Learn Me: Why I don't want to work at AutoZone.

I'm going back to school in another town this fall. Quit my cubicle job and looking for part-time employment. I've spent the last ~5 years working at Advance in various capacities, both full and part-time. Looking for a change of scenery, an opportunity to start fresh. I don't particularly care for the corporate culture at Advance at the moment, and their integration issues are more headache than I care to deal with (out of stock issues, poor parts availability, understaffed stores). Is AutoZone any better? Is it worse?

The store(s) in question I have shopped at quite a few times over the years. The Zone in town seems to be staffed with more knowledgeable guys. That I like. Obviously this can change at a moments notice, but it is something I place high in importance.

I have connections at both, so getting a job is not really an issue with either one. If anyone has some insider knowledge, it would be appreciated. Things like a stable catalog/computer system, good IT/corporate support, proper staffing levels, and competent managers are of the utmost importance to me.

Do they stock quality parts? Everything seems private label for the most part. I really try to stick with Centric and Wagner brake stuff, Moog for chassis components. I at least know some of the Advance white box stuff is decent quality (and what is garbage), but nothing about Zone. I don't see name brand belt drive components or hoses for that matter.

AutoZone sells parts of suspect quality, I won't use them except in an emergency.

Locally I refuse to use them because one time, I needed a caliper in a hurry, it failed that morning and the car needed to be on the road at 6am the next morning. Autozone didn't have it "but I can get it for you tomorrow". I saw on his computer that one of the other locations ten minutes away had it. I asked if any of their other stores had it. "No. But I can get you one tomorrow."

Spent some time on the phone, found an Advance 40 miles away that had it, got there 5 minutes after closing but they were waiting for me. Cool guys there.

I worked part-time for AZ around 2000-2003. It was a bit better than working at Radio Shack. Let that sink in a bit...

From a corporate culture standpoint there was a big push from above to sell the add-ons. It was irritating, but probably not any different than you're used to now. It probably all comes down to this store's management and/or regional manager, and your new coworkers.

talk to the guys at zone and see what they say. Since this is a temp gig, not a career you can always quit and do something else of it really bad.

I'm voting in favor of Gearheadotaku's stance on this situation.

There's a reason I call it fast food auto parts.... I'm fairly certain it's the same anywhere. Plus AZ doesn't have 30% off online coupons and their employees are just as bright as a broken bulb....

I am drawn to the words of The Who. "Meet the new boss..same as the old boss"

I was with them right out of college when they were Auto Palace. The same guy who hired me now runs the local and sets up new stores when they open in the region. He's a nice guy, but I didn't like to push to be the Macy's of car parts. They're really concerned with appearances, rely on the computer to tell em what's correct, and parts can be suspect. I assume it's the same any where else!

Current employee here. My specific store usually stays extremely busy, which I thought I wasn't that fond of until I got sent to another store for a day and realized the other extreme is worse. The pressure from management to sell whatever snake oil we have on sale that month has gotten old already. Frequent customers will know that you are mostly offering them the silly little packets of grease because your store manager says you have to. Some customers will ask you for your opinion on all the miracle chemical fixes on the chemical wall but you aren't allowed to give it to them if it's negative. You should also be prepared to do basically everything in the store short of management duties (unless you're a manager, in which case you do everything in the store, including management duties).

Basically the only reason I'm still here is I liked the produce department at Walmart less than this and it jives with my class schedule. I've told my friends not to apply here when we've been hiring and the one that still works at Walmart keeps asking me why I haven't looked for another job yet.

Oh I almost forgot the one positive thing, which is the 20% employee discount.

Also I should note that my complete work history includes 7 months of this, 2 weeks of factory temp work, and 2 months of Walmart produce. Also worth noting that I currently make a dollar less an hour than I did at either of those jobs.

Is there a Firestone store in the area you could work at? Decent employee discounts and weekend access to a lift if you get along with the managers. Don't ever let it go over to a Monday, but for one day jobs like basic brake work or oil changes, it can make life easier.

I actually miss it, somewhat, but then I remember the pay. But for college part-time, it's probably acceptable.

Chadeux wrote: Current employee here. My specific store usually stays extremely busy, which I thought I wasn't that fond of until I got sent to another store for a day and realized the other extreme is worse. The pressure from management to sell whatever snake oil we have on sale that month has gotten old already. Frequent customers will know that you are mostly offering them the silly little packets of grease because your store manager says you have to. Some customers will ask you for your opinion on all the miracle chemical fixes on the chemical wall but you aren't allowed to give it to them if it's negative. You should also be prepared to do basically everything in the store short of management duties (unless you're a manager, in which case you do everything in the store, including management duties). Basically the only reason I'm still here is I liked the produce department at Walmart less than this and it jives with my class schedule. I've told my friends not to apply here when we've been hiring and the one that still works at Walmart keeps asking me why I haven't looked for another job yet. Oh I almost forgot the one positive thing, which is the 20% employee discount. Also I should note that my complete work history includes 7 months of this, 2 weeks of factory temp work, and 2 months of Walmart produce. Also worth noting that I currently make a dollar less an hour than I did at either of those jobs.

Ok, sounds exactly like Advance (for better or worse). I'll have to stop in there and talk to the guys to see what everyone is like. Probably should do that with all the shops in town, if they're all going to be the same.

No Firestone in the area unfortunately. This is middle of nowhere Northern Michigan. It's either Auto Parts, a campus job, or bartending.

pres589 wrote: Is there a Firestone store in the area you could work at? Decent employee discounts and weekend access to a lift if you get along with the managers.

Not at my store. To use anything at the store you pay $30 per hour. Discounts are 10% over cost, which is still double rock auto on parts or Tire Rack on tires. Also when the store gets audited they inspect your vehicle top to bottom (and WILL pull it on a lift to do so). If you have ANY branded products like an oil filter or tires and can't produce a receipt, it's immediate termination. My store is open seven days a week with 12+ hour days the norm, so there is no "down time" to do work yourself. Every bay is always full, so you pay your money and hope your co-worker doesn't berkeley up your car too bad.

I'm a manager and I've been here for 3 months. Still actively looking for another job.

In reply to Junkyard_Dog:

I worked at a tire chain that expressly allowed you to work on your own stuff on your day off if there was a free bay. It was part of the written terms of employment. Then I had the kind of power-tripping manager come in and decreed that if you needed to do work on your car, you paid shop rate like a customer would. Which was complete BS and against corporate policy so everyone ignored him.

My favorite was the time I did axle bearings on my car on my day off. It was his day off too, so he didn't know about it, until he overheard about it in conversation later. "You used MY bearing press to do your bearings?" "No, I used the SHOP's press to do them". Then I continued with my conversation with my co-worker like Tinpot wasn't even there.

That was not the only way he was a d-bag, he was also the auto repair manage equivalent of a PHB with his mechanical lack of knowledge, but that didn't stop him from pretending that he knew everything. Fortunately the company rotated him out to a different store after a few months.

There's a "So I work at a parts store" thread around here somewhere. It might be worth your time to read

Found it! https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/i-work-at-a-parts-store/48118/page1/

Good times

Man that thread is like, funny and depressing at the same time for me. "LOL what an idiot... berk I'm going to have to deal with that guy tomorrow night"

Do you hate people?

Have you considered murder?

You will.

After 5 years at Advance, could it really be that much worse?

Yeah if you haven't killed anyone yet you'll probably be fine.

Sometimes I forget there are young people here.

Youths!

In reply to dculberson:

I am a young people and I was already convinced that G-body was the only other one.

In reply to Junkyard_Dog:

I haven't been in this game since about 2002. So, you know, I'm old and stuff. In any case, everything you listed is way out from what I remember. Maybe it's the district you work in, but maybe some of it is just corp. belt tightening. Surprised to hear that Sundays aren't slow days for coming in and doing a little work on your own car.

dculberson wrote: Sometimes I forget there are young people here. Youths!

Sorry sir, I will stay off of your lawn.

But at 26, I am honestly too old to "go away to college." That's a completely different story, however.

11 years in the auto parts biz here. I left in the fall last year and I never knew how good life at work could be.

The job itself isn't terrible, it's the customers that will drive you nuts. Everyone expects you and all of your coworkers to be experts in the exact make and model of whatever they're driving at the time, yet they refuse to understand that the minimum wage offered by these parts stores won't buy you experienced ASE certified techs.

I did time at Advance many years ago. I have two friends who have been store managers at O'REILLYs until recently. It's all the same game. Wether that's a good game or a E36 M3 game depends solely on store and regional level management.

Utes?