a 88commanche and a 76 ford f150. after a few minutes of discussing it i asked when rod was coming in lol.soon as i walked in they had already told him i was coming he had the ujoint on the counter waiting :)

up here in NC i use napa, our compnay has an account with a 20% discount we can use and they do sell a higher quality part.and usually they will go to a book and find that crazy weird part no one but a jeep person would ask for.go ask a autozone person for a generic transmission transfer mounting bushing and watch the glaze come over their eyes and the blank face they make. ask a napa guy and usually he'll grab a book open it to a page full of rubber mounts and say which one you want :)

 

edit: if i find a parts store with a girl selling parts and showing off goods i'll switch to there no matter how bad the service lol

[mvusse]

My local Autozone employs a girl who quit her job at Advance because she didn't like the incompetency of her coworkers, and a woman who does the evening shift on the weekends. They are two of only three people there who seem to know what they are talking about.

 

But they both rate only about a 5 and the girl is young enough she could be my daughter.

[HOrnbrod]

Not sure what the order is. Do McDonald's hire rejects go to auto parts stores for employment, or do auto part clerks go to Micky D'S? This thread could get bigger than the 'What did you do to your MJ' one. I have met some knowledgeable parts clerks. Unfortunately they're few and far between. Needed an exhaust valve for Chevy I was doing a valve job on. Argued with the girl for 15 minutes who insisted that what I wanted was a EGR valve. Asked to speak with the manager. He was her father. Went to Checkers for a XJ fuel pump. 20 minutes later walked out in disgust. The idiot was still trying to figure out how to work the puter. Went across the street to a Auto Zone. 5 minutes after walking in the door I walked out with my fuel pump. Went to NAPA for a set of spark plugs for a 327 chevy. He didn't have 8. only could sell me 4. Took me 10 minutes to convince him that he could sell me 2 sets of 4 plugs would make a set of 8. I'm not even started good. Went to a Big A store. A well endowed cutie waited on me. Her blouse was open and could see her bra. When she leaned over to show me the parts pic I could see what was in the bra. Almost forgot what I went after. :doh: Jim

 

If you added "I don't get no respect" to that monologue you'd sound just like Rodney Dangerfield. :rotf:

[Justin_k]

We have 3 parts stores here a napa crappy tire and bumper to bumer a little independantly owned store. Crappy tire is a joke they were trying to tell me my motor size was needed to figure out what rear u joint I needed going to the axle from the driveshaft :doh:

The locally owned one is awesome, guys working there built motors in the back and have at least one project on the go, and I get the company discount because they all are surprised at my age that I'm into mechanics. :banana:

[jimoshel]

Not sure what the order is. Do McDonald's hire rejects go to auto parts stores for employment, or do auto part clerks go to Micky D'S? This thread could get bigger than the 'What did you do to your MJ' one. I have met some knowledgeable parts clerks. Unfortunately they're few and far between. Needed an exhaust valve for Chevy I was doing a valve job on. Argued with the girl for 15 minutes who insisted that what I wanted was a EGR valve. Asked to speak with the manager. He was her father. Went to Checkers for a XJ fuel pump. 20 minutes later walked out in disgust. The idiot was still trying to figure out how to work the puter. Went across the street to a Auto Zone. 5 minutes after walking in the door I walked out with my fuel pump. Went to NAPA for a set of spark plugs for a 327 chevy. He didn't have 8. only could sell me 4. Took me 10 minutes to convince him that he could sell me 2 sets of 4 plugs would make a set of 8. I'm not even started good. Went to a Big A store. A well endowed cutie waited on me. Her blouse was open and could see her bra. When she leaned over to show me the parts pic I could see what was in the bra. Almost forgot what I went after. :doh: Jim

 

If you added "I don't get no respect" to that monologue you'd sound just like Rodney

Dangerfield. :rotf:

Rodney Dangerfield? WOW! That's right up there with the big dogs.

[Geonovast]

I spent 20 minutes at an Advanced Auto explaining to them what a pilot bearing was.

[Dechion]

Ok, last night at Advance was certainly different.

 

I go in looking for parts for my "i'm trying to bring back from the dead" project XJ. In this case a plugs, cap, and rotor, since they kinda sat out in the weather not running for like 7 months through the winter. :ack:

 

Anyhow, when I told him what parts I was looking at and what vehicle they were he asked if I had any spark at all. When I told him no he came right out with the high likelyhood that it was my CPS, told me how much they cost, and told me how to ohm it out in the Jeep to see if it was bad.

 

He also knew offhand that there were two different distributors used in '94 and that the caps are not interchageable, so he reccomended I take pix of the wires, note locations, and then bring in the cap to match it up. :thumbsup:

 

 

All this without even walking over to his computer. :bowdown:

 

 

I thanked him and headed home to do me some testing. :wrench:

 

(In case anyone is curious CPS ohms out good, cap and rotor look fine but will be replaced anyhow, still no spark) :fs1:

[kyleag89]

I never go to autozone they are terrible. However my local advance auto has a few great employees. I actually bought my chevy drop shackles from one of their employees.

[whowey]

The bad parts supplier experiences I have had...

 

I went in trying to get some spring pack clamps, as I had a used lift I had installed and wanted to bind the springs up before they had any problems sliding around... Counter monkey first spends five minutes arguing that I had coil springs rather than leaves... Until I finally told him to walk out in the parking lot and stick his ignorant head under the Jeep... Then the little @$$ says.. we don't carry spring clamps anyway..

 

Worst experience... Ordered a MJ fuel pump... open the box.. its a AW-4 shift cable and a CPS for something... Call the place I ordered from.. clueless woman wants me to pay to ship back the parts they shipped incorrectly in the first place. I ask for a supervisor.. Supervisor asks why I ordered a Shift cable and CPS if I needed a fuel pump... My wife got on the phone and went bat poo crazy... Now.. they are sending a call tag for the incorrect parts.. but will not ship my fuel pump unless I let the charge my credit card a second time. The wife continues to go bat poo nuts on now a higher level of supervisor...Now my fuel pump is coming 2nd day air and I'm not being charged a second time... Worst part was, once I dropped the tank to change the pump. The pump was fine. The hose that went from the top of the pump to the sending unit corroded and let all the fuel fall back into the tank.

[Eagle]

The guy who manages the Advanced Auto nearest me is someone I recognize. Fortunately, he hasn't recognized me.

 

About 10 or 12 years ago he owned a computer repair shop. I took in a notebook computer that would run perfectly when doing local stuff, but as soon as it connected to the Internet it would freeze up. Obviously some kind of software conflict, and I explained that when I took it in and asked if he could resolve it. "Sure," he said.

 

After several MONTHS had gone by (enough time, during which I stopped by the store numerous times and found it closed) that I had actually called the police to ask if he was still in business and if I could file a complaint for a stolen computer), he finally called and said it was ready. I picked it up, paid a bill that was half what the computer had cost, took it home, logged onto the Internet ... and it froze up.

 

I took it back, told him it wasn't fixed, and he started screaming at me that is fixed because HE SAID IT WAS FIXED. I walked out, called the bank and put a stop payment on the check, then wrote him a letter explaining why I had stopped payment ... and sent a copy to the Better Business Bureau. Never heard from him again, and a few months later the store was out of business.

 

And now he's managing an auto parts store. :doh:

[tbrand]

Thank goodness the MJ isn't internet-enabled - he could have caused all kinds of havoc.

[jimoshel]

Worst part was, once I dropped the tank to change the pump. The pump was fine. The hose that went from the top of the pump to the sending unit corroded and let all the fuel fall back into the tank.

Not sure if I'm hi-jacking a thread here or if this fits the subject. I have 4 cases, 3XJ and 1 MJ where the hose connecting the fuel pump to the line inside the tank was rotted ate up gooey sticky slime. I thought at first maybe the PO had run some methenol or corn whishey in the tank. But all the other rubber hoses were fine. I'm thinking now maybe the original supplier to Jeep just used a faulty hose.

[HOrnbrod]

We're lucky enough to still have a Mom and Pop independent auto supply house that's been here for about 100 years and hasn't been driven out of business by the China chain stores like the Autismzones, Advances, and O'Reillys. These are the people I always go to if I don't have to have it RIGHT NOW. You can go in there needing a weird o-ring or specialized bolt or fitting and they always find one for you and it's usually free because they know you'll be back. The China chains don't even bother looking. Three generations of the same family have all worked there, and even the daughters are all very knowledgeable as it's all they have ever done. Real oinkers though. :yes: If they have to order a part, it may cost a couple of bucks more, but it will be right the first time and of better quality. Most all experienced car guys in our town who know what's up supports them. I suppose that's why they are still surviving.