[jahjah]

For those of you who haven't had the joy of selling auto parts to the general public i give you a glimpse into a conversation that happened between me and a customer this morning.

him- I'M GETTING A CODE SAYING MY CAT IS INEFFICIENT

me- YOU PROBABLY NEED TO REPLACE THE CAT THEN SIR.

him- NO, ITS JUST INEFFICIENT, I WANNA DO A TUNE UP AND THAT SHOULD FIX IT. SO I NEED SPARK PLUGS WIRES, ROTOR, AND A DISTRIBUTOR CAP.

me- SIR YOUR CAR HAS INDIVIDUAL COIL PACKS, THEY ARE NOT A SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ITEM AND DON'T EXPIRE LIKE TRANSMISSION FLUID OR SPARK PLUGS

him- OKAY, WELL I WANNA REPLACE THEM ANYWAY.

me- OKAY, THEY ARE 143 EACH.

him- OH. WELL NEVERMIND THEN

[pure_insanity]

yea, i remember those days. i worked in a parts store back some years ago and my favorite to this day is a guy that came in and needed a fan switch for his ford s-10. and he was serious about it too. would not accept that an s-10 was made by general motors or chevrolet, let alone the fact that neither ford or chev pickup had a fan switch. he drove the damned thing so he knew what it was, he said. i just promptly walked off at that point and left him standing there.

This post has been edited by pure_insanity: 07 March 2009 - 11:53 AM

[scottygibb]

Many years ago back in Scotland i had a mechanic friend who worked at a Ford dealership who told me of a lady customer who repeatedly brought her new car in complaining it would stall and cut out and not start after 15 to 20 minutes after start up,after many a visit with no problems found,a sharp eyed technician spotted the lady leaving after yet another visit to the dealership pull the manual choke lever out (for those of you old enough to remember manual chokes)and proceed to hang her purse on the fully extented choke lever. true story!

[Lusion972]

LOL...I remember the choke. My Renault in Portugal had the choke and I would use it while climbing steep hills.

[Shelby]

you counter guys got it made ,, service writeing is where the crazys are

[ESTurbo4]

I have so many war stories about selling parts it's not even funny. I am reminded of two good ones though. Working for a mom and pop parts store a guy walks in he says he's got a 98 Mustang he needs a part and doesn't know what it's called. That happens often, people always want you to come outside and look at their car. So I walk out he pops the hood he's got a V-6 and he points to idle air valve on the top of the throttle body "I need this." He says. I ask, are you having trouble Idling? He says "no" Is your car running bad (figuring someone, possibly him, miss-diagnosed another problem). "No car runs fine." So I ask, then why do you want to replace it? He said "I don't know." After hearing the price what he did know was that he wasn't going to buy that for no reason.

Another guy comes in one night 20 minutes to close says I need a part for the back. Ok, what part? There's more than one back there. He says, "I need the air gasket for the rear." So I assume he wants a rear exhaust gasket. Pull out the book he looks in it and says, "No they don't look like the ones I have." So I am like maybe it's a custom exhaust?! I guess he finally puts two and two together and says, "exhaust is that like the same thing as the muffler?" Yes! "Oh, cause its not the muffler." At this point I am like lets go outside show me what you want. He opens the hatch of his 95 Cherokee and I expecting to see an exhaust pipe sitting in the trunk, he's like, "over here!" Pointing to the lift supports while he's holding the hatch open with his head. LMAO AIR GASKET Where did he get that from?

[jahjah]

you counter guys got it made ,, service writeing is where the crazys are

pssht whatever lol

heres another one for ya shelby, Read the asian man lines with a Mister Miyagi voice

asian man: I need Sensor
me: okay. what year and model car
asian man: its a 2005 Toyota
me: okay, what kind of Toyota
asian man: Yes
me:what?
asian man: yes, Sensor
me:Okay, but what kind of Toyota
asian man: Oh, Camry
me: okay then *clicky clicky* 4cyl or v6?
asian man: 6
me: *clicky clicky* now what sensor do you need?
asian man: yes
me: No, i mean which sensor?
asian man: Oh, I dunno. Store tell me i need Oxygen sensor
me: Oh okay, did they tell you which one?
asian man: they say front
me: okay, bank 1 or 2?
asian man: no, just need sensor
me: Right, but is it Firewall or radiator side?
asian man: oh, firewall
me: *clicky clicky* okay that sensor is 250 and i carry it in stock
asian man: OMG why so expensive?
me: thats jut what Toyota prices it at?
asian man: oh okay well i need
me:k. *print invoice* & *goes to grab part*
asian man: *looks at invoice* this is wrong
me: what? why do you say that?
asian man: it say Air Fuel Ratio, i need O2 sensor.
me: that sensor is a air fuel on your car.
asian man: oh, so it will work?
me:yes
asian man: oh okay.... Oh!, I have shop. i get discount?
me: #$%^#$%^#$%

[ESTurbo4]

LMAO I remember people like that. There are a lot of Mexicans here many of them don’t know a word of English. So I can relate to the accent thing.

The store I worked in was less than 10 minutes from the shore 5 to the bay and it was on the main route to the resort town of Wildwood. People would come in all time looking for boat parts although they wouldn’t tell you it was for a boat. The Marinas, where most would go first, charge 2 - 3 times the list price of items. We carried boat parts for less than a marina if they would only say so in the beginning. Not to mention car and boat parts are not the same. Marine thermostats are stainless steel and rated at 142° the water pumps have brass impellors, gaskets made from a different material, many alternators are self exciting (only 1 wire) and starters would often have a different gear than its automotive counterpart.

So many would come into the auto parts store and say “I need a _____ for a 350.” I’d say ok what year, make and model?

They all would say the same thing, “It doesn’t matter they are all the same!” In the beginning I would just look up a ‘79 C-10 truck and find the jerk what ever part he wanted. Later on, though, I used to take it personal. When someone would say, “they are all the same” Nineteen Ninety Four Chevrolet Corvette (ZR-1) LT-4 look up a cap, water pump, or whatever. The price for those items was very high and every time they would say “no, that’s not like the one I have.” I would politely answer but you said they were all the same. Only then would they admit defeat and expose that it is, in fact, a boat.

Tell me if you get this where you work, People come up to the counter, you are behind the counter IN UNIFORM using the computer and the person would ask “excuse me sir, do you work here?”

[UlrichWolf]

I got a few thoughts on this, myself

First one. I was working for AutoZone in 1992. (That just aged me.)

Woman comes in, and bounces up to the counter. Nice woman, in a good mood.

"Hi! I need a starter for my car."

"Yes, ma'am, we can handle that. Now what sort of car do you need the starter for?"

"A red one."

Now......most people would have a meltdown right there, but I tend to take these things as far as I can.

"Yes, ma'am, I will be right back." Back in the day, AutoZone had a core bin in the back. I went back there, and found a nice clean starter up on top, and threw it on the bench back there, and sprayed it red with some cheap crap we used to mark batteries. I went outside for a moment to let the paint harden for a sec, then grabbed it, and trotted up front.

"Yes, ma'am, here we go, forty nine ninety five, and it does come with a lifetime warranty!"

She doesn't even bat an eye! Whips out a credit card so fast, she had to be the fastest blade around.

As far as people not being straight forward about what goes on what......let's face it. Any jerkweed that ever crawled under a hood thinks he's better than the snot-nosed kid at the parts store. Of course, I will admit, AutoZone was the one that did that. When you have a kid in there that thinks a king pin is a Woody Harrelson movie, and will go look for a carburetor kit for an '89 Ford diesel, yeah, you have a two way problem there. Of course, I would always head off the problem at the parts store (sometimes) by saying, hey look, this is for a 350 in a boat, but they used it in a '82 Caprice Classic with a 305.......and then I get the kid that goes, no, they didn't, I know all because I work here and you don't.....

I have found, best way to handle this.......don't work at a parts store.......and when you go in, have a part number ready. Poorman's, here in Wichita, knows me as that Starion guy, and they know that when I come in and say, hey, these injector pigtails off a '90 Corvette LT1 will fit the Mitsubishi, they don't argue with me. By golly, O Reilly's will tho. Aye carumba.......

Tim

[Komeuppance]

pssht whatever lol

heres another one for ya shelby, Read the asian man lines with a Mister Miyagi voice

asian man: I need Sensor
me: okay. what year and model car
asian man: its a 2005 Toyota
me: okay, what kind of Toyota
asian man: Yes
me:what?
asian man: yes, Sensor
me:Okay, but what kind of Toyota
asian man: Oh, Camry
me: okay then *clicky clicky* 4cyl or v6?
asian man: 6
me: *clicky clicky* now what sensor do you need?
asian man: yes
me: No, i mean which sensor?
asian man: Oh, I dunno. Store tell me i need Oxygen sensor
me: Oh okay, did they tell you which one?
asian man: they say front
me: okay, bank 1 or 2?
asian man: no, just need sensor
me: Right, but is it Firewall or radiator side?
asian man: oh, firewall
me: *clicky clicky* okay that sensor is 250 and i carry it in stock
asian man: OMG why so expensive?
me: thats jut what Toyota prices it at?
asian man: oh okay well i need
me:k. *print invoice* & *goes to grab part*
asian man: *looks at invoice* this is wrong
me: what? why do you say that?
asian man: it say Air Fuel Ratio, i need O2 sensor.
me: that sensor is a air fuel on your car.
asian man: oh, so it will work?
me:yes
asian man: oh okay.... Oh!, I have shop. i get discount?
me: #$%^#$%^#$%

RMAO... at reast us Asians know Engrish!!

Yes.

-Lober...t

[BrazilBoy]

I used to work at Checker Ato Parts in Parker, CO....Thats when I got my first 86 Starion widebody..I pulled all the emblems off and was getting ready for paint..

Anyhow, I overhear to guys yakking about my car..
1st guy: "he!! that is the best body kit I have seen on a mustang, I hate body kits but that one takes the cake"

2nd guy: "no you idiot thats a supra!!!"

1st guy: "your wrong I know my cars and thats a mustang for sure no doubt"

2nd guy: " I KNOW THAT IS A SUPRA AND I BET YA $100 BUCKS THAT IT IS!!!!!!!"

1st guy: "OH YEAAAAAA! YOUR ON!!!!!"

2nd guy: yelled out "WHOS SUPRA AND OR MUSTANG RED CAR IS THAT OUT DAR!!!!"

Me: "Its a Starion"

1st guy: "what is that some kind of wierd canadian car, huhuhuhu"

2nd guy: "nah its a nissan you idiot"

Me: "No you are both wrong its a Mitsubishi"

1st guy: "Don't you feel silly have them dar big tires on back it being a FWD?"

Me: "its rwd"

1st guy: "no way"

I wound up having to go outside pop the hood and show him..

2nd guy: "its a 4 cylinder, looks so racy but its slow"

Me: "I will beat the tar out of that rusted piece of "BLLEP" you brought with you!!!!" A 5.0 mustang

1st: "Your on!!!!"

So I clocked out and went outside the store which was on a 55mph country road.. We lined up light turned green and I beat him by 5 car lengths..When I returned to work. The boss counting his winnings proceeded to lecture me about racing the customers...I requested a transfer to another location the next day....lol

[on4now4]

lmao some people amaze me

[questnation]

now thats funny. all yall stories

[19cturbo]

i think the best thing is when a redneck walks in to the store with his chevy truck and throws some random azz part on the counter and says i need this, then you reply what is it, and the dick replys you should know you work here, like you have everything memorized and know exactly what it is..

or you ask what kind of car and they point out side and say that one..

[Edde]

Many years ago back in Scotland i had a mechanic friend who worked at a Ford dealership who told me of a lady customer who repeatedly brought her new car in complaining it would stall and cut out and not start after 15 to 20 minutes after start up,after many a visit with no problems found,a sharp eyed technician spotted the lady leaving after yet another visit to the dealership pull the manual choke lever out (for those of you old enough to remember manual chokes)and proceed to hang her purse on the fully extented choke lever. true story!

Now that's good stuff right there.

[strang3majik]

1st guy: "Don't you feel silly have them dar big tires on back it being a FWD?"

Me: "its rwd"

1st guy: "no way"

I wound up having to go outside pop the hood and show him..

lol...I had the same argument. Since one day, fuel was in the oil, so, kinda an emergency, and, honestly I dont have the proper equipment to dispose of oil I took my car to a local lube n' go, and got them to change it.
Well, they had to fill out this sheet apparently for every car, and, there were two guys. The one below my car (which is on the lift) said, its FWD. I calmly said, no, its RWD. The guy on the lift, under the hood said, "Kid, you don't know what you're talking about." So, a little angered now, I just stood by closely watching their every move.

Next, they asked me what kind of oil I wanted, I told them 20-50 (hot florida), and the guy said, "Are you sure." I replied, "Yes, positive," and the guy mumbled under his breath, whatever you want buddy, can't see it from my house.

So, after the oil change, I payed, and exited the place whilst those two guys were out front smoking a cig, and proceeded to paint a nice RWD squiggly masterpiece, just to prove a point.

Needless to say, I always change my own oil now

[Boosted77.]

I've worked for 5 different Pep Boys stores around Atl. from the parts delivery at 16 years old to asst. store manager. Worked at an Advance Auto Parts as a summer job a long time ago. Most days were uneventful. Others, because you have to remember, there is something wrong with their car, they sometimes come in pissed off and looking to vent on you. Others, because they believe (the customer is always right) think they can talk to you like you are a dirty dog.

Working in the service dept. as an advisor was by far the most stressful, more so than the asst. manager position I held. You are the face of the shop so when they come back b/c of a recurring problem that they already paid for, and I feel for them too, they are usually VERY pissed off. I said I'm sorry to the various customers more than I can remember, even though I didn't lay a hand on the car; just assembled the work order. That was the only thing that would set me off, and I did more than once get very terse with the customer. Was I in the wrong, probably? But believe me with this, the customer is NOT always right and the worst thing you can do is cuss out the guy behind the counter that is only trying to help.

To all those who have gotten really fussy with a waiter or waitress in a restaurant b/c your meal was bad, remember they didn't cook it, they just walked it over to your table.

[idriftnaked707]

i get people asking for fan belts for their hondas everyday! man if i told you guys all the stories i have, i'd probably need my own site!

[TexasQuest]

Been there too with people I dealt with working at napa.

[BlowinUp54B's]

When I turn 18 I will be working at Advance.. I'm getting ready, and everyone that works at the one I always go to has a red car parked backwards..

240, Truck, Trans-Am, Riced out Del-sol, Mustang GT..

Everyone but the riced out Del-sol is cool.