Two sides but...local parts stores are dying for a reason

[85_Ranger4x4]

Regardless of the company, they ALL go through employees really fast.

The pay is as crappy as the hours... if they are any good a dealer/shop will scoop them up. If they are not they will either get fired or languish there until Mcdonalds hires them so they can go screw up orders there.

 

[19Walt93]

Yeah, it’s an XLT… an Extra Limited Truck

It's actually not an XLT, it was a stripped down cheapy- 4 cylinder, 5 speed, 2wd, with manual steering, crank windows and no a/c.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

It's actually not an XLT, it was a stripped down cheapy- 4 cylinder, 5 speed, 2wd, with manual steering, crank windows and no a/c.

It’s an XLT now by my definition, lol

 

[racsan]

I usually print out the page from their app & circle the part #. most of the time its helpful.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Pretty much anything I need for my Ranger I have to order from the store. It took me almost a week of screwing around before they could get me the correct fuel pump and I had to drop the tank and compare before I knew they had screwed it up..

This is why I parts stores don't do much for me. If I gotta look it up for them, force feed them part numbers and they have to order it I might as well cut the middle man out...

Post in thread ''85 Ranger Restomod'

Apr 7, 2025

Fun fun...



Gold star for Oreilly's! New on left, old on right.



I can kinda see why the sender was flaky. As far as cleaning it the contact board is like part of the plastic as in I can't actually feel the metal. Pump is shot anyway and the contact assembly looked a lot better on the wrong pump.



Went back into town and it was the same crap I get to deal...

• 85_Ranger4x4

• 

It is the warranty drawing me in, if a starter or something quits on the road it isn't hard to find an O'Reilly to swap it out... although anymore as my build ages them odds of them keeping that 90's-early 00's stuff on hand is probably becoming moot as well.

I had a helluva time finding the bearing seal for my B2 when i did the bearings and spindles. Rock auto, napa, all of them kept sending me 2wd seals. Finally was able to dig up the part number somewhere.

But yeah...nothing really for these are stocked anymore.

 

[RobbieD]

I just walk up & say, I need a thing, and I have a part number.

Same here. The local mom-and-pop store I use even tells me that they appreciate it.

It seems to be the big box chains where you occasionally get the "let me ask my computer for permission" attitude.

 

[fastpakr]

This is also part of why I stopped dealing with the front counter. Commercial department doesn’t care if you rattle off part numbers or not.

I used to get irritated with the front counter and rattle off something like well, it’s a 1989 Bronco II 2wd with a 1991 Ranger 4.0 harness with a 199x motor and 1993 Explorer front axle plus a 2000 Ranger rear axle and shocks out of I don’t know what. Does that all fit in your box or would you like the part number now?

At one point I had the part numbers for the spark plugs on my motorcycle memorized. But that got confusing at the parts counter because at the time they didn’t have bikes in their system and didn’t like going by part number, as you experienced. I discovered that they were used in some exotic cars though. Among other things, the Lamborghini Diablo used the same plugs from 92-96. And Lamborghini, Ferrari, etc were in the system. So I could go to the counter and ask for two ngk plugs for my 95 Diablo and they’d sort me out.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

At one point I had the part numbers for the spark plugs on my motorcycle memorized. But that got confusing at the parts counter because at the time they didn’t have bikes in their system and didn’t like going by part number, as you experienced. I discovered that they were used in some exotic cars though. Among other things, the Lamborghini Diablo used the same plugs from 92-96. And Lamborghini, Ferrari, etc were in the system. So I could go to the counter and ask for two ngk plugs for my 95 Diablo and they’d sort me out.

Not near as cool but eons ago before I kinda gave up on them back when I was like actually building my truck I would totally trip them out.

"I need a thermostat for a '95 Explorer w/ 5.0, spark plugs for a '95 Mustang GT. air filter mounting gasket for a '85 Mustang GT w/ 5spd" etc I forget what all I had going but it was quite a list. (I gave each thing part/vehicle at a time, I know it would be hard to keep up dumping a parking lot of vehicles on a person.)

To which I received when we got done: "wow you have a bunch of neat vehicles"

"nope, only one"

 

[ZMan]

So many times the local parts big box store doesn't even have what I need in stock. If I have to order something I might as well order it from my computer and have it show up on my door step.
I also gotta laugh at my local Napa, the manager is always in the local FB group telling people to shop there for their parts. More than once I've mentioned staying open past 5 on weekdays would sway me away from the O'reilly's right next door. His response is "we're open Saturday Mornings". That doesn't help me on Tuesday at 7pm! Theses places are killing themselves, I'll just order it and have it it in 1-2 days and not have to leave my house.

 

[djfllmn]

NAPA
Never
Any
Parts
Available

I'm glad I still get employee pricing at the Ford dealer, i get 95% of my stuff there. What i can't i get through either local family owned parts stores

 

[rusty ol ranger]

NAPA
Never
Any
Parts
Available

I'm glad I still get employee pricing at the Ford dealer, i get 95% of my stuff there. What i can't i get through either local family owned parts stores

I remember when the napa in my town first opened....my nephew had a 74 camaro and the water pump came apart in the school parking lot.

They didnt have a waterpump for a small block chevy in stock...im like wtf....at that time (mid 2000s) 350s outnumbered LSs around here 10to1....hell they pry still do by 5to1

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I remember when the napa in my town first opened....my nephew had a 74 camaro and the water pump came apart in the school parking lot.

They didnt have a waterpump for a small block chevy in stock...im like wtf....at that time (mid 2000s) 350s outnumbered LSs around here 10to1....hell they pry still do by 5to1

That is all my Napa has.

If you don't have a 90's-00's GM of some flavor you are SOL.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

That is all my Napa has.

If you don't have a 90's-00's GM of some flavor you are SOL.

This ones gotten better over the years.

I know when i said somethin about it the guy admitted their inventory was stupid.

 

[Shran]

NAPA took away my lifetime warranty fuel pump. If I didn't have a receipt that said "lifetime warranty" on it I would have been out of luck. Last time I swapped one out, I got a receipt that says 12 month warranty. Sneaky sneaky........ "lifetime" means they can take it away when ever they want.