Those guys at the auto parts store . . .(long)

[heyhar]

Amen x2! Back in the day when I had Pintos, after "What year?" was the question "What month was it made?"

 

[SeansBlueXJ]

It's funny the level of ingorance out there, in college I was a mall cop, we had these "over night" forms if for some reason someone had to leave a car overnight we wouldnt tow it so long as we had their contact info. I saw a "ford surburban" and a "lexus jeep" among others. People don't know what they drive.

 

[5-90]

It's funny the level of ingorance out there, in college I was a mall cop, we had these "over night" forms if for some reason someone had to leave a car overnight we wouldnt tow it so long as we had their contact info. I saw a "ford surburban" and a "lexus jeep" among others. People don't know what they drive.

Is that anything like a guy I had come in one time, looking for parts for a "Montego Carlo" with a 302?

Doubly damning - GM actually did have a 302ci V8 engine - I think it was a Buick (and I believe the 307 was an Olds. But, I may have those reversed - it's been a while since I had to know that.)

Granted, management wasn't any better. I was actually asked one day (while I was in the back room on break) how many head gaskets went on a Small Block Chevvy. Being a smartass, I answered "Seven" without hesitation.

I came out front off of my break to see the manager standing opposite one of my regulars, the customer grinning like mad, and the manager on the phone with other stores trying to track down four more head gaskets (we only had three on the shelf - inventory hiccough.)

 

[WI88XJ]

Yeah, GM did have a 302 sbc for a short time. It was used in the Z28 Camaro from '67 thru '69.

Mechanical lifter cam, 11.0 compression, alum intake, headers,etc.

Then it went away.

Chebby also had the 307. A real turd for power. Came in Novas and a few other models.

 

[FlexdXJ]

Granted, management wasn't any better. I was actually asked one day (while I was in the back room on break) how many head gaskets went on a Small Block Chevvy. Being a smartass, I answered "Seven" without hesitation.

HAHAHAHA! :roflmao: Thats good stuff!

 

[Darky]

I work at Baxter auto parts

I hate all other parts houses
There dumb

Ha ha call and ask them for parts for and 83 corvette

They made an 82 and 84
Ha ha we do that when there's not much to do

Their brains are probably capable of correctly spelling they're over there, as well as using proper punctuation.

 

[Darky]

Is that anything like a guy I had come in one time, looking for parts for a "Montego Carlo" with a 302?

Doubly damning - GM actually did have a 302ci V8 engine - I think it was a Buick (and I believe the 307 was an Olds. But, I may have those reversed - it's been a while since I had to know that.)

Granted, management wasn't any better. I was actually asked one day (while I was in the back room on break) how many head gaskets went on a Small Block Chevvy. Being a smartass, I answered "Seven" without hesitation.

I came out front off of my break to see the manager standing opposite one of my regulars, the customer grinning like mad, and the manager on the phone with other stores trying to track down four more head gaskets (we only had three on the shelf - inventory hiccough.)

I believe Chevy or GMC also had a 302 6 cylinder (can't remember if it was I6 or V6)

 

[heyhar]

The inline six Chevy truck engine was a 292. I had a brand new '83 Chevy/Grumman bodied step van back in my potato chip days, and there was a sticker in the front quarter window proudly proclaiming that the 'engine in this vehicle is from Mexico'...never did run all that well. Ford had a 300 ci straight six for their trucks, and it found its way into passenger cars as well. Back in the early seventies, a buddy used to come around with his dad's '68 Custon 500. Quick for a big car, back in the day. Pop the hood, and right in the air cleaner, 3oo cubic inches.

 

[Darky]

Heh. For some reason I thought it was a 302. My uncle had a GMC camper and he said it was a 5.0 6 cyl. Must've been one of those times when people round the numbers up.

 

[ECKSJAY]

Is that anything like a guy I had come in one time, looking for parts for a "Montego Carlo" with a 302?

I have people come into the store looking for "roller flareheads" for their "Warren wenches". I shit you not.

 

[5-90]

I believe Chevy or GMC also had a 302 6 cylinder (can't remember if it was I6 or V6)

I think there was a 302 V6 from GMC (1950's and 1960's,) and there was a GMC 702 V12 - it was two GMC V6-351's end-to-end, and it had four cylinder heads (two on each side.)

Going to a green counterman (or one that you know to be a Ford fanboi) and asking for parts for a V6-351 out of context is a lot of fun - kinda like going to Starbucks and ordering a plain, strong, black coffee.

I had my own share of strange customers as well:

Had a guy with a 1978 Jaguar Pickup. Yeah - he worked in a body shop, got hold of an old Jag, and cut it back into an El Camino. Did a pretty damned good job too - looked like it left the factory that way!

The 1972 Datsun pickup with 1985 Corvette running gear - from the fan to the rear axle, with the only change being the driveshaft. He used some variety of luggage latch to pop the wings off so he could change spark plugs. Almost bought it, too.

The mid-1980's Crown Vic with the Chevvy 400ci and THM700R4 behind it, going to a Ford 9". Why? Because he could, why else? And, like me, his favourite plaything was the human mind.

Had a guy come in to get parts for his runabout so he could do a tuneup. His RV was a converted Greyhound bus. His runabout stowed in the main luggage compartment between the axles. His runabout? 1970 Honda 600 (yes, it was a car. It used a motorcycle engine and transmission) with about 18" removed, converted to a two-seater, and a removable hardtop (that stowed in the rear luggage compartment on a crane.) I had to see this - the runabout stowed on a pull-out tray with ramps. WAY cool!

And idiots?
- The engineer measuring sockets with a vernier caliper. I know what you're thinking - he had to make sure it would fit down a hole (and if it's down a hole, why not use a socket head capscrew instead? That's what they're for.) But no, he was measuring the inside wrenching surface of the socket. Right.

- The guy looking for a tool to unlock lock washers. Genuine bona fide no-sh**er here - I've got witnesses! I couldn't convince him there was no such animal, so I ended up selling him a hammer and a cold chisel for about $75 as "specialty tools." "It is morally wrong to allow a sucker to keep his money." -W. C. Fields

- The guy who was told that the best way to remove road tar from the rocker panels was to use a good strong soap (I like Tide for this sort of thing,) in hot water and apply plenty of elbow grease - and he wanted to know if we had any? I couldn't help myself - "Yeah, it's back with the other greases. It's used to pack muffler bearings..."

I don't miss working behind the counter overall, but I should have taken notes of the weapons-grade stupid I encountered there. It would have made for an amusing book, I think...

 

[bjoehandley]

Granted, management wasn't any better. I was actually asked one day (while I was in the back room on break) how many head gaskets went on a Small Block Chevvy. Being a smartass, I answered "Seven" without hesitation.

I came out front off of my break to see the manager standing opposite one of my regulars, the customer grinning like mad, and the manager on the phone with other stores trying to track down four more head gaskets (we only had three on the shelf - inventory hiccough.)

Hahahahaha:thumbup:

 

[TiRod]

For all you know, the customer could have sourced the part original part from a junk yard and the customer may not know the exact make, model, or year.

Guilty - I had a '66 Mustang with '70 Maverick 302, some wide ratio Top Loader 4-spd, a driveshaft with u-joints, a '84 Grenada 9 inch (or maybe not,) '68 Mustang master cylinder, '66 Mustang disc spindles, '67 Cougar 4 pot calipers, a set of somebodies tri-y headers, '69 Torino 390 w a/c station wagon cut down front coil springs, '69 Mach I 4-speed rear leafs, and genuine Turbo mufflers.

My parts guy ribbed me a lot on these deals - but we now work for the same company since his dad sold to a major chain, and I still hold him up as a shining example of how to support a customer to get stuff done.

When I sold the car I gave a detailed list to the new owner, right down to the '71 Pinto handbrake.

Guy comes in and starts spouting off to the other counterman, Hey, I just got my chip reflashed and my (Korean import sedan with V-6) has 550 hp and runs 9's!

Frequent customer comes in to show off his finished Camaro - and this bitch can run close to that - he's always laid back, never needs to brag. Another brought his just finished rat rod '30's lakester roadster with ancient Kansas body stored outdoors since it last ran. Rust? Not so much considering he never painted the frame and left it outside to match.

Brother in law finished the 5 1/2" chop on his 49 Buick and I prodded "All ready to channel it over the frame?" and he said Yes before I could tell him I was joking. We then discussed what could be done with his stock '29 Chevy fordor, which was mostly leave it alone, rear mechanical brakes only notwithstanding.

And I'm selling my parts cars to finance leveling the ground for the garage pad. Old men have to have some place to putter after retirement, a Cobra kit or rat rod sounds like a nice hobby. I may buy a winch for the XJ just to help raise the timberframing during construction. It's getting to the point I treat it like a tractor anyway . . .

 

[Boatwrench]

Hmmm... reading these stories makes me rethink if I really want to work the parts counter for my next job.

 

[bigjeepman]

I have not had to deal with much auto parts stuff, but the motorcycle and boat business can be way worse at times.

The thing that irks me the most. The husband that talks to the wife while the wife is talking to me on the phone. Pick the damn phone up yourself and talk to me.

That irritates me more than anything else!

More great examples:

MercuryCruis(who made that?) it is Mercruiser!

Mercruis(again who,what) is is Mercruiser!

 

[GrimmJeeper]

The thing that irks me the most. The husband that talks to the wife while the wife is talking to me on the phone. Pick the damn phone up yourself and talk to me.

aahhh i HATE that.

Or, when the husband sends his wife to the store with half a broken something, and doesnt tell her what it is, and she has no idea even what kind of car its for, and gives me the blank stare when i say i cant tell her if i have one or not.

 

[5-90]

For all you know, the customer could have sourced the part original part from a junk yard and the customer may not know the exact make, model, or year.

True - but I still consider that their fault, because they didn't take notes. How big are a few index cards and a pen? I'd note make, model, year, engine, body, and write down the VIN (particularly if I pulled something off of a Ford) - but I'm just cranky that way.

It do make it easier to source replacement parts, tho...

@Boatwrench - if you want to work a parts counter, go ahead. You're probably more patient than I am - I'm still amazed that anyone at all survived when I quit smoking. There are still people who know what they're about out there, but you'll get your share of idiots (and don't forget the drones you're usually working with.)

You'd probably do well behind the counter - particularly because you've got a mechanical background, you're a mechanical hobbyist, and you won't really "need" the job anyhow (since you'll have been a retarded 30-year Coastie by then, right?) Having "F*** You" money always makes it easier to bear when things get stupid...

 

[TiRod]

I have not had to deal with much auto parts stuff, but the motorcycle and boat business can be way worse at times. The thing that irks me the most. The husband that talks to the wife while the wife is talking to me on the phone. Pick the damn phone up yourself and talk to me.

The boat and motorcycle owners can make things a lot less difficult if they would consider one very special fact: WE'RE NOT A BOAT OR MOTORCYCLE PARTS SUPPLIER, WE'RE AN AUTO PARTS HOUSE !!!!! And the same goes for all the Class 8 OTR shops looking for obscure Baldwin filter cross-references for a Case 580D backhoe.

Give us a minute, we're not trying to cop an attitude, it's simply that 1) Your special stuff is NOT in the computer, we will have to pull out a little used 1000 page catalog to look up your part 2) You better know exactly what it is your working on - there's a LOT of different kinds of backhoes in there, buddy, and the maker has been pretty indiscriminate over the years fitting engines to them. 3) Expect failure - the industry is distinctly separated into segments, and the boat, motorcycle, and OTR parts houses have a deal to prevent us from stocking what you want - it's their turf, not ours, anyway.


I've got a related thought, which I think points out some things:

HOW MANY OF US ORDER OVER THE INTERNET FOR LOCAL STORE PICKUP?

All the major chains offer this now - you look up the make, year, model, select a category, and then place your part in the shopping basket. Pay online, print a receipt, drive down, show your receipt and credit card, pickup the order already pulled, bagged, and waiting.

I'd say less than .01% of the members here can do that, much less the general public. Since starting 90 days ago, I have seen 0 - zip - nada - not one internet order at my store. I have seem one commercial customer at a previous store do it - he had worked at a parts house in a prior life.

My point: the general public can't navigate the screens, doesn't know their own vehicle, and won't stand to be caught looking dumb because they bought the wrong part. They don't want to face up to their mechanical illiteracy and are too proud to tolerate making a mistake - let the poor dumb kid do that, it's what he's underpaid to do . . .

 

[WB9YZU]

I've got a related thought, which I think points out some things:

HOW MANY OF US ORDER OVER THE INTERNET FOR LOCAL STORE PICKUP?

All the major chains offer this now - you look up the make, year, model, select a category, and then place your part in the shopping basket. Pay online, print a receipt, drive down, show your receipt and credit card, pickup the order already pulled, bagged, and waiting.

I'd say less than .01% of the members here can do that, much less the general public. Since starting 90 days ago, I have seen 0 - zip - nada - not one internet order at my store. I have seem one commercial customer at a previous store do it - he had worked at a parts house in a prior life.

My point: the general public can't navigate the screens, doesn't know their own vehicle, and won't stand to be caught looking dumb because they bought the wrong part. They don't want to face up to their mechanical illiteracy and are too proud to tolerate making a mistake - let the poor dumb kid do that, it's what he's underpaid to do . . .

I shop via on-line parts catalogs all the time. I use the on-line catalogs because they save me gas and time on the phone. No longer do I have to call around and ask a 1/2 dozen busy people to see if they have a part in stock, I can find that info on-line.

As far as your point: The general public probably doesn't know that many large parts stores have on-line look up. And as prevelant as the web seems to be, there are lots of folks who simply do not have a computer. That does not make them illiterate, or proud.

-Ron

 

[Darky]

I use the online lookup myself. Last time it was the wrong part. Trying to get a new aux fan relay for the Jeep, they sent me one with the right plugs, but a very wrong case. No chance of fitting. I returned it went down the road to NAPA and got the right one first try.