I'm losing interest...
- Thread starter DaveP
- Start date
atkonkler
Is this your bush?
Re: I'm loosing interest...
Re: I'm loosing interest...
Calipers for those were rebuilt and are a dime a dozen, I think the stock calipers for our trucks are $15 and core is like $20... Silly but true! Alittle more go into the hoses also... IMO
Re: I'm loosing interest...
Calipers for those were rebuilt and are a dime a dozen, I think the stock calipers for our trucks are $15 and core is like $20... Silly but true! Alittle more go into the hoses also... IMO
DaveP
Active member
Re: I'm loosing interest...
Re: I'm loosing interest...
OK here's another aspect of the parts situation. Personnel in the retail outlets.
Re: I'm loosing interest...
OK here's another aspect of the parts situation. Personnel in the retail outlets.
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Flyin Ryan
hated cuz he drives fords
Re: I'm loosing interest...
Re: I'm loosing interest...
I totally agree.. put two of the same part in front of someone with one costing a little bit more then the other and I bet the person will go for the cheaper one... sure that person expects the quality of oem from that cheaper part but isn't willing to pay for it.
Re: I'm loosing interest...
I totally agree.. put two of the same part in front of someone with one costing a little bit more then the other and I bet the person will go for the cheaper one... sure that person expects the quality of oem from that cheaper part but isn't willing to pay for it.
JSM
Active member
Re: I'm losing interest...
The world in general has pushed this. Look at Walmart, everyone shops around and buys the cheapest price. Consumers have really driven it as a whole.
I also have some theories on why the US came to a point of not being competitive in manufacturing but that is yet another topic.
The world in general has pushed this. Look at Walmart, everyone shops around and buys the cheapest price. Consumers have really driven it as a whole.
I also have some theories on why the US came to a point of not being competitive in manufacturing but that is yet another topic.
Don W.
Stab it and steer it
Re: I'm losing interest...
Great article Dave, thanks.
RE NAPA stores. Starting with my dad and me following I've been shopping at the local NAPA store for a little more than 60 years. I actually prefer their store north of here but it's the wrong direction. At the main store all the folks are great but there are only two regular counter people that I can talk to and not have eyes glaze over about half the time. And one of those is a woman. Also NAPA commonly has two level of quality.
BTW the truck parts counter is great, different breed of cat over there.
All that being said I think everyone is correct. General parts quality is getting worse. Ya just have to pay attention and try to buy the best you can.
Just my :2cents:
Great article Dave, thanks.
RE NAPA stores. Starting with my dad and me following I've been shopping at the local NAPA store for a little more than 60 years. I actually prefer their store north of here but it's the wrong direction. At the main store all the folks are great but there are only two regular counter people that I can talk to and not have eyes glaze over about half the time. And one of those is a woman. Also NAPA commonly has two level of quality.
BTW the truck parts counter is great, different breed of cat over there.
All that being said I think everyone is correct. General parts quality is getting worse. Ya just have to pay attention and try to buy the best you can.
Just my :2cents:
Re: I'm losing interest...
To help mitigate some of the sub-par parts quality from the generic parts store, I have recently used "Rock Auto" quite a bit for parts for the Typhoon to some more vintage stuff like a friend's Edsel Villager. There are usually several options for a given part, and through that cross reference with a quick google search on the manufacturer and the given part number. I tracked down a copper heater core like that for the Typhoon. Local parts store had only aluminum ones. I understand the repeat part replacement frustration. Don't let that discourage you from something you are passionate about. Don't know what I would do when not tinkering on cars.
To help mitigate some of the sub-par parts quality from the generic parts store, I have recently used "Rock Auto" quite a bit for parts for the Typhoon to some more vintage stuff like a friend's Edsel Villager. There are usually several options for a given part, and through that cross reference with a quick google search on the manufacturer and the given part number. I tracked down a copper heater core like that for the Typhoon. Local parts store had only aluminum ones. I understand the repeat part replacement frustration. Don't let that discourage you from something you are passionate about. Don't know what I would do when not tinkering on cars.
Re: I'm loosing interest...
Re: I'm loosing interest...
Re: I'm loosing interest...
Completely avoid the Vatozones in Anaheim at all costs then! I absolutely hate going down to any of them.
ajt86
Member
Re: I'm losing interest...
yeah the problem from a shop owners persepective is yes id love to sell ac delco, moog, bosch, motorcraft, ect... parts all day long- but if I price out a moog ball joint to a customer for 80$- he calls around and the crackhead shop up the street tells him the ball joint is only 20$... the customer doesn't want to hear that there is 60$ in difference between the moog part and the noname- he just wants his car fixed for as little as possible
I had one guy say "well your warranty is the same whether I buy the cheap part or the expensive part so I may as well buy the cheap part"
but with a moog part ill warranty it past my 12 month/12000 mile warranty- the off brand stuff the second its out of warranty I wont do a thing about it.
and yeah its a shame what parts places have come to in our current world. Years ago stores were dingy and full of cigar smoke but the guy behind the counter was knowledgeable. Now the stores are nice bright and clean- but its a 18 year old kid who doesn't know a crank sensor from a throttle body. They know how to put the make model and year in- and search for the part you ask for. God forbid if you go there and tell him you need an alternator for a 400 small block swapped into a 92 Camaro
yeah the problem from a shop owners persepective is yes id love to sell ac delco, moog, bosch, motorcraft, ect... parts all day long- but if I price out a moog ball joint to a customer for 80$- he calls around and the crackhead shop up the street tells him the ball joint is only 20$... the customer doesn't want to hear that there is 60$ in difference between the moog part and the noname- he just wants his car fixed for as little as possible
I had one guy say "well your warranty is the same whether I buy the cheap part or the expensive part so I may as well buy the cheap part"
but with a moog part ill warranty it past my 12 month/12000 mile warranty- the off brand stuff the second its out of warranty I wont do a thing about it.
and yeah its a shame what parts places have come to in our current world. Years ago stores were dingy and full of cigar smoke but the guy behind the counter was knowledgeable. Now the stores are nice bright and clean- but its a 18 year old kid who doesn't know a crank sensor from a throttle body. They know how to put the make model and year in- and search for the part you ask for. God forbid if you go there and tell him you need an alternator for a 400 small block swapped into a 92 Camaro
ajt86
Member
Re: I'm losing interest...
I just did a tune up on a MB g550.... 16 spark plugs- 585$ wire set..... 900$ just to replace plugs and wires. Almost 600$ for 16 short oil near plug plug wires
I just did a tune up on a MB g550.... 16 spark plugs- 585$ wire set..... 900$ just to replace plugs and wires. Almost 600$ for 16 short oil near plug plug wires
atkonkler
Is this your bush?
Re: I'm losing interest...
I will agree that it's hard to find good quality help in a parts store.... I've worked at a dealer, O'Reilly and now AutoZone... People come in and ask for 1 of 3 people. Everyone else's knowledge is subpar and they always have questions for the 3 wise guys.. after leaving Oreallys for vatozone I would occasionally have to go back to O'Reillys for things I couldn't obtain ... I went back to do a return at O'Reillys and it was all new faces.... The line at the counter was 5 deep ... I got to deal with Jeffery.... Man what a gem this kid was.... So we are attempting to return my stuff to buy other parts.... He starts looking for my return in the computer and is just fumble fu$king around.... Stops in the middle of my return and starts to help someone else....I was like WTF.. so I grabbed the keyboard and started doing my own return and I'm not even an employee... So it needs a manager's approval. I ask him where the manager is to do the approval ..... He doesn't even acknowledge me...I walked around the back corner in the store and there is 6 mutherfuc?ing Oreallys employees smoking cigs...so I said hey can we get some help upfront and need an approval on a transaction... So two peons roll up and now there's 4 upfront ... There is 4 computers that can be utilized by them... The two that walked up now proceed to get on their telephones... I say all I need is an approval password ... Jeffery turns to me and says hey man you don't have to be a DICK.... This where I went off the deep end ... I said "You can't tell customers that kind of thing it's disrespectful , no wonder why I receive at least three complaints about this store from arguments, belittling customers to just ignoring the whenever I work at AutoZone! I said your lucky I don't take this keyboard and smash it over your Mellon ****ing head! I grabbed my stuff and told them all your dm and area manager will hear of this... I went to the Oreallys north of me , I know all the employees from when I worked at the other store , took 2 mins to return my stuff and get some sparkplugs. Talked with my buddy who managed the store about what just happened... He guessed who I had the issue with and said I wasn't the only one... Wanted to see him fired and told me the 1-800### to call and report it. We tacked for a while about his GTO and ls motors. Needless to say it is hard to find good help and easier just to fill with warm bodies. Ya got your good stores and bad ones everywhere you go...
I will agree that it's hard to find good quality help in a parts store.... I've worked at a dealer, O'Reilly and now AutoZone... People come in and ask for 1 of 3 people. Everyone else's knowledge is subpar and they always have questions for the 3 wise guys.. after leaving Oreallys for vatozone I would occasionally have to go back to O'Reillys for things I couldn't obtain ... I went back to do a return at O'Reillys and it was all new faces.... The line at the counter was 5 deep ... I got to deal with Jeffery.... Man what a gem this kid was.... So we are attempting to return my stuff to buy other parts.... He starts looking for my return in the computer and is just fumble fu$king around.... Stops in the middle of my return and starts to help someone else....I was like WTF.. so I grabbed the keyboard and started doing my own return and I'm not even an employee... So it needs a manager's approval. I ask him where the manager is to do the approval ..... He doesn't even acknowledge me...I walked around the back corner in the store and there is 6 mutherfuc?ing Oreallys employees smoking cigs...so I said hey can we get some help upfront and need an approval on a transaction... So two peons roll up and now there's 4 upfront ... There is 4 computers that can be utilized by them... The two that walked up now proceed to get on their telephones... I say all I need is an approval password ... Jeffery turns to me and says hey man you don't have to be a DICK.... This where I went off the deep end ... I said "You can't tell customers that kind of thing it's disrespectful , no wonder why I receive at least three complaints about this store from arguments, belittling customers to just ignoring the whenever I work at AutoZone! I said your lucky I don't take this keyboard and smash it over your Mellon ****ing head! I grabbed my stuff and told them all your dm and area manager will hear of this... I went to the Oreallys north of me , I know all the employees from when I worked at the other store , took 2 mins to return my stuff and get some sparkplugs. Talked with my buddy who managed the store about what just happened... He guessed who I had the issue with and said I wasn't the only one... Wanted to see him fired and told me the 1-800### to call and report it. We tacked for a while about his GTO and ls motors. Needless to say it is hard to find good help and easier just to fill with warm bodies. Ya got your good stores and bad ones everywhere you go...
Typhoon#747
Donating Member
Re: I'm losing interest...
I never rely on the counterman to find the correct parts for me. 99% of the time I research the part(s) online to make sure they are correct. Then I use the parts stores' websites to place an order using 35% or 40% off coupons. The counterman is simply there to clerk my order when I show up to pick it up.
I never rely on the counterman to find the correct parts for me. 99% of the time I research the part(s) online to make sure they are correct. Then I use the parts stores' websites to place an order using 35% or 40% off coupons. The counterman is simply there to clerk my order when I show up to pick it up.
Captain Morgan
Moderated User
Re: I'm losing interest...
x3, although the guys at my local Napa know me pretty well so if its something I can't find and I ask them if it exists, they usually know of can point me in another direction.
x3, although the guys at my local Napa know me pretty well so if its something I can't find and I ask them if it exists, they usually know of can point me in another direction.
Re: I'm losing interest...
And this is what makes a 'parts store' a place to go to. I don't know how many times we grabbed 'the book' trying to find something for someone. It was almost mantra that we gave the computer two attempts and then just went to the book.
BTW, I worked at CarQuest many years ago. There it was nothing to 'help' a customer. I don't know how many alternators or batteries we changed in the parking lot, and wipers, heck it was commonplace to tell the customer to get a cup of coffee while we went and put them on for them. These new countetrman are just parts replacers. I'm a computer lover, but I know they are just good for matching a part against a car, and cross reference, nothing else. There is a whole other world out there.
Ever try and find a higher output alternator for a pickup by looking at part dimensions and connector styles in the book? I have (and found one too).
And this is what makes a 'parts store' a place to go to. I don't know how many times we grabbed 'the book' trying to find something for someone. It was almost mantra that we gave the computer two attempts and then just went to the book.
BTW, I worked at CarQuest many years ago. There it was nothing to 'help' a customer. I don't know how many alternators or batteries we changed in the parking lot, and wipers, heck it was commonplace to tell the customer to get a cup of coffee while we went and put them on for them. These new countetrman are just parts replacers. I'm a computer lover, but I know they are just good for matching a part against a car, and cross reference, nothing else. There is a whole other world out there.
Ever try and find a higher output alternator for a pickup by looking at part dimensions and connector styles in the book? I have (and found one too).
jklein68
Donating Member
Re: I'm losing interest...
Napa stores are "franchise" like and run like a small business. Some geographies have an llc that ownes multiple stores but Napa tries to limit ownership to 3 stores if possible. You can definitely complain to the owner of the store about poor service. If that doesn't work you can also contact Napa corporate. They take this stuff very seriously. Autozone's are all corporate stores, they don't give a crap about customer service or whether or not the person behind the counter has ever even seen a car. They live off of low prices.
The Napa by us is run by the owner, his livelihood is based off of the part quality and customer service. Not to say that Napa doesn't sell some crap, but he will tell us it's crap because his reputation depends on it.
If you regularly shop at a Napa, I would recommend talking to the owner about setting up an account. That will bring the prices more in line with some of the other retailers.
Napa stores are "franchise" like and run like a small business. Some geographies have an llc that ownes multiple stores but Napa tries to limit ownership to 3 stores if possible. You can definitely complain to the owner of the store about poor service. If that doesn't work you can also contact Napa corporate. They take this stuff very seriously. Autozone's are all corporate stores, they don't give a crap about customer service or whether or not the person behind the counter has ever even seen a car. They live off of low prices.
The Napa by us is run by the owner, his livelihood is based off of the part quality and customer service. Not to say that Napa doesn't sell some crap, but he will tell us it's crap because his reputation depends on it.
If you regularly shop at a Napa, I would recommend talking to the owner about setting up an account. That will bring the prices more in line with some of the other retailers.
Captain Morgan
Moderated User
Re: I'm losing interest...
I agree, and ProLink is awesome too, you can see if your local store has what youre looking for in stock or not and if isn't what local warehouse or whatever has it.
Personally this makes my job planning 1000000x easier, I can pre-order things I know Ill need and on the rare occasion I order something and don't end up using it, returning it is not a problem.
Oh, and the ProLink app is nice too, you can scan the VIN barcode so you dont have to figure out what engine it has, double check the year, etc, everything sends from your phone to you account so it appears on your computer. :tup:
I agree, and ProLink is awesome too, you can see if your local store has what youre looking for in stock or not and if isn't what local warehouse or whatever has it.
Personally this makes my job planning 1000000x easier, I can pre-order things I know Ill need and on the rare occasion I order something and don't end up using it, returning it is not a problem.
Oh, and the ProLink app is nice too, you can scan the VIN barcode so you dont have to figure out what engine it has, double check the year, etc, everything sends from your phone to you account so it appears on your computer. :tup:
Logan
Member
Re: I'm losing interest...
It is sad to say but the USA is slowly crumbling. Everything from government to entertainment to morals to production and industry are all falling in the crap tube. There was once a time when a man could dream of a quality house, 2 quality American cars, a couple of kids and decent wife. Now you get half the house for twice the price, property taxes, garbage cookie cutter vehicles that no longer make driving fun, kids on more meds than we can keep up with and a wife that works as much as you to support said life. The world ran off and got in a big hurry even before I was alive but I still wish for the times that my parents and grand parents speak of when things were a little more simple. Rant complete.
It is sad to say but the USA is slowly crumbling. Everything from government to entertainment to morals to production and industry are all falling in the crap tube. There was once a time when a man could dream of a quality house, 2 quality American cars, a couple of kids and decent wife. Now you get half the house for twice the price, property taxes, garbage cookie cutter vehicles that no longer make driving fun, kids on more meds than we can keep up with and a wife that works as much as you to support said life. The world ran off and got in a big hurry even before I was alive but I still wish for the times that my parents and grand parents speak of when things were a little more simple. Rant complete.
TYTILIDIE
METH HEAD
Re: I'm losing interest...
I hear ya, but we do get what we pay for I guess. Americans are too cheap to buy quality stuff anymore. Being in business in this country is becoming a joke. Hopefully we found our way.
I hear ya, but we do get what we pay for I guess. Americans are too cheap to buy quality stuff anymore. Being in business in this country is becoming a joke. Hopefully we found our way.