Are these guys stupid or what? Last week I ordered a TH400 filter kit, twice they sent down the wrong one. So then last friday I ordered a new fuel pump for my 425.....I specifically told him '66 425.......so after he special orders it, today he comes down with the wrong one. Now I was in a bad mood to start with, and he said to me "well, this was a special order, sometimes things get screwed up". At that point he was OK until he said this "give me the old one and maybe we can match it up with SOMETHING FROM A CHEVY" :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :rant: :af: :af: :af: :af: :af: :af: :af: :af: :af: :af: Well, that did it! So I asked the driver what's the matter with you guys....? Seems you couldn't send the right part the first time if your lives depended on it! And since they can't read a book I should put a chebby part in my Buick? I don't think so! :rant: Then later I get a call from the commercial sales desk and instead of taking responsibility for their mistake, the salesman said "the FACTORY made a mistake with the part number and THEY sent the wrong part......I'll have it for you tomorrow and we'll eat the 1 day shipping". I said OK So then he calls back 5 minutes later and says "they don't offer 1 day shipping so the soonest we'll get it in next Monday". Fact is he lied....if the same factory that "screwed up" sold the correct pump he'd be able to get it at least as fast as the first one that took 2 days. At least they are friendly, they just need to learn how to look up a part...........and admit it when they make a mistake ou:
There are 2 Autozone's here, and they're night and day. One, you can get decent (not great, but good and friendly) help. The other? I refuse to even pull into their parking lot. Bunch of Morons, and they never have enough help. If you're ever in Abilene, TX and need a part, just don't wast your time going to the N. 1st Street Autozone. Go into the Arby's next door, you'll have better luck getting what you need there.
Sounds like you need to find another auto parts store...I have certain that I only buy oil, spray paint or filters from.
I feel your anger and sympathize with you. In these parts, L.I. N.Y., most auto parts stores have all been takin over by big business. I still can rely on a couple of "old school" parts vendors in my area that know what I'm talkin about when I'm lookin for parts for my '70 Buicks. Most are still run by the original owners or their relatives and have been in the business 50 years or more. It's a dying breed. They can't compete with todays demands and are all ready to sell out and retire. I'm sure in another 10 years or less they will be gone also. It is just a sign of the times. Nowadays it's all about big wheels and fancy stereos, car fragrances and decals. At least there is some relief in knowing that there is always going to be a place somewhere, with an internet ID. were older parts can be found, But, at insane prices. :Smarty:
1970's .....those were the days..(for me).....you use to walk in a parts store and ask for what you needed (almost anything) and they didnt even look it up in the book....they just had that stuff memorized in thier heads
I think we've all yelled at the autozone guy at one point or another...not the smartest people in the world
Don't Get Me Started! I have been in the Auto Repair business for 40+ years and the # 1 problem in fixing cars today is getting the right part and a quality part in a timely manner. After living and working in one area (southern KY) for 34 years, I retired and moved to south central TN. It has been a problem learning who, where and etc to get service and parts. I still have to call back to KY now and then to get the right number or something sent down here. A good parts person is hard to find and I always treated a good one special and did things for them and gave them Christmas gifts, because they can make or break you in this business. The Advanced Auto and Auto Zone stores are just like Walmart, putting the small mom and pop stores out of business. Even if you are working on something late model, they never have everything you need. It's I'll have it tomorrow or Tuesday. I finally found a place here that has been in business for 40+ years and have a really good stock. I will sometimes pay a little more for something from them just because of the good service. Also, I want them to still be there when I do need something a little odd. They were the only store in town that had belts and hoses for a 455. I hope we can keep stores like this around for a while but the cut rate prices on fast moving stuff by the big boys will soon run the little guy out. Thanks for the vent. Jim N.
I don't blame ya for letting them have it Joe! Good for you! Try and match one up...Yeah right! I try to go to my auto parts store here (An independent) during the week day when the lifers that I have dealt with for 20+ years are working. I made the mistake of going in at the wrong time once to have this newbie tell me that " Buick never made a 425, you must have a Caddy or an Olds"! Oh really.....I'll come back!
Autozone I only wish I could agree with you guys more than 100% I worked about 20 years in independant parts stores so it really frost my cookies to try to buy parts from these numb nuts that don't know straight up. I told one the other day the only way he could get any dumber is if he got bigger! I will say that some of them are at are friendly and try to help you, but that seems to be the exception not the rule.
The sad part is that I still have an account with NAPA.......but they're attitude sucks and it seems like everytime I do business with them the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. Then when I call back to find out what happened the guy I originally spoke to is gone. But then, of course, Pep Girls p is the worst of them all. :spank:
YOU CAN'T BLAME THE GUY BEHIND THE COUNTER BACK IN THE 70'S THE STORES WERE MOM AND POP STORES AND HIRED GUYS WHO KNEW ABOUT CARS, NOW THE BIG CHAIN STORES HIRE THE MINIMUM WAGE KID WORKING HIS WAY THROUGH BUSINESS SCHOOL SO HE CAN GET A DEGREE AND MANAGE A McDONALDS! :shock:
I quit dealing with AZ when the semi-coherent 20 yr old parts 'man' asked me "what's that" when I asked for a trans. cooler. I've been going to Advance Auto since which I have to pass AZ to get there. Most chain part stores are like AZ. Hire 'em off the street, train 'em to run a computer, then slap 'em behind a counter and call 'em partsmen. Yeah, right! :spank: The Advance Auto here has about four or five 50+ year old parts guys that work there and know parts. I have yet to get the wrong part. I've gotten ALL of my brake system, ALL the front end rebuild parts and steering linkage and a bunch of other stuff from there that NAPA couldn't even find. Now I know to look for the older guys as they're the ones with a clue!! Even if they can't find it they know where to look even if it's not at their own store.
i went to the local AZ and asked for a thermostat for a 1970 455 Buick :Brow: his answer: "is that a car or truck?" ou: what a dumb a$$ :laugh: he no longer works there!!! :grin: ive had many problems with them but always seem to get them straightened out , sometimes even with a 20% discount :TU:
It will get better! Things will get better. Autozone will no doubt out source the parts specialist job to someone in India linked by a computer to the dummy behind the counter in nowhere USA. After they screwed me out of 100 bucks on a core charge for a power steering pump I quit shopping there. Go figure it was the manager who was responsible. Now I just go in asking for parts on a 71 buick. I need a gilgag rod for the trans linkage, a Knuter pin for the antisway bar, or my favorite a couple of those Titanium artic billet bearings for the camshaft. Just bite your tongue and try not to laugh will they go a searchin. Fortunately for me I found a small parts house chain called Star Auto close to where I live in Redlands Califoria. These guys have the machine shop in the back and the parts up front and do super work. One of the machinist used to do a lot of 455's for a guy that was into buicks. He knew right from the start that weren't not talkin about no Chevy.
Try O'Reilly Auto Parts. If there isn't one in your area, there will be soon. I manage one of their stores here in South Louisiana, and I have been at this for the better part of 15 years. I wish that the aftermarket had a better pool of workers to choose from, but the financial realities of today's market place often put lower paid, less dedicated workers on the counter from day one. In years gone by, one would have probably started off as a stocker and worked his or her way up to the counter. WE, as consumers, have made today's marketplace what it is. No one wants to pay for anything anymore. Plenty of parts have actually gone down in pricing over the last decade or so. I hear plenty of griping about the Zone, and that pleases me. On the other hand, plenty of people will stand in line for 45 minutes to get poor service there, because they believe they are getting a low dollar deal. O'Reillys matches prices of its competitors, and we have more plentiful and skilled help than our competitors. I know for a fact that AZ is in the midst of a killer payroll cutback to fatten its Wall Street numbers. In the short term, its customers are the victims. In the long term, hopefully the company will pay the price for screwing with its customers. I am gleefully scooping up customers who have finally had enough of the Zone's poor service. I agree that building relationships with counterpeople at your favorite parts stores is a good idea. From my side of the counter, I look forward to this also. There are lots of us old timers out there, but you have to know where to look. Thanks, Rudy E
my autozone is a bit lacking, but the Napa and Murray's are good Just wanted to give my two cents, in the Chicago area, the NAPA in Evanston, and the one in Glenview are good-Glenview is better, I guess. I bought a water pump special order-for 66 Riv, no less-and they took it back, here we are almost eight months later, and I was only out three bucks, and they gave me cash. Very nice to get $81.00 in your hand when I was expecting credit! Two Murrays near here are good, with good to better help. The Autozone on Touhy Ave. though is hit or miss, with less selection of anything.
I went to a Discount Auto (Advance Auto) around here in Tampa. I think I picked the trainee evening, because I swear it took 15 minutes at least, and 5 guys to find... A thermostat gasket!
Good parts guys are out there... theyll either be working at a dealer,a wholesale house,or at a dusty parts store thats been there since the model t. The new guard of parts kids at the chain stores are a joke,they either dont care about cars coz its a McJob,or they think hi performance is stickers and stupid lites in the wiper squirter holes. When I was a parts guy at the nissan dealer ,most of em were old timers(theyd smack me if they heard me say it,dont say nuthin Russ),and knew what they were doin. When I called out for parts for other cars or customers too cheap for oem parts, I had a list of people to call. Certain people at certain part stores,that I talked to. The dusty old parts stores had alot more than youd think as small as they were,but usually got me thru with what I needed. There were even certain dealers I would only call,but a certain one who had parts on hand. The best thing going now,is at least for NAPA,you can go online to their parts catalog and find your part,give em the part no. and be on yer way,bypassing the numbskull at the counter. Lastly,in defense of parts guys who were into cars but werent versed in Buick-speak,its rare to look up a water pump for a 60's Riviera or whatever,sometimes ya just gotta grab the keyboard out of their hand politely,look up what ya need(the systems are easy to navigate)and maybe the guy will learn somethin new and remember ya next time ya need something off the wall. Rant over...fish
Last year I needed an oil pan gasket for the 400, Imediatly and it's 5:30 on a Sat afternoon, (screwed the first one up and the engine is sitting in the air on the crane). There are three auto part stores on my end of town. All on one side of the street, I started at the farthest away. Walked in and said I need an oil pan gasket for a 1967 Buick GS 400, Checker says there is no 400 for 67 only a 401, I tell them that's a nailhead motor from 66 and the computer is wrong :rant: , Look up a 68, "for what car?" ou: . Finnally find out they have to order it, SEE YA. Next I stop in Bumper to Bumper (usually my best bet) they have one at the warehouse accross town and can have there tomorrow, Nope see ya! Lastly I stop into Car Quest and the Kid at the counter start in with the 401 crap, I tell him to look up a 455 for a 70 and he says "Don't see one would that have come in a TRUCK?" I held my temper and turned to a manager and asked him when Buick built a truck? ou: The manager asks what I want, and walks to the back shelf and grabs it. Old school rules!
