Local parts stores

[redline1320]

Originally Posted by !Zar!

Funny how you all think some guy/girl making minimum wage or something knows about everything there is in existence of the automotive universe.

definitely haven't said that on this thread. Netiher has anyone else.
I just think that if I walk into a parts store with the part # then I expect them to just go and get it not ask questions about the application of the car especially for something like spark plugs. I mean since they're "pre-gapped" and "car specific" and all

[slideways2004]

I think you guys are stupid for not knowing the part number before going in there. If you already know what you need, take a couple of seconds and look up the part number and it will help you out tremendously.

[redline1320]

Well obviously I had the part # and thats the reason for starting this thread, because I walk in with the part number and they're dumbfounded. Like "wow what do I do without using the computer."

[HPKMotorsports3]

Originally Posted by Xplat

more parts store horror stories please

ok i got one for you but its not really a horror story more like a wtf story... so i went to autozone to have my battery and alternator tested and when he sees my coupe he goes ooo wow a 240 my bro had one of those so im like ok thats whats up.. so i open then hood and he goes these things are fast im like yea theyre not bad so he goes you know why there fast and im like no why... he points at my strut tower bar and says thats why im like the sr? he goes no the bar...

[OBEEWON]

Dealerships are worse.

[Flicktitty]

Originally Posted by OBEEWON

Dealerships are worse.

i HATE dealerships. trying to get a oem part for a S13.
Me: Yeah, i'm hear to order a part for my 89 240sx
Dealership guy: ugh and EIGHTY-NINE? What was it again? oh 240Z?
Me: NO a 240SX
Dealership guy: Oh..... ok.
Dealership guy: Do you have the VIN? i can't seem to find anything that old without the vin
Me: Serious? walk out.

[OBEEWON]

Haha yeah I hate when they ask for my vin.

I had to convince a dude my car was RWD.

[towlie]

Originally Posted by dudermagee

I don't even bother with those fuck sticks unless I'm really desperate
internet parts ftw

Yes

I really only purchase fluids from my local auto parts store

That and occasionally tools

[Ramonesfreak2010]

Originally Posted by Flicktitty

i HATE dealerships. trying to get a oem part for a S13.
Me: Yeah, i'm hear to order a part for my 89 240sx
Dealership guy: ugh and EIGHTY-NINE? What was it again? oh 240Z?
Me: NO a 240SX
Dealership guy: Oh..... ok.
Dealership guy: Do you have the VIN? i can't seem to find anything that old without the vin
Me: Serious? walk out.

That sucks. I always get parts for my 240sx easily. Plus I still get my discount at Nissan.

[Phlip]

There was once an advance auto near my job, and it happened to be the ONLY open on my unlikely journey between school, work and back home again (leave home at 7:15, returned at 11:45pm), if only during lunch breaks.
There was a guy there named Aaron who had a 98, and I still had my 95 at the time. Aaron worked in the shop at the attached Merchant’s Auto, and there was this slightly effeminate and REALLY country dude who drove a riced out 2001 civic, with the best of parts-store dressup parts on it. WhenEVER I went in and needed something, I would come armed with parts numbers or representative car that the interchangeable part came off of.
Invariably, these conversations would turn into his repeating or comparing parts on his, Aaron's or my own car as “JAY DEE EEEEM” (and yes, it sounded like you imagined it). After Aaron left that Merchants, I had no tying reasoning to stop at this Advance unless the fanboi was NOT working, and I made a point of not stopping at it unless his car was not there. With any regular clerk, I could be in and out of the store in 10-15 minutes, but if he was the one I had to deal with, then I was looking at that same 10-15 minutes and then captive to conversation I would rather not have.

Originally Posted by ManoNegra

Being in the middle of a brake job
break dust all over, hands full of grime
then come to find out the idiots sold me the wrong pads
priceless

it's happened a couple of times

best experiences have come from Napa

That happened to me at O'Reilly once, NAPA ALWAYS gets me right.
In fact…

I went to NAPA and I was buying…

• Stock Radiator
• Radiator petcock valve
• Water pump
• Thermostat
• Rad Cap
• Clutch
• Flywheel

I’d made an excel spreadsheet with names, prices and part numbers.
I walk to the counter, hand the dude the printout. I was expecting an astronomical number in the low-500s for everything. He comes back in less than 10 minutes with everything, and I saw the number I expected for a moment, and reached for my cash.
He says “hold on” and scrambles on the keys for a second – I am assuming that it went under someone’s commercial account – and the number went down to $435. I gladly paid him, and he asked me for help with lunch money, which I GLADLY slid him a $20.

So there, positives and negatives in parts stores… I am at the point now, though, that I go to O’Reilly, Advance and Auto Zone for oil and minor things only. If I need a part or something, I go to NAPA.

[redline1320]

Originally Posted by PHLIP

There was once an advance auto near my job, and it happened to be the ONLY open on my unlikely journey between school, work and back home again (leave home at 7:15, returned at 11:45pm), if only during lunch breaks.
There was a guy there named Aaron who had a 98, and I still had my 95 at the time. Aaron worked in the shop at the attached Merchant’s Auto, and there was this slightly effeminate and REALLY country dude who drove a riced out 2001 civic, with the best of parts-store dressup parts on it. WhenEVER I went in and needed something, I would come armed with parts numbers or representative car that the interchangeable part came off of.
Invariably, these conversations would turn into his repeating or comparing parts on his, Aaron's or my own car as “JAY DEE EEEEM” (and yes, it sounded like you imagined it). After Aaron left that Merchants, I had no tying reasoning to stop at this Advance unless the fanboi was NOT working, and I made a point of not stopping at it unless his car was not there. With any regular clerk, I could be in and out of the store in 10-15 minutes, but if he was the one I had to deal with, then I was looking at that same 10-15 minutes and then captive to conversation I would rather not have.




That happened to me at O'Reilly once, NAPA ALWAYS gets me right.
In fact…

I went to NAPA and I was buying…

• Stock Radiator
• Radiator petcock valve
• Water pump
• Thermostat
• Rad Cap
• Clutch
• Flywheel

I’d made an excel spreadsheet with names, prices and part numbers.
I walk to the counter, hand the dude the printout. I was expecting an astronomical number in the low-500s for everything. He comes back in less than 10 minutes with everything, and I saw the number I expected for a moment, and reached for my cash.
He says “hold on” and scrambles on the keys for a second – I am assuming that it went under someone’s commercial account – and the number went down to $435. I gladly paid him, and he asked me for help with lunch money, which I GLADLY slid him a $20.

So there, positives and negatives in parts stores… I am at the point now, though, that I go to O’Reilly, Advance and Auto Zone for oil and minor things only. If I need a part or something, I go to NAPA.

Honestly in all my years of building cars I have never once went to NAPA for anything. But after this story I may have to check it out.
Kudos

[Phlip]

Originally Posted by redline1320

Honestly in all my years of building cars I have never once went to NAPA for anything. But after this story I may have to check it out.
Kudos

Yeah, stunned the shit out of me even now 5 years later...
Keep in mind, you should avoid going to the smaller stores and go right to the big warehouse one (like the one that the smaller stores in the region have to pull from) if it is at all possible. This way, they will have your part in stock without waiting. Luckily, the one for west central NC is out on the west side of town, so I can be there in 15 minutes.
Now, I really only go for brakes, but still, I tell everyone that story all the time.

[daftphunk]

I love Napa. It never fails me really. I typically go to my local AutoZone and the dude there owns an imported Civic EG. Talks to me all the time and he doesn't really bother me too much so I get my parts without a hassle.

However, I once went to an O'Reily's and gave them a Fuel Pressure Gauge and asked for some proper fittings. Before finding out that there were NO proper fittings in that store, the dude goes "Oh Man, PSI?! You running boost on this thing!?" and I go "No it's for my Fuel Pressure" (the gauge goes up to like 60 PSI) and he looks a bit disappointed. He goes on to say he has a cool Civic and wants to get a 240 and I was just like 'Cool' and got out of ther.e

[Xplat]

... SO, I wanted to pick up some seafoam spray. I look around online and see that napa has it in stock. I call up the closest one and ask the guy if they have any seafoam spray in stock. Guy sounds confused and says they only have the pour in type. I let him know I'm looking specifically for the one in the aerosol can. He asks, what does it do? I tell him it does exactly the same thing as the pour in one except it's in an aerosol can. He tells me to wait while he goes to "check" and comes back like 10 seconds later audibly chewing, "naw man sorry we don't have it in stock"...

I'm like wtf. So I go back online to "reserve" it on their site and this time give them a call back with the part number. Another guy answers the phone and as I'm giving him the part number he says yea we got it in stock, you just reserved it online right?

I'm lol'in cause I don't think the first guy I spoke to even tried looking, I'm thinking he just took another bite out of his cheeseburger while I was on hold then said no.

[BLACK2FAWTY]

The part that frustrates me most about auto parts stores is the long wait to get my freakin' parts because some idiot doesn't know what side of his battery the positive terminal is on. So, he has them go through them like he's going to suddenly remember just by looking at each one.

[blueshark123]

I just found out the pepboys by my house has a performance section now they mickey thompson tires nos turbo kits etc i am actually kind of surprised with what they have. this should be funny when i ask them about a part.

[tcg5014]

Originally Posted by blueshark123

OP had a part number, thats all u need to look up the part. I have gotten into lots of arguments with fucking dumbasses in aoutzone/pepboys. The last one was because some guy wanted to be a smart ass. I asked for some parts for a 03 ford mustang v6 i needed a oil filter for a friend of mine. He then made me repeat myself like 5 times to him cause he was fucking slow as shit to look up the car and kept forgetting what the fuck i said 2 seconds ago. Then he tried to get smart with me by telling that v6 are for f@@s and i should get a v8. I told him to shut the fuck up before i put him in his place. He then got scared when i got pissed off i went to the manager for help he got in trouble.The fucking kid drives a primered honda. Now every time i need something i just get on the computer myself and look it up

Yes I understand that, but everyone I hire isn't huge into cars, a lot of people that enjoy cars work in other industries that pay much better than part time at your local advance. Also I don't think you guys realize or maybe you do that well over half of our customers through out the day, are morons who know zero about cars. I know it's not really fair for people who know what they are doing, but I just assume everyone that walks in is an idiot until they show me they are not. Like a lot of people have already said, if you want good service go back to the same store and make friends with atleast 1 person there. I have a lot of customers who come in for just me, thats the way to get what you want, when you want and fast.

[niscur29]

Advance auto up here pisses me off each time I go in...which is usually for under $5 things that I need ASAP...

First time after we moved up here I wanted to pic up something random and while I was in I wanted to see if they stock any NGK BKr7e's spark plugs and I gave them the exact part number and this guy says make/model....So I nicely say I won't come up in your system as the motor is not a US motor but a JDM only motor can you please look it up by ngk part number. So he responds back what makes you think we don't stock Japanese car parts.

So after trying to explain to this guy that its not a Japanese car part thing its the simple fact that a redtop sr20det from a Nissan Silvia or 180sx never offered in the UNITED STATES will not come up in your system...So then the goes oooooh you gotta skyline huh?Needless to say they didn't have them so I picked the other shit and bailed....

Now I just get my shit from amazon! AHAHAHAHAHA!

[Discoballer]

Yep. Most of the people that work at these places don't actually know what they are even selling you half the time. If the computer tells them that's what you need then that's it. Irritates the shit outta me. Autozone for oil and simple shit...internet for everything else

[redline1320]

Originally Posted by Discoballer

Yep. Most of the people that work at these places don't actually know what they are even selling you half the time. If the computer tells them that's what you need then that's it. Irritates the shit outta me. Autozone for oil and simple shit...internet for everything else

Amen to that!
and you know the weird thing is I applied at a auto zone like once about a year or 2 ago and of course I didnt get hired. the guy that been building cars since he was in the womb. But Jack that dont know shit gets hired to punch buttons on a computer when he doesnt even know wtf to look for

[DertyDan]

i just ordered a pass. side s14 flca from napa last week. napa is usually good with me, and i couldnt find a used one locally or on here so i just ordered new through them. finally gets here and its a fucking s13 arm. i actually had my old s13 arms in the car (upgrading to s14) as well as the drivers side to compare to show the guy he was wrong, all he did was show me that the computer called for the same part no matter which year 89-98. now i wont be able to finish my car and im missing a once a year drift event. he also refused to refund me the shipping that I PAYED FOR even though THEY carry the wrong part. FUCK!

(if anyone has an oem s14 pass. front lca, lemme know!)

[Hashiriya415]

Went to kragen on Taravel in SF. I tell you guys this one old Russian guy is an ass to deal with. Rode my bike there and I'm going in and see him and another younger kid. The kid was busy with another customer and old man was free, so I walked around the isle. When kid was free I showed him a 3/8in heater hose which is an L shape one side is 3in another is 1in. And the exact words that came out of my mouth was "Do you have something like this, it's 3/8 with 90degree bend heater hose". The old Russian man see's me with my helmet in my hand and yells out "we don't have anything like this, you have to go to bike shop!". I just wanted to punch him, for being rude interrupting me while I was talking to the kid. I ignored the old man and asked the kid if I could check the back of the store, cuz I've been in the back before, thanx to some other great kragen people. Found tons of heater hoses. The first incident that happened with me and the old Russian guy was months back, I bought something at one kragen and tried to return it at another kragen. He said, "ohh no we can't take this, you have to bring it back to the kragen you bought it." I said wtf? I said let me talk to a manager and he said he is the manager. I told him, quit playing games this is not Russia. He said "I don't have money". It was 2pm and my stuff was about $50. I told him put it on my card then. His response was he cannot do that.
Bottom line, ignore the old Russian guy
I just remembered another funny incident. I'm in kragen's and I ask for this rotor and hub assembly and they are all out, but they have just the rotor, so I buy it. Price difference is around $5bux, but it's waste of time to separate the 2. I go home, look online and find the rotor and hub assembly, I pay online and go back to the store and they have it. When I buy it online they can find it, but when I'm in the store they can't find. I guess I'll buy all my stuff online and pick it up in the store.

[One_love_silvia]

just went into autozone today... the retards were trying to tell me my car was converted to obdii or had an aftermarket item put on, because my gasket from the mani to the first cat is 3 bolt, not 2 bolt like their computer says.

i understand not many people are aware that halfway through 95, nissan converted (atleast for 240's) to obdii. but, if the owner is telling u its a 3 bolt and its obdii, u should believe him lol

and who the fuck converts to obdii? dont people normally convert to obdi to have less smog restrictions?

[Brentbohn]

Originally Posted by tcg5014

I manage an Advance and a lot of times people who have cars with swapped motors just come in with the wrong attitude. Yes, I, understand you have the part number you need, but remember not everyone working there is big into whatever type of car you are, and our systems are designed to work on year, make and model. I don't really ever get this from import cars, but the guys with 350 chevy motors are famous for it. They just walk in and say I need such and such for a 350 and when you ask them what car, because that will make it much faster, they get all pissed and say, well its a race car, it doesn't matter what car. Hahaha, just remember, yes all of our stores have a guy, "who has been working on cars for 30 years" that is a dumba$$, but some of us are there to help

VALID POINT now go fuck yourself and get a better job, I have managed a checkers for many years and my guys were trained to LISTEN to the customer no matter what they had. If a guy comes in looking for a specific part number, then dont ARGUE! Second point of reference, your statement knowing what car makes it faster, bull shit, that just allows your ill advised staff to use the computer as a crutch. LOL I love going to AZ PB or Advance and ask to see them use a book.

[towlie]

Went to napa earlier to get some fuel lines (specifically requested hoses safe for fuel)

Brought in a small section they could match up. Paid, and left

Got home and it said in big letters "not for use with fuel injection"

Thanks for the vacuum hoses napa, that's really safe -_-

[!Zar!]

It can be used for carborated cars.

Just not fuel injected.

[S13x88]

I work for Advance logistics. The people working in the stores are completely clueless. I always go with a part # to buy stuff. They can look up parts with a part #, they don't have to depend on the system of looking up parts by make, model, year, ect. Some of the employees are either ignorant to that fact or lazy. Most of the time though, they will look up the part by part #.

[94spitfire91]

Close to where I live there is an autozone an advanced auto parts and OReilleys literally within half a mile of eachother on the same road. I took my starter in to get it tested at all three stores and two told me it was good but the people at autozone convinved me I needed a new one lol
Its simply hard to take advice from people you dont know turns out my starter was fine so either they just fail at reading their machine or their greedy and want my money but I expect that from any local store

[towlie]

Originally Posted by !Zar!

It can be used for carborated cars.

Just not fuel injected.

Well, still worthless/dangerous for me to use lol

[jdmpure]

Originally Posted by tcg5014

I manage an Advance and a lot of times people who have cars with swapped motors just come in with the wrong attitude. Yes, I, understand you have the part number you need, but remember not everyone working there is big into whatever type of car you are, and our systems are designed to work on year, make and model. I don't really ever get this from import cars, but the guys with 350 chevy motors are famous for it. They just walk in and say I need such and such for a 350 and when you ask them what car, because that will make it much faster, they get all pissed and say, well its a race car, it doesn't matter what car. Hahaha, just remember, yes all of our stores have a guy, "who has been working on cars for 30 years" that is a dumba$$, but some of us are there to help

I too am a team member with Advance, was an Assistant Manager for nearly 7 years, and now and am there part time at nights. I am educated, have a degree in automotive technology and have been into the import scene for over 15 years now. I live in an area where imports are not highly regarded by most in the area but the younger generation are into imports. I have a plethora of knowledge on import cars but have some basic knowledge on domestics as well. I feel that a team member in any parts store should be well rounded on all cars no matter what even if they "specialize" in a certain type of vehicle. I get asked and have been for parts for tractors, lawn mowers, jet skis, motorcycles, race cars etc. Yes I too have gotten told "it doesn't matter...there all the same" Experience tells me to work with people and explain and educate them, trust me it makes life easier in the end. Its what good customer service is all about. If a part number was given, cross it over. If it doesn't pull up on the computer, pull out the paper catalog and work with it that way. Guaranteed you will find exactly what the customer needs and they will come back and shop at that store because they were taken care of and got what they needed with no guff... that's what separate good parts guys from the rest!