What the heck is wrong with parts stores?

[lvwill]

So I'm trying to get front wheel bearings and seals for the ranger. look at the local places online and for some dumbass reason every store in town stocks 2 bearings and 4 seals. Call and have them check inventory and it's correct. I ask about it and of course they have absolutely no idea as to why but can get the whole order in a couple days. What is wrong with these people?

 

[wildbill23c]

Generally parts stores have the dumbest people working there who have absolutely no automotive knowledge and unless their computer tells them every little thing they can't find it in stock, have no idea what it is, swear they have never seen one in their store (had to point out a Scangauge, to one of these morons that he was standing right in front of and he had never even seen them in the store until I pointed out he had like 4 of them hanging on the shelf right behind him)...yep they're not the brightest bulbs in the box...hire morons pay them minimum wage what you expect from a store that sells rebuilt crap that might work and might be in worse condition than a part you pull of a wrecked car at a pick a part yard LOL.

I have to give the morons at my parts stores the part numbers I need otherwise they seem to give me the wrong parts 100% of the time, or claim they don't have it in stock...I've had much better luck from a pick a part yard in recent years than I've had from all 3 of my parts stores in town.

 

[Uncle Gump]

What's wrong with parts stores...

China and share holders

 

[Dirtman]

I worked at advance auto for a couple years out of high school. It's a crappy low paying chain just like McDonald's. No one there has any say over what gets stocked, it's all done by corporate number crunchers. No one there is a mechanic or in any way trained in anything automotive. You should walk into a parts store expecting the same knowledge and advice you would get from McDonald's because they hire the same people. Expecting more is your own fault...

 

[Josh B]

I've actually been impressed with mine(far as your point goes anyway).
I've been in them just to ask if they had(or could get) a part and before I knew it they had it on the counter.
Seems to me they go through cycles sometimes tho, for a while being very good, and then people move on and suddenly you've got the McDonald's crew in there again
PS I don't mean to put down the McDonald's crew, it's a fact of life for those in school and others working their way up(and others who'd simply retire if they could) they just don't know much about car parts

 

[G8orFord]

It's all about the local management and the people they hire.

 

[Dirtman]

When I worked at advance we had a semi competent crew. I was working part time as a mechanic, the assistant manager was a car nut, the manager had a fully functioning brain and no serious personality disorders. But this was a long time ago, we still ordered parts from catalogs and still had tools and did basic repairs in the back like turning brake drums and rotors, pressing u joints or ball joints etc. Even for a chain store it was 1000% better than they are today. But it was still a crap job for highschool kids with no experience or old retired farts just passing time. Anyone with any real skills in auto repair or even parts management would move on to bigger and better things pretty quickly.

I literally quit the day they they came in and threw out our catalog rack and installed new computers. I said we still have customers that order specialty stuff from those catalogs and those parts aren't in these computers... I was told they didnt matter so I said goodbye.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Every once in a while I have to show the kid at advance auto how to use his computer.

I never worked at advance auto.

I'm there that often.

Ford ownership!

 

[Rusty Bouquet]

I noticed that if you go to a parts store, when there are no other customers, yet there are some decently built/maintained parked there, you'll likely find a someone who gives a sh*% working there. They may not be a guru of all makes and models, but they are car folk, and get what is important to other car folk.

 

[97RangerXLT]

I need a set of wipers for my 97 Ranger.

"what engine and is it 2wd or 4wd?"

 

[Dirtman]

I need a set of wipers for my 97 Ranger.

"what engine and is it 2wd or 4wd?"

Yea its funny... but you literally can't get to the next screen on the computer without putting in that info. And you say well the employee should know that info don't matter for wipers, so just hit anything and get the parts.

Sounds fair but then after you hand them the wipers they say, oh I also need spark plugs and wheel bearings... so you gotta go all the way back and start over. It's easier to just ask if its 4 wheel drive, let them think your an idiot and get it over with...

It's kinda forced stupidity and doesn't really mean the counter person is an idiot...

 

[mtnrgr]

Have dealt with all auto parts in my time. Cleaning supplies, oil, bulbs, wipers, etc. For engine parts, sensors, things like that are bought from Ford...i have connections there so i am able to get excellent deals. When I have spoke with auto part employees...uuummm...yeah...no brain dipshits are very stressful just by looking at them, little own talking with them. Have needed to correct them many times on things, and they still don't get it. I have found a o'reillys not far from where I live. The guys that work there are a group of old farts who were former mechanics, and street racers in thier younger days. Have dealt with them for somtime, and the are spot on and sharp about everything. Dozens of autoparts in my area, and this is the only store that has a group of employees that know what they are doing...what a shame. Another favorite of mine from the past was cheif auto parts, then they became autozone. I have learned the auto part websites really good. Prior of going there for anything, I write down the part number to make sure they know what I need, and even needed to assist with helping them go thru the system. They ask how do you know all this, I learn... unlike you.

 

[adsm08]

Yea its funny... but you literally can't get to the next screen on the computer without putting in that info. And you say well the employee should know that info don't matter for wipers, so just hit anything and get the parts.

Sounds fair but then after you hand them the wipers they say, oh I also need spark plugs and wheel bearings... so you gotta go all the way back and start over. It's easier to just ask if its 4 wheel drive, let them think your an idiot and get it over with...

It's kinda forced stupidity and doesn't really mean the counter person is an idiot...

There is one car out there, a small Chevy I think, where the trim package actually changes the wipers, and there was an engine that only came with that package.

The 2.7L in the Chrysler Sebring had two different oil filters if it was in a couple or a sedan.

 

[Dirtman]

The 98+ rangers have the same length wiper blade on both sides, and use the same connector on both sides... But there's still a left and a right blade. I've had several people give me dirty looks and call me an idiot when I handed them two blades and said this is drivers side and this is passengers side.

 

[Josh B]

I need a set of wipers for my 97 Ranger.

"what engine and is it 2wd or 4wd?"

I ran into one recently while looking for a transfer case to transmission gasket and two different places both asked me "2 or 4wd?'. I just had to laugh