WTF is with Autozone's computer system?

[Tonka]

I'm trying to find a replacement diff cover for my truck.

So I go to Autozone's website and entered in my vehicle information. 1989 Ranger 2WD with 2.9L engine. It's only results were a plastic cover for an 8.8" ring gear. The stock axle is a 7.5".

So I changed my vehicle to a 4 cylinder, same thing. 8.8" diff. I tried a 1987 4 cylinder, a 1984 4 cylinder, I even tried entering an 86 Mustang w/4 cylinder hoping to find SOMETHING the stupid website would match to a 7.5" rear end. Nothing.

So I figured maybe they simply don't stock anything to fit a 7.5" rear end. I went to Advance Auto Parts' website and entered my correct vehicle info, and found a chrome Spectre diff cover for a 7.5" Ford rear end. Part number was 6073.

Just out of curiosity, I went back to Autozone's website and entered "6073" in the search field and the first result was the diff cover I was looking for , but it was $6 more than at Advance.

I sent a "feedback" message to the Autozone site explaining the problem with their computer system so hopefully they'll be able to correct the problem and at least acknowledge that the Ford 7.5" was actually installed in Ford vehicles. Somehow the system wasn't linking the vehicle info with the proper parts.

My advice: if Autozone is your closest parts store like it is for me, try locating the part online before you leave home. If you can't find it at Autozone's website, try other auto parts stores' sites just to get the part number, then come back to the Autozone site and you'll probably find it.

I could probably be installing my diff right now if I'd done that for my U-bolts. Yesterday they couldn't find my U-bolts in the system when I was in the store. Instead I went to the local mom & pop and they didn't have them, but at least their computer system knew what they were looking for, so they ordered them. They'll be in Friday.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Once you get into messing with looking up parts, it sort of becomes a game to find mistakes.

With all the millions of parts out there, they do happen.

 

[straycat]

Why did you not just call Autozone as I do if there is something I am looking for? I just call them or stop in and they can check for anything I need to see if it is in stock or order it for me. They are really great people. I bought a set of wipers for my 06 Wrangler one day last week and two parts people followed me out in the parking lot and installed them for me for free. I thought that was really cool. They installed my battery on my 06 Wrangler when I added my 10,000 lb Warn winch. I told them I wanted a heavy duty battery for my Jeep and they had it in stock and I was going to take it home but the parts guy said they will take it outside for me and install it. They get my business!!!

 

[strvger]

you're luckier than i am for u-bolts. none of the stores here match them to your vehicle/axle. they just stock standard dimension sizes and you have to tell them the size you need. and of course, none of them had the size i needed for my 7.5 axle. kinda sucks.

 

[shane96ranger]

Why did you not just call Autozone as I do if there is something I am looking for?

Depends where you're at Bro. They only help females or disabled folks at mine.

I usually know more than the guy on the other side of the counter is why I look stuff up myself.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Why did you not just call Autozone as I do if there is something I am looking for? I just call them or stop in and they can check for anything I need to see if it is in stock or order it for me. They are really great people. I bought a set of wipers for my 06 Wrangler one day last week and two parts people followed me out in the parking lot and installed them for me for free. I thought that was really cool. They installed my battery on my 06 Wrangler when I added my 10,000 lb Warn winch. I told them I wanted a heavy duty battery for my Jeep and they had it in stock and I was going to take it home but the parts guy said they will take it outside for me and install it. They get my business!!!

When I was doing my swap I would price things out with all three stores in town over the net against Summit, Jegs and Streetside and go with the cheapest and what I thought was the best. Very surprising the differences in prices (there isn't one that is the gold standard cheapest place) I feel guilty about wasting their time if I am not going to get it anyway.

 

[legoms013]

The only way I shop @ Autozone is if I research what the part numbers are beforehand....otherwise they usually can't help me lol.

 

[shane96ranger]

When I was doing my swap I would price things out with all three stores in town over the net and go with the cheapest and what I thought was the best. Very surprising the differences in prices (there isn't one that is the gold standard cheapest place) I feel guilty about wasting their time if I am not going to get it anyway.

Same thing here. I saved 10 dollars on my power steering pump for my Mustang by driving 3 more miles to the next Autozone. There are big price differences between the AZ locations on some items. I've asked their employees why the prices vary by location and they claim they "didn't know there was a difference".

 

[legoms013]

Has to do with demographics. A predominately well off area will have the store charge slightly more, just because they can. So moral of the story is, drive to the hood for your auto parts

 

[shane96ranger]

Has to do with demographics. A predominately well off area will have the store charge slightly more, just because they can. So moral of the story is, drive to the hood for your auto parts

Interesting. I didn't know that, but it makes sense.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Has to do with demographics. A predominately well off area will have the store charge slightly more, just because they can. So moral of the story is, drive to the hood for your auto parts

All my parts stores are within 2 miles of each other in a town of 6k people, not much of a reason to vary pricing.

 

[Tonka]

I have no complaints about Autozone employees, just their parts lookup computer system. Their employees are always friendly and as helpful as they can. I've never had them work on my vehicle, but I have heard they do that. I've also heard they'll come outside and put your vehicle on the computer for diagnostics.

But the intelligence will vary from employee to employee and from store to store, regardless of what company. The last two times I was at an Autozone, I was surprised to find out that the WOMEN were actually more knowledgeable then the men. (Although they were all limited by their computer system as far as looking up parts to know if they had them.)

 

[adsm08]

Why did you not just call Autozone as I do if there is something I am looking for? I just call them or stop in and they can check for anything I need to see if it is in stock or order it for me. They are really great people. I bought a set of wipers for my 06 Wrangler one day last week and two parts people followed me out in the parking lot and installed them for me for free. I thought that was really cool. They installed my battery on my 06 Wrangler when I added my 10,000 lb Warn winch. I told them I wanted a heavy duty battery for my Jeep and they had it in stock and I was going to take it home but the parts guy said they will take it outside for me and install it. They get my business!!!

What Autozone are you shopping at?

I have yet to walk into one where I didn't have to do their job for them and pay them at the end of it.

 

[Tonka]

Has to do with demographics. A predominately well off area will have the store charge slightly more, just because they can. So moral of the story is, drive to the hood for your auto parts

The Advance Auto Parts store that had my diff cover for $37 was located in the ghetto part of Kankakee, IL and we don't have concealed carry permits in Illinois. It's also 3 miles further away. There are two Autozones in that area, one is located NEAR, but not IN the ghetto, while the other one is on the rich yuppy side of town. I always go to the one that's NEAR the ghetto, because there's also an Arby's nearby with 99 cent ham melts.

Their prices DO vary. One time the near-ghetto store didn't have my car's brake drums in stock, but his computer was telling me that they had them in stock at the one in the yuppy neighborhood. He printed something like a receipt with the price on it. I get to the other store and they wanted $7 more per drum, ... so I showed them the "receipt/price quote" thing the guy at the ghetto store had given me. Saved me $14.


One possible reason for higher prices in the "rich" side of town could simply be the cost of doing business at that location. They may sell fewer parts due to the fact the rich people don't drive cars that need repairs. Also there's higher taxes, not just sales tax but the store's property tax. Businesses pass ALL costs like that on to the consumer. If they didn't they wouldn't be in business.

 

[straycat]

What Autozone are you shopping at?

I have yet to walk into one where I didn't have to do their job for them and pay them at the end of it.

Here in Florida in the Lithia/Valrico area. I have been shopping with them for years. They have a lot of neat stuff in there. Lots of electrical stuff that I always need to add lights, switches ect. ect to my Jeeps or trucks and cars. Vent visors, carpet protectors (Weathertech). They have me down for a military discount ever since the store first opened. The owner loves us DAV's. One day I brought a friend in there to look at some vent visors for his 2000 Cherokee and they had them in stock. We walked out to the parking lot and one of the parts guys came up and said he would do that for us. For Free!!! I went next door to the shopping center there and got coffee for everybody there. They all came over and shook my hand. Ever since then they have been the most kindest people. I tell everybody about them whenever somebody mentions they need to get some auto parts.