michael0584
1/2 ton status
Weird, We have advance auto parts here and I've never had a problem. I always order online and use coupon codes to save money then pickup in store. They've never said anything about it.
CK5
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The "helpful, know nothing"...
- Thread starter TheBeast_88K5
- Start date
scottystills
1/2 ton status
My three favourite, in recent memory anyway.
1. Me: Hey there I need a set of stud removers.
Parts counter guy: Same as a steering wheel remover right? Right over here...
2. M: Hey there I need a lift pump for an 88 K5 Blazer with the 6.2 diesel.
PCG: That's a Ford right?
M: Chevy
PCG: Oh here it is. 350?
M: 379 Diesel
PCG: No such thing.
M: Ugh... Look for a late 80s K20 or K30 with the 379 diesel option.
PCG: Oh here it is. What do you need again?
M: Lift pump
PCG: They don't have lift pumps.
This one goes on for a while, needless to say I didn't get my lift pump.
3. M: Hey there do you have any more ubolts than the ones on the rack, or can you bend me some square ones for a 2.5" spring, need 11" with 5" thread.
PCG: You're fine with what's on the rack dude, ubolts are like u joints, they're all the same.
M: No... need different lengths, sizes, etc. And ujoints there's a ton of different kinds.
PCG: Ok man, go check what you need and come back.
Would it count as a crime of passion if you lost it and beat a parts counter kid to death?
1. Me: Hey there I need a set of stud removers.
Parts counter guy: Same as a steering wheel remover right? Right over here...
2. M: Hey there I need a lift pump for an 88 K5 Blazer with the 6.2 diesel.
PCG: That's a Ford right?
M: Chevy
PCG: Oh here it is. 350?
M: 379 Diesel
PCG: No such thing.
M: Ugh... Look for a late 80s K20 or K30 with the 379 diesel option.
PCG: Oh here it is. What do you need again?
M: Lift pump
PCG: They don't have lift pumps.
This one goes on for a while, needless to say I didn't get my lift pump.
3. M: Hey there do you have any more ubolts than the ones on the rack, or can you bend me some square ones for a 2.5" spring, need 11" with 5" thread.
PCG: You're fine with what's on the rack dude, ubolts are like u joints, they're all the same.
M: No... need different lengths, sizes, etc. And ujoints there's a ton of different kinds.
PCG: Ok man, go check what you need and come back.
Would it count as a crime of passion if you lost it and beat a parts counter kid to death?
Here is a visual for you folks.
Imagine me standing with at a counter with other folks. Not only telling them what parts they need to buy when the counter guy can't, but how to put them on, and a brief history of the part and how it came to be...........
Plus giving the counter guy pointers on how to use his computer.
Sounds like something I would do, right?
Well, it has happened, but here is my real life cluster a couple of weeks ago.
Noticed I had a brake light out as I was backing up one night and only saw one reflected against the trees.
So, next day I walk into Autozone for a bulb.
Since I have never had to change one on this car, I don't know what it uses. I tell the guy that I need a brake light bulb for a 1989 M-class Mercedes.
He checks his computer, no such thing...........
No problem, I rephrase. 1989 ML320 Mercedes.
No such animal.
I turn around and point. " I drove up here in it, there it sits, don't tell me it does not exist."
Nope, not listed.
I tell him, fine. I will go get in my non-existent car and leave.
And I do.
Drive down to a different auto parts store. Tell them the same thing, they assure me it does not exist.
I leave.
At this point, I am going to go out and pull the bulb and just buy a replacement. But, I remember that the other autoparts store has one of those look-up machines plus some actual books in the bulb section, so I go there.
Go to the little machine. Punch in year: 1989
Make: Mercedes.
Model.............................There is no M-class listed.
Check the book, same thing.
Now I am getting a little worried. Didn't they make an M-class? Have I lost my mind?
I stagger out, feel of the car. It feels real. Look at the back. ML320. OK.......I take out a screwdriver and pull the lens.
Get the bulb number, go in a buy a two pack.
Replace that one, put the lens back on, head home, feeling like I was in a Twilight Zone episode.
I go online, check RockAuto.
Make: Mercedes.
Year198....................Wait a minute.......
My TRUCK is a 1989. My CAR is a 1998!!!
I think I will use the other auto parts place that I did not go to for a while........
Imagine me standing with at a counter with other folks. Not only telling them what parts they need to buy when the counter guy can't, but how to put them on, and a brief history of the part and how it came to be...........
Plus giving the counter guy pointers on how to use his computer.
Sounds like something I would do, right?
Well, it has happened, but here is my real life cluster a couple of weeks ago.
Noticed I had a brake light out as I was backing up one night and only saw one reflected against the trees.
So, next day I walk into Autozone for a bulb.
Since I have never had to change one on this car, I don't know what it uses. I tell the guy that I need a brake light bulb for a 1989 M-class Mercedes.
He checks his computer, no such thing...........
No problem, I rephrase. 1989 ML320 Mercedes.
No such animal.
I turn around and point. " I drove up here in it, there it sits, don't tell me it does not exist."
Nope, not listed.
I tell him, fine. I will go get in my non-existent car and leave.
And I do.
Drive down to a different auto parts store. Tell them the same thing, they assure me it does not exist.
I leave.
At this point, I am going to go out and pull the bulb and just buy a replacement. But, I remember that the other autoparts store has one of those look-up machines plus some actual books in the bulb section, so I go there.
Go to the little machine. Punch in year: 1989
Make: Mercedes.
Model.............................There is no M-class listed.
Check the book, same thing.
Now I am getting a little worried. Didn't they make an M-class? Have I lost my mind?
I stagger out, feel of the car. It feels real. Look at the back. ML320. OK.......I take out a screwdriver and pull the lens.
Get the bulb number, go in a buy a two pack.
Replace that one, put the lens back on, head home, feeling like I was in a Twilight Zone episode.
I go online, check RockAuto.
Make: Mercedes.
Year198....................Wait a minute.......
My TRUCK is a 1989. My CAR is a 1998!!!
I think I will use the other auto parts place that I did not go to for a while........
They always get an attitude and refuse to price match their coupons from online. Then when they don't have a special order part have the audacity to say they can order the part for regular price plus shipping and tax. FORGET IT! I'll buy it from rockauto.
Awesome, Fordum! I wish I could say I've never done anything like that.
.
.
I get customers every day that don't know what year car they have, usually they just have the last numbers reversed, like you did (89 vs 98). Sometimes they are 30 years off (76 vs 06). Every one in a while I get the "I dunno. I bought it a few years ago."
Then there are the bunch that must be color blind. They come in to buy accessories, like floor mats and such.
Me: What color is the interior?
Cust: I dunno..... The outside is red.
Me: (facepalm)
Then there are the bunch that must be color blind. They come in to buy accessories, like floor mats and such.
Me: What color is the interior?
Cust: I dunno..... The outside is red.
Me: (facepalm)
bigred88
1/2 ton status
As a former parts counter guy, the whole computer thing was pretty annoying for me, too. Yes, it sounds dumb asking what engine is in a car when you want lugnuts. But, the way the computers work, you have to follow their path- and even for parts that should be the same on all models, I know there are some cars out there that the different engine or trim code does make a difference. Maybe the LX trim has longer wipers than the base model, or the V6 has 5 lug wheels compared to the 4 lug the 4 banger comes with (and although any of us would know how many bolts are holding the wheels on, a lot of people have no clue, and they probably didn't drive that car so we can't just walk out and check). 99% of the time it doesn't make a difference, but you're really going to feel like an idiot if you skip all that stuff and end up selling someone the wrong part when an extra 20 seconds would have ensured the right part.
Bigred you just summed it up! The COMPUTER tells them. It used to be you went to a book looked up the make model and then went across to get part number. The parts person had to think. Now a computer does the thinking for them.
Just look the next time your in a crowd how many are on their smart phones. I am guilty no watch any more I use my phone!
Just look the next time your in a crowd how many are on their smart phones. I am guilty no watch any more I use my phone!
This is why I'm applying for parts delivery jobs and NOT a "counterman" position!...
I think I'd blow my brains out if I had to go back to working a parts counter...it wasn't THAT bad in the 90's when we still had catalogs AND computers,but now that catalogs are "obsolete" ,looking up parts by the computer is a real chore that takes longer than reading the catalog did,I dont want to be the "dumass" asking retarted questions to get the right parts.."I cant look up your wiper blades if you dont know the engine size"..
..it used to be you could "skip" all the questions and the screen showed EVERY possibility--often they were all the same too!..
It was bad enough having to read "footnotes" in the catalogs..they would put a tiny number next to the part number,if you forget to look down to the bottom of the page to see what that number means,you could get a customer pissed enough to kill you when he gets home and finds out the part are "wrong"...he comes back pissed and you look up the listing again,and this time see the footnote says "will not fit SWB models",and guess what HIS truck is!...
..
For 2 bucks an hour less.I'd much rather ride around all day,hand someone a part,get them to sign the slip or collect the cash,and if its "wrong" all I have to say is "well,I didn't look it up--I'll be back!".
..beats standing behind a counter answering 3 phone lines and unloading a shipment of parts all at the same time..
I think I'd blow my brains out if I had to go back to working a parts counter...it wasn't THAT bad in the 90's when we still had catalogs AND computers,but now that catalogs are "obsolete" ,looking up parts by the computer is a real chore that takes longer than reading the catalog did,I dont want to be the "dumass" asking retarted questions to get the right parts.."I cant look up your wiper blades if you dont know the engine size"..
..it used to be you could "skip" all the questions and the screen showed EVERY possibility--often they were all the same too!..It was bad enough having to read "footnotes" in the catalogs..they would put a tiny number next to the part number,if you forget to look down to the bottom of the page to see what that number means,you could get a customer pissed enough to kill you when he gets home and finds out the part are "wrong"...he comes back pissed and you look up the listing again,and this time see the footnote says "will not fit SWB models",and guess what HIS truck is!...
..For 2 bucks an hour less.I'd much rather ride around all day,hand someone a part,get them to sign the slip or collect the cash,and if its "wrong" all I have to say is "well,I didn't look it up--I'll be back!".
..beats standing behind a counter answering 3 phone lines and unloading a shipment of parts all at the same time..
I have to give props to my local O'wronglies. I bet 50% of the time, they pull a catalog out. Of course, I am always looking for something od ball. Thats why I try to look it up first.
I did find a Ford 9" brake cylinder pin that pushes the shoes out, on line. And they could not find it in their computers.
I did find a Ford 9" brake cylinder pin that pushes the shoes out, on line. And they could not find it in their computers.
Well, I had a couple of good stories along these lines, but I'm getting smarter. I did a search, and found both of them in the same thread.
And that thread fits with this topic so well, you could almost just add it on to this one............
coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=272610
And that thread fits with this topic so well, you could almost just add it on to this one............
coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=272610
TheBeast_88K5
Banned
Posts link text..... Doesn't work. 
TheBeast_88K5
Banned
'Preciate it.
Don't know why it did not form a link. I did a copy and paste off the address line like I normally do, but did not check to make sure it wound up a link.
Anyway, some good stuff in there, and I don't mean mine.
Don't know why it did not form a link. I did a copy and paste off the address line like I normally do, but did not check to make sure it wound up a link.
Anyway, some good stuff in there, and I don't mean mine.
TheBeast_88K5
Banned
I like the good stuff... Err, I mean... NEVERMIND.
michael0584
1/2 ton status
I have heard that you cannot use the coupons in store. I always just order online with the coupons and select in store pickup.
Who said you can't use coupons in the store? I work there, there is no issue with any of that.
My buddy Brad - "I'd like to see if you guys list any brake components for a 1975 International Scout II 4x4. It has Dana 44 axles."
Counter Guy - "Is that a Ford?"
Brad - "No, it's an International."
CG - "Like an overseas model?"
Brad - "No, International Harvester. Today they make semi trucks and farm tractors and equipment. Used to make light trucks too."
CG - "So is this a tractor or something?"
Counter Guy - "Is that a Ford?"
Brad - "No, it's an International."
CG - "Like an overseas model?"
Brad - "No, International Harvester. Today they make semi trucks and farm tractors and equipment. Used to make light trucks too."
CG - "So is this a tractor or something?"
