i work at a parts store

TRoglodyte wrote: Have you ever wondered how some people breathe with their head shoved that far up their a$$? Serious question, gills in their armpits? Osmosis? how

I've come to the conclusion that people that stupid are no longer subjective to the typical laws of nature. Because if they were, they would have been eaten before they reached one.

Perhaps 'civilization' and other safety/tech/medical advancements have weakened Darwin's grip on mankind? I would certainly be dead by now had I been born in the early 1900's.

Rufledt wrote: Perhaps 'civilization' and other safety/tech/medical advancements have weakened Darwin's grip on mankind? I would certainly be dead by now had I been born in the early 1900's.

That is a catch 22. It is because of darwinism that we go to that point.

Curmudgeon wrote: Auto Zone, Advance, O'Reilley's etc are counting on this; it's the whole reason for the computerized catalogs. When underpaid Drone 1 leaves they just hire underpaid Drone 2, then underpaid Drone 3, etc. As long as it benefits their bottom line it will stay that way.

Unfortunately I once worked for a small privately company that had the exact same formula. Stupid thing is it took thousand of dollars to train the person and months to get them the experience to do the job. But he really wanted the person gone within three years.

It's not all bad days and idiotic customers...

Employee parking yesterday. We had the paint guy come for training and it was 90 degrees out, so an impromptu car show broke out.

1966stang wrote:

belteshazzar wrote: Just now--- Customer points to Pontiac Fiero & says to wife; "Remember Back to the Future? This is the same kind of car they used in the movie."

Can you imagine being an OEM and knowing that your highly engeneered products were being sold to this kind of a buying public?

Depends on if you are an engineer, a designer, or a marketer

I just want more pictures and info on the elky....

In reply to Dusterbd13:

327 4-speed car, SS hood, black interior, one family from new.

Javelin, Saturday, I was on my way to a 2 day autox event up at Hampton Mill and I discovered I needed a radiator. I talked to Mike at the counter at your store. He had one put on a truck an in 3 hours I had my Miata radiator. I did my best hillbilly wrenching in the vacant lot behind your shop. I made it to the Sunday race. Thank Mike for me!

Had a guy come in today with an oooold pressure plate for a "small block Chebby". Wanted to buy just the PP. Turned out it was in a 350 (which usually means 305 around here) swapped Toyota pickup, still running a 9" Toyota clutch disc and Yota trans. He's adament that it's a 10 1/2" pressure plate. Break out the measuring tape and show him it's a 10" unit. DipE36 M3 buys a 10.5" one anyways. I know he'll bring it back...

Lady last week called in wanting a "Bank 1, Sensor 1". Obviously she has been to our brothers in green for a code scan and is trying to fix it herself. After politely asking if it was an O2 sensor she was after, she started to berate me. I put her on speaker, let her finish, calmly explained that bank 1, sensor 1 is a code, not a part, and to come by after she's seen a mechanic.

We have good customers, too. One of my commercial accounts has a front desk employee who daily drives a legit 67 Camaro SS, LeMans Blue, white stripe, black interior. It has a later vintage 350 swapped in and she knew it. Took some digging, but we figured out it's era (it's actually a GM crate motor) and have been able to get it maintained. It's her only car! (She's 50-ish and single there fellas, lol).

Javelin wrote: We have good customers, too. One of my commercial accounts has a front desk employee who *daily* drives a legit 67 Camaro SS, LeMans Blue, white stripe, black interior. It has a later vintage 350 swapped in and she knew it. Took some digging, but we figured out it's era (it's actually a GM crate motor) and have been able to get it maintained. It's her only car! (She's 50-ish and single there fellas, lol).

Does she have short hair and wear sensible shoes?

dangit … 3000 mi is a bit much even for someone that grounded

Today took the cake as the craziest day so far this year... Everybody and their dog decided to travel for the 3-day weekend, so every camper, RV, and boat trailer in a 50 mile radius was drug down the road for the first time all year today. Wonder of wonders, we sold about a hundred wheel bearings, brake calipers, and wheel cylinders today.

At 4:00 PM the store was just berekelying nuts, all 6 lines are ringing off the hook, there's a line through the store at the register, and every counterman has a line 3 deep. Store Manager is trying to calm down Big Account #4 over a warranty caliper that's out of stock, Fogger Sr. is turning the world's worst warped rotors for a Genesis Coupe, J-Tin the assistant manager has a phone on each ear, and I'm juggling two workstations.

Then an order comes in over the direct PC line from a shop for 3 coolant reservoirs and a gallon of antifreeze. I call the shop figuring they transposed the numbers, which they did. No problem, I pull one reservoir and three gallons and hand them off to the driver. They procede to cal five more times to make sure the order was corrected. Did I mention the last two calls were after the driver delivered it?

Oh yeah, we closed 10 minutes ago. Guess how many people are still in my line...

freestyle wrote: Javelin, Saturday, I was on my way to a 2 day autox event up at Hampton Mill and I discovered I needed a radiator. I talked to Mike at the counter at your store. He had one put on a truck an in 3 hours I had my Miata radiator. I did my best hillbilly wrenching in the vacant lot behind your shop. I made it to the Sunday race. Thank Mike for me!

I let Mike know!

Today's story: 85 years young gentleman came in for brakes on his 1992 Electra wagon with 350K miles on it (and it was mint). Turns out he worked at a Buick dealer from 1947-1992!!!

Javelin wrote: Today took the cake as the craziest day so far this year... Everybody and their dog decided to travel for the 3-day weekend, so every camper, RV, and boat trailer in a 50 mile radius was drug down the road for the first time all year today. Wonder of wonders, we sold about a hundred wheel bearings, brake calipers, and wheel cylinders today. At 4:00 PM the store was just berekelying *nuts*, all 6 lines are ringing off the hook, there's a line through the store at the register, and every counterman has a line 3 deep. Store Manager is trying to calm down Big Account #4 over a warranty caliper that's out of stock, Fogger Sr. is turning the world's worst warped rotors for a Genesis Coupe, J-Tin the assistant manager has a phone on each ear, and I'm juggling two workstations. Then an order comes in over the direct PC line from a shop for 3 coolant reservoirs and a gallon of antifreeze. I call the shop figuring they transposed the numbers, which they did. No problem, I pull one reservoir and three gallons and hand them off to the driver. They procede to cal *five more times* to make sure the order was corrected. Did I mention the last two calls were after the driver delivered it? Oh yeah, we closed 10 minutes ago. Guess how many people are *still* in my line...

and you have time to type this? no wonder you have a line

I love parts store stories. This thread rocks.

In reply to plance1:

LOL! I typed it up after everyone left. Literary license and all that.

Not a "I work there story" but a story I feel the need to share nonetheless-

I have this friend. He has a Cobalt LS. To his credit, he's built the thing himself and turbo'd it and it makes about 350whp (I've seen the dynos). So it is pretty quick and a halfway decent sleeper. He's got the car's purchase price again into the build because he's stupid and doesn't listen to advice but that's another story in and of itself. ANYHOW...

One day, his facebook feed shows up with this gigantic rant against the parts counter guy at whatever store. Went in asking for a thing, and the parts guy did his "Ok is it for this model etc etc" you know, the thing the parts guys are SUPPOSED to do. J-body turns around and starts lambasting this poor fool for not just getting him his part and shutting up. I politely explained (by politely I mean I called him a berkeleying jackass) that he was the reason we don't get good parts guys any more. Dicks like him go to the store and berate the counter jockey for doing his job and finally the good ones say eff it and peace out, which leaves play-doh for brains and his friends. Funny thing is, this isn't the first time I've checked this joker for thinking he has the best car ever.

Moral of the story? Be nice to your customer service people. You're the reason no one gets good service anymore anyhow.

Javelin wrote: In reply to plance1: LOL! I typed it up after everyone left. Literary license and all that.

I see...

I was looking for some hoses for my volvo brick the other day, the dude who waited on me was named Michael Angelo. Not making this up, that was his real name. I assume he has an artistic license of some kind. He could not find all the hoses I needed but he tried his best and was a nice enough guy.

I once had a customer in the tool store named Richie Cunningham.

I was filling out the work order, when he told me his name, all I could respond with was... "dude...."

His reply was just "you have no idea..."

I also had a customer named Fabio. Poor bastard probably had to learn to fight early on in school.

One day last week, I had an older gentleman call me about 30 mins before closing asking about Valvoline 20w50 oil for his older VW. 25 mins later, I was about ready to stick a fork in my temple.

I had a Napa guy named Dave Jones. I didn't ask about his locker.

But you did ask him about Peter Tork or Mike Nesmith, right?

I'm curious if this is a kentucky thing. When a customer says "I have a 95 Chevy (or any other make)" and gives no other info, that they mean a truck. Then when you ask for more info on the vehicle they get pissy about it. For berkeleys sake I'm trying to help you you putz. That's like going to a restaurant, telling the waiter you want "food" and bitching when the waiter asks what you would like to have.

In reply to Spoolpigeon:

Nope, it's an anywhere-there's-rednecks thing. I get it every damn day. My customers are so lazy they just say "I need a part for my Chev". I don't even get the y let alone the year. I started giving them all parts for the Daewoo-built Nova.