From my experiance if I know what I am looking for and need I go to Auto Zone because it is cheeper.

If I have a kinda idea what I need, or it is something odd that wouldn't be in the computer I go to the local N.A.P.A. because that guy has owned the store for better than 20 years and knows what he is talking about.

One of the reason I like the Auto Zone is because they now actually have some performance parts in stock and I like the fact I can hold the M.S.D. stuff in my hand and look at it instead of just a picture in a catalog.

On second thought, I went last night to buy the M.S.D. stuff I mentioned and the guy was very helpful. He explained how a hotter coil can burn melt the top of a cheeper distributor. I guess the local AZ has a staff of hot rodders who like there job more than the exta cash they could be making. On a nice day the staff part of the parking lot looks like a little car show with some nicly basicly modified rides.

 

Nothin' personal...but I've experienced ENOUGH "shotgun" maintenance (throwing parts at it until it's hopefully fixed) at dealerships to provide a good foundation for disagreement!!!

I've got the service repair orders to back it up... 3 and 4 visits back to fix the same problem - once I didn't even get it off the lot before the "check engine" light came back on.

I don't want to hear anymore about Ford's "master techs"... I know they exist, but they're not at all Ford dealerships (unfortunately).

 

I only send customers to the dealership as a last resort... I'll call Napa or Carquest just so they don't get ripped off by the dealer...

 

did you know that napa gives a AAA discount?. gl.

 

A good partsman is a joy to know and a really valuable asset in a community. We've all known the good ones and hopefully still do. The poor ones are either just kids starting out or they're dumbos that put in time and manage to do as they're told long enough to get some seniority. Some of the chains process parts people through so quickly that they never seem to get really knowlegeable people working for them and just when you've got that figured, you run into folks that know the parts number for a thermostat for a 32 Ford coupe with a SBC. LOL

 

does autozone have a christmas parties for the employees?

 

Just my .02, but I like the independent, locally owned parts house. They have access to about anything, even if it is 25+ years old. Plus, they know older vehicles in addition to the newer ones so they don't have to rely on the 'puter. They may be a little more expensive, but the help, advice, and getting whatever I need offsets it. In addition, my $ stay with them in town.

 

Yes they let them spend a small amount for a party but there can be no drinking.

 

i heard that some stores dont have the party because the store manager pockets the money.wonder how thay get away with that

 

I worked at Autozone for two weeks before I had to quit. None of the people cared about the customer or getting them the best part. Yes I know it sounds bad but the most expensive part is not always the best. If it wasn't in the computer then they most likely couldn't get it. Sometimes someone can look something up in a book (if the store even had the book) but even if you do that then you're not likely to be able to order it. When we got our WEEKLEY shipment of parts (at O'reilly's we got stuff from the warehouse twice a day at least granted my store was close to the home office an big warehouse in st. louis but still at thea least from other stores once a day) It would generally be haphazardly stacked on palets a good portion of our stock we would have to send back cause it came broken. and finally I got sick of telling customer's that well we don't have it in stock I could order it for you (if I actually could) but if you go down the street to O'reilly's walk in the door go to the fourth isle and you'll see it right there on the shelf on your left. Doing that many times a day ****ed me off so I quit.

P.S. if you ever want to have fun then ask for a thermostat or radiator for a 67 vw beetle. or anything for an 83 corvette. If you get a dedicated partsman they'll look for it for quite awhile before they let you know that they can't find that part.

 

does autozone have x-mas parties for employees

 

Dont forget to have your significant other to get a can of compression when they look for the '83 vette parts, I worked at NAPA and a local parts place for a few years. Bottle of T-R-double-E or a bottle of 1-delta-10-T works too.

 

why dont autozoners get a x-mas party's

 

why do managers get by with keeping the employees gifts

 

I've worked for autozone since around september and it has been ok. I agree with some of the people about how all the high up people want to hire for the DM jobs and stuff are educated idiots. Some may actually know what they are talking about but its rare. They care way too much about dress code, we had a PSM get wrote up a while back for not having black socks, that it stupid. One of my psm told me that the CEO's that run the company are former grocery store managers and that they have no autoparts experience. It also iritates me when people get angry b/c i dont know everything about their car. If i dont know i will ask somebody that knows more than i do for help. Anouther thing that iritates me is when people say " he gave me the wrong parts " well we can only give what the computer says it the right part. It wont be right 100% of the time. I dont like going to other autoparts stores around here b/c they are all stuck up and think that they always know everything or they wont even give you an ounce of agknowledgement when you walk in the door. I am an 18yr old high school senior, who is also in a body shop class in the afternoon. I can work between 20-30 hrs but for over a month i've only been getting 10-15 hrs a week. My biggest complaint is that the DM said that we have to cut hours then told the store manager that he could hire as many people as he wanted. So there for my hours are being yanked while the bright reds are slirping them up. From store managers up they are all just puppets from the guy that is in charge of them. Well i guess i better stop for now.