mikedamageinc

iTrader: (49)

It's true that it depends on location for the quality of workers you get, even depends on the shift that's working at the particular time. I get tired of people looking at their computer screen and trying to tell me what my car has/doesn't have when I'm the one driving and working on it all the time, but as the AZ worker above said, the customers are a bunch of knuckle heads too. Just listen to the things they come in and ask for. I was stuck behind a guy one time looking thru the "AZ performance parts" catalog wanting a cam. The clerk asked which spec he wanted and he didnt know, he just wanted his truck to rumble and moved his hand in a shaking motion. (just unplug one sparkplug and you got lope!).

b4c346

i usually go to a mom and pops parts store around a mile away from me that's been there since 1959.they are a little higher,but the 2 parts counter guy's are pretty good.if they don't have the part they usually can get it the next day.they also turn drums and rotors.it's not a place to buy underbody lights or things like that.

dutinsss

iTrader: (2)

i have NEVER helped a customer that even knows what cam specs are or what they mean when picking out a cam. they just make the noise they want their car to make and ask what cam will do that.

i think it's because people that are serious about buying performance parts for their car aren't going to go to a chain parts store for it. i sure don't.

jb451

iTrader: (7)

^^^^ All this is why you should shop at pep boys!!! =D

But seriously, i've worked with the company for six months so far, and while i do like it, they dont pay very well, which is why most people at auto parts stores do know **** about cars. I dont pretend to know everything, i know my way around cars, but if a customer knows exactly what he/she wants, i give it to them, no questioning or making them feel dumb. We do have some high school kids at the store that think they know what 66 chevelles came with 454's or what 68 camaro had this type of suspension, and they usually wind up making our clientele mad. Hell, if a customer comes in that knows THAT much about cars, i usually shut up and listen, cause id like to know what they know.

In my defense as a counter person, i will say that 75% of the customers that come in are idiots that cant replace a wiper blade or even check their oil, so thats usually why i wind up asking "year make model" because it helps me find the customer exactly what they need, and i could see where alot of people would think that i just read things off a screen or dont know crap. Im just a kid trying to make my way into the automotive industry, and this is just a stepping stone. =)

speedtigger

iTrader: (16)

I have one for you that lets us know that the auto parts stores are not alone. I went to home depot to pick up a couple brass fittings. I asked one of their employees if they had any inverted flare fittings. He did not know what that was. So, I said: no problem, it is probably unique to automotive, I will stop by NAPA. He said: "If it goes on an automobile, it is probably automotive".

I tried to contain my laughter. I did ask him if I could quote him on that. When he asked why, I said: "it is quite possible the truest thing I have ever heard and I want you to have the credit your deserve".

c6matt

iTrader: (1)

a buddy of mine who is the calmest guy i know almost had to throw down with a AAA tow truck driver, His chevy venture AWD had a cv joint let go and he called AAA told them it was a chevy venture but he needed a flatbed because it was AWD. Guy shows up with a regular wrecker and wants to hook it up. he stated to the driver again that it was AWD and it wouldn't work. It almost came to blows befor the truck driver gave up trying to hook up and actually looked under the van and saw the rear pumpkin.. "i didnt know they made these like this" was all he said and called for a flatbed.



yes i know AWD chevy ventures are rare.. but still, the guy told him...twice nicely and then a few dozen more times after that..lol

vette0009

autozone Cooked my AC delco batterie

I was pissed

The whole store smelled like batterie acid, and he still let it fry

Idiots

c6matt

iTrader: (1)

how? charging it or load testing it?

b_evans06

iTrader: (1)

I work at an O'reillys and on an everyday basis we have customers coming in thinking we are certified "mechanics" and trying to use us as free vehicle diagnosis and knowledge so they do not have to pay actual shops. I will either tell them I am not a mechanic, I have never worked on a vehicle like theirs, or that I do not know the location of the part they are looking for on that particular car. I am here to sell you the part you tell me you want. I am smart when it comes to vehicles and engines but when they say something like "my car sputters and makes a tick when i turn right, what is wrong with it" I just tell them to go to a shop because I don't want to risk selling them a wrong part based off their horrible description of the problem.

I once had a woman tell me that "I wouldn't know anything about her vehicle because it was made before I was born." People think the younger guys don't know anything but I can assure you there are customers and employees a lot older than me that are a lot bigger dumbasses than some of the younger workers. I know a lot about the newer vehicle platforms whereas most of the older guys know about the older vehicles.

I swapped an ls engine into my 84 cutlass as well as a couple of v8 s10s so I have knowledge of parts and vehicles. I may only be 22 but it would surprise you the amount of knowledge someone can learn when they want to. And yes O'reilly's carrys ngk tr55 plugs and if you walk in and ask for them I will get them without the help of a computer. I am sorry so many of you have bad experiences with your local parts stores but as many have stated already we work for minimum wage and are constantly being complained to by rude customers because our price is too high or because we don't have it in stock.

slow

iTrader: (7)

I shop at advanced online, normally saving 20-50% from the store prices if you look online for the coupon codes and it is ready when you go into the store for pickup.

I had the same issue with the TR55 plugs, if I have to go to the store I go to the large distribution store where they have a warehouse in back, so the parts are in stock but you may have to wait a few minutes for them to get it.

Ryan

caramaro

I worked at Advance a couple years and i have to agree that from my personal experience most customers are clueless.The computer is supposed to be a quick reference guide.Although it can be wrong,there's always a book to cross reference nearby.It was sad that i am female and i knew most than the guys that worked there.However i have been working on my own cars as long as i can remember,that helped with special applications. We did have to do periodic testing on the computer of knowledge of everything.I think the people ya'll probably got were new people. There's no perfect parts store.LOL

mikedamageinc

iTrader: (49)

^^^Home Depot workers are funny, I go in there pretty often looking for pieces for various projects for vehicles and they ask what I'm doing I just say 'I'm looking for [description of piece] for a custom project'. They usually pry so when I tell them what I'm trying to do, I get always get a confused look followed by 'we don't have that'. I just say thanks and keep looking but I'll run into a half dozen more workers asking what I'm looking for.

WS6 Rampage

iTrader: (3)

Baaaaaahahahahahahahahahahaha!

99_ws6

a few days ago I went to aa to get a new rear main seal for my truck. the early 40's guy starts to look up an axle seal, i tell him its in the engine. with a dumbfounded look on his face he says "oh" and proceeds to look again. He can't find it and calls his manager over who also can't find a rear main seal in their computer. I look the part number up online and he types that in. Computer says they have one left. 5 minutes later he comes back and says he can't find it. He searchs other local store and sends me to one.
Just for entertainment I walk in to the second store and see if they can look it up. They can't find it either. Closest the guy got was a picture of the seal that goes in the timing cover for $35. I leave and try one more store.
This time its a 19 year old kid who ask what i need and what its for. In less than 2 minutes he finds both a rear main seal and the oil pan gasket I need and has it on the counter in front of me. Later find out he has the same truck I do and probably knew the part number off the top of his head.

Arc00TA

iTrader: (17)

I have a vatozone down the street from my house, like 3 blocks. There is one chick that works there that is pretty damn cool and knows mostly what I'm talking about. I went in there the other day and couldn't get a simple part. I was looking for the coolant crossover seals, and the guy refused to believe such a thing existed.

He kept telling me I must mean an intake seal. Normally I find it online and write the part number down, then go to the store and see if they have it. Well, I had forgotten my paper at home so I had to drive home and get it. As soon as I got him to look up the part number he just reached into a box under the counter, voila there it is. I would have asked to see his manager because he told me I was a moron and didn't know what I was talking about, but he WAS the manager. My parting remark was, of course, " I guess I'm just a moron that doesn't know what hes talking about.." as I wave the gaskets at him.

speedtigger

iTrader: (16)

If that guy would have called me a name, I am afraid I would have require a real heart felt apology before I left the store. If none was given then next would be a call to the company's corporate headquarters to discuss his kind of customer service with them.

why87

I work at my local autozone, and I would actually have to say that most of the parts stores in my town are pretty decent. And our store has some very knowledgeable guys working there. I've found the key to making a customer happy is just grabbing them what they want. But like mentioned earlier some people that come in are clueless and probably should not be working on a car. One instance I asked a guy if he knew what the torque specs on his wheels were, because he had an issue with rotors warping. his response was "I've been working on cars for 25 years, I can just feel when it's tight but not too tight." I just smiled and said "alright". Another good one was a guy who came in (i dont remember what he was looking for) and it was about two weeks after i had started. I was still on my learning curve (hell i am to this day) and trying to decipher what the guy was looking for. The guy eventually called me an idiot and asked for someone else. Then when they finally figured it out and sent him on his way, I found out that the guy can't even read or write!

IrocZTransAm

It's not all Parts Stores but most are dumba**'s. I am a Manager for Autozone or was went elsewhere recently, and in my store we have me that has been doing this forever, another who is 23 and his dad races in pro stock in his 632ci Velle, another that builds 4x4's then the other 4 are worthless.
I personally hate it when people call up with a part number because no matteer how many know what they want even more order the wrong number and then get mad that it is the wrong thing no matter if they ordered it by part number.
But I know how you all feel.

Nemesis350

iTrader: (11)

I was sick and tired of people trying to sell me chevy parts for my 76 pontiac firebird with a "pontiac" 350. Instead of just doing their job and letting their computer database "find" what i needed, they would just pull random crap for chevy 350s and try to sell them to me insisting they would work... And i still can't get over the one guy trying to convince me i had a 400ci engine solely based on where my dipstick was located... LOL

dirtplay1975

I used to work at autozone for 13yrs and was the go to guy, I had a following because I understood the non factory applications etc of course I kinda build that stuff myself soo.... Fortunately for me the employment god shined on me and a better non public job presented itself. I can't wait to get my crew cab done so I can go to a parts store in another town( all ones around here know me and my projects) and park in front and ask for some random part for my 2000 silverado out front and point to my 77 gmc haha. Well they will understand once I get them outside and hmm looks like a 77 outside but interior and what do ya know underhood is all y2k. But yes I feel everyones pain, I will just look it up myself or give a part# since nothing I work on is typical and for most part all parts guys in this town know that or learn how it is haha not to mention they at least know what I did for 13yrs and know Im capable. I only wish that there could be more knowledgeable people in the parts stores but lack of pay and in some cases not being able to get thru the online application process kill that. Before Autozone went to online apps we got a ton of apps and some very good prospects, after online apps seems like only the young kids/ automotive illiterate can get thru the process.