Would LOVE to hear your parts counter stories

[PurpleHazel]

I just joined but have been reading here on and off since I got my Talon. I sell parts for a living and noticed several less than stellar experiences mentioned. . While there are one or two if us in the biz that know what we are doing (most days ), I cringe because I've seen many similar incidents. Asking if its disc or drum when you ask for shoes, is your camaro a 2dr or 4 dr,.... etc. And let's not forget the "universal" universal joint...(saw it with my own two eyes)

I'd love to hear some stories, bet there are some whoppers out there...

 

[ziggo0]

If AutoZone gives me another slave cylinder that isn't the right one I swear I'll be in jail by the end of that day.

 

[99gst_racer]

I work a parts counter on Saturdays. I can't think of any parts related stories right now, but I will by tomorrow. Here's a phone call I took 3 days ago:

HIM: You're open until 2 right?
ME: Yup
HIM: I'm taking I94 to get there - do I go east or west?
ME: That depends. Where are you coming from?
HIM: Why does that matter?
* Long silence*
ME: Just go west then.

Not sure if he ever made it in or not...

 

[Bud92gsx]

You ask for spark plugs for the 4g63, and the guy at the parts store tells you the gap is .032.

You ask for a starter for a 6 bolt and there computer shows the same starter for 91 and 93..

You ask for a coolant line, with the old coolant line in hand..He doesn't take the old line to the back with him, and the guy comes back with the wrong size..happend to my girl since she had to go to town anyway and I sent here..Well she had to go back the next day cause she came home gave me the old line and the new one and I noticed it was the wrong size..

You ask the parts guy for crush washers and he gives you a pack of 4 and charges you 5.99..I go to the local mechanic and he charges me 50 cents a peice..

You order a certain type of brake pads, then when you pick them up and bring them home there not the ones you ordered and there over 10 dolars more than the ones you actually ordered..

You ask for a thermostat for a specific car..Get it home and try to put it in and it's for a different car..

I ordered a part for my dads brakes, went to put it in and it's not the right one..

I have more of them but I will think of them and come back..

 

[phunny]

I work a parts counter on Saturdays. I can't think of any parts related stories right now, but I will by tomorrow. Here's a phone call I took 3 days ago:

HIM: You're open until 2 right?
ME: Yup
HIM: I'm taking I94 to get there - do I go east or west?
ME: That depends. Where are you coming from?
HIM: Why does that matter?
* Long silence*
ME: Just go west then.

Not sure if he ever made it in or not...

Rofl!!!

 

[PurpleHazel]

I work a parts counter on Saturdays. I can't think of any parts related stories right now, but I will by tomorrow. Here's a phone call I took 3 days ago:

HIM: You're open until 2 right?
ME: Yup
HIM: I'm taking I94 to get there - do I go east or west?
ME: That depends. Where are you coming from?
HIM: Why does that matter?
* Long silence*
ME: Just go west then.

Not sure if he ever made it in or not...

Lmao. Love it. Wonder if he needed brake rotaries, a Cadillac converter, or maybe some steering wheel fluid. (All true)

 

[Silver99OZ]

Went to the local pepboys with my friend (knows nothing about cars) to get brake pads for his 1994 civic vx hatchback. Give the guy at the counter the year/make/model, and he tries selling me some $60 dollar pads and says there so expensive because of the abs system. Me, "thats not right the car does not have abs, the vx is the base model, please check again", counter guy, "no this is what you need right here, says abs, it must have it" points to the computer. Me, "sir the car has no power options and doesnt even have power steering, im telling you the car does not have abs."

 

[fatt6903]

The 6 year manager of autozone (as his nametag says) give me this big speech on why I needed acid washers for my optima battery so I listened and then explained to him why he should retrain and not ever sell parts face to face again.

I alwayed loved when customers that had no idea what the part was called so they would make up a name for it and when I told them there was no such thing they would walk next door to autozone, that same dumbass manager would call our store wanting to know if we had a thingamabob that the customer needed.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

You ask for spark plugs for the 4g63, and the guy at the parts store tells you the gap is .032.

It is.

 

[JStrateger]

I was looking for a spark plug adapter to attach an air compressor line to so I could fill my cylinders with compressed air and change the valve steams without taking off the head. When I asked the guy behind the counter at advanced auto parts if they had anything like that, he said no then tried to persuade me to take off the head because filling the cylinders with compressed air would blow out my piston rings.

 

[Silver99OZ]

Went to the local Dodge to get the dealer specific manual trans oil. Walk up to the parts counter and tell the not so intelligent looking fellow working there that I need manual transaxle lubricant for the NVT350 transmission and give him my car info. Soon as he hears eclipse he sends me over to the Hyundai dealership next door. Drive over to the Hyundai dealership the guy at the counter is like why the hell did they send you over here for that. Hyundai guy calls over to the Dodge parts counter, after a few minutes he figures out what im trying to buy. Drive back over to the Dodge counter (at this point im not in a good mood, I was ready to just leave). The guy at the counter now tries to act like im the one that didnt know what I was talking about by saying "you said transmission fluid, you didnt say it was a stick." He then goes this is what you need right here and puts down three bottles of gear oil, which didnt look right to me. Get home, get the car up and check the numbers on the tranny with the numbers on the bottle and of course its the wrong stuff. Look up the part number of what he sold me and it was for a 4x4 pickup.

 

[Bud92gsx]

It is.

I have had better luck with.028 or less..And I'm sure alot of people run the same..

 

[Red97Eclipseboy]

I have had better luck with.028 or less..And I'm sure alot of people run the same..

Yeah, and .32 is the factory spec. So you were told correctly by the guy who you tried to make a fool out of. Like he's to know what gap people who modify DSMs like to run. Give me a break.

 

[96 420a-t]

Me: I need spark plugs for a 04 Chevy with a diesel.
Them: all im showing is glow plugs.
me: winter is coming up and the glow plugs wont run right.
Them: let me call my warehouse.
Me: nevermond im ready to check out.

I believe if you are going to sell parts there is some common knowledge about cars.

 

[1990AWD]

Me: I need spark plugs for a 04 Chevy with a diesel.
Them: all im showing is glow plugs.
me: winter is coming up and the glow plugs wont run right.
Them: let me call my warehouse.
Me: nevermond im ready to check out.

I believe if you are going to sell parts there is some common knowledge about cars.

Since I can't tell sarcasm over the Internet, were you just teasing the parts people or was that a serious question?

 

[96 420a-t]

I was teasing. That's why I explained after.

 

[96awd]

Since I can't tell sarcasm over the Internet, were you just teasing the parts people or was that a serious question?

I'm with this guy...

Sent from my T-Mobile HTC HD2 using tapatalk

 

[1990AWD]

I was teasing. That's why I explained after.

Gotcha!

Anyways, I've gone in and asked for a clutch slave cylinder and been asked if it's a manual or auto.

 

[1997_GSX]

We got someone that called in asking for pistons for his Mazda RX8

 

[xlMcMlx DsM]

I had a couple come in and buy a starter for a Toyota 4Runner, as he handed me his credit card he asked "Is this hard to put in?" I stopped and asked him if he ever put a starter in before, he said no. I told him take it to a shop.

 

[Dhan]

I've never given the guys at the parts counter a chance to mess with me. I always bring the original part with me and am always very specific with what I need. They get it right because I give them as much info as possible.
Sometimes they're a little arrogant about their knowledge and what their computer tells them though. Their computer isn't the grail or anything.

Now my hotel job, that's a different story. Sometimes I just can't help being sarcastic with the guests and their stupid behavior. Hate that job.

 

[99gst_racer]

I always bring the original part with me and am always very specific with what I need. They get it right because I give them as much info as possible.

^^^ This is what my best customers do as well.

The more info a customer gives the guy looking for a part, the better prepared he'll be in his search. Speaking short and withholding information from the counterguy doesn't benefit anybody. It makes his job harder and it increases the chances of the customer getting the wrong part.

 

[Droptop Spyda]

Just like any business, There are guys with 6 months experience some with 30 years.. It's funny some of the stuff you hear...

 

[99gst_racer]

I also hear Cadillac converter alot. And it's common for customers to butchur the names of some brands.

Edin brock = Edelbrock
Wild wood = Wilwood
Allstate = Allstar
Tile-ton = Tilton
Mezz-Ree - Meziere

 

[T is for TURBO]

I walked into Advance autoparts.

Me: I need a set of front guide pins for a 1996 Eagle Talon Turbo AWD
Girl at counter: *Blank stare*
Me: For the brakes...
Girl at counter: Oh! Brakes! *looks at computer screen* What car?
Me: 1996 Eagle Talon Turbo AWD
Girl at counter: *Blank stare at computer screen... Looks over at coworker* He needs pins for his brakes?
I shit you not, he did the EXACT same thing as the Girl. He then finally gets a manager, who tells me that they would have to special order them and they would cost 25 dollars. I though to myself "W T F?" Then said "No thank you" and walked out

I then went to Autozone and the guy there DID THE EXACT SAME THING! I literally had to point to everything on the screen for him before he finally got a part number. I would understand if it was some obscure part, but it was a F*cking GUIDE PIN set!?!?

Though I must say, it goes both ways. My buddy worked at the same autozone, and I remember being there once and over heard a conversation between one of the workers and a customer. The customer brought in a VERY used set of brake pads, and wanted to exchange them for new ones.