Found this amusing...

Tacoma747

Tacoma747

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Winston-Salem
Guy at Advance auto today was trying to figure out what size Banjo bolt I needed for a caliper, he proceeds to pull the caliper off the shelf, measure the banjo hole with a pair of calipers which I thought was stupid enough since you can't get a good measurement from the inside of the threads. Well, what made it worse was he then proceeded to getting a tape measure to measure the calipers instead of just reading whatever the calipers said.

I found this pretty funny, I am sure others might get a laugh from it.

Whats your stupid parts guy stories?
 
Spent some time arguing that my xj had an 8.8 in it. I needed brakes and this guy kept telling me that jeeps didnt have 8.8s. I told him I had swapped out axles and he kept telling me that I must have installed a chrysler 8.25...I explained the situation and he finally rolled his eyes and said '' I'll give you the 8.8 brakes, but when you come back to swap them for the ones you need(8.25) I hope I'm not here to laugh at you.
That pissed me off, so I went elsewhere and bought the brakes. Later, I drove the xj up there and showed him...this complete dumbass looked under my jeep and actually said '' why would anyone put an axle that dont fit in the wrong car?'' Then...get this
he actually told me that I shouldnt use 4 wheel drive, telling me that the ring and pinion gears were different from front to back and it would bust my t-case if i DID.

I told him they were both geared 4.88 and he said'' 4.10 maybe, but not 4.88, he said I couldnt go over 45mph if they were 4.88s.

I told him it had lockers in both ends...and he had the idiocity to say...jeeps have automatic locking hubs..in the front only, as he pointed me to where the locking hubs would be, on a manual locking hub truck...lol
 
Dylan W. said:
Spent some time arguing that my xj had an 8.8 in it. I needed brakes and this guy kept telling me that jeeps didnt have 8.8s. I told him I had swapped out axles and he kept telling me that I must have installed a chrysler 8.25...I explained the situation and he finally rolled his eyes and said '' I'll give you the 8.8 brakes, but when you come back to swap them for the ones you need(8.25) I hope I'm not here to laugh at you.
That pissed me off, so I went elsewhere and bought the brakes. Later, I drove the xj up there and showed him...this complete dumbass looked under my jeep and actually said '' why would anyone put an axle that dont fit in the wrong car?'' Then...get this
he actually told me that I shouldnt use 4 wheel drive, telling me that the ring and pinion gears were different from front to back and it would bust my t-case if i DID.
I told him they were both geared 4.88 and he said'' 4.10 maybe, but not 4.88, he said I couldnt go over 45mph if they were 4.88s.
I told him it had lockers in both ends...and he had the idiocity to say...jeeps have automatic locking hubs..in the front only, as he pointed me to where the locking hubs would be, on a manual locking hub truck...lol
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I would have been forced to make a bet with the sorry sob and see if he was confident enough in his error to put his money where his mouth is :)

Whats the worst that happens? You make an easy $100?
 
these guys are idiots...

I walked in Advance to get a rear output seal for my Dana 300 for the buggy. It has the 32 spline upgraded output. So, there is no real application for this because its aftermarket...

I had the old seal with me that was in pretty good shape, just a little worn, and the part number was very easily readible on it. I even took the liberty of searching online for the part, etc. prior to heading to the parts store and found that Advance carried it. It didn't list an application, just that they had it.

So, I walked in there WITH the old seal and said I needed one. Showed it to him, showed him the part number on it (what I searched and found it at their website). He then proceeded to ask me the application. I told him I didn't know but the part number is right there. He asked me what its going on/in. To amuse him, I said my buggy. He look confused. I told him it was on a transfercase for a Jeep. He then asked for the application. I explained to him it was aftermarket and not a direct replacement and that he would need to use the part number to look it up. He kept asking me the application. So, I told him again, it was for an upgraded Dana 300 from a Jeep. I told him it wouldn't come up correct if he were to look it up by application as it wasn't a factory part. He kept insisting. I had some time to burn, so I gave him an application and let him do his thing and chase his tail. He never did find the right part after looking for at least 30 minutes and had nearly every seal pulled out of the boxes in the store! I then politely asked him if he was ready to listen to me. He agreed and typed the part number in and it pulled right up. He looked confused about how that could be. I simply said just get that part and that is all I needed. He then kept insisting it was the wrong part because the seal was not for a Jeep! I simply said it could be for the Challenger space shuttle for all I cared so long as it was the part number that was on the seal I brought in. He didn't really want to sell it to me but I finally convinced him that is what I wanted and he let me buy it!

I've had many run-ins like this and they have basically learned to just let me look everything up on the computer when I come in and they just fetch it on the shelf.

Its been aggrevating but I've learned how to work with them as they have somewhat learned how to listen to me when I come in as they know it'll be something odd without an application...
 
A guy I used to work with at Advance in Taylorsville named John would tell people for damn near everything they wanted was a dealer only part. That is until I started busting his ass about it and showed him how to use a catalog instead of the PC and we had the stuff actually on the shelf.
 
Ive yet to run into a competent Auto Zone/Advanced Auto/NAPA Auto Parts employee...

If anyone finds someone who isnt a total dumb ass, please let me know!
 
I found with Napa you have to find someone that has been with them for years. I was ordering a u-joint and this lady brought out some off brand u-joint. I asked what about spicer and she said what's that?
 
I'm going to let you guys in on the secret to dealing with these chumps, when they ask "make,model & year" tell them "Its a race car" this is what I need_____. The Oreilly's on elm eugene in greensboro used to have a guy that had a crawler and I always dealt with him but he's gone now.
 
I run into this all the time. Try ording ANYTHING for a 88 sammi with a v-8 and 3/4 ton Jeep axles with chevy brakes and Nissan drive shafts.
 
I pulled into Auto zone a couple weekends ago, and parked next to an employee testing a customers battery. The welded rear in my XJ barked the tires as I pulled in. The Azone guy gives me a thumbs up, points at the front tires and says something like 'you can really hear those mud lugs gripping'. I pointed to the rear and said 'thats the welded rear'...I'm pretty sure I lost him there.
 
Needed a 2 prong flasher for my 63 CJ5. I was trying to get turn signals working. The whole thing is pieced together. Auto Zone employee has to look it up in the computer. If the vehicle is pre 1970 they will not find anything. I insist all I need is a two prong flasher and I don't care what it goes in. Dumbass tells me the flasher needs to be for the correct vehicle or "IT WON'T FIT IN YOUR COMPUTER". After beginning to correct him, and he insisting that a vehicle can't run without a computer, I gave up and went to NAPA and grabbed one off the shelf.
 
This thread popping up is really ironic because on Tuesday I went to Oreilly on Wendover, I went to the counter and told the guy I needed some Warn Premium hubs. He asked me what year/make/model. Well the axle that I am swapping into my Grand Cherokee is from a 1990 Waggy. So I told the guy "1990 Grand Wagoneer". He looks at his computer and says that you can't put hubs in that axle. I told him, yes you could. He said, nope my computer says you can't. I proceeded to tell him the reason the computer says you can't is because that Waggy had a full time t-case, but my ZJ doesn't, so I will be fine. He looks at me like I am stupid and says "well you can bring them back once you find out they don't work". I told him to forget it, and walked accross the street to NAPA and got what I needed.
 
I ripped my muffler off during the fall URE thingy. I went into Auto Zone a few weeks ago to get a muffler. I told the guy I needed a cheapass muffler with a 2.5 inch inlet, nothing else mattered. "What kind if car is it?". You can't look it up that way I said. Pretend it's a 78 Chevy pickup. No luck after another 10 minutes. Finally the female manager comes over. I said get me a 2.5 inch cheapo. Took her 30 seconds to go back and actually read the boxes, come back with a $15 Cherry Bomb, and send me on my way.
 
Went to Auto Zone on Morganton for a belt I had broke. I had the belt, and no pieces were missing, so I measured it. IIRC it was 44". So I asked for a belt, 44" long and 1/2" wide, he looked me straight in the eye and said we don't sell belts in inches, only in mm. So I asked him to cross reference it. He said he had no way to do it. I went across the street to Advance and got my belt.
 
I like how all you guys think that all parts are universal. I also like how you all know more than than every parts guy, yet you don't work there and have never dealt with customers...like yourselves.
 
I like how all you guys think that all parts are universal. I also like how you all know more than than every parts guy, yet you don't work there and have never dealt with customers...like yourselves.
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dont forget to account for the fact that most NC4x4 guys are a step above the rest, seriously.

Complaining about dealing with customers is no excuse for not knowing how to search a PN, find a muffler (whoa shit aftermarket mufflers are universal), convert metric to standard, or even just finding a part for an odd application.
 
bowtieman55 said:
I like how all you guys think that all parts are universal. I also like how you all know more than than every parts guy, yet you don't work there and have never dealt with customers...like yourselves.
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Yep, that's right. I do.:flipoff2:

Come on man, nobody here said they know more than ALL parts guys, get the fawk over youraelf.

Hurley said:
Complaining about dealing with customers is no excuse for not knowing how to search a PN, find a muffler (whoa shit aftermarket mufflers are universal), convert metric to standard, or even just finding a part for an odd application.
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BINGO

Even if you are math retarded (1" = 2.54cm or roughly 25mm), you can use a frickin CELL PHONE to do it for you.
 
The guy at car quest said to me... "why dont you ask for normal stuff?"


Car quest used to be the best place to go, cause the guys would look up parts in the book. But I think they have been hiring Auto Zone's rejects.
 
I honestly didn't mean anything by what I said, but it gets old hearing it over and over. I've been in the business for over 10 years now and I'll agree 100% that there is a bunch of arrogant douches working the counters now. I KNOW how you guys feel when you enter a parts store.
 
I order from Advance4 or 5 times a day. Before I call i get reay to explain everything to the person that picks up the PDQ phone Even if i give them there part number they still ask for year make model. I belive they train them to do that because 90% of them have no idea how to turn a wrench. For the avg person that calls them it is needed if they raise the bar on people they hire it would help 100% with there sells
 
Here's something positive. Since there are new O'reillys popping up everywhere, I have given them a try lately. Their people seem to be less stupid than other stores. Maybe I've just been lucky but I go there first now.
 
I went to advance auto parts in elkin to get a set of shocks for my yota and told the guy I needed a certain length he ask what they were goin on I said a toyota truck he told me those were way to long so I explained to him what the truck was for and that it was modified and he still argued with me. After about 10 min the manager stepped over and ask me what the problem was so I told him. Since Ive bought there before (alot) he knew what I did for fun and just looked at this pissed off guy and said. These guys have welders and and don't play by normal rules now go get his shocks! Needless to say I just sit there with a smart ass smile on my face and he was pissed.:lol:
 
Me and a few of the Boggers went to Gulches this weekend. A member of the group broke a dana 30 outer shaft. We went to advanced and agrued for a half hour that Jeep never put a Dana 30 in the front of a jeep only a dana 44 or dana 35!! He could not understand that is only a rear axles......
 
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