Would LOVE to hear your parts counter stories

[brandonwh64]

Just had a good one.

Guy- "I'm looking for a top-post battery terminal bolt."

Me- "I have them- they come in two sizes....1/4, and 5/16."


I proceed to show him both types- both have the square head at the top so the one side doesn't spin.


Guy- "I was really looking for the ones that are square on top."

Me- "These ARE square on top"....showing him exactly what I'm talking about on both bolts.

Guy- "OK, thanks" and walks out of the store.

reminds me a of old friend that would take the square head bolts out of the terminals and put some from ace hardware so he could "tighten with both sides so it fastened better" O

 

[arrowhead]

I had a conversation just like this at the bar last week! Those bug guys are diehards. And yes I got the porsche engine story too.

It is no story, maybe a lot of the buggy owners dream of having it, but I know of 4 that come to mind, from a 914 to 911 engines and one of them even has a complete suspension from a Porsche.

 

[brandonwh64]

It is no story, maybe a lot of the buggy owners dream of having it, but I know of 4 that come to mind, from a 914 to 911 engines and one of them even has a complete suspension from a Porsche.

I know most redneck bug owners down here transplant 350 v-8's in them and say they are fast

 

[Zex4g63]

I've been a tech and parts counter guy for 20 years. The box stores have ruined many good employees and it's difficult to find anyone with common sense and half a brain anymore. A lot of stores have what I like to call "warm bodies" working there. If you shop at them than find the busiest person there because he's probably the one who can truly help you get the right stuff. When I don't work at a parts store I look my own parts online and give part numbers cause I can't count on this guy named Paul that works at Motorstate cause he's always hungover and f's my order up...

 

[98GSXin]

Him: Hm did that come before the GSR?
Me: Do you mean the GS-T?
Him: No there is a GSR I have seen them before.
Me: I have never heard of them sorry, theres an Integra GSR.
Him: No they're real rare probably havent seen it before.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/appearance-interior-exterior/266039-eclipse-gsr-4-a.html

 

[agarc023]

I go in yesterday to my local Advance, theres a few knowledgeable people and some not so much. Anways I was picking up some oil, oil filter, and antifreeze. I walk up to the counter lay the stuff down and the guy starts talking to me.

Him: Is that your red car out there?
Me: Yes it sure is.
Him: What kind of car is that.
Me: 90 Eclipse GSX AWD.
Him: Hm did that come before the GSR?
Me: Do you mean the GS-T?
Him: No there is a GSR I have seen them before.
Me: I have never heard of them sorry, theres an Integra GSR.
Him: No they're real rare probably havent seen it before.

He then comes out and looks at my car, asks if the BOV makes noise. I have the 1g BOV recirculated. Ask if I can take the hose off so he can hear it while I drive off. I just say I need to be somewhere and dont have time. But I dont escape that easily, he then proceeds to show me his 70's bug, talking about it when I had no clue what he was saying. Other than this summer he is putting a Porsche engine in it.

There is a gsr...the eclipse gsr-4 was the gsx exported to other countries

Edit: damn too slow

 

[DSMxJB]

There is a gsr...the eclipse gsr-4 was the gsx exported to other countries

Edit: damn too slow

He is from Virginia. Even though the GSR-4 does exist I highly doubt the autoparts store employee ever saw one .

 

[throwedgsx]

I just recently threw a CEL and pulled up p0125. So i went to Napa and told the middle aged gentleman i wanted a coolant temp sensor FOR THE ECU and a o2 sensor for a 1995 Eagle Talon TSi with all wheel drive.
Him: what motor?
Me: 2.0L turbo...
Him: No, Mitsubishi or Chrysler?
Me: Um...Chrysler, they're both the same...
Him: No, ones made by Mitsubishi and ones made by Chrysler.
Me: Oh, okay

He finds the part comes back and shows it to me.

Me: This isn't the right sensor. Looks similar but the one i need has a different connector than this one.
Him: No, you must be talking about the wrong sensor, your talking about the one thats for the gauge, this is for the ECU.
Me: No buddy, i am talking about the one for the ECU, i know which one is which, and this one is neither.

We bickered for another minute or so and then both of us got pissed and he rudely says,
"Well this is the one you need if you don't want it i'll put it back."
Me: You can put this o2 sensor back as well, have a good day.

I kept as cool as i could, but i was so pissed i coulda leaned over the counter and smacked a b*tch. You would think he would understand that a guy with years of experience with these "Chrysler" motors would know what he's talking about more so than himself, when all he knows is what his computer tells him

 

[99gst_racer]

When I don't work at a parts store I look my own parts online and give part numbers cause I can't count on this guy named Paul that works at Motorstate cause he's always hungover and f's my order up...

It's all part of the wonderful buying experience that I provide.

 

[JusMX141]

I just recently threw a CEL and pulled up p0125. So i went to Napa and told the middle aged gentleman i wanted a coolant temp sensor FOR THE ECU and a o2 sensor for a 1995 Eagle Talon TSi with all wheel drive.
Him: what motor?
Me: 2.0L turbo...
Him: No, Mitsubishi or Chrysler?
Me: Um...Chrysler, they're both the same...
Him: No, ones made by Mitsubishi and ones made by Chrysler.
Me: Oh, okay

He knew more than most and to be honest with you I probably would have asked the same thing if I didn't know a better way to decipher the differences. It's easier than asking a customer that potentially knows nothing whether their car has a 420A or 4G63.

Hell even I don't know what eras of Hondas came with what engines, and VW's are just retarded....there are certain years of 1.8T Jettas/Passats that have timing belts that are different by just one tooth within the same model year. Install the wrong one and your engine will crash sure as shit. VW should make one more car and stop- permanently.

 

[KMOSES]

I just recently threw a CEL and pulled up p0125. So i went to Napa and told the middle aged gentleman i wanted a coolant temp sensor FOR THE ECU and a o2 sensor for a 1995 Eagle Talon TSi with all wheel drive.
Him: what motor?
Me: 2.0L turbo...
Him: No, Mitsubishi or Chrysler?
Me: Um...Chrysler, they're both the same...
Him: No, ones made by Mitsubishi and ones made by Chrysler.
Me: Oh, okay

He finds the part comes back and shows it to me.

Me: This isn't the right sensor. Looks similar but the one i need has a different connector than this one.
Him: No, you must be talking about the wrong sensor, your talking about the one thats for the gauge, this is for the ECU.
Me: No buddy, i am talking about the one for the ECU, i know which one is which, and this one is neither.

We bickered for another minute or so and then both of us got pissed and he rudely says,
"Well this is the one you need if you don't want it i'll put it back."
Me: You can put this o2 sensor back as well, have a good day.

I kept as cool as i could, but i was so pissed i coulda leaned over the counter and smacked a b*tch. You would think he would understand that a guy with years of experience with these "Chrysler" motors would know what he's talking about more so than himself, when all he knows is what his computer tells him

the guy must have missed the "2.0l Turbo" part, and was asking if you had a 420a(chrysler) or 4g63t(mitsu)

probably why you got the wrong part.

 

[throwedgsx]

the guy must have missed the "2.0l Turbo" part, and was asking if you had a 420a(chrysler) or 4g63t(mitsu)

probably why you got the wrong part.

I don't think he was talking about the 420a vs the 4g63, but i could be wrong and if i am wrong i guess i'm the idiot. I just figured, for one, that a DSM is just as much a Chrysler as it is a Mitsubishi and since i said Eagle Talon that would be the Chrysler side of things. And i also vaguely remember when i said 2.0L turbo he looked at me with a questioning face and i said 4g63. And two, i had just came from O'Reilly's where i was helped by a younger good looking female and i was looking at her computer screen as she clearly pulled up a 1995 Eagle Talon Tsi AWD manual. When she looked up the sensor for it and brought it to me it was the exact same one the feller at Napa gave me.

In fact, now that you guys mentioned this i'm gonna go there right now and ask for the sensor for the Mitsubish motor and see what i get

 

[98GSXin]

Hell even I don't know what eras of Hondas came with what engines, and VW's are just retarded....there are certain years of 1.8T Jettas/Passats that have timing belts that are different by just one tooth within the same model year. Install the wrong one and your engine will crash sure as shit. VW should make one more car and stop- permanently.

I hate vw's. I was working on my girl's "98" jetta. Except it was a 98 jetta at autozone, a 98.5 jetta at pep boys and a 99 jetta at kragens. Finding the right part took three trips sometimes and no one had the right brake pads for it either. Had to go direct through vw for those.

 

[arrowhead]

I don't think he was talking about the 420a vs the 4g63, but i could be wrong and if i am wrong i guess i'm the idiot. I just figured, for one, that a DSM is just as much a Chrysler as it is a Mitsubishi and since i said Eagle Talon that would be the Chrysler side of things. And i also vaguely remember when i said 2.0L turbo he looked at me with a questioning face and i said 4g63. And two, i had just came from O'Reilly's where i was helped by a younger good looking female and i was looking at her computer screen as she clearly pulled up a 1995 Eagle Talon Tsi AWD manual. When she looked up the sensor for it and brought it to me it was the exact same one the feller at Napa gave me.

In fact, now that you guys mentioned this i'm gonna go there right now and ask for the sensor for the Mitsubish motor and see what i get

There is a coolant temp sensor and a coolant temp switch that may be the problem

 

[PurpleHazel]

IWhen she looked up the sensor for it and brought it to me it was the exact same one the feller at Napa gave me.

That's because its usually not that particular store' computer system that's wrong ( or right). The catalog info comes from the vendors, and that info is shared with everyone (autozone, advance, etc.) So the same wrong (or right) info goes to everyone who carries that brand from that vendor. Betting both O2 sensors were Bosch?

In fact, now that you guys mentioned this i'm gonna go there right now and ask for the sensor for the Mitsubish motor and see what i get

He misunderstood or didn't understand the turbo meant mitsu.


Someone mentioned for talon owners to ask for eclipse and that *is* some good advice. In the paper catalogs not so much of a problem but the Ecats are terrible about not listing parts for the talons but having the eclipse. However do your homework because not ALL the parts are the same (I'm sure you know) rear motor mount, for example, different part number for 2.0 turbo eclipse vs. Talons. (And actually two options for the talons - Premium & High Linei

 

[King_Milo]

I've ordered a set of rear brake calipers for a car before and put them on my debit card. I came back the next day to get my core charge back which was supposed to be refunded by cash. The guy behind the counter tells me that they're having a problem with their computer system and that I should come back tomorrow.

Well, I go back the next day and the guy starts telling me he already gave me my money and gets the manager involved. The manager starts acting like he wanted to jump the counter and accusing me of sh*t saying "well if you didn't get your money back yesterday then why didn't we have an overage when we closed"

It seriously almost turned into a fist fight. I knew the little f*cker behind the counter pocketed my money and tried to turn it around on me.
In the end, I DID get my core charge back and will never set foot in the Hattiesburg O'Reiley's again.

 

[Dark_Horse]

The parts counter guy at the Advance Auto near my house is a DSMer. Anytime I needed a part for my car, I made sure to talk to him.

Generally though, I've never had problems with the parts counter guys...Even the older ones. 1 time I had to explain the difference between a BOV and a diverter valve to a parts guy who had never heard of a BOV before (He swore that there was no such thing as a BOV - only a diverter valve). He was an older guy and when I told him the simple difference between the 2, he thanked me for teaching him something he didn't know.