MightyXJ said:
All the good independant shops are getting ran out of business it seems like - I worked for O'Reilly for about 5 years, and was fortunate to have a manager that INSISTED we learn the paper catalogues - the computer systems were spotty at best, not to mention we were always changing brands that we carried to the lowest bidder in order to compete. There are still some good brands there, but not as many as there used to be.
Pretty soon, it's gonna be the big 3 in auto parts - AZ, Napa & Oreilly .... and woe to the folks that need parts for an odd application that isn't in the computer.
I hear you. While I was working for NA/CSK (Northern Automotive/Checker-Schuck's-Kragen) they decided to "transition" from the paper catalogues (and I was the only one in the shop that actually KNEW how to use the damn things!) to EPC (Electronic Parts Catalogue) running "dumb terminals" out on the counter.
Why?
Half of the time, the damn thing was just plain wrong. The other half of the time, either the computer was crashed (a frequent occurrence) or we'd lost power (which happened more often than you'd think.) The first time it happened was about two days after the DM asked me why I hadn't tossed the paper books yet, and then ORDERED me to (which order I had no intention of obeying - he obviously hadn't used EPC himself.)
The next time he came in, EPC was down, and I had people handing me notes at the catalogue rack. Me? I looked like an octopus with poison ivy - taking in notes, scribbling part numbers on them, and handing them back. At least I got everyone to use a "standard format" when writing down notes - made is much easier all around.
I know I said I've got a lot of this stuff in Excel, but I don't toss the paper until I've checked, double-checked, triple-checked, and locked Mr. Murphy and his whol famn damily in a closet. If there's a mistake in my sheets, it was in the paper catalogue (part of locking Murphy in a closet is having my wife spot-check me - pick an application, and compare the digital entry to the hard copy. I admit it - I'm cranky.)
As far as "a few good brands," I think the problem is twofold -
1) China has gotten involved in heavy manufacturing - despite not having the know-how or the manufacturing infrastructure.
2) Americans are stressing price over quality - to their detriment. I, for one, don't mind paying a little more up front for something I KNOW will work, as opposed to saving a few bucks on a "throw-away" tool. Call me cranky.
My wife asked the difference between the OTC ball joint press I had to order, vice the HF she originally approved (she controls the money - otherwise I'd live in my rigs and hunt food...) I've just about finished the job now - the HF bent before I got one out, and the OTC has removed three and installed two so far. I have to take a break because I don't have power (and therefore fans) out in the garage due to some electrical screwup... If I find they guy that did such shonky work, I'm going to take my largest pair of pliers, and crush his balls. I have no patience with incompetent tradesman - professional or amateur...
5-90