i work at a parts store

I was on the phone with our FLAPS yesterday and heard a customer in the background say "Do you guys carry distributors?"

Good lord...

Trans_Maro wrote: I was on the phone with our FLAPS yesterday and heard a customer in the background say "Do you guys carry distributors?" Good lord...

Nope, pockets are not big enough...

In reply to Javelin:

Lol. When I get the "it's a 350, don't matter what year" guys, I bring out LS1 parts

This thread is pure gold.

Spoolpigeon wrote: In reply to Javelin: Lol. When I get the "it's a 350, don't matter what year" guys, I bring out LS1 parts

But not Pontiac, Buick, or Oldsmobile parts... A 350 is a 350...

had a customer look at a 1984 C20 that I had for sale. He was pleased to see it had a carburetor, which he claimed to be able to tune. There was a brief conversation about the racing team which he is a part of, and how he needed a truck to pull the team's car with.

then, after starting the truck, he asked me if it was a gas burner. I said "as opposed to what?". To which he replied, "it's not a diesel is it?"

Those diesel carbs can be a bugger to tune.

I knew someone who insisted that Diesels had carburetors before they figured out how to do mechanical injection.

Spoolpigeon wrote: In reply to Javelin: Lol. When I get the "it's a 350, don't matter what year" guys, I bring out LS1 parts

they never made a 350ci motor after the 2nd generation.

LS1s are 346s

Plymouth had a 350 on the 50s. Doubt you'd have parts for those, though.

In reply to Opti:

Yeah, I know, but I have yet to have a single walk in customer recognize that. To them, any 5.7 liter is a got'damn 350

Appleseed wrote: Plymouth had a 350 on the 50s. Doubt you'd have parts for those, though.

It's a B block, they're all the same, parts for a 400 should fit.

Wait, that's how we got in this mess, isn't it?

I once gave a guy a water pump for a Nissan 350Z when he asked for one for a "tree fiddy".

I worked at autozone in southern Illinois when I was 16. I had a greasey, toothless redneck come in and sputter and spatter all upon my face. I barely made out the words "alternator" and " '84 ford" It took three times before I finally whirled that computer monitor around and told him "here, you look it up!"

My boss later said that was our best customer and he owns a junkyard. I found out the junkyard was in my hometown. I went to the junkyard and chatted with the toothless hillbilly that Became known as "old man Morris"

Later on, he wound up allowing me to "horse around" in his junkyard. Let me tell you- Many ford LTD's were compiled one day to get one running that we played "demolition derby" with. Later it caught fire. I was no longer welcome at the junkyard.

True story.

The manager (or maybe he's the assistant mgr) at the O'reilly's near me is actually pretty good. I had ordered a tool (Lisle electrical connector pin removal gizmo). Got the call that it had come in, the day before I was heading out of town for a few days. I didn't make it in, that day, to pick it up, and apparently, they have a policy that special orders are to be returned to the warehouse after a couple days. Manager got the call to return it, but knew who it was for, so he held onto it.

So, not all parts monkeys are that bad.

I had a nice experience with my local Advance. I had purchased a k&n oil filter that I usually use. Apparently it was made wrong or package wrong. Wouldn't fit.

So I returned it, explaining the problem. The two guys took the time to compare an other brand. They offered me a sale price on a good filter and a refund. When I left they were pulling all of that number k&n filters off the shelf.

I went to schmuck' once to get valve cover gaskets for a friend's Mazda. Parts kid promptly told me that they didn't carry gaskets at that location. Replied that I needed a six pack of silicone sealant if that was the case. Got my gaskets.

I've had them ask me "manual or auto" and "which engine" when all I've wanted was windshield wipers

wbjones wrote: I've had them ask me "manual or auto" and "which engine" when all I've wanted was windshield wipers

Thats the way most of the computers are setup. You have to get through those questions to get to the part numbers. While you can guess and get to the right thing 95% of the time when its a basic item (like wipers and bulbs) there are moments when it will make a difference.

Audi loves that game. A4 sedans and convertibles have different wipers.

The 2000-2004 A6 is even more fun. If you get a 4.2 V8 model, the front clip and floor is different. As a result the wipers, windsheild glass, and even the floor mats are totally different. The brakes and suspension differences are less of a suprise, but are there.

Customers usally roll their eyes when I ask for a VIN.

Don't get me started on how every Land Rover is "the same".

2001 sebring with a V6 could be two totally different cars.

Many customers would rather argue with you about how much of a dumbass you are than just answer the question and then get their parts. They're also the most vocal to their friends about how stupid the kids are at the parts store. They're also the same ones who tell you all SBC water pumps are the same.

belteshazzar wrote: 2001 sebring with a V6 could be two totally different cars.

Yeah, at the same time.

You kids here have it so easy. Why back in Hungary I had to give my engine number off my 50cc scooter just to get a spark plug and pod air filter! (that's no joke) and this is after I gave the usual "2006 Derbi GPR50" info.

The folks at the local O'reillys (sp?) are all pretty cool. No stories there. 'Cept one day when I asked the young 'un (who was probably my age) for "Points, cap, rotor, and condenser" for my Impala.

He was very hung up on the "points" part. "Breakable ignition contacts???" (or something to that effect).

He made triple sure they really were what I wanted before I left (because they didn't look "pointy"), but can't fault him for that.

Good times (and I really missed this thread, glad to see it's back)

This thread is reminding me why I'm so thankful not to be in automotive retail any more. It literally made me hate humanity.

So I was a service advisor at a local Honda dealer. Very very busy location. So for me to be away from my station for any length of time was a real sacrifice because work piled up quickly. A lady comes in to pick up here car. While she's paying I go to bring it around for her. Well we had had a severe ice storm the night before. Her windshield is like an inch thick in ice. So I started the car, got the heater going. Went to my own vehicle and got my personal ice scrapper and spent the next 10 mins chiseling the ice off her windshield. Finally pull the car up to the door. Windshield clean, inside is toasty warm. I politely tell her what I've done for her and to have a wonderful day.... She just looks at me and says "I wondered what took you so long." And storms off in her car.

Another lady came in with a bad battery. At the time, the original battery carried a 3 yr unlimited mileage warranty. She's literally at the very end of the warranty but we replace it under warranty. Now at this point, even the replacement battery is only warrantied until the end of the original 3 years. So if you get a replacement battery at 2yrs and 364 days, then the new battery only has a 1 day warranty. So anyways, she comes back like a month later and the battery is bad again. Except now she's out of warranty. Well I realize by the technical letter of the warranty, she's simply S.O.L. But that's just not right to do to somebody. So I don't even bother the customer. I went straight to my service manager, explained the situation and got him to approve us as a dealership giving her a new battery. (Not warranty, we just gave it to her because we valued her as a customer). As I'm sending her on her way, I explain the warranty situation and how as a dealership we've done the right thing by replacing the battery for free for her. At this point she lays into me asking who is going to reimburse her for her time?! She literally wanted financial compensation for the time she spent waiting. I politely told her to take a hike. You try to help somebody and do the right thing... And they try to take advantage of you.

One more...

I love the customer that comes in asking for a discount saying "I'm good customer." Umm, no you're not. You've been here for 1 oil change in the last 18 months. And the only reason you came today was you hoped the battery was still under warranty. This guy haggled with me for a solid 10 mins asking for a discount. Wanted me to go ask a manager for a discount. I just kept saying no. Finally he gave up, and the SOB hands me a coupon for the battery. He literally worried me to death about a discount when he had a promotional coupon in his pocket the whole time. I could have choked him.

Ok one more...

Guy comes in on a Saturday morning for an appointment for have a side mirror replaced. The part had been ordered and he had previously been quoted an installation price. I review the part and labor price with him, he signs the work order and goes to sit down. About 45 mins later i look up and he's standing in front of my desk. The tech had literally just finished and brought me his keys. As I'm reviewing the final a paper work with him... He wants to know why he's being charged an hours labor when it only took the tech 45 mins. I explain that I quoted him a price for the job, and that had the tech taken a 1.5 hrs, his cost would have stayed the same. Dude is pissed. Yells at me for 10 mins like I'm ripping him off. Finally when he sees I'm not changing the price, he grabs the business card of the general manager for dealership, waves it in my face and asks if I know who this guy is. (Basically threatening me like he's going to get me fired). I simply responded "yep that's the GM and his cell phone # is on there if you'd like to call him. Have a nice day."

I don't get people. You get a quoted price, ordered part arrives on time, we get you in immediately for your appointment... The car is finished in an expedient time frame, and the final price is exactly what I quoted. Yet you leave pissed?!

Ill post one redeemer for humanity.

We got behind one day and this guys oil change appointment takes literally 2 hrs. (He's there waiting on it). Now any other customer wold have cussed me out at the 30 min mark. But this guy was super chill. I felt terrible for how long it had taken and apologized repeatedly. The guy was so nice that he kept insisting that he pay for the oil change even when I told him that it was on the house because we took so long.

But that type of customer is few and far between. But I try to be that guy now when I'm in a retail place and i can tell that things aren't going well for the staff but they are trying hard.