Auto Parts Store Flunky

[69HEMICORONETR/TCONV]

I went to a local auto parts store today to get a pilot bushing for a customers car, (70 GTX) ....I told the kid at the counter what I needed and he asked me "What year Honda this was for ?" :head_smack:...........He didn't know a K member from a K car, so trying to speak Mopar or anything else Automotive to him was like speaking Portuguese to a deaf man. :no:

Do they have these clowns in other parts stores across the country ?

 

[old tired rebel]

I went to a local auto parts store today to get a pilot bushing for a customers car, (70 GTX) ....I told the kid at the counter what I needed and he asked me "What year Honda this was for ?" :head_smack:...........He didn't know a K member from a K car, so trying to speak Mopar or anything else Automotive to him was like speaking Portuguese to a deaf man. :no:

Do they have these clowns in other parts stores across the country ?

Oh yeah. That is why when I found a parts man that knew what he was doing I drive from another town to see him.

 

[jaak]

Yeah I think they are everywhere.. but luckily at my local AutoZone, they got some pretty smart people there, and One dude is a Mopar guy, And one of the smartest there is a Woman, and she knows her stuff.

Jason

 

[Meep-Meep]

Just the other day I took my 66 to get it aligned and when asked what car I said "66 Belvedere". Took him a minute before he asked "excuse me, but who made the Belvedere?"

 

[alleyoopmgv]

I went to a local auto parts store, asked them if they had any pinstripe tape, and nobody knew what I was talking about. :edgy:

 

[Deleted member 214]

I have a Tremec 5-spd in my 70 Road Runner. Same trans as in a Cobra Mustang. Went to a Ford dealer to get a tailshaft seal. "What car is it going in?" I told him it didn't matter, it is the same transmission as a certain year Cobra. "But what car do you have?" We went back and forth a few times, then I finally said "I have a 1970 Plymouth Road Runner". He said rolled his eyes and said "The Chrysler dealer is next door". I told him again that yeah, it is a Plymouth, but it has the same transmission as the Mustang. He said it wouldn't matter, they don't sell parts for Plymouths.

I found another dealer.

 

[generaljmwlee]

The parts store buy me has a 70yrold lady working there ,she cant find half of the parts they sell(on the computer).every time she asks if she could help me I say "no just looking around "till one of the other guys are free.

 

[old tired rebel]

I called a Local Chrysler dealer for a part for my Cordoba the guy wouldn't talk to me. I called the one in the next town over and the parts guy found the part I needed. Now Guess which dealer won't get my business.

 

[Propwash]

Auto Zone = Twilight Zone
Napa = No Automotive People Around

I went to Auto Zone a couple years ago and requseted a Ballast Resistor. 15 minutes later, after passing the hands of three different employees, aimlessly digging through 3 or 4 books, a pimpled face teenage kid looked up and asked me, " what year, make, and model is the Ballard Retarder for?" I told him nevermind, just point me in the direction of the pine tree air fresheners.

If you really want to confuse them ask them where to find the low temp driveshaft grease or metric cresent wrenches.

 

[res1vw21]

I always liked asking for spark plugs for an '83 corvette.

 

[69HEMICORONETR/TCONV]

I have a Tremec 5-spd in my 70 Road Runner. Same trans as in a Cobra Mustang. Went to a Ford dealer to get a tailshaft seal. "What car is it going in?" I told him it didn't matter, it is the same transmission as a certain year Cobra. "But what car do you have?" We went back and forth a few times, then I finally said "I have a 1970 Plymouth Road Runner". He said rolled his eyes and said "The Chrysler dealer is next door". I told him again that yeah, it is a Plymouth, but it has the same transmission as the Mustang. He said it wouldn't matter, they don't sell parts for Plymouths.

I found another dealer.

I would buy from them if there **** was half price !

 

[ramenth]

After I got barred from Nationwise (Long Story lol ) I used to call them about once a month or so and ask if they had spark plugs for a 78 Olds 350 diesel. Only once did anyone answer who knew that diesels don't use spark plugs. Everyone else would quickly get back on the phone and tell me they had them. I'd just tell them to lay them out for me, I was on my way, and snicker.

I always liked asking for spark plugs for an '83 corvette.

Spark plugs for a diesel is always a good one. So is any part for an '83 'Vette. Love 'it.

I get a commercial discount at Advance. A friend of mine took over the commercial desk:

"Kenny, it's Robert."
"Hey, Robert, what's goin' on?"
"I need P&A on balljoints for an '02 Taurus."
"Uppers or lowers?"
"Kenny, if you can find uppers on this freakin' car I wanna see 'em."

I worked with Kenny in the service department out on the line at the local Ford dealership...

 

[omegamonk]

We had a secretary at this place i worked for who had an older Pontiac and her blinker was out so she asked the boss what she should do. Him being a practical joker told her she needed flicker fluid so he sent her to the local parts store to get some we called them before she got there and told them she was coming they went along with the joke and set up a sign for flicker fluid sold out they sent her to another auto store. she argued with the 2nd store for a half hour that there was flicker fluid......man she was pissed when she came back

 

[old tired rebel]

We had a secretary at this place i worked for who had an older Pontiac and her blinker was out so she asked the boss what she should do. Him being a practical joker told her she needed flicker fluid so he sent her to the local parts store to get some we called them before she got there and told them she was coming they went along with the joke and set up a sign for flicker fluid sold out they sent her to another auto store. she argued with the 2nd store for a half hour that there was flicker fluid......man she was pissed when she came back

Now that is funny.:rolling:

 

[69 Runner]

Years ago I drove my 69 Bee to the Nats in Columbus. On the way home the water pump started making noise. So I found myself in a small town in Tennessee near "
Loretta Lynn's Country Kitchen". Lo and behold there there was a Chrysler dealership there. I go in to the parts department where Jabba the Hut is planted on a bar stool behind the counter.

He says (insert fatman voice here) "can I help ya?"

I said I needed a water pump for a big block.

He says "a big block what?"

I did a knee jerk action and finally said "this IS a Chrysler dealership isn't it?"

he says "yeah"

so I say then I guess I need one for a big block MOPAR

"don't got one" he says

So down the road there was a parts store. I rumble up in the Bee (thumpity thumpity), ask for a water pump. They laid SEVEN out on the counter and said "see one you like?"

THOSE are my kind of parts people

 

[Al K]

A shout out and props due to Bois Auto Parts here in Flushing,Michigan. The three principals involved have an older Ford,a '63 split-window Vette,and a '72 Buick GSX(with a 455,not just the trim package) between them,and they don't give me too much crap about being a Mopar guy-they appreciate the fact that I appreciate them. They've helped me equip the shop,and looked up numerous PNs in old parts books. Real car guys who GET IT!

I've also got an Advanced and an AutoZone near me,but the help there is cluele....less than knowledgeable when it comes to anything made before the year 2000. They're open on Sundays(how convenient),where my buds at Bois are home watching auto racing(what did you think I would say-GOLF?!) or football or... The Advanced does have a "high-performance" section,but as you would expect,it's all Chevy all the time-though they might slip in a Ford part or two.

I miss the days of old "Speed" shops;where the guys behind the counter knew their stuff and raced themselves. ...and still gave you guff over what you drove,in a light-hearted manner,though.

 

[Bull1tt]

It's just that we still think of the local auto parts stores like we did back in the day. There was a time when all stores had spark plug wires for V-8 engines! Now, they have to be ordered. I deal with my local NAPA and Advance stores, and they are used to me ordering parts for older cars. It works well, the employees I deal with usually try to help me when I'm there, and ask what kind of car I'm working on now. The one manager is a car guy, very helpful although he is a GM guy. LOL

 

[69a100]

I went to a local auto parts store, asked them if they had any pinstripe tape, and nobody knew what I was talking about. :edgy:

I have some I'm willing to get rid of, if interested?

I always liked asking for spark plugs for an '83 corvette.

Why?

This is the only reason I shop at NAPA! Of course I've already been online and just walk in and say I want part# xxxxxxx, yaeh, I make their life easier so I get preferential treatment.

 

[khryslerkid]

I'll help you dust off this old thread. Lol

The thing is, today, it's all done by computer. Just like at the grocery store. Type in a number and get the answer. No thinking required.

Back in the day we looked up car parts from a book. You had to know what you were doing. We counted cash back to the customer useing our brain and most customers recounted it.

I like passing on some education to the ones that are totally dependent on the computer. Throw in a trick question to catch them off guard. Make them think for themselves for once. They aren't totally the blame for the lack of knowledge on what they are doing. It's the way society has become. They are of a different generation and they need all the help we can offer. So don't get upset with them, nicely give them some pointers. We all started at the bottom and had to work our way up.

 

[bm02tj]

I was in parts for 25 years and quit in 1994 and I still get sh!t for it
I go in to a parts store and see some one that knows me and I get to cruise the info on there computer
and one store has one lady I trained and she still has some old catalogues
because she heard me when I said do not throw away till you know the new one has it she saved some old ones