What's Your Worst Parts Store Experience

"unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins)" (unclevanos) 09/27/2014 at 22:37 • Filed to: HAIL CORPORATE

12

100

Go ahead and tell me your worst story at a parts counter. Doesn't matter if its from a dealer,chain or to a mom and pop operation.

1. Went to a NAPA a long time ago (I only had my driving permit) for a GM part number and some zerex G-05 (can't remember the GM part also). I went in politely and asked for a certain part equivalent and had my zerex coolant in hand for a project car. The skinheads behind the counter were oh so full of joy to help me. I stood there waiting for a good 15 minutes while Lackluster McGee just stared at the computer and helped other walk-ins like Larry, Moe, and Curly. After patiently waiting, the guy at a counter said in the most rudest manner "What do you want? I just left the crap at counter.

2. A year ago I bought a gmc van from a defunct business to flip and it had a flat battery. No problem I already had a spare battery but the battery post sheared off the dead battery. Typical GMs and their special side post batteries. Luckily a parts store was only half a mile so I went into this old fashioned mom and pop parts store. I bought the side posts and said "merry christmas" at the counter (It was 4 days before Christmas Eve). Never have I received the most dirtiest look from people. I don't know what I did, but I wanted to get out of the NJ/NY borderland area I was.

Conan > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/27/2014 at 22:40

10

I'd gotten the wrong color paint from Autozone. I go to the dealer and they take 45 minutes to make sure I have the right color paint and cost a bunch more and it arrives and I get home and it's the same wrong color of paint.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > Conan 09/27/2014 at 22:48

6

My friend had a Taurus and wanted to upgrade to facelift headlights. He received a unit with a defective seal. No big deal it was returned and replaced.....with a Pontiac Aztek headlight. Ok no problem it was sent back and replaced with a Silverado headlight. The clusterfuck cycle lasted for a while but he got his headlights eventually.

The Transporter > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/27/2014 at 22:51

4

In your first story he probably did that on purpose. I've had to work with "salespeople" like that before. If they decide they just don't like someone, they'll treat them like shit till they walk out. The twisted part is that they actually get a kick of making people storm out in a fuss. These people were usually the bullies in highschool. Your second story was just bizzare, especially for a mom and pop store. Maybe it's because where I live you'd get a dirty look if you didn't say "Merry Christmas."

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/27/2014 at 22:52

10

I had a guy at Advanced Auto Parts pretty much yelling at me because I didn't know the EXACT diameter of my brake lines. So instead of looking it up on the computer he continues to bitch at my while I'm on the phone with my dad trying to figure it out. Finally I just walked out and went to O'Reileys where they looked it up on the computer and I was out in 2 minutes.

I've never been back to an AAP since.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > The Transporter 09/27/2014 at 22:59

1

The second story happened no believes it and my Dad replied with it jokingly "they gave you that look because we make tacos and ponchos".

 > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/27/2014 at 23:08

41

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 09/27/2014 at 23:11

3

Their job is to help you if you don't know a certain spec. What a dick by the way.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/27/2014 at 23:19

30

When I was reviving the land yacht riviera, I needed a new fuel pump. So I go to O'smelleys to get the pump they have in stock for the supercharged 3800 motor riviera. It burns out in a week. I go back to return it. They yell at me for using the incorrect part........turns out they sold me the one for a naturally aspirated riviera instead of a supercharged one. I show them my receipt and say that when I asked for a supercharged riviera fuel pump, this was the one I got. THey then bring it up in their system and make it a point to slowly and clearly explain to me how the part numbers are different. ALl of my arguing that their "help" gave me the wrong part was falling on deaf ears while the lines grew longer. We go back and forth and it basically ended with me asking them if they were going to refund me or ask me to pay again. They, of course, respond with "Well it isn't our fault you didn't know what part you needed!". Then I snapped, and spiked the used fuel pump right there on the floor in front of the cash registers. And walked out. I haven't been back in since. I heard the damage is still on the floor. Whatever, I got my refund anyways after bitching to the BBB and the corporate guys cut me a check to stop bitching about them on facebook and forums.

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 00:01

7

I found myself 3 hours from home with a dead alternator. At a track day weekend. Car went from driving to dead in the water in the span of about 4 hours, I got 2 sessions in. One under normal driving and one with a fresh battery, before it was drained. Called a number of parts stores after the dealers didn't have one in stock. Finally a store an hour away said they had one, and would hold it for me. Got a ride with a friend. We get there, and they have no idea what I'm talking about, nothing on hold.

So we then call a part store back near where the car is, who said they could overnight one and have it for me the next morning. We left the car with some friends to start digging into it to do the swap (so that I might be able to get some track time), and the same friend drives me 20 minutes in a different direction. We get there, they have it waiting. Score!

Get back to the car, bolt the alternator on. And the plug is wrong.

They sold me one for a base model, not the SS.

At this point I was done, completely over everything. I went up to my instructor from my first event (who had been following what I was dealing with) and all I had to say was "I just want the car home." He found someone who was going back my way, who was there with a trailer. And the car that was trailered had plates. My car went in the trailer, and the caged, gutted C6 Z06 was street drove the 3 hours home.

The one nice thing is I ended up taking the wrong alternator home with me, and the store where I lived was really great about taking it and giving me my money back. I ended up having to get one from the dealer, and it took them a few days to get one.

Tohru > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 00:15

104

Better go grab a beer, this is a good one.

I worked for Weaver Auto Parts - a Wisconsin-only chain of auto parts stores. Most of the stores have decent people, which kinda offsets the fact that their prices are higher than everyone - Napa, CarQuest, O'Reilly's, even AutoZone.

The store I worked at had Roger as the manager. He was a scrawny bastard in his late 60's and had more anger issues than the Incredible fuckin' Hulk . He would yell at customers, yell at me , yell at people on the phone, and go in back and use bags of floor dry as punching bags. We had ancient heavy-duty AT&T phones, and he raged out so bad once that he TWISTED the fucking handset. It was like one of those things at the zoo where they have these solid steel bars that the gorillas have bent - it boggled the mind. When the red mist would descend he'd always get this one vein on his forehead that would bulge like a sidewall with a broken ply. I kept waiting for the day that it would burst and coat the entire store with arterial spray as he stroked out.

We had a tiny shitty store too - only 4 aisles wide in a 100+ yr. old. downtown store front. Brake rotors and drums, exhaust, CV axles - all of this was kept in the basement. The basement stairs could more accurately be called a ladder. They also listed badly to one side.

Roger used to give me shit all the time because he would use the rack of product books and catalogs first, then go to the computerized parts system. I, having grown up with computers, went to the computerized system first and only used the catalogs as a last resort. Nevermind that my way was faster 85-90% of the time, he'd always give me shit about not using the catalogs because "as a parts guy you have to be proficient with the catalogs" and "in my day we didn't have any choice but to use the books." My reasoning that we "shouldn't we spending money on a computer system if we're not going to use it" and that "it's not 1965 anymore" fell on deaf ears.

We had a '99 Voyager as a delivery van with a fuckton of miles and body damage from a deer and an elderly lady with a Buick. A month before winter, Roger had new tires put on the van. They were summer-only tires that were on sale. I learned this after the first time I had to do deliveries in the snow. I wasn't able to stop - the ABS kicked in, the van slid down a hill, through an intersection, and finally stopped 100ft. on the other side of the intersection. Roger and I got into a shouting match about that one:

Me: I'm not driving that Goddamn van until it gets different tires. The ones you put on are for summer only!
Roger: We can't afford to put new tires on it! They work just fine for me, I don't know what your issue is!
Me: You drive in on the Interstate after they plow it! I drive on unplowed backroads you jackass!

He never did replace the tires. I had 3 or 4 more near-misses because if there was snow on the ground and you touched the brakes, the ABS kicked in instantly and the van wouldn't slow down. I had to resort to dropping it into low gear and engine-braking it, and sometimes using the e-brake.

In the spring a CV axle grenaded when I tried getting through a gap in traffic - he thought I did it deliberately as revenge for the tire thing, not because the van was knocking on 200k miles of being a delivery vehicle.

I made it a year working there, and I don't know how I did that. I developed persistent migraines from working with the guy, and a couple times got an eye twitch and blurry vision from the stress.

Two weeks after my 1 year performance review (and a month after I bought my house), Roger's boss told me that my services were no longer required. Since I was not given a reason for being terminated, I filed for unemployment. Two years later, with help from a lawyer they contested my unemployment and won , requiring me to pay back almost $4k to the State of Wisconsin. Money I clearly didn't have, since if I had $4k lying around I sure as fuck wouldn't have filed for unemployment.

I have not set foot in a Weaver's since, I tell everyone I know not to buy from them, and every time I see Roger's work van on the road I give it the finger.

Fuck you Roger . Everyone who ever said they loved you was wrong. When you die I will piss on your grave.

TL;DR: Worked for Weaver Auto Parts, boss is the biggest cunt in the galaxy, and this is my message to him:

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > Tohru 09/28/2014 at 00:33

13

biggest cunt in the galaxy is my new favorite line

Pixel > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 01:15

20

I have had a wide variety of experiences, but these two stick out as the worst.

I was getting new tires put on my '62 Comet shortly after buying it, the guy at the tire shop pointed out that my lug nuts were all in sad shape, rusty & semi-stripped and suggested I go get a new set while he was mounting the tires on the rims.
Walked to the Pep Boys store next door and asked for the lug nuts by size & thread pitch. Kid behind the counter asks me what year/make/model. I tell him is shouldn't matter, but that it is a '62 Mercury Comet. He looks in his computer and says "Volkswagen?" No idiot, Mercury. He then informs me that my car can't possibly be a Mercury because only Volkswagen made cars in 1962, But that he can't find a Comet listed under VW.
Turns out the only manufacturer listed for that year was VW, and he decided this meant they where the only one making cars "back then." Walked a little further down the street to NAPA, gave them the lug nut size and the guy there went to a shelf and got them for me without having to look anything up.

The other was trying to find a part for my '67 Beetle. It was a euro-spec model which meant random parts would be different foro the common US parts. I can't recall what part I was looking for, but I recall there was two versions that had some part that was either 1" or 3/4", and they weren't interchangeable. At Advanced Auto I asked for the part and he said they could order it if I paid in advance. Having been burned by ordering the wrong version before, I asked which design they were. To which he said "The right one". When I pressed he asked how I knew there were two versions, to which I replied that I'd looked it up in the repair manual. He then started calling me "College boy" and telling me to "look it up in a book" in response to everything I said. Nearby VW restoration supply place(where I should have gone in the first place) had both versions in stock, and when I said "My car is a euro-spec..." He immediately went and got the correct one.

Frenchlicker > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 09/28/2014 at 01:21

4

On the upside you went to the store where when they help you they are actually helping you. Even if the Advanced guy wasn't a dick he probably would have fucked up.

Frenchlicker >  09/28/2014 at 01:29

1

Would you like some plastic chrome door strips to go with that?

Ferrero1911 > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 02:30

11

I called a Toyota dealership in NM to find out how long it would take to get an 1989 Supra fan clutch. The guy on the phone had no idea what a Supra was.

Also I can't stand it when the dealership pretends there is absolutely no way to look up a part without a VIN number. I've started just rattling off my Japanese VIN when they ask for the third time. Then they'll happily just look up whatever I want based on year and model.

davedave1111 > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 10:37

16

"Yes, we have one in stock, but we can't sell it to you because then we won't have any in stock."

I'm not sure they quite understood how shops work.

BlueBMWGuy > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 11:41

0

Both "Auto Zone" and "Advanced Auto" have bad reputations for anything electrical. Just this week, I've had four (4) alternators installed . and none of them work!! it's as if they put defective cores into new boxes.. I went to far as to take them to another shop to be bench tested and they were all shit! I think it's time to try NAPA..

CACressida > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 11:44

42

gometz > The Transporter 09/28/2014 at 11:45

0

when I worked for circuit city in high school we had salespeople like that. Best part is I'd help them and get a nice sale.

petebmwm > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 11:46

0

What if the people at the mom and pop store were jewish? you never know, so just say happy holidays.

High Road > Tohru 09/28/2014 at 11:49

0

No offense, but you were fired, (shouting matches with the boss, really?) you don't get unemployment when you're fired.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Tohru 09/28/2014 at 11:54

12

Comment of the fucking YEAR.

I clicked every one of those links and regretted none.

Makoyouidiot > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 11:55

0

I work in a parts store...so everyday I deal with the worsts and the bests. :)

smalleyxb122 > BlueBMWGuy 09/28/2014 at 11:55

0

I used to buy the "Lifetime" remanufactured from Autozone, and never thought much of it. If it fails, I'll just get another one. Then, as a project for my work, we were disassembling some late model electrical components. These were rather specific parts, and no one had new the specific starter and alternator that we needed to baseline, but Autozone (actually 2 different Autozones) had both of them as remans. It opened my eyes. The commutator on the starter was garbage, and the refurbishing process apparently includes "just throw the whole thing into the bead blaster." The Alternator had a cracked diode assembly, and it was also bead blasted, and the dust cover had grease and dirt packed into the crevices (but since the grease and plastic cover was also bead blasted, it all had a consistent texture).

I haven't bought a reman since. I only buy new (or rebuild it myself with new parts).

ScreenShot > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 11:59

10

I took a part time summer job during college driving parts for a small import car parts store, wheeling around town in a Morris Minor. Checking the delivery list while driving was a bad habit that caught up with me one day when I managed to rear end a car at a stop light. Nothing too dramatic, but definite contact.

We both climbed out to check the damage, and when I remarked how calm the other driver was over my mistake, he replied " Well, I'm recovering from a recent heart attack and the Doctors told me not to get worked up over anything. " Gulp...

cluelessk > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver 09/28/2014 at 12:00

1

I get that all the time with my Cobalt SS. They just assume it's a run of the mill LS or LT. "Those things come turbo'd?"

mrairsoft98 > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 12:05

24

I'm 16 and was fixing a few things on my first car. A 1993 Lexus SC400 I bought for my self and me and my dad had been going to our local advanced auto parts for years. Recently all of our old favorite employees either got promoted to another store or left the company so there are new faces. Something we could deal with. So one day I called in looking for an idle speed control module (something like that, don't remember the exact name) and told the guy I had my year make and model. It was all fine up until this point when he said which engine does your "saturn" have? I told him it was a V8 lexus and he was hell bent on telling me I have a saturn and don't know what I was talking about so we argued for longer than we should have until a manager gets on the phone and tells the guy to grab the part and apologizes. So I think everything is fine and I just have to go get my part. So when I get there I go in and it's the same guy as on the phone and he grabs the part FOR A SATURN I told him his error and he tells me "eh all the same right." I told him "my car is an import and saturn is domestic" and he blows it off. I am pissed at this point and tell him my year make and model yet again and while he goes and gets my part the manager comes up and tells me that the employee is getting fired and had been doing this to a lot of people. I finally got my part and haven't seen that guy there since.

Phantomlimb > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 12:09

1

The Autozone warranty is the best part of this. 5 fuel pumps 5 years, the last 2 were lifetime warranty but you still have to drop the tank, no matter the weather.

Scrape > Tohru 09/28/2014 at 12:14

11

Now there are some great parts guys, usually found at your mom and pop places where parts are their life, but you can find some even at some of the mass merchant types. But at the Medium Box places, too many of them there are very bitter in life because they flunked out of mechanic school or can't be trusted with the tire mounting machine.

DonKeybals > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 12:14

10

Hiring young kids to work at the parts counter is fine. Hiring young kids who don't know shit about cars to work at the parts counter is what I have A problem with. when I had my E30, I needed to replace the spark plugs. Just because it's a BMW doesn't mean it requires some rare spark plugs made by blonde, bikini-clad women using the rarest materials that can only be surfaced from the core of the Earth by leprechauns. The OEM plugs for the car was Bosch Platinum, costing at $1.75 apiece. The worthless FTPO (failed to pull out) kept insisting that I needed iridium plugs, made by NGK, which was around $7 apiece at Pep Boys. I told him those plugs would actually not do anything to add performance, but also would, in fact, create more buildup, which will gum up the valves and eventually lead to tearing apart the top half of the engine.

After wasting my time, he reluctantly went to the back and got what I had requested in the first place, but told me, "you're going to miss out on the performance gain, man." As I walked to my car, he was on his way out to go get a smoke out of his car. His chariot of choice? A clapped out Acura Integra, complete with a Bondo panel, and the must have accessory of a fake "type R" badge, which, I have been told, adds at least 10hp to the wheels.

93Miata > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 12:16

2

Girlfriend's Cobalt had a brake pulsation after sitting for 3 months. Rotors/pads were less than a year old so I took them off and sent her to Pep Boys to have them turned. She gets home and says the guy at the counter measured them and they were close to min thickness already and could not be turned.

I didn't even think to measure them before she went because they were less than a year old. Got my mic out and measured the old ones and they were .940". Measure the new ones they sold her, .945". New ones say "MIN THICKNESS 22MM" on them and the factory spec is .891". Returned the rotors to Pep Boys, had NAPA turn them and all is well.

Only reason she went to Pep Boys to have this done? I had a store credit from a wheel bearing install they screwed up on my Civic.

Murphie > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 12:18

5

Badly needed a Group 91 battery, which is a weird size. Online I found that the (dreaded) Autozone a mile from my house had 'em in stock. Ordered online, part number 91-1 and picked it up. Installed it but the cover wouldn't close. Careful examination of the fine print on the battery showed a little rectangle with "BCI 48" inside. Hmmm... did my internet homework, a BCI 91 is 6.9 inches high, a BCI 48 is 7.6". Measured part 91-1= 7.6 ". Back to Autozone with my documentation and a tape measure.

They of course insisted that it was a Group 91, and cited the part number. I asked for a refund and they balked because "you'd installed it". I insisted it was a actually a Group 48. The guy said I was measuring wrong (not to include terminals) and said in his nine years in the automotive parts business (what, Autozone hires 10 year old kids?)he knew I was wrong. But wait, the customer is always...

So he was a bit testy, but still went along with my next request. "Let's measure a Group 48 you have in stock". Though it had part number 48-1 (and also had the BCI 48 in small print) it was exactly identical in height to the "Group 91". He gave up. I got my money back.

But that wasn't the worst parts store experience. The worst is that Autozone thinks they can put a different part number on the same battery and sell it as a different size.

shop-teacher > petebmwm 09/28/2014 at 12:26

12

That's no justification for a dirty look. When somebody tells me "Happy Hannekuh," I smile and say, "Thanks, you too."

Rockchops > Scrape 09/28/2014 at 12:26

4

When I worked at Napa it was a mix. Most guys were really good and were part time mecchanics (certified) or part-timed at the store as full time mechanics. Then there were the fuck ups who jumped from retail job to retail job with absolutely no interest in cars or car parts, or for that matter even helping people. There was also the most hideous girl I'd ever met. Her nickname was "troll" and it stuck. Lots of stories from behind the counter of the sheer level of idiocy of a lot of customers.

I distinctly remember one guy who got a tie rod end from us. He came in having cross threaded the damn thing on his old tie rod so far that it was stuck beyond belief. After we said we couldn't warranty a part based on incorrect installation, he tried to convince us that we sold him the entire tie rod. Once I showed him the OEM stamp on the tie rod, he began to call me a racist and started yelling. My manager came over and told him to GTFO. The guy sat down next to the counter telling us how we hated black people and we were giving him terrible service until the police carried him away. There was never a dull day at that place.

autobahntm > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 12:30

0

Went in for an oil change and new struts to my local shop. They go to pull the car around at the end of the day but then disappear for 20 min...come back "power steering went out and light is on, it's 5'O clock so we will look at in morning."

2 days later nothing from the shop other than "power steering motor wont communicate we have to replace whole assembly." (this is not a cheap part as it replaces like 8-10 individual part numbers." After some more back and forth about liability and fault and trying to get them to diagnose the exact problem not doing a whole system replace I agree to get the part exchanged....

But here is the weird part-> they go to mazda to get the part and do the install themselves (they are a shop afterall and god knows what mazda would charge for that) then drive it back to mazda to program (why are dealers the only one with that capability?) and then mazda doesn't have time to do it that day...Next day get a call from Mazda "Hey your power steering pump is bad/needs replaced." I explain that i knew that and that's why the car is there with a new one that they are supposed to be programming. No, apparently the part they gave the shop the day before to install is defective and they have to take it out and put a new one in themselves all at mazda prices. At the end of the day I don't care shop is on the hook for that so in the end I do end up with a "new" (or at least working) power steering assembly and i have my car back a full week after my "oil change" started.

Side note I get the car back, the brake rotors are now scraping so i make them sheer them down flat again and they bust a lug nut putting the tires back on after so i had to go in again the next day for a new one of those. Long story short, despite this being my usual garage for a few years I'm never going back or to that mazda dealer. Oh and I have a tire blow out (7/32 tread still on it) the next time i drive it.

Umoja > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 12:33

17

The worst for me was when I worked at Advance Auto. I was in college and on a long summer day my dad decided to go out drinking with the guys we raced motorcycles with at the local drag strip. Early evening I get a call asking for a lower radiator hose for a Chevy Corvair. I was born in the late eighties and knew of the Corvair, but was exhausted from the long shift. I looked in the computer, radiator hose is greyed out (means unavailable) when I look up Corvair. So I think maybe it's just not manufactured any more. I tell the gentleman on the phone that it's not in our system, please hold while I look in the catalogs. I spend 10 minutes searching the catalogs and still can't find it. I apologize to the guy on the phone that I can't find it only to hear him get adamant and ANGRY that it exists, it MUST be in the catalogs, what am I? stupid? Yadda yadda yadda. I apologize profusely, ask his information and tell him I will call him if I find anything.

That when I notice my father's very unique laugh in the background. Sure enough, it's the bikers at the bar losing their shit over this prank call. Fuck you Brian, I'll never forget the Corvair was air cooled ever again.

RalphieDC > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 12:36

47

It seems we all have at least 1 horror story about a parts store so I thought I'd share a positive one:

About 15 years ago my wife (then girlfriend) and I were driving to Savannah from Atlanta on a Friday night. As we're going down 16 (hey look honey, more trees) I notice the dash lights starting to dim, so I pull off at the next exit and into the closest gas station. The Rodeo dies just as we pull in and I cruise to a stop right out front. The clock reads 10:42pm as the truck dies. I need an alternator.

Turns out we stopped in Vidalia, GA (home of the onions). When I get out of the car there's a local cop coming out of the gas station. I ask him if they have any parts stores open till midnight in town. He tells me that there aren't any open, but he knows a state police officer that own a local parts store that is sometimes willing to open up for someone that's broken down.

So the local calls the state cop and tells me he's going into the store check if he has the alternator. We get a call back and he has one that might fit - there were 2 types for that engine. I say great tell me where to go and I'll find a way to come get it. "It might not even fit, I'll just bring it over to you."

So the statie brings it to the gas station and it was the wrong one, but the only difference was that the top section was rotated a little. He then helps me take the alternator apart and put it back together like the one in my truck.

Then with borrowed tools (a guy that lives in the same town as me but is from Vidalia left me his tools with instructions to just have Doris put them behind the register when you're done) the cop/store owner helped me put the new alternator in.

When we were done told me the alternator was $80, so I give the guy $100 and tell him to keep the change (he had already refused payment for the install). He refused and went into the station to get me change.

When I pulled out of the station it was 1:14 am.

Worse part is I couldn't even tell you the name of the parts store as I was never there!

shop-teacher > ScreenShot 09/28/2014 at 12:39

0

Yipes!

feather-throttle-not-hair > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 12:41

5

I used to have a summer job working at my local mom and pop mechanic, mostly washing cars, or driving customers to and from their houses. It was a relatively quiet little shop, located on an island off of Seattle where I grew up.

One day my boss said to me "Today, we need you to drive over to Seattle and pick up a door from a Mercedes dealership over there."

I'd never really driven in the city before. Seattle isn't the worst city in the world to drive in, but its cramped and has extremely steep hills. I'd be driving the shop truck, a 1980's 2wd F-150 with a stick.

Getting there was a...learning experience. But I did it. I made it to the dealership, parked the truck, locked it up (we generally didn't lock our car doors on the island, but i was in the big city now!) and headed into the dealership to grab the door. Things went really smoothly, those Mercedes dealership guys knew what was up!

I put the door in the back of the truck and went to get back inside. Only my key didn't seem to be working.

Yup. Unbeknownst to me the Ford F-150 had two keys that are different from each other. One opens the doors, the other starts the car. Fuck that feature. I have no idea why that might be helpful, but I have a VERY VERY good idea why it might suck.

I sheepishly had to go back into the dealership to ask if any of them had a hanger or a slim jim. They all looked at me like I was crazy, but again, being professionals helped me out. It was humiliating, but hey at least i got going again. The only problem was that by that point i'd missed my ferry, and it had gotten to be rush hour, which meant that the ferries got busy and I ended up missing a second one just due to all the traffic.

Michael Zaite > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 12:42

0

Are the tacos that messy?

turbotiny > Ferrero1911 09/28/2014 at 12:42

6

NM is, without a doubt, the most hell scorched place on earth if you drive anything other than a GM product. Or a "Chebby" in the 'burqueno language. I once tried to get a Fuel Filter for my WRX at an autozone and the guy asked me "Did GM put that out as an olds or a Pontiac?" I walked out and ordered all my parts on the internet from that point on.

webmonkees > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 12:46

1

Missing the missing one..

The clearance sale of our local jewel of a store; VW aircooled, watercooled, it's cool. They covered any foreign brand, and made no judgement of what you were doing, from vintage restoration to Bro Track Night Bro Honda valve bits the customer destroyed last weekend.

And 90% of the time, they had it on-hand. Or the next afternoon.

OEM parts, reasonable margins. Unfortunately they floated their loans with the suppliers for too long, had to go out. A busy, competent group of specialists who could get anything and charge a reasonable price for it. Now I have to put up with chain logic, rock auto.

It was worth the difference. $10 Bosch filter vs 8.99 ??. I became a elitist from the experience. I'll wait a week if I can, for the right part.

Michael Zaite > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 09/28/2014 at 12:48

0

In my part of the country O'reillys is the best of the "big Four" I think in NE Ohio they pay the least worst. They also have Brands as opposed to "store brands"

Vincent Davidson > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 12:53

8

I worked at a northern Twin Cities metro Checker/Schuck's/Kragen in the early 2000s for about a week. It was the only job I've ever had that I walked out on my shift to quit.

Guy had a mid-90s S10 Blazer that needed a cat-to-muffler pipe. He had called earlier, talked to me, and said he needed the pipe; I explained that for some reason there were 3 different listings with 3 different wheelbases (thanks GM), and at any rate none of them were in stock and would need to be ordered.

Asshat comes in a couple hours later. At this point there is a line out the door. One coworker helping a customer and FIVE having an extended cig break in the back room. And by 'extended' I mean looking up front and 'let the FNG sweat a bit'.

The guy was immediately hostile. Trying to diffuse his anger, I explained, AGAIN, there were 3 different wheelbase listings and before ordering it since he was to pay for it before hand, we should make sure it was the correct part, in my words, 'to save you a headache.'

He immediately exploded in Yosemite Sam-esque fashion (dude even had the handlebar 'sctache before the im-not-a-hipsters made them cool again). 'NO ONE TOLD ME I NEEDED TO KNOW THE FUCKING WHEELBASE! ITS AN S10 FUCKING BLAZER!'

Seeing the line grow to OUTSIDE the front door, I looked at the guy and as calmly as possible said, 'Dude, go fuck yourself'. I punched out, gave him and my now former coworkers the finger. Outside I fired up my Gen 3 Camaro and lit a smokey burnout that smoked out the side of the building. Whipped 'er sideways onto the street and took off.

The burnout ruts remained until it became an O'Reilly's several years later.

deekster_caddy > Tohru 09/28/2014 at 12:53

0

The early computer lookup systems left a lot to be desired. Anyone who has been in the parts counter business for a long time prefers catalogs. Today's systems have improved a LOT, you no longer need to grab a buyer's guide book to look up a picture of the part.

As an 'mid timer' counterperson, (I did it for years in the early/mid 90's) I used my experience recently to get a part that would have been shunned by the computer-only crowd. I was trying to find a part that was discontinued for my vehicle ('73 Buick). But I know GM used a part awfully similar for 20-30 years, and there must be another that's close enough. I pulled out a dusty old paper buyers guide, found some similar vehicles, found pictures of their accompanying parts and browsed through pages of pictures until I found one that was not discontinued, and was close enough to work for me.

So there are benefits to being very familiar with paper books, but yeah - the latest computer lookup systems are much much better. You absolutely need to adapt.

I remember one of my first jobs was to update the racks of paper catalogs - I had to assemble one of those 6 foot long racks with the massive 5-bar book holders, and get all the latest versions of each catalog into the right place. It took me most of a week when I wasn't out running deliveries. But we used it for the next 20 years. (I still go back there even though I haven't worked there in 15 years)

Michael Zaite > cluelessk 09/28/2014 at 12:54

0

Followed quickly after by "WHY?" I kid, i kid!

cabarne4 > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 12:59

42

I've worked at O'Reilly Auto Parts for the past year and a half (last night was my "last" day for a while).

No real horror stories, but a bunch of dumbass people. Our store is nearby a large Native American reservation. So we get a lot of them in, ordering and buying parts to keep their beat up trucks going down the road. Now, we only have 1 employee who speaks Navajo, and often times they speak very bad English. Even worse, often times they don't even know what they drive. You might get, in a thick, almost not-understandable accent "9-6... Chevy... truck". They have no idea what motor, if it's a 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, or 2 ton, if it's 2WD or 4WD... Gets pretty hard to find the right part.

More fun is when they send someone who does speak decent English to pick up parts for them. So you get a confused looking person at the counter, telling you that their brother called in earlier for some parts and they're here to pay for them. Only, their brother called 3 days ago, nobody remembers it because we get 400 calls a day, and they don't even know what make the truck is, let alone year or model (they might be able to tell you color, if you're lucky). And, naturally they drove an hour to get the parts and decided to leave their phone at home and don't know anybody's phone number.

Then there's the group of people I like to call the enthusiast-assholes. These are the ones hiding among our own ranks, who decide to show you their superiority by being as vague as possible, and giving you the bare minimum you need to look up some rare aftermarket carburetor parts. They'll often walk in, and say something along the lines of "I've got a 305 2 barrel, and I need jets that'll work around here. Oh, but I put a Holley carb on it".

Call me young, but I grew up in the fuel injected era. I know a little about carbs, but it still takes me a while to look it up in the catalogues (hard to find aftermarket stuff on the computer). The enthusiast-asshole, meanwhile, makes snide remarks of "oh? You don't know?".

Worst asshole I had was when I was working at the Scottsdale store. Guy buys a part at a store in Phoenix, goes to return it a few miles away at our store in Scottsdale. No problem. Unfortunately Phoenix has a slightly higher sales tax than Scottsdale, meaning the return would be a few cents less (about $0.17) then if he returned it in Phoenix. Most customers understand. This guy didn't. He started getting angry and belligerent. Shouting that O'Reilly's is a national corporation, and all of our prices should be the same, and that we were stealing money from him. He was legitimately scaring other customers out of the store, he was being so loud. I tried explaining calmly that the price was the same (showed him his receipt and the computer screen), and that the difference was local taxes. Explained that if he wished to get every last penny back, he's more than free to return it to a store in Phoenix (nearest one is just 4 miles away). Guy screams that he drives a Ford Excursion, and would burn more gas driving over there. The Ford, meanwhile, is idling, parked across both handicapped spaces and the sidewalk. He continues his screaming rant, and demands to see a manager. My manager was standing directly beside me the whole time, wearing a shirt that said "manager". Ryan says "Hi, I'm the manager..." throws a pocket-full of change at him and says "now get the fuck out of my store before I call the police." ...angry asshole mumbles something and walks away.

clocker > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:00

0

Maybe not the "worst" but this just happened yesterday and I think it's indicative of the way things go in parts stores nowadays...

Redoing the fuel system in the project Z and needed fuel hose.

We are replacing everything and just figured getting 10' would cover it all. Walked in to Autozone and asked for 10' of 5/16" fuel hose rated for injection systems.

"What year, make and model?"

"Um, what bloody difference does it make...it's hose, I want 10 feet."

"I can't find the part if I don't have that information."

We bantered uselessly for a while longer before another worker came by and lead us over to the standard, prepackaged 18" lengths of hose that every box store sells.

And couldn't understand why 6 packages of 18" length wasn't quite the same as a 10' uncut piece.

"What car is this for again?"

After years of this question (none of my cars are stock), I finally broke.

"OK, you win; let's go back to the computer and do it your way."

"Year, make and model, please."

"1977 Datsun 280Z"

"We don't show 'Datsun'."

"Try 'Nissan"."

"Ah, OK! Here we go...280Z eh...2.8l, NA?"

"No, 1.3l twin turbo, FD rotary. (hee, hee)."

"Um...fuel injected?"

"Certainly! And by the way, it's got an FC fuel tank/pump setup too!"

"Errr..."

"Boy, I can hardly wait to see what info your computer spits out now that you know all the pertinent background!"

"I'm not seeing anything here like that..."

"No shit, Sherlock."

"I don't think we can help you."

"If you had 10' of 5/16" fuel hose on a reel in the back you could..."

"We have 18" in packages."

This is when living in Colorado really pays off.

I was sufficiently (and legally!) ripped enough that I didn't kill him, just sighed, thanked him for his time (everyone was very polite despite being useless) and left.

It's a sad day when a gearhead walks into an auto parts store and realizes that no one knows jack shit about cars anymore. They know all about part numbers but absolutely nothing about the physical part itself.

Dadu > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:00

7

Walked in picked up the stuff I needed. went to the counter, When I saw Mr. Open Carry. I didn't say shit, just walked out. Ain't been back.

Michael Zaite > smalleyxb122 09/28/2014 at 13:01

0

What, Chinese labor is shady and wrong!!!!!?

Le Monstre > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 09/28/2014 at 13:01

2

When I did parts retail, and if it was something returnable, I'd just give them both, and whichever one they didn't need they could just bring back. Saves us all time, and hey, you may of needed both. Some GM trucks use 1/4 line, and 3/16 on the rear.

Land-Rover Matt > mrairsoft98 09/28/2014 at 13:01

7

Frankly, he sounds mentally ill or something.

deekster_caddy > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:02

13

I was young and working with one other young guy, we were running our store on a Sunday. The store was usually not opened on Sunday, but after some discussing with the owners they decided it would be okay for two of us to open up for 4 hours, we usually did 10-2. There was technically no 'manager' on site, as we were just a couple of kids and usually took in under $1000 to the register, so there wasn't any big money to handle.

One sunday this guy comes in to return a full exhaust system from a Monte Carlo saying that it wouldn't fit. We didn't have close to enough cash in the drawer, and I knew he had special ordered the system, so I asked him to bring it back another day when the owner/manager was in. He was very firm that it needed to be returned today. I asked him to bring it in and I'd take a look.

It was obvious from the pipes that it had been used. There was soot in the tailpipes! There was no way I could accept that kind of return without checking with the boss. He was horribly insistent, and started yelling at me in front of a line of customers. I'll interrupt here to say that I don't handle conflict well, and try to be as nice as possible... but in this case I knew that the owner wouldn't have taken this return for a full refund. I had tried to call him, but no luck. I am really glad I stood my ground that day, on Monday when we met the owner was furious at the customer, and when he came back in the owner told him to get fucking lost. I was really proud of my actions that day - I stood my ground and made the decision I made, and the store owner backed me up 100%.

He (owner) told me later that he suspected the guy was going to return it, and probably would have taken it back for a partial refund, but after hearing how he had treated me he changed his tune.

It's also one of the days when I decided that retail was not for me. Because of that, and other stories I hear like it, I will never ever work a retail job again.

Sagar93 > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:03

0

I went in to T&T auto parts and the moron tried to convince me there isn't a fuel filter on 2012 dodge ram 3500s because he didn't have it in his computer therefore it must not exist

JACU - I've got bonifides. > Tohru 09/28/2014 at 13:03

1

Love Lewis Black.

Rpadula > Tohru 09/28/2014 at 13:03

1

I thought i had a shitty job. Thank you.

TREE88 > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:03

7

any time the words "see paper catalog" comes up on the computer screen.

I have come to the conclusion that the words "see paper catalog" must mean something completely different to mass market autoparts store employees, and by something different, I mean the responses vary from "oh, that's a dealer only part" to "you must be wrong about the information you have given me" to my all time favorite "you're lying. If my computer does not show that particular parts combination then it never existed"- seriously. (Autozone, cookeville tn trying to purchase a throw out bearing for a 1991 pontiac grand prix with a manual transmission)

Or more recently, trying to get a rear u-joint for a 2005 chevrolet 1500 extended cab Z71 with the full time 4wd (optional, low take rate) transfer case. All of the local chain stores insisted I was insane, and that I was just not putting the joint in correctly- So I brought the driveshaft (one-piece aluminum, not the usual 2 piece) and the yoke off of the rear end into the store with me, at which point they promptly told me that the truck did not come that way and they couldn't help me. An entire sunday spent making trips back and forth to parts stores.

Went to a mom-n-pop parts store on monday, the counter guy pulled out a paper catalog, and hands me the correct u-joint in about 30 seconds. Just for shits and giggles, I called the chain stores to see if they stocked the part number, Every single one had it in stock.

I cannot even attribute the actions of the chain store employees to laziness. as I am sure that dealing with me multiple times took longer than opening a book.

Scania99 > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:04

0

Having to make three trips to replace the same ignition cylinder three times in my CJ5 because they were broken in the box...Honestly, the AMC part lasted thirty years but these parts can't make it out of the box

Michael Zaite > 93Miata 09/28/2014 at 13:07

1

We don't have them where I live, but biased on all the stories it's starting to sound like Pep Boys runs on commission or bonus or something.

JaysDMC > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:07

5

buy anything for a DeLorean. Before they attempt to even look the part number up you get "oh they don't make parts for that car anymore".

Mercwri > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:12

0

Tales from the Shop:

Ordered MOOG ball-joints and Tie-Rod ends for a van, parts come in MOOG boxes, inside are "white-box" parts (shitty off-brand crap), call up parts store tell them someone did a swap (Eg ordered booth, used the MOOG put the white box parts in the MOOG box and returned the MOOG boxed white-box crap). A proper set came down right quick.

Choice on starters for a car, its a long time to pull the starter so I order both choices. Starter comes out, parts come-in late, both boxes have the same starter, neither matches the starter for the car. Call and re-order the second choice, still not correct. Get on the phone with the parts guy, turns out the listing is incorrect, they don't have it in stock it'll take two days.

edwin > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:12

0

I drive a miata so, when asking for parts at autozone, I ask for the MX5. They stare at the screen for a second and ask if it was the SUV. I said no, then they said they found my car, assuring me it was the MX5. I order the parts, and when I come in the next week, I'm seeing parts that don't fit.

They were for a CX-5

pfftballer > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver 09/28/2014 at 13:15

6

Corvette drivers are good people.

DipodomysDeserti > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:15

18

I would have given you the parts for free because you make tacos. This is America, I you don't like tacos or Mexicans, you can just get the fuck out.

Mercwri > High Road 09/28/2014 at 13:15

4

What state do you live in?

In NY the only things that keep you from getting unemployment are quitting for no reason and being removed for criminal charges.

Michael Zaite > Phantomlimb 09/28/2014 at 13:17

7

When warranty goes from meaning "We believe this part will last at least the length of the warranty period" to "We got this part so cheap at cost we can just keep replacing it till the end of time and still come out ahead."

The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:19

26

I changed the oil in my car, as I always do, then emptied the drain pan into a clear plastic gallon jug (that used to contain washer fluid), and drove to O'Reilly Auto Parts to recycle the oil. Where I live (southeast MI), auto parts stores are required by law to provide free oil recycling to customers, to discourage people from pouring their used motor oil into the sewer like a bunch of illiterate hill-people.

However, I found out that being legally required to provide a service doesn't mean that they'll be cheerful about it. The grumpy old asshole at the counter looked at me like I'd handed him a dead skunk when I asked them to recycle my oil, then insisted that I wait there while he went into the back and poured the oil into their container. 5 minutes later, he comes back and hands me the empty jug, telling me that O'Reilly will not dispose of the container in their garbage. As I'm leaving the store, I glance over my shoulder, and there's this same prick, staring at me through the window, to make sure I don't put the jug in the trash receptacle that's right outside their door. Apparently, this man really has some deep-seated hatred of plastic jugs with oil residue on the inside of them.

Having not learned my lesson at all, I returned to the same store a few months later, with a similar jug of oil, and asked a different asshole there if they can recycle it for for me. Almost before I'm done asking, he says "Nope, can't do it, the container in the back is full." Of course, they won't just take my old jug and wait until the container is emptied, because god forbid, someone would have to throw that old jug away once they did. I returned the following week, and of course, their container was conveniently still full. I started to sense a pattern here...

Across the street from O'Reilly, there's a quick-lube. So, I drove over there, and asked one of the guys working there if he'd be so kind as to let me dump my used oil in their recycling tank. Now, obviously I'm not a customer, because if I were, they'd have drained the oil straight from my oil pan into that tank, but the guy was cheerful as could be about it, just so long as it was all oil, with no coolant or anything else mixed in. He even grabbed the jug out of my trunk, "so you don't get your hands dirty." (Which is something that a person who does DIY oil changes is clearly worried about.) I asked if I should wait and take my old jug back, but he was also more than happy to throw it in their garbage for me.

I'm pretty sure that's the best service I've ever received from a business where I'd spent no money, and and probably never would. Next time I go back there, I'm taking them a 6-pack of beer for their trouble.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:23

9

In my immediate area, I have an Advance Auto, an AutoZone, and a Pep Boys. That's usually the order in which I use them, because Advance seemed to have the best people to work with.

Not so much anymore. Advance has stopped hiring up to a standard and instead hire down to a price. I went there and asked for a master cylinder for a '69 Corvair. Corvette? No, Corvair. So...is that with the 5.7 liter v8? No, it's a 2.7 liter 6 cylinder. It's a Corvette, right? No, it's a Corvair. Oh...what was the part again?

$40 and they can have it tomorrow. Okay, how about Autozone? $50, but you won't see it until Tuesday. I didn't even want to call Pep Boys, so I was shocked when they told me it was $20 and they'll leave it at the front desk for me because it's in stock.

I used to go into a parts store because I wanted some knowledge, but you don't get that anymore. I'll just Google my questions and buy from RockAuto, I guess.

The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin > mrairsoft98 09/28/2014 at 13:27

12

Well, in fairness, Saturn also made a car they called the SC, available in SC1 or SC2 variants, so the guy at the store must have assumed that the SC400 was a very advanced version of that car...

Mercwri > The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin 09/28/2014 at 13:28

4

I hate to say it but depending on where you are, you are not allowed to accept containers just the waste-oil. The town codes for the last shop I worked in specially stated that we had to accept the oil AND direct them to bring the container to town waste management. Having empty non-approved waste-oil containers on site wase a $20 fine per container.

The worst was having to explain to people that we couldn't accept old/bad gas and that we couldn't accept oil mixed with water or coolant, again that had to be brought in seperate containers to town waste management (which was literally less than a mile away) we didn't do it for 3 reasons.

1. Against Code!

2. Waste oil containers were near the bay where we did the most torching, grinding, and welding.

3. We ran waste-oil heat in the winter, and mixing gas in it can cause it to break-down.

It was always an argument when someone would come and try to drop-off a couple gallons of gas-oil-antifreeze-whalejizz mixture.

RotaryLove > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:29

0

I came in looking to purchase some oil, spark plugs, and an air filter. Just to make things interesting I told the guy I needed a head gasket for my '83 Mazda RX-7 (12a engine) and he was confused when he couldn't find anything in their system. For 20 minutes he insisted I stay while he called around looking for the nonexistent head gasket. I tried explaining it was a joke but the concept of rotary engines was apparently beyond his level of understanding, and we both wasted a bunch of time. I felt awful afterward.

Land-Rover Matt > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:35

29

I have a story about good store person.

In my younger days I was in Germany and needed EP90 gear oil for my Landrover, went to a parts shop down the road and described, in my car ignorant, bad German way, what I needed. Guy comes up with a bottle of oil but the numbers are different to what I'm used to.

Him: "Dunno about "EP90" but this is what you want."

Me: "Well, er I know what it smells like so if I can open it and sniff it I'll know." (EP90 smells like rancid piss for some reason.)

Him: "Okaaay, that's a new one on me."

I smelt it and it was indeed the right, rotten smelling stuff so I bought it.

Next week I went in for an indicator relay and the bloke behind the counter goes "Do you wanna to sniff it before you buy it? I can open the packaging if you'd like." Piss taking Germans. ;)

The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin > DonKeybals 09/28/2014 at 13:35

4

Yeah, I love it when they do that. I asked for NGK Iridium plugs, which are the factory plug on my car, and the guy at the counter tries to sell me Champion plugs, because he uses them in his car and therefore must be the greatest spark plug in the history of the universe.

The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin > Umoja 09/28/2014 at 13:36

4

Ohhhhh, they got ya good.

IDRIVENEON > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:40

0

Bought parts for my brakes at autozone just this past week. Wheel cylinder in the rear failed leaving me with almost no brake pressure driving my minivan down a mountain. Tried downshifting (it's a 5 speed) but the 23 year old 2.5 4 banger has about 7:1 compression and was absolutely no help in engine braking. There was just enough brake pressure for me to stop at a gas station and clamp the offending corner's line with a set of vice grips to make it the rest of the ride home.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > Land-Rover Matt 09/28/2014 at 13:40

5

german humor never ceases to amaze me

gabest > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:45

0

I was working at a chain auto store. Something to get me through while I waited for a full time job to open up. I was assisting a middle aged professor guy with the battery machine. He had one of those man purse shoulder bags. The battery would not hold a charge for longer than a week, and apparently he would come in every week to charge the battery. This was for an ancient Jetta that probably had 500k miles, but the guy still thought it was a creampuff, because German car.

I was removing the battery from the charger, and he decides to bend down and try to take the battery from me. His bag slid off his shoulder, and hit me in the head. I dropped the battery because I didn't expect to get hit in the head when I was helping a customer.

As soon as it hit the floor, he screamed "GOD DAMN IT, YOU SHIT". Which caused the manager to come out. Manager asks whats going on, when the guy decides to get into my face and start screaming at me saying that I caused his battery to be cracked, and demand I pay for a new one. In front of other customers. I told him that i was picking up the battery, and that his bag hit me in the head. He said "I do not buy crappy products that fall off my shoulder"

I laughed in his face and said "So that's why you are charging a battery that is 10 years old to put into your Jetta?"

The manager laughed and asked the guy to pick up his battery to make sure it was not cracked, and asked him to leave. The manager had me stay in the back of the store stocking parts the rest of the day.

SeikenFreak > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:45

0

Working at an Advance Auto Parts. Company is a pile of shit. That is my worst auto parts story.

The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin > Mercwri 09/28/2014 at 13:47

1

I suppose it's possible, but before O'Reilly bought them (it used to be a Murray's Auto Parts), they never had a problem with it, legal or not. Had the first guy explained that to me, instead of being a jerk about it, I would have understood. Unfortunately, his attitude made the whole experience unpleasant, and in any case, my subsequent visits made it clear that they were not really interested in recycling anyone's used oil, based on their complete refusal to do so.

Arashitora > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:48

10

So I think we have determined that its the parts store EMPLOYEES not the parts store that's an issue here. I work for one of, if not the, largest parts store chains in North America. I can't tell you the countless times I've had to correct a coworker mid transaction to prevent disaster. Its all about who you get on the other side of the counter. I have access to 3/4 of OEM parts catalogs, knock sensor for a JDM sr20det in your 240...I can get you a part # if I can't get to cross. EJ20k in your Subaru, I can handle that, Auxiliary water pump for a turbo Volkswagen? I got that covered. Come in on a day when I'm not there and people will look at you funny.

Maxzillian > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:53

1

Nothing too terrible, just some things I had to shake my head at.

The first I can think of was right after I got my Chrysler Conquest. Despite the previous owner promising that he'd bring me the oil pan he couldn't find when I picked up the car... he never did. So I called the local Mitsubishi dealership (local being a 40 minute drive) to see if they had one. The guy on the phone said it was no problem, making it sound like they had one in stock. He even knew what the hell a Conquest/Starion was.

So I drive down there, only to find the guy on the phone has left and the guy behind the counter swears he needs a VIN to look up any parts. So I give him my number and he can't find anything. I informed him that the car was a Chrysler branded version so it wasn't a huge surprise. At that point I ask him if he can just do it by year and model.

Oh no, that's impossible. There could be a mid year change for the oil pan and we couldn't know that without the VIN. I informed him I could look up the factory parts books and get him the number, vowing that I KNEW it had not changed throughout the years (same part from 1983 to 1989). Nope, still no. He suggested I find another Starion in town and use its VIN. Another Starion? At the time I knew of none and five years later I've only confirmed four. Thanks buddy, I really enjoyed blowing a 40 minute drive for your shit. Ultimately a friend in California shipped me an oil pan.

The other case was me trying to hodge-podge something together so I bent up some coat hanger wire into a shape I needed for some heater hose. I went into the local O'Reillys and informed the guy up-front that I was trying to cobble something together, there was not a specific model of car I had in mind and that I need a 5/8" hose bent to this shape (about a 4" U). He proceeds to ask me what year and model this is for... good listening skills. After explaining it another two times he finally goes to the back of the store and returns with a hose that'll work. Good man!

I've tried shopping with the local Autozone, but I find their staff is just too inexperienced and too slow; often requiring me to stand in line for 15-20 minutes. The local O'Reilly has a staff of guys who are mostly over 40 years old, know their shit and are happy to help (except the one that always just assumes you want the cheapest part and never tells you the options). That and I've found their website is much easier to find parts on and they're more than happy to look something up by number only. If it's something really obscure, I'll check their website for what I need so I don't have to waste their (or my) time at the store. Works every time!

RotaryLove > The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin 09/28/2014 at 13:54

3

I am pissed at this point and tell him my year make and model yet again

So that makes it okay for the guy to deliberately ignore the "make" part of year make and model? That guy deserved what he got. Saturn and Lexus sound nothing alike...

Guy DudeBroMan > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 13:57

2

I've got three, all from when I was working the counter at an Autozone.

First one was a snow storm that hit. It'd been in the news for a week or so before hand; even I knew about it, and I didn't watch TV or listen to the radio! It came on time and just as bad as they expected—which is itself remarkable. The next day, only myself and one other guy in a crew of 5 or 6 bothered to come in to work that day, and the two of us had a line practically out the door for most of the day, selling chains to people that, apparently, hadn't heard about the storm before-hand. Could have probably handled that line faster if I hadn't been running in and out of the store all day to look at their tire sizes because they came in completely unprepared. Day 2? Sold just as many to just as many people. We had our manager run to the manufacturer, which was just on the other side of the city (lucky for us) and buy more on two different occasions because we ran out so fast.

Day **4,** people are still coming in for chains. Of course, now they get mad at ME for not having any. ....Dude, where were you four days ago? Or the WEEK before that? And how many other places have you gone to that also DON'T HAVE THEM? I'd give you my personal tire chains if I had any, myself!

Second one—a guy calls up asking for 'a rotor' for whatever-the-car-was. I ask him, 'brake or ignition?' "A rotor," he repeats. "A *brake* rotor, or an *ignition* rotor?" I repeat, not sure if he heard my original question. He starts yelling to a friend on his side of the line, "this guy keeps asking me 'brake' or 'ignition!'" as if I'm an idiot. He eventually hangs up on me, and the phone rings a minute later. I was telling my manager about it, so we both know who it probably is. I let him pick it up, and, wow! "Are you looking for a brake rotor or an ignition rotor" was the next question after he got the make and model! Almost like we had a *reason* to ask! "Why would I ask for just **1** brake rotor?!?" he said, livid. "Sir? We have people coming in here all the time asking for just one brake rotor. It's dumb, but it happens all the time, people buy just one instead of changing them in pairs." So much anger and so much back-and-forth that could have been avoided by just answering the question the first time, man. We're not all jerks and we're not all stupid, some of us are just genuinely trying to make sure we give you what you need instead of wasting your time.

Last one is maybe the worst. Picked up a call from a guy wanting a part for his van, I can't remember the specifics. I ask him the year, then make, and then ask him the model. He doesn't know what I mean by 'model' the first time, so I say something along the lines of, 'what kind of van?'

"Grey."

...I hesitated, trying to hear a 'joke' in his voice. I still haven't found one. Of course, there was also the guy that wanted 'spark plugs' for his Cummins... I could go on.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin 09/28/2014 at 13:58

1

the odd thing is that even my mom knows that a sc400 is a Lexus and she's doesn't know crap about cars

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin 09/28/2014 at 14:00

2

my dad uses waste oil for his space heater in the winter. Its a win-win for both of us.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > DonKeybals 09/28/2014 at 14:03

6

I always thought the intake gaskets for my e38 were made by hot Bavarian drindl ladies......I'm so disappointed.

The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin > RotaryLove 09/28/2014 at 14:08

0

That was a joke...

SeikenFreak > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 14:11

2

Working at an Advance Auto Parts. Company is a pile of crap. That is my worst auto parts story.

Edit: Ugh I guess I should try to sum up the two major ones. I feel like I've written these stories two dozen times.

First time: They transferred a manager in from another store. He wanted his own group of thugs from his other store. They started firing people left and right. They (store manager and district manger) sat me down in the "office" and asked me about some random transaction from 4-6 months earlier and said because the computer showed the 'core' (old broken starter or alternators) being moved around a bunch in the transaction it seemed suspicious. I said I had no idea because it was months ago but that didn't seem that uncommon when you deal with pain in the ass customers who can't make up their mind. But they insisted I was stealing cores. I denied it. They wouldn't really let me leave until I signed the paper admitting to it. Guess they won in the end because I was bullied and pressured into signing it and I left.

Second time: (This was back at the same store several years later. They hired me back because I'm awesome) This time I'm running the commercial desk. Our top commercial customer was a complete psycho, misogynistic, shouting asshole. He usually has his second-in-command handle parts orders and that guy is super cool. Well that second-in-command guy took a vacation that week so the business owner super asshole was taking all of his pent up I-couldn't-cut-it-in-college-football-so-here-I-am-fixing-shitboxes rage out on the parts guys. This happened whenever the other guy took a vacation for a week. Long story short, he gave me wrong/vague information about a car, got pissed, and called regional management which came down on our store like a hundred ton of bricks because they will do anything for their adorable precious customer. Someone's head had to roll because that is how the company works even though this specific commercial customer was well known throughout management to be insane and verbally abusive. That same day they asked me to step down and get a pay cut or transfer to a different store. I essentially said F you, I hate this place and you were never going to give me the second half of the raise I asked for because I was doing the job of someone who gets paid three times what I was and walked out. Manager has asked me if I would come back again whenever I've gone in there.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > JaysDMC 09/28/2014 at 14:15

4

You should have said "Of course they do in 2055!" People freak out not realizing that the engine is a prv and its not rocket science to get a part for it.

Daniel Rowland > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 14:20

2

So, two Stories from the same place, not quite sure why I went back. But here it goes.

I went to Baron BMW in Kc, to get a new emblem for my '98 328iS. I walked up to the parts counter and bought the emblem and grommets. I didn't know how to put the new one on, so one of the employees offered to do it for me. (I think it was the manager, not sure though.) Being a teenager, I said sure! Who wouldn't allow the BMW dealership to put the emblem on your car. So, I pulled my car around into the shop and get out. The employee come over and takes a retracting metal tape measure sort of thing and starts to ship off the old emblem. After it's off, he tries to take the old grommets out with some sort of tin snips or something. He ends up clipping off the ends and pushes the grommets into my trunk, behind the bodywork. He scratched my car in the process, so, he goes to his office to get some touch up paint. He comes back with BLACK touch up paint on my GREEN car, granted it was underneath the emblem, but still... He covers up the scratches, puts on the new one and sends me on my way. (I later figured out how to do this myself and it's the easiest fucking thing you could do to your car, next to adding wiper fluid.) So I leave and thank him for putting it on. Cause I'm just a nice guy.

Now, I go back about a month later because I want BMW floor mats. They didn't happen to have them in stock, so, the employee said he would order them. We paid and he said that he would call us in about 2 weeks when they got in. I leave for college, and 2 months later there was no call, so my dad went over there for me. The employee said they were discontinued and no longer being made. Why would they sell me something that they couldn't get.... Well, anyways, I don't think i'm ever going back. They did refund me for the purchase.

TL;DR: Went to Baron BMW and watched them scratch the shit out of my paint and sell me discontinued items.

Jumbojeepman > Michael Zaite 09/28/2014 at 14:28

0

The assumption is you'll sell the car before the part fails. Warranty only applies to the original purchaser.

Michael Zaite > Jumbojeepman 09/28/2014 at 14:34

0

In that case the part would have to at least be working when it came out of the box.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > The Transporter 09/28/2014 at 14:37

0

I said "Happy Holidays" to someone passing by my property last winter. Her faced turned instantly sour after a previously-pleasant exchange, and she retorted, as if to melt my soul, "Merry Christmas."

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > Daniel Rowland 09/28/2014 at 14:37

1

Use ticscher BMW, ECS tuning, fcpeuro, oembimmerparts for all those dealer only parts if needed. I got a new key fob from a park ave BMW for under $200 so that's the only good dealer story. BMW rubber floor mats are only available for the e39 now.

moparman > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 14:38

0

I went to napa to get 5w20 for my new dodge. There was none on the shelf so I ask the dim bulb behind the counter if they have any in the back. He asks standard or synthetic? I say what ever you got. He flips out and says he won't sell me oil cause I'm trying to blow up my engine and then come back and sue him. He really wouldn't sell me any oil! So I go to the dodge dealer the next day and ask the parts guy if it matters and he says, We only recommend using mopar oil & oil filters. Then he says, but in reality it doesn't matter. Never going to napa again!

moparman > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 14:38

2

I went to napa to get 5w20 for my new dodge. There was none on the shelf so I ask the dim bulb behind the counter if they have any in the back. He asks standard or synthetic? I say what ever you got. He flips out and says he won't sell me oil cause I'm trying to blow up my engine and then come back and sue him. He really wouldn't sell me any oil! So I go to the dodge dealer the next day and ask the parts guy if it matters and he says, We only recommend using mopar oil & oil filters. Then he says, but in reality it doesn't matter. Never going to napa again!

The Stig's Rustbelt Cousin > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 14:39

2

My dad's dealership uses their waste oil to heat the entire place.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > moparman 09/28/2014 at 14:41

0

Same here never going to Napa again.

Shifty > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 14:55

4

Going to work everyday...(I've sold parts for the last 33 years)

theshinobi01 > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) 09/28/2014 at 15:01

0

I once bought a set of Duralast Ceramic brake pads from an AutoZone store. Stupid me didn't even look at the pads before I left the store. When I went to go install them on my 240SX, turns out someone had returned their old, dirty, worn out pads in the box and returned it. I went to back to the store with my receipt and thankfully I was able to get another set but man, that was brutal.