Had an argument with an Auto Zone parts guy yesterday

Maroon92 wrote: What kind of tire store denies you the ability to buy tires? The shop I used to buy tires from, I'd just walk in and say "I want this tire in this size. Order it up, and you can mount and balance them when they come in. Thanks, see you Tuesday." Worked great.

Years ago I called the local NTW to inquire about tires for the wife's Jetta.

This is a true story:

• (Me) "Hi, I'd like to check pricing and availability on a set of 4 Bridgestone XYZs in 185-60/14"

• (NTW guy) "Uhhh...you know those don't roll well, right?"

In reply to motomoron:

Don't roll well? What does that mean?

In reply to ShadowSix:

E36 M3ty tires or tires made out of bridge stones? Either or both could be correct here.

yamaha wrote: I went in and said I needed a set of plugs and wires for the BG series 6pot in the international. I had them the next day and they were correct. If you go to any major chain, they tell you "International didn't make a c-1500 in 1963".....

Was a thread on another forum where a guy was fed up with his Audi dealer because when he went in to get something for his ur-S4, he was told "they didn't make S4s in 1992". He showed them the car - "you put those badges on." He showed them the window sticker from when he BOUGHT the CAR - "you had that made".

yamaha wrote: In reply to DrBoost: You're missing the part that it does go both ways.......

No, he's not. He's just choosing to be angry at the parts guy because, even though he knows what to expect there, he was still too lazy to look up his own parts online before going there to just give them the numbers of what he needed.

It's all parts guys. They all suck yadda yadda yadda. Same story ,different day.

DrBoost wrote: The parts guy is the pro.

not at $7.50 an hr

wbjones wrote:

DrBoost wrote: The parts guy is the pro.

not at $7.50 an hr

Bingo. You KNOW what you're walking into. So why don't you go prepared? If I'm forced to buy parts on the weekend at one of the large stores, I will look them up online first, find out who has it, and take the part numbers in (or use the "pick up at store" feature) and get the parts I need.

We all know that the people in all the box stores are not car people. We all know that they're paid barely over minimum wage. We already know this. Why we choose to go unprepared is beyond my grasp.

Knurled wrote:

yamaha wrote: I went in and said I needed a set of plugs and wires for the BG series 6pot in the international. I had them the next day and they were correct. If you go to any major chain, they tell you "International didn't make a c-1500 in 1963".....

Was a thread on another forum where a guy was fed up with his Audi dealer because when he went in to get something for his ur-S4, he was told "they didn't make S4s in 1992". He showed them the car - "you put those badges on." He showed them the window sticker from when he BOUGHT the CAR - "you had that made".

As an Ur S owner, I appreciate this.

logdog wrote: Personally I find being the smartest guy in the room exhausting. But somebody has to do it and I am the most qualified. .

My philosophy is that if I'm the smartest guy in the room, I'm probably in the wrong room.

I'm very lucky to live next to a regional distribution center for Carquest and a Napa/Walker with a machine shop attached to it. I can usually get what I need.

I was in an arguement with a Postal worker this morning about how 62" + 45" is just under the 108" limit for mailing a box... I really hate selling things on eBay...

Maroon92 wrote: As an Ur S owner, I appreciate this.

As a Ur S owner, I represent this :(

Whats worse is when they send the wrong part, but the idiot "mechanic" puts it on anyway. So not only did I get to put in new balljoints in a sable today, it got new cv shafts as well. And its my first day back from vacation... grumble grumble.

I have an Autozone and an Advanced Auto Parts that are equidistant from my house. I have trouble deciding which to go to because the service I receive from both stores is EXCELLENT.

Seriously, the clerks at both stores are friendly, knowledgable and willing to go above and beyond the call to help out. Most of the guys don't know I work at GRM, so it isn't a favored relationship......they are just good at their jobs. No, they don't know everything about every car, but they'll listen to me, and help in any way they can.

Believe me, I've had to deal with incompetent workers at auto parts stores before, but with all this thread's negativity, I figured I'd stand up for my local guys who are doing such a good job. It's seriously hard to not be loyal to either store.

the local NAPA on the other hand......closes early, and have "experts" who usually treat you like an afterthought. I only go there if it's my last option.....and with RockAuto and so many other stores it never really is.

I'm currently annoyed with all of them for a policy that they seem to have implemented recently: They won't clear codes for you. My girlfriends Toyota will, every year, without fail, throw a Oxygen/Heat sensor fail the first time it dips below... 40*. And it always just takes a reset, and it is fine. But they will no longer reset it for me.

There are good guys out there. I normally go to Advance. I can order on line an it will be ready when I get there, or if I walk in they have no problem getting what I need. If I ask them to get a particulat brand they don't tell me how the brand on the shelf is better. I tend to avoid the AZone because of their customers more than the employees, and the NAPA keeps banker's hours and doesn't like to deal with amateurs so I go there as a last resort.

Bobzilla wrote: If I had a dollar for every time I've had a moronic mouthbreather ask for something stupid, I could have retired at 30. I would almost guarantee I can counter one for one any of your "stupid counterman" stories with "stupid customer" stories. Hell, maybe even 2 for one. Damn I've been in this business too long.

please share!

I'll go on record again and say that I have been pleased with the service and selection in my local NAPA. The local O'Riellys (sp?) and Autozone are about on par with whats described in the thread.

The same AZ I'm talking about, there was a guy there, Jim. He was GREAT! He's actually the reason I started going there. He knew his stuff and I bet he could wrench circles around me. They finally gave him his own store. This one has gone downhill.

Overall my local autozone/advanced/pepboys are about as skilled as I expect them to be...which is a pretty low bar. I was disappointed when the counterperson couldnt tell me if they had a 15" innertube without a year make and model to look it up.

But during the Wartburg project my requests were so weird that when I walked in the door it was just "Hi Jim, go in back and hunt for what you need"

Try ordering a fully dressed out boiler at a plumbing supply store with a new counter guy. You ought to see their head spin when you start ordering air scoops, air float eliminators, purge stations, draw offs, black nipples, gas cocks, smoke pipe 90s, and a 9-11. Had the pleasure this morning so it's fresh in my mind.

In reply to Wally:

You know, I have had Advance people pull out actual catalogs looking for weird stuff.

I really hate the big box automotive stores. I stopped in one today to get some PS fluid and the guy asked if I had their card... I said no..

He asked for my name and phonenumber.. and told him no again.

He actually looked hurt that I said no. I very calmly explained to him I was picking up rags and P/S fluid, they did not need my information for any kinds of return.. and I did not want to be in their system

You ladies are spoiled.

Live in my world, in Canada, trying to get parts from one of the two motorcycle dealers in town.

Me: I need a 13t sprocket for my KDX

Kawi dealer: Sorry sir, that's not available.

Me: I'm looking at it right now online, would you like the part number?

Kawi dealer: Sorry sir, we can't get that.

Yamaha dealer: 13 T for your KDX? I can have that here tomorrow.

It's like that for EVERYTHING here.

The local O'Reillys has been for the most part very helpful. Advanced Auto Parts on the other hand....

mtn wrote: I'm currently annoyed with all of them for a policy that they seem to have implemented recently: They won't clear codes for you. My girlfriends Toyota will, every year, without fail, throw a Oxygen/Heat sensor fail the first time it dips below... 40*. And it always just takes a reset, and it is fine. But they will no longer reset it for me.

cheapo bluetooth odb2 reader from amazon and a free app on the android marketplace is how my mother-in-laws truck passed "emissions" testing... clear the code shortly before she drove to the "shop"... they plug in their scanner and find nothing.

before I picked it up though I'd usually run into the local O'vanced-zone and tell em I needed to pull a code... they'd hand me the scanner and let me do it myself most of the time.