PARTS STORE HORROR STORIES

[HEMI]

I've read alot of bad exp.stories from the cust. side,but as a
fomer counterman,I can tell you it's just as bad on the other side.
Examp.A:Cust. wants a 1/2" bolt.Me: How long? Cust.4".Do you want a bolt or capscrew? Exp. Diff.
So,I go get it.Cust says it's not 1/2".Maybe your right,put calipers on it,.500" show
cust.No,Ineed the top to fit a 1/2" wrench.I suggest grinding to fit the wrench.
Examp B:Cust:I need a fuel pump for a Buick.What year? '72.What model?72.I make a bug deal of look thru catalogs,knowing Buick didn't make a model 72.No such thing .Lists Roadmaster, LeSabre,etc'.Show cat.to him.Cust.offers to get registration.He doesn't understand diff.between YEAR,and MODEL.Honestly,I tried to help people,but some Didn't know their butt from a manhole cover and thought they did.Then I'd mess with them a little.

[trukluvr]

Re: PARTS STORE HORROR STORIES

Here is what I heard between a counter man and an asian gentleman at the local Auto Zone-

Customer-I need fan belt for my 91 Toyota truck.
Parts guy-What size is the engine?
Customer-Two foot by 4 foot.

I had to leave the store before I busted a gut laughing.

[Monk]

Re: PARTS STORE HORROR STORIES

I love the part when you go in looking for parts
like wipers.......eventually they have to ask what size motor

I just say............f*ck, pick one

[fabricatordave]

Re: PARTS STORE HORROR STORIES

when i go to brand A orA i use there websites to get #s and will tell me if it SHOULD be in stock. that last part not right all
the time

[Brad54]

Re: PARTS STORE HORROR STORIES

Me: You guys don't have any interchange books out here for the lights... do you have anything back there behind the counter?
Counter Monkey: Catalogs? What do you mean?
Me: You know... something that tells what number lights will interchange with others, or what number fits the application. Usually sent by the company you get the parts from.
Counter Monkey: We don't have any catalogs or anything. But it's in the computer.
Me: No, it's probably not. I just need something to get me headin' in the right direction, a close application...
Counter Monkey, cutting me off: We've got EVERYTHING in this computer.
Me: Ooooo-Kay.
Counter Monkey: What year?
Me: 1962.
Counter Monkey: Oh... vehicle?
Me: Suburban. Or C-10 pick-up.
Counter Monkey: 1/2-ton or 3/4-ton?
Me: C-10 IS a 1/2-ton. It shouldn't ask.
Counter Monkey: Well it did. 2-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive?
Me: (sigh) 2-wheel drive.
Counter Monkey: What engine?
Me: (groan) V8. 283 if it makes a difference.
Counter Monkey: Is that a 4.6 liter, or 5.3 liter?
Me: I don't know. Pick one!
Counter Monkey: Manual or Automatic.
Me: Are you serious?
Counter Monkey: No reply, just looks at me with big, dumb, dog-that-just-pooped-in-the-living-room eyes.
Me: Manual.
Counter Monkey: 2bbl or 4bbl carburetor?
Me: What the F--- difference does that make?! I want a damn light bulb for the instrument cluster! What difference could the carburetor POSSIBLY make?
Counter Monkey: Sorry. I'll just pick one.
Me: Good idea.
(long pause... Counter Monkey looks at the idiot box, silently praying for a miracle)
Counter Monkey: We don't have it. Is there a place for it on the rack out there?
Me: No. That's why I asked you for a catalog, to try and find an application that might work, like a late '60s/'70s Chevy truck.

Counter Monkey: Oh. We can look in the computer... but I don't know how you'd do that without knowing what kind of truck.
Me: Never mind. I'll go to CarQuest in the morning.

-Brad

[Freiburger]

Re: PARTS STORE HORROR STORIES

Me: "I need a set of 8 Champion RJ12YC spark plugs."
Counter dork: "For what kind of car?"

[Junk Whisperer]

Re: PARTS STORE HORROR STORIES

A 'GOOD' Counter Jockey is hard to find.......rarer than the rarest Musclecar : ;). It's TRUE! ~JW/OO6.

[Monk]

Re: PARTS STORE HORROR STORIES

Me: You guys don't have any interchange books out here for the lights... do you have anything back there behind the counter?
Counter Monkey: Catalogs? What do you mean?
Me: You know... something that tells what number lights will interchange with others, or what number fits the application. Usually sent by the company you get the parts from.
Counter Monkey: We don't have any catalogs or anything. But it's in the computer.
Me: No, it's probably not. I just need something to get me headin' in the right direction, a close application...
Counter Monkey, cutting me off: We've got EVERYTHING in this computer.
Me: Ooooo-Kay.
Counter Monkey: What year?
Me: 1962.
Counter Monkey: Oh... vehicle?
Me: Suburban. Or C-10 pick-up.
Counter Monkey: 1/2-ton or 3/4-ton?
Me: C-10 IS a 1/2-ton. It shouldn't ask.
Counter Monkey: Well it did. 2-wheel drive or 4-wheel drive?
Me: (sigh) 2-wheel drive.
Counter Monkey: What engine?
Me: (groan) V8. 283 if it makes a difference.
Counter Monkey: Is that a 4.6 liter, or 5.3 liter?
Me: I don't know. Pick one!
Counter Monkey: Manual or Automatic.
Me: Are you serious?
Counter Monkey: No reply, just looks at me with big, dumb, dog-that-just-pooped-in-the-living-room eyes.
Me: Manual.
Counter Monkey: 2bbl or 4bbl carburetor?
Me: What the F--- difference does that make?! I want a damn light bulb for the instrument cluster! What difference could the carburetor POSSIBLY make?
Counter Monkey: Sorry. I'll just pick one.
Me: Good idea.
(long pause... Counter Monkey looks at the idiot box, silently praying for a miracle)
Counter Monkey: We don't have it. Is there a place for it on the rack out there?
Me: No. That's why I asked you for a catalog, to try and find an application that might work, like a late '60s/'70s Chevy truck.

Counter Monkey: Oh. We can look in the computer... but I don't know how you'd do that without knowing what kind of truck.
Me: Never mind. I'll go to CarQuest in the morning.

-Brad

Love it!!!

[fabricatordave]

Re: PARTS STORE HORROR STORIES

Me: "I need a set of 8 Champion RJ12YC spark plugs."
Counter dork: "For what kind of car?"

i did that a while back and they could not find them on the shelf because they were cataloged by STOCK ## not part #

[Brian Lohnes]

Re: PARTS STORE HORROR STORIES

Me: Wheel cylinders for a 1948 Ford F-2 truck
Them: There's not frigging way I'm going to....holy shit, I've got two in the Maine warehouse. They'll be here tomorrow.

Brian

[TheSilverBuick]

Re: PARTS STORE HORROR STORIES

I don't feel like re-typing :P Some of it's relevant

http://www.freiburgersjunkyard.com/forum/index.php?topic=4853.0

[dieselgeek]

Re: PARTS STORE HORROR STORIES

Me: "I need a set of 8 Champion RJ12YC spark plugs."
Counter dork: "For what kind of car?"

WIth all the junkyard/OEM parts we cobble together for our EFI systems, imagine what kind of luck we have when we ask for a Gm Crank Position Sensor - for a 2.3 liter ford Pinto engine - or a Mitsubishi coilpack, for a chevy 350.

I keep a book of "what to ask for" so I can get through the sweet "computer inventory" systems out there

[horsewidower]

Re: PARTS STORE HORROR STORIES

I've finally progressed far enough with my counter folks that they just invite me behind the counter to look at whatever I want.

However, we were dynoing the car one Sunday evening and the throttle positon sensor for our Aussie ECU crapped out. Imagine the problem with the usual computer routine. The first two stores we went to we went through the "what year, what brand, what model" computer routine, I figured, hmmm weather pack end, must be a GM product. Let's try Corvette, Camaro, truck and on and on. Nobody had catalogs. Went to a Kragen, which I know has catalogs so I was not going to be denied. The counter guy started the computer routine, I said no, I'd like to see your sensor catalog. "I don't have a sensor catalog" No, I know you have a sensor catalog, they have one at the Kragen that I have near home." Hmmm. And he ran around the store for twenty minutes looking for catalogs. He finally came back and said "I can't find any. But the wholesale side has a bunch of catalogs why don't you go back there." I found the sensor catalog, ran through the GM sensors, none of them, ran through the Fords, there it was with the wrong connector. We swapped the connectors back at the dyno and away we went.

No way was I going to find that without the catalogs.

[horsewidower]

Re: PARTS STORE HORROR STORIES

Me: "I need a set of 8 Champion RJ12YC spark plugs."
Counter dork: "For what kind of car?"

WIth all the junkyard/OEM parts we cobble together for our EFI systems, imagine what kind of luck we have when we ask for a Gm Crank Position Sensor - for a 2.3 liter ford Pinto engine - or a Mitsubishi coilpack, for a chevy 350.

I keep a book of "what to ask for" so I can get through the sweet "computer inventory" systems out there

Same here.

But its more than computer stuff. My Quartermaster lightweight flywheel that was supposed to work with a 2.3 Ford doesn't work with a 2.3 starter. You have to use a '74 pinto starter. Wrong teeth count.

[HEMI]

Re: PARTS STORE HORROR STORIES

Good stat everyone,BUT I'm looking fot IDIOT customers and SMART guyy's or gal's bhind the counter.