Parts Store Rant.....
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 676
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From: Glendale, AZ
Parts Store Rant.....
Remember the days when you'd walk into the local parts store and the guy behind the counter actually knew what you needed? They had no computers back then and they didn't need to know what engine size to sell you a brake drum! What the heck would these flunkies do if their computers crashed?
Another thing.....you'd think the parts for older vehicles would be their bread and butter but much of the old stuff is being phased out of their computer systems. I tried to purchase rear brake drums, shoes, wheel cylinders, hardware kits, axle seals and flange gaskets today. The parts store carries the shoes, drums and wheel cylinders but hardware kits are special order. Does this make any sense? I contacted several different store chains with the same results. It's getting to the point where I have to preorder parts for the job from an online Ford parts distributor ahead of time. Heaven forbid if I had an emergency.
I placed an order with Dennis Carpenter over a week ago and ten days later I receive the UPS confirmation??? WTH??? No e-mail that things were back ordered or delayed....they just let you wait.
Another thing.....you'd think the parts for older vehicles would be their bread and butter but much of the old stuff is being phased out of their computer systems. I tried to purchase rear brake drums, shoes, wheel cylinders, hardware kits, axle seals and flange gaskets today. The parts store carries the shoes, drums and wheel cylinders but hardware kits are special order. Does this make any sense? I contacted several different store chains with the same results. It's getting to the point where I have to preorder parts for the job from an online Ford parts distributor ahead of time. Heaven forbid if I had an emergency.
I placed an order with Dennis Carpenter over a week ago and ten days later I receive the UPS confirmation??? WTH??? No e-mail that things were back ordered or delayed....they just let you wait.
Junior User
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 80
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From: New Orleans, Louisiana
hey hey hey now
Dont knock all of us part store employees.........Im a diesel mechanic during the week but on the weekends i work for a nationally owned parts store chain. Funny thing is everyone there is older than me (im only 32) but if someone is building a project or older vehicle they tell the customer they have to wait to talk to me. It cant be just because i drive an old truck is it? I guess most people dont tinker with the old stuff like some of us do. I just dont feel people take pride in doing things themselves anymore. What I find disturbing is when a mid 40's yr old man comes in and asks if I can change the wiper blades on his 2010 pickup truck.........WTF is that all about? Or is it that we have become a world of lazy a@!'s.
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 676
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From: Glendale, AZ
Dont knock all of us part store employees.........Im a diesel mechanic during the week but on the weekends i work for a nationally owned parts store chain. Funny thing is everyone there is older than me (im only 32) but if someone is building a project or older vehicle they tell the customer they have to wait to talk to me. It cant be just because i drive an old truck is it? I guess most people dont tinker with the old stuff like some of us do. I just dont feel people take pride in doing things themselves anymore. What I find disturbing is when a mid 40's yr old man comes in and asks if I can change the wiper blades on his 2010 pickup truck.........WTF is that all about? Or is it that we have become a world of lazy a@!'s.
Last week I went to Checker/Oreilly and asked for a generic clear fuel filter. The guy walked to the back of the store and handed me a generator/lawn mower filter! When I was hooking up my electric cooling fans I asked for a temp sending switch to activate the fans. The guy looked at me like I was speaking some foreign language. He asked what year the vehicle was. I told him that he won't find the switch listed for any '66 F100. He tells me that he can't sell me the part then. I asked if he sold generic cooling fans. He said yes. I then asked if they carried temp switches for those fans. He said yes. I asked if I could buy one of those. He said he needed to know what year the vehicle is.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,091
Likes: 14
From: Tucson, Arizona
Don't know if you ever saw a 1970s Jack Nicholson movie called "Five Easy Pieces" in which he has to argue with a restaurant waitress just to get a couple of pieces of toast and butter - or something similar. I run into this problem because I have a '91 Mustang 5.0 SEFI engine/T5 in my '64 Falcon. Just make up a plausible year/truck model/engine combination that you know will get you what you need if he's too dense to work with reality and make him happy.
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 11,564
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From: Tucson
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Junior User
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 80
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From: New Orleans, Louisiana
well.............
I hate to say this but I think its simply a case of not knowing their store or products. The clear filter you were looking for is a Wix part number 33001 for 1/4", 33002 for 5/16", 33003 for 3/8" its simply just a matter of knowing your products. If it helps out at all if you need to know something before you go just message me and i'll do the research for you before you. That way you'll have specific part numbers before you go.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 938
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From: Bishop, CA
Was doing the drum brakes on my '61 F-100. Looked up all the stuff I needed on the O'Reilly's web site and found the store that said it was all in stock.
Headed out on a different errand and later in the day found myself driving right by said store.
I hadn't written the part numbers down because when I left the house I hadn't intended going there(my bad, I guess). When I asked at the counter, I was told that their computer only went back to '63. I told them I had looked the parts on their web site, so all they had to do was the same.
"We don't have internet access" was the reply.
I ended up calling a bud, having him look them up and give me the part numbers over the phone. Lo and behold, all my stuff was in stock.
First, you'd think their computer would at least list the stuff they have on the shelves, and, who the heck doesn't have internet access in 2011?
Headed out on a different errand and later in the day found myself driving right by said store.
I hadn't written the part numbers down because when I left the house I hadn't intended going there(my bad, I guess). When I asked at the counter, I was told that their computer only went back to '63. I told them I had looked the parts on their web site, so all they had to do was the same.
"We don't have internet access" was the reply.
I ended up calling a bud, having him look them up and give me the part numbers over the phone. Lo and behold, all my stuff was in stock.
First, you'd think their computer would at least list the stuff they have on the shelves, and, who the heck doesn't have internet access in 2011?
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 210
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From: Divide , Colorado
I have ran across the the same problems with the parts stores even NAPA. But I have decided to keep going to one store (Autozone) and keep trying to get the same parts person and seeing if I can educate her. I started out by buying points and condenser imagine my fun. Call it a goal , or a quest or a mission but I just like beating my head on the wall. LOL
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,109
Likes: 9
From: Thornton, Colorado
The first time I walked into my local Advanced Auto, I told the guy what I was working on, 66 Ford F-100, 240 6 cylinder, 3 on the tree. He looked at me funny when I mention 3 on the tree. So I restated, 3 speed on the column. He said "Oh its an automatic." I said no its a manual. Another guy stepped in and took over. Skip has been my parts guys since. He is a 50 something guy who is modifying a 37 Ford. So he knows the troubles of the old stuff.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 130
Likes: 3
From: Dyersburg, Tennessee
i feel the pain! It has happened numerous times to me also. the main point is finding that educated/knowledgeable person that can help you. it doesn't matter the store chain - it boils down to the individual you find that will work with you.
i have found success at a local supply chain that most of the local mechanics use.
i have found success at a local supply chain that most of the local mechanics use.
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 676
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From: Glendale, AZ
Actually Checker. Went to Autozone after but they were clueless as well. Autozone actually stocked more of what I needed than Checker.
Thread Starter
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 676
Likes: 0
From: Glendale, AZ
I hate to say this but I think its simply a case of not knowing their store or products. The clear filter you were looking for is a Wix part number 33001 for 1/4", 33002 for 5/16", 33003 for 3/8" its simply just a matter of knowing your products. If it helps out at all if you need to know something before you go just message me and i'll do the research for you before you. That way you'll have specific part numbers before you go.
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 4,224
Likes: 0
From: Eastern Oregon
I do all my searches on line before going to the store, closest store is 18 miles one way. I love having the ability to see if it's in stock at the store. I have used a couple online venders, had good success with RockAuto.