“I’m sorry Sir but the Buick GS never came with a 455”

Discussion in 'The Bench' started by STAGE III, Nov 1, 2019.

  1. Bens99gtp

    Bens99gtp Well-Known Member

    After working on cars for 30 of my 40 years on this world, sometimes the question like 2wd or 4wd did change the oil filter that was used.

    I worked in the store side b4, and through college and yes there are alot of stupid question asked......but sometimes they do matter. It's also impossible for the person behind the counter to know if it matters on every car.

    Some of those ppl are hired strictly because they have pretty face, smile, or a big set of..............wrenches...... but most are just doing their job and if they dont know that car 100% inside out top to bottom back to front like you the customer does, they just follow the checklist.

    I feel each individual store needs to make certain that the ppl behind the counter have some basic info and knowledge, but that is often not the case.

    But your also not normally going to find your 20 year experienced master technician working behind the counter for 7.50 an hr either.

    I have also seen stories send in their undercover shoppers and seen counter ppl written up or fired because they didnt follow the screen, even though they got thr correct part quickly.

    Just the world we live in
     
  2. Quick Buick

    Quick Buick Arlington Wa

    Dang guys. When most of were kids there where only a few cars.. The big 3 and AMC. OK a few more.... But thing have changes. EFI Turbo on down the line. I 'll admit I get frustrated with all the stupid question they.. But to sit here and bitch about a kid asking if its a 4WD or 2WD for a water pump gasket fora SBC makes me think less of you.. Think about it.. Im on this sight to find answers on how to fix something on my buick.. AND possibly help others. In this thread alone I think I just added 6 more of you cry babies to my ignore list. The way I look at it if your wining about stupid how would I know if your going the right advice. Get a life..

    The other day I bought a 92 Caprice Im a little rusty on modern gas motors. I sure didn't come here for help. Although I did go to my local Napa And ask the kid behind on what other parts I should replace besides plugs, cap, rotor, wires, He added the O2 Temp unit and Tstat. As far As im concerned he got the damd up from 9 to 16 mpg.
     
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  3. knucklebusted

    knucklebusted Well-Known Member

    I've got no problem with the kids at Auto Zone or other places. My issue is with the moron that "knows" he had a 67 Pontiac that looked just like my 70 Stage 1 that had the Rocket 350 in it. Morons know so much that just isn't true.
     
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  4. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    The 1st year I started working at the dealership I'm at now, one of the boss's cars came in for some work. He's got a pretty big collection of classics, but they do nothing but sit, then after a few years he decides to get one running, so it can go and sit for another 5 years till it needs work to get it running again....anyway, the car he brings in is a '69 Vette, gorgeous blue with white interior. Looks stock except it has a ZZ430 swapped in. Has a 750 double pumper carb on it that's not working, leaking out the bowls, etc. So I go to one of our parts guys here at work and tell him I need a rebuild kit for a 4150 Holley 750 double pumper that's on the boss's car. Ok, my guy says....well 2 days later I get a kit that is obviously for a Quadrajet. Go back in, and I tell the guy this is for a Quadrajet, I need a kit for a double pumper. He says that's what the Vette calls for.....after explaining calmly that I know that's what came on it stock, but it's got a double pumper on it now and that's what I need the kit for. I tell him just to Google double pumper rebuild kit, order that, and we'll be good.... two days later, a kit for a 2 barrel carb shows up. I ask him what the hell am I supposed to do with that? Well, that's the only other carb kit that goes to a 1969 Vette, he says....3 2 barrel 427 you see....well, finally, after about 5 minutes of back and forth, I go around the corner, pull up Google, type in double pumper rebuild kit like I told him to do the 1st time, and what do you know?..............
     
  5. johnriv67

    johnriv67 Well-Known Member

    I’m not one to complain a lot about this, one of my best friends works at advance auto and follows that formula cause he has to.

    He drives a 79 Trans Am and is reasonably knowledgeable, so he can ignore the formula if he knows the part and car. Being too rigid to the stock formula^ will hurt you as seen in 1972Mach1’s post
     
  6. alleyyooper

    alleyyooper Well-Known Member

    How about auto repair shops rants?
    I had a 1998 Dodge 2500 cummins 5.9 and 5 speed manual tranny. I was working 12 to 14 sevens and got a chance to take a week off in January 1999. load the snowmobiles on the trailer and drive up north to do some sledding.

    The famous nut on the back of the tranny that holds 5th gear in place came off. I can't leave the truck where I am at to be repaird so limp that 4:10 geared truck home in 4th gear.

    Since I am working 12 sevens I can't take the tranny down and put the nut back on so call the dealer. That was dumb as they charge a first born and four months worth of pay checks.

    A place where I have taken my car said they could do it and gave me a decent quote.
    When it was finished I went to pay and the price was $130.00 more than the quote.

    They said the tranny took a special oil, Ya I know that 12.95 a guart at Auto zone. OH we didn't know that and got it at the Dodge dealer and it was $29.00 a quart.

    Come to find out the repair shop had been sold along with the use of the well respected name.

    :D Al
     
  7. Quick Buick

    Quick Buick Arlington Wa

    Well its a good thing that repair shop did there research.. That 12.95. is called Amsoil sold at auto zone would have smoked your synchros in about 10.000 miles...... Only the Dodge & GM gear lube is what can be used in the NV 45000..

    What eles do you need to know about your 12valve. or do you have late model 24 valve.
     
  8. alleyyooper

    alleyyooper Well-Known Member

    I got rid of the truck, didn't fit my needs with a 4:10 gear and really crappy fuel ecomeny.
    Never again will I buy a truck off the lot.

    So who makes that special oil for the NV 45000

    I mostly wanted it to pull my tri axel equipment trailer with a pair of 5000 pound Massey tractors.

    :D Al
     
  9. Quick Buick

    Quick Buick Arlington Wa

    I have No Idea how makes the NV4500 oil.
    But then again dodge used the NV 5600 I understand it operates good with Pennzoil synchromesh oil..

    one more. dodge also uses the G56 trans a Mercedes Benz trans. The trans was made to use a gear lube forget the name at this point.. Freaking bean counters found out they can subside ATF for it.. There is a alturnitve oil for the real MB oil sold in the states but again the brand slips my mind all I can tell you is its freaking bloody expensive also..
     
  10. iowacat

    iowacat Well-Known Member

    Putting my Zero Turn riding mower away for the season last weekend and while doing the oil changed noticed the level for the hydro fluid was low. Owners manual states it takes 20w50 full synthetic motor oil. Checked a few local auto store websites and the stuff is $10-15 a quart. Called my nearest O'reilly's and talked to the guy. "yep, we have that in Valvoline, $7.99 a quart" I asked twice "are you sure it is full synthetic" And he sounded a little annoyed that I asked more than once. I said I would be there in a few minutes.

    Went there and asked specifically for the guy I talked to. He walked over to the shelf and handed me a quart of Valvoline 20w50 VR1 racing oil. I read the label and it didn't say anywhere it was full synthetic. I again questioned him and he told me Valvoline conventional oil is in white containers, syn-blend is blue and full synthetic are silver, so this container is silver so it is full synthetic and he walked away. I just stood there and the manager came over and asked if I needed help. I told him I needed full synthetic, his employee said this is full synthetic, but no where on the label states it is full synthetic. He reads the label and said it is "high zinc" but not full synthetic and probably conventional oil. He found some Lucus brand 20w50 full synthetic and bought that as I was already at the store. I have dealt with this "all knowing" employee before and after this experience I will just try to avoid him.
     
  11. jamyers

    jamyers 2 gallons of fun

    OK, I'll jump in here with my war stories, hahaha.

    1. Called the local parts place looking for a brake hardware kit (springs, clips, etc) for the rear drums on a '62 Ranchero (same as Falcon wagon). I get the new sweet young girl on the phone,and after answering all the usual goofy Q's about power steering, power brakes, etc (NONE of which were available until years later), she asks me if it has Antilock Brakes. I couldn't help it then, I started laughing and explained that NOBODY had ABS until the mid-80's or so. We both agreed that she needed to have whoever programmed her computer slapped with a wet mop. Good ending, we both laughed and she learned something new.

    2. My wife goes to get a water pump for a '71 Buick 350 in a LeSabre. Guy behind the counter says that they don't have one for a Buick, but he's got 3 for an Oldsmobile, would she like one of those? Fortunately for him, she was in a good mood and didn't feed him an Olds water pump, lol.

    3. During college I part-timed at an AutoZone. Had a guy call up looking for a power steering pump for a Dodge, and when I asked what year and model, he says: "I don't know, but it's blue".

    4. I'm getting gas in the LeSabre, and this guy asks if it's a GTO. I tell him nope it's better, it's a Buick - and we have a nice visit and I tell him some of the differences so he'll know.

    I figure that with old cars, most people just don't know any better, but at least they're trying or they're interested, so I try to share what I know and learn what I can.

    Fortunately I haven't run into many know-it-alls, but when I have I just say somthing like "gee I didn't know that, I thought that _________________" or something and walk away.
     
  12. Quick Buick

    Quick Buick Arlington Wa

    Well I hope that guy that you want to slap with a mop Takes that mop from you and jams it were the sun dont shine ABS had been out for decades B4 your mid 80s date. Get your facts strait.
     
  13. squire001

    squire001 squire001

    Gee, Quick ,
    what usa cars would those be , that had abs for decades before the early 80s?
     
  14. alleyyooper

    alleyyooper Well-Known Member

    "1978: Mercedes-Benz W116 became the first production car to use an electronic four-wheel multi-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS) from Bosch as an option from 1978 on. ... Since 1987 ABS has been standard equipment on all Mercedes Benz automobiles.
    ABS · ‎Threshold braking · ‎Cadence braking · ‎Traction (engineering)"

    Chrylser also had a system with Bendix help for the 1971 Imperial.

    :D Al
     
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  15. Quick Buick

    Quick Buick Arlington Wa

    Lincoln Mark III. 4WAL. Buick think it was a Rivera,,, Cadillac Eldrodo... Those were in the early 70s. Thats US. And like AL stated the IMP 70s

    European Cars way before that.
    Japanese cars. Nissan back in 60s

    NOW. FWIW. some form of ABS has been inuse since the early 1900s.
    Planes Trains.
     
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2019
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  16. jamyers

    jamyers 2 gallons of fun

    Damn, that seems a bit harsh...I know that ABS existed before the mid-80's, and I realize that I said "NOBODY", but I was exaggerating - my point being that asking if a 1962 Ranchero had ABS was silly, because ABS didn't become a mainstream thing until much later.

    But if you'd rather slam somebody you don't know for making an erroneous statement, be my guest.
     
    Last edited: Nov 12, 2019
  17. Quick Buick

    Quick Buick Arlington Wa

    Dude. She is doing her Job.. And your Mocking her... I run into people like you all the time...
     
  18. BQUICK

    BQUICK Gold Level Contributor

    Mercedes ad claimed first car with air bag....nope Buick and Caddy were first.

    Honda ad claims they made first 4 stroke outboard motor...no.....Fisher Pierce Bearcat in 60s and some odd ones even way back in the 30s and 40s....
     
  19. jamyers

    jamyers 2 gallons of fun

    WHERE did you get the idea that I was mocking HER??!? Here, let me quote myself, in case you missed my actual words, instead of what you seem to really really really want me to have said:
    Good grief!!!
    People who share silly stories? Do you always miss the point of what they're saying, climb up on your high horse, and accuse them self-righteously?
    Dude I've been on this board for going on 16 years, and I've found that 99% of the Buick folks here and elsewhere are gracious, sharing people. Then I come across somebody who twists words around looking for an argument, and frankly it pisses me off just a little bit. But I also know that we're all human, and subject to the occasional screwup, and need grace - so I'm done here, this is me telling you:
     
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  20. flynbuick

    flynbuick Guest

    Guys— help the mods out and keep the exchanges as civil as possible.
     
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