Bad parts counter experiences
- Thread starter six5creed
- Start date
I stopped at Napa this weekend to get an air filter and thermostat for my john deere 425 riding lawn mower. I had the mower year, make, model, engine, size, had the thermostat and air filter in my hand but they still couldn't find it.
I had to pull my phone out to find the part number for the thermostat; gave them the Kawasaki number but they still couldn't find it. Found the autozone number which they were able to cross reference finally. They ended up not having either one so that took 40 minutes of my time!!
I went down the road to O reillys and was in/out of there in 15 minutes with the thermostat and an air filter on order.
I prefer NAPA but its tough when you're battling with them.
Yellowchevy
I had to pull my phone out to find the part number for the thermostat; gave them the Kawasaki number but they still couldn't find it. Found the autozone number which they were able to cross reference finally. They ended up not having either one so that took 40 minutes of my time!!
I went down the road to O reillys and was in/out of there in 15 minutes with the thermostat and an air filter on order.
I prefer NAPA but its tough when you're battling with them.
Yellowchevy
i have a thread like this on a local forum im part of.
here is story from when i was getting parts for my rock crawler i was building
"Autozone cool guy: Hi there, how can i help you?
Me: i need some parts for a 93 chevy s10 4wd 4.3 TBI
Cool guy: ok (enters it all in), what parts
Me: Idler pully, belt and a/c delete bracket/pully
Cool guy: Why in the world would you have a truck in Arizona with no a/c?!
Me: the motor isnt in a truck anymore.
Cool guy: (clicks on idler pully and belt but doesnt search my a/c delete bracket)
Me: you forgot the a/c delete bracket/pully
Cool guy: we wont have it.
Me: Thats great, can you not order the thing? (i say sarcasticly cause now hes wearin on my nerves)
Cool guy: We wouldnt carry it (never looked it up)
Me: so your tellin me that even though this is a factory supplied part to all those back east that ordered their trucks w/o air, you can not get me this part and it wont be in your system.
Cool guy: nope, because we are in az, they wont have it.
So now im quite urked and have decided im just gunna get the belt and be done with this place
Me: ok, just give me a belt then
Cool guy: w/ A/C or w/o A/C
Me: pull me both so i can see the length difference
Cool guy: (again without lookin it up) there will be a 6-8" length difference.
Me: you know that for a fact
Cool guy: no but thats typically the difference.
Me: ok, so listen here, if my motor can have a a/c delete pully and bracket that goes in the SAME EXACT SPOT as truck with A/C and the pully is assumed to be damn close to the same size as the a/c compressor pully, dont you think the length difference is gunna be marginal concidering there is no different factory belt routing for ones with and without a/c? if the two belts you show in your system have a big difference in length i can figure out a new routing with the shorter one, got it?
Cool guy: ok well maybe there will only be a 2" difference (then he stands there and stares at me)
Me: Can you pull me two damn belts or not? i dont understand why im standing here arguing with you about this
Cool guy: yeah, hang on (looks up part numbers and goes looking for belts)
Cool guy: we only have the belt for truck with A/C.
Me: your computer says you have both.
Cool guy: i know what my computer says, but we only have the one.
Me: Fine, ring up whats here cause im standing around here
And i got the hell out of there and headed to o'reilys across the street for the rest of my parts where i got a kid who thought 1 foot is equal to 24 inches. Im not even joking. i had him measure out three different sizes of carburated fuel line and told him i needed 2 foot of each. he gave me 4 ft of each and rang them up as 2 ft each. i just shook my head and though maybe that was karma payin me back for the fun she had with me at autozone lol "
another one
"Went to oreillys yesterday night cause i needed a helicoil. Walk in and tell the kid, "i need a 8mm by one and one quarter helicoil kit". kid disappears for about 3-4 min then comes back. "what size again did you need?", i said "8mm by one and one quarter metric". He says "oh im sorry, we dont have those in the back. they all go by decimal point". i stare at him for a few seconds quite confused if hes being serious or not and with no que from him to say hes joking i say "well one and one quarter is the same as one point two five". he says "oh we have those, hang on a sec". i about died laughing in that store. guy behind me couldnt believe it either and says "ill be talking with someone else, this guy aint to bright". Smh, edumacashon must not be a strong point for him lmao. "
here is story from when i was getting parts for my rock crawler i was building
"Autozone cool guy: Hi there, how can i help you?
Me: i need some parts for a 93 chevy s10 4wd 4.3 TBI
Cool guy: ok (enters it all in), what parts
Me: Idler pully, belt and a/c delete bracket/pully
Cool guy: Why in the world would you have a truck in Arizona with no a/c?!
Me: the motor isnt in a truck anymore.
Cool guy: (clicks on idler pully and belt but doesnt search my a/c delete bracket)
Me: you forgot the a/c delete bracket/pully
Cool guy: we wont have it.
Me: Thats great, can you not order the thing? (i say sarcasticly cause now hes wearin on my nerves)
Cool guy: We wouldnt carry it (never looked it up)
Me: so your tellin me that even though this is a factory supplied part to all those back east that ordered their trucks w/o air, you can not get me this part and it wont be in your system.
Cool guy: nope, because we are in az, they wont have it.
So now im quite urked and have decided im just gunna get the belt and be done with this place
Me: ok, just give me a belt then
Cool guy: w/ A/C or w/o A/C
Me: pull me both so i can see the length difference
Cool guy: (again without lookin it up) there will be a 6-8" length difference.
Me: you know that for a fact
Cool guy: no but thats typically the difference.
Me: ok, so listen here, if my motor can have a a/c delete pully and bracket that goes in the SAME EXACT SPOT as truck with A/C and the pully is assumed to be damn close to the same size as the a/c compressor pully, dont you think the length difference is gunna be marginal concidering there is no different factory belt routing for ones with and without a/c? if the two belts you show in your system have a big difference in length i can figure out a new routing with the shorter one, got it?
Cool guy: ok well maybe there will only be a 2" difference (then he stands there and stares at me)
Me: Can you pull me two damn belts or not? i dont understand why im standing here arguing with you about this
Cool guy: yeah, hang on (looks up part numbers and goes looking for belts)
Cool guy: we only have the belt for truck with A/C.
Me: your computer says you have both.
Cool guy: i know what my computer says, but we only have the one.
Me: Fine, ring up whats here cause im standing around here
And i got the hell out of there and headed to o'reilys across the street for the rest of my parts where i got a kid who thought 1 foot is equal to 24 inches. Im not even joking. i had him measure out three different sizes of carburated fuel line and told him i needed 2 foot of each. he gave me 4 ft of each and rang them up as 2 ft each. i just shook my head and though maybe that was karma payin me back for the fun she had with me at autozone lol "
another one
"Went to oreillys yesterday night cause i needed a helicoil. Walk in and tell the kid, "i need a 8mm by one and one quarter helicoil kit". kid disappears for about 3-4 min then comes back. "what size again did you need?", i said "8mm by one and one quarter metric". He says "oh im sorry, we dont have those in the back. they all go by decimal point". i stare at him for a few seconds quite confused if hes being serious or not and with no que from him to say hes joking i say "well one and one quarter is the same as one point two five". he says "oh we have those, hang on a sec". i about died laughing in that store. guy behind me couldnt believe it either and says "ill be talking with someone else, this guy aint to bright". Smh, edumacashon must not be a strong point for him lmao. "
I had an old 95 s10 with a 2.2 4cyl went into AutoZone( last choice) to get a head gasket set for it and the guy behind the counter told me my truck doors not have a 2.2 but a 2.5 i said no your wrong and he said he was right and somebody had switch the engine. I just walked out
You should try getting parts for an 87 Suzuki Samurai with toyota axles, tracker engine, jeep suspension and other random parts thrown into the mix. They thought I had a whole fleet of vehicles LOL
i have lol. my 92 samurai was built the same way. used a 95 chevy s10 2.2 power steering pump, 90 astrovan gear box, 93 yj springs, 84 toyota axles, polaris scrambler engine mounts on the t-case mounts, 94 toyota rear e locker, 87 transmission (different 5th gear ratio), and on and on and on lol
Mine had toyoDa power steering, EFI and polaris t-case mounts also. LOL
I hate I sold that, it was by far my favorite toy I have had.
yeah mine was sold last year but i built a 2000 suzuki grand vitara after selling the sami. not as over built as the sami but can run the same trails and waaaay better a/c. DD's better too with the v6 lol
As far as I'm concerned a good parts guy is as valuable as a good technician at a dealer. I get my parts 35 miles away and this dealer delivers them to my house and the dealer 6 miles away can't even keep a good parts person. the female that works there take's 20 minutes on hold to find glow plugs for a LBZ and then says "I don't think we even have those" call back and the guy says they have them. the good parts guy at the close one wanted a raise or he had to leave so they let him leave. stupid.
Is it everywhere that dealers cant do a damn thing with a VIN #? Drives me nuts. Heavy Equipment are just as bad. I have the parts number in my hand you jackass no I don't have the VIN/Serial #.
The last one was I had to have a key made for my Chevy work truck. The parts guy needed the VIN to get the right key. Then refused to cut me a copy. Said he would only cut me a key if I paid for the key code to be looked up via the VIN. If it wouldnt of been the end of the day I would of told him to stick his $90 key up his ass and gone to my lock smith.
The last one was I had to have a key made for my Chevy work truck. The parts guy needed the VIN to get the right key. Then refused to cut me a copy. Said he would only cut me a key if I paid for the key code to be looked up via the VIN. If it wouldnt of been the end of the day I would of told him to stick his $90 key up his ass and gone to my lock smith.
Dorman 34152 --- $32 Takes same belt as with AC.
That took 25 seconds, including typing.
Its not difficult to do a good job, its just that most people nowadays are too lazy to do it.
and when you dont like your job or think your above all, it can be taken very badly when your in the "selling to the end user" business.
Can't say I have had many real bad ones, thankfully.
I usually get everything online, but the last time I changed trans filters on my car I got quite the series of stares and "sir what truck do you have?" Had to walk the part guy through the whole premise of the trans not being in what it left the factory in. :rofl:
I usually get everything online, but the last time I changed trans filters on my car I got quite the series of stares and "sir what truck do you have?" Had to walk the part guy through the whole premise of the trans not being in what it left the factory in. :rofl:
I always take the time to look up part numbers before I go to a parts store. I found the time it takes for me to look up the numbers pays off in time saved at the parts house. As you pointed out, 25 seconds on the internet avoids the painful 20 questions routine at the store. Although, it doesn't give you any funny stories.
I keep a list of vehicles that share parts I need. Fortunately, in the part of California I'm in all the parts stores are used to farmers, which means that if you come in a request a filter for a C6 transmission, it probably is in a piece of equipment, not the original vehicle. Regardless, I find it easier to just show up with the part number in hand.
We've got a pretty good selection of part stroes/ dealers in my area so it's nice to have choices. The AZ near my work has some pretty good guys at it, but other then that Napa is the only place worth a damn in town. Also got a Napa that specializes in diesels/ big rigs which definitely comes in handy. Those guys know their $hit for sure. I won't even go to the advance or pep boys anymore. Got an older guy who worked at the GMC dealer for years who can usually hook me up with the parts department there, so that helps as well.
This is the truth. There's a battery place near me that sells all types of batteries. I talked to the owner one day somewhere else and I was told to come by he had a marine battery that was blemished. I go by and he's gone to lunch. The other guy who works there is pissed off at the world and everyone and everything in it. I ask him about said battery. He said we don't have one. I said Doug told me you did. He said we don't have one. Doug's card is on counter with his cell # on it. I get one, go outside and call Doug. Tell him other guy said he doesn't have one. He said put him on the phone. I walk back in and say here Doug wants to talk to you. The pissedoffedness meter got higher. 2 minutes later I am leaving with battery the guy said they didn't have. I don't see how you can keep someone working for you like that. I have had other bad experiences with said guy there as well.