I miss Auto Parts stores
 

I went to the Advance in Passaic (cause thats always a fun experience) and waited on line to get someone to translate for me so that I could order oxygen sensors in English. I said may I please have 2 Bosch O2 sensors #15284, she said what is your vehicle? I said I am telling you the part number already, just look it up by a search. She says she doesnt know how to do that so rather than going back to asking me what my vehicle is or letting me use the computer she goes to ask a manager who is helping some guys find a way to appkly hub caps onto a 84 ford escort with no treads on the tires or working tail lights but they have sticker flames and a glued on hood scoop. So she came back to ask another clerk who was flirting with a 300lb black woman with a fly stuck to her greasy hair who refused to believe that Advance doesnt carry scotch guard. Finally she came back to me to say she will just have to do it by vehicle. I said fine. 2005 chevy tahoe.... 4WD.... 5.3.... ok what do you need? I said I need 2 Bosh O2 sensors #15284 she says they dont show it. I said yes they do, she says let me go get my manager. By this time he had 3 of the 4 hub caps on the escort. He said that they dont have it. Didnt even look at the computer. Just said they dont have it. She comes back to me to repeat exactly what he said. I said may i look, she turned the computer towards me, i typed in 15284 and what do you know. Bosch O2 Sensor 1 on hand. She says thats an Oxygen sensor, you told me O2 sensor... blank stare. Listen, I need two of these, when can you get another. She looks it up and tells me there is one in their Saddlebrook location. I said but I am in your Clifton location. She says well there is on in Saddlebrook. I said listen, is it possible that if I come back tomorrow you could have 2 of these sensors here. She said yes.

Today I go back. Guess whos workin, i say did my O2 sensor come in? She says you need a O2 sensor? I said yes... perplexed. She says what is the make and model of your vehicle? ~sigh~ Do you remember me form yesterday? Oh yeah you needed a part and it was in Saddle brook right? Yes, that was me. Did it come in? What is the make and model of your car? ~sigh~ 2005 Chevy Tahoe 5.3, and what do you need? I need 2 Bosch O2 sensor #15284... its not showing an O2 sensor for your car, let me ask my manager.... HOLD ON.. try. Oxygen sensor. ok, yes we have one of those, is there any thing else? I need 2 of them, ohhh im sorry we only have one in stock, let me check my other store in Saddlebrook and see if they have one, I just said never mind and walked out.

Oh wow....fun times.

I had to rent a harmonic balancer puller from Autozone a few months ago, and the clerk didn't even know what a harmonic balancer was, let alone they you need a special tool to remove them and that her place of employment rented them out.

:facepalm:

- Justin

LOL I hear you on that, the closet place to my house is an auto zone. If you dont have a specific year and make they cant help you. Keep your eyes open for a new high performance parts store in the future :wink:

i have been given the same runaround at autozone too ... it is almost worth going to speed shops and paying a little more to talk to people that not only have good knowledge about cars, but are also enthusiastic about them.

When the Kar Parts chain got sold to Autozone it was a dark day. There is still one of them open as "Driver's FX" on Rt 22 and even though it's out of my way, it's where I go.

I had a 84 camaro with a rochester 4 barrel. The choke was stuck open, So i went to Pep boys to get a choke coil.... ohhh boyyy, I'll never get that hour of my life back.

ive gone behind the counter at autozone before to find my own parts :lol:

great story. Unfortunate but entertaining.

There is a NAPA around the corner from my work, dudes are pretty knowledgable there. Only had one issue trying to get the AC tensioner pulley for my LS1.

Sounds like an Abbot and Costello routine lol.

:lol: I'm lucky, I have more than non-chain parts places near by, they actually know what I'm talking about

same here, that autozone i was talking about was in edison when my mustang's smog pump seized and smoked the belt

i used to work at a "real" auto parts store actually

yeah dude that is unfortunate..but they hire people that know nothing about cars. it would be great if they could make a quiz that prospective employees need to pass to get the job.

luckily by me there is an autozone and an advanced with knowledgeable people right across the street.

LOL they really don't hire people that know anything!
All Advance Auto is good for is them scanning your computer for codes for free!

Well I had a day off from work so I went to visit my girlfriend at work she worked at the pep boys in Parsipany. Well my Grand Prix has those special keys with the chip in them so I had the guy who did keys cut it for me. What do you know the key was cut completely wrong. I was lucky i ordered two of them. What a waste of a trip.

haha thats better than the guy at autozone asking my friend who makes 'camaro' :lol:

the local parts store has no problem with me using their computers while they help the other customers out. i have even gone to pick my part off the shelf back there as well. it helps to become friendly with them. if you explain that you are a mechanic and that they use a generic version that most parts places do and how you can navigate their system better than you....most times they will be like....IF YOU CAN DO IT BETTER SHOW ME...actually hoping that you fail....just setting themselves up for some ownage.



score 1 for me 8-)

Yea i just go behind the counter myself if theyll let me. its pretty annoying. and i swear this kid working in the franklin advance is seriously retarded for real. if i have to call there and he answers i just hang up and call someplace else.

i live sorta near there but have never been to there store, maybe i'll have to start going there for parts

I got lucky the last time I went to the advanced in turnersville. The guy knew what I was talking about and he got me $300 off my edelbrock top end kit. :nod: Most of the time they dont know shiz but advanced has my buisness for now. most of the time at autozone they walk away from me because they cant find what I want that really pisses me off.

i order my stuff online, i dont even bother going to the autozone near me

Well **** you all then!!!!
My autozone isnt that bad. The girls might be a little ditzy. The other day, the one girl asked me if a coupe is a two door or four door. I gave her the look...

haha thats the best part

Some are better than others. All depends who is working behind the counter. I'm happy I have a NAPA distribution center right by my place so they usually have whatever I want. Getting them to find what I need is a different story.

Technically speaking, it can be both...

LOL.

I either order online or at least look the parts up online before I go in - sometime I'll print out something and say "I need this". And I know the computer in front of them makes them plug in info so I'll play along with "1977"..."Chevy"..."Camaro"...."350/VinL"....balh blah blah...it makes all our days better. :)

If I think I'll need help I'll go to the Napa in West Trenton. The older guy there (Jim?) is good. And they have books.

That pissed me off reading that lol.....Im lucky i know a few people at my local advance and they somewhat know a thing or two about cars...