Amazed at the Idiots

[The Old Man]

Today when I got off work I stopped at Autozone to get new brake pads for the front my 98 Z/28....... Since at 59,000 miles they have never been changed and are getting a little thin. The guy in front of me had a Dodge Dakota with a bad front wheel bearing... The guy behind the counter got him a new bearing and told him. If the race is not bad, don't change it, just change the bearing!!! I got out of there decided Autozone was not the place for me!!

Went to OReilly and said I want to know what brake pads you have for a 98 Z/28....The guy punched a couple keys on his computer, looked at me and said.... Thats a pickup truck right?? What the hell is a guy supposed to do??
How can one fly with Eagles when he is surrounded with Turkeys???

[ryan34]

Wow, i cant say that i ran into many idgets at my local stores. They all seem to know a little something about cars. But to ask if that was a truck.....WOW

[Performin Norman]

That's why I've found an OReilly's with some guys that I deal with. They are experienced and know a lot about cars. Gotta find some people with knowledge and stay with them.

[Trans Am]

That's why I've found an OReilly's with some guys that I deal with. They are experienced and know a lot about cars. Gotta find some people with knowledge and stay with them.

you shoud see how it is in europe, some places I went they looked at me like I was trying to buy aeroplane parts...

[LS1 TA]

Z71, Z28 its all the same. J/K

[97LT1Z28]

You think they're bad? You should see some of the Pep-Boys mechanics here in Texas! Last week while geting some parts, The mechanics set a '77 Trans Am on fire while welding in an exhuast bracket. Manny Moe & Jack would be proud . . . . . . .

[RocKin1967]

i remeber going to discount auto parts to get a throw out bearing for my 4spd and when i got home to put it in it was like 3cm wider than it should n i check the box n it says subourbon??? i mean wtf, went back n their was some other guy and then he had no idea what a throw out bearing was, and i had 2 explainwhat it was then finally the manager came out and got the part 4 me.... people these days...

[ryan34]

i remeber going to discount auto parts to get a throw out bearing for my 4spd and when i got home to put it in it was like 3cm wider than it should n i check the box n it says subourbon??? i mean wtf, went back n their was some other guy and then he had no idea what a throw out bearing was, and i had 2 explainwhat it was then finally the manager came out and got the part 4 me.... people these days...

That actually reminds me of a pep-boys employee that was told to get the drivers side power window motor and he got the passangers side. Course my friend didn't know untill we got home and tried to install it. When he took it back he had the nerve to try and say that we said "left side" and that it could've been either one.

If i remember correctly, isn't the left side officially the driver's side anyway? I believe on the driver's side door of my friends' dakotas, it says "Left Side" Or is that just for Mopar?

[LeeS97Z28]

Now I can't speak for that AutoZone you were at, but I can't tell you it isn't right for you to call all folks stupid friend!

I work for AutoZone for years and I have many years of experience in both parts sales at AutoZone and at a local Chevy dealership here where I live.

Those of us at AutoZone here where I live know our stuff. I going to tell you also dealing with the public is not always a joy either.

Buy the way I always check and make sure everyone get the right parts. I use the good old fashioned way of doing things if I have to. It's called parts catalogs.

Have a goodone Lee!

[Z Ya Later]

Now I can't speak for that AutoZone you were at, but I can't tell you it isn't right for you to call all folks stupid friend!

I work for AutoZone for years and I have many years of experience in both parts sales at AutoZone and at a local Chevy dealership here where I live.

Those of us at AutoZone here where I live know our stuff. I going to tell you also dealing with the public is not always a joy either.

Buy the way I always check and make sure everyone get the right parts. I use the good old fashioned way of doing things if I have to. It's called parts catalogs.

Have a goodone Lee!

But, from what most experience (including me), for every knowledgeable employee at a parts store like Kragen, AutoZone, etc., there's usually about 3-5 who have no idea what they're dealing with when it comes to cars. I had one guy at Kragen sell me the wrong temp. thermo for my Jeep, which almost cost Kragen the motor from the overheating. While I'm sure the people you work with may be pretty knowledgeable, not every place is like that. Heck, most of the boneheads I deal with think my Z28 is a Nissan...go figure.

[LeeS97Z28]

But, from what most experience (including me), for every knowledgeable employee at a parts store like Kragen, AutoZone, etc., there's usually about 3-5 who have no idea what they're dealing with when it comes to cars. I had one guy at Kragen sell me the wrong temp. thermo for my Jeep, which almost cost Kragen the motor from the overheating. While I'm sure the people you work with may be pretty knowledgeable, not every place is like that. Heck, most of the boneheads I deal with think my Z28 is a Nissan...go figure

It's true that a lot of places don't have knowledgable people. There is a reason for this and that is because its hard to find good parts people from dealerships and garages because. 1. Most dealerships pay very well and offer commission on parts sold plus hourly rate. 2. benefits offered by companies like AutoZone is not as well as the dealerships offer.

Here where I live dealers don't pay well usually $6.50 per hour and no retirement or medical. That is why I don't work at my local chevy dealership. AutoZone agreed to pay me much more.

I only work partime at AutoZone. I work full time here at a local community college. I take care of internet courses, as well as, make TV commercials for companies.

I'm not trying to say you won't find a lot of lemons but just saying not everyone is without an elevator that won't go to the 5th floor

[Joe 1320]

This is why I order genuine GM parts after looking up the stock part number. If i need it quicker than if I get it shipped in from an online source, I look it up on the websites.

Places like:

www.autozone.com

www.advanceautoparts.com

and for GM parts: www.gmpartsdirect.com

will allow you to sign up with an account, search and cross referance part numbers by yourself. You'll have the option of purchasing online for home delivery, have the local store hold the part, heck you can even call them to verify that the particular part number is on the shelf. Any cores are returned to the local store. If you are above average in knowledge, this is for you. If you are clueless then it's best to rely on those behind the counter. It sure saves me the aggrivation of driving over, standing there while a trainee searches through his computer for a part, gets help, then tells you it isn't in stock.

[N20LT4Bird]

This is why I order genuine GM parts after looking up the stock part number. If i need it quicker than if I get it shipped in from an online source, I look it up on the websites.

Places like:

www.autozone.com

www.advanceautoparts.com

Bingo. I can honestly say that at least 25% of the time I trust the guy behind the counter to get me the right parts, I have to go back to the store after tearing my car apart to find out its not the right part.

ohh....dont get me going! Heres my rant for the day! LeeS97Z28 is RIGHT! Autozone, Peppys, etc. dont pay enough to hire qualified individuals. If I am an ASE certified technician, with parts expertise, who "knows my stuff", am I gonna go work for 7 bucks an hour? No Way! I could make much more elsewhere. But if im a young kid, just getting into cars, and knows just enough to be dangerous, can I get a good job as a tech making 30 bucks an hour.....no, so im gonna go work for Pep Boys selling parts and giving inexperienced advice. \

The one that really get me is the "we'll scan your car for free" bit. GIVE ME A BREAK! Granted, there are a FEW problems that can be solved by plugging in the magic box and turning the light off or changing a simple part........but the vast majority of MIL problems need some fairly techinical to very technical diagnostics to accompany the scan. If the guy at autozone can diag it for 7 bucks an hour, then why do qualified techs get paid 30 bucks an hour?

Classis example....I was buying an MAP sensor for a guys truck that I had spent countless hours of diag on (making some $ on the side). I went to autozone as they had the best price and the guy behind the counter asked me If I needed the truck scanned. Nice of him, but I explained that I had a ton of hours into this truck with a scanner, leakmaster, vacuum gauges, oscilloscopes, probing voltages at the PCM with the DVOM, etc... He responded by saying the best way to diag the truck was to just REPLACE THE SENSORS ONE AT A TIME! Yea, thats a good way to sell parts, but not a good way to fix a truck (especially if it turned out to be a wiring problem). It was ridiculous!

So, my whole point is to say, YES, there are good parts guys out there at the chain stores, but generally the guys that are good will work elsewhere. So, look the parts up yourself to save big headaches!

[z28_xxx]

maybe he just came over from europe?

That actually reminds me of a pep-boys employee that was told to get the drivers side power window motor and he got the passangers side. Course my friend didn't know untill we got home and tried to install it. When he took it back he had the nerve to try and say that we said "left side" and that it could've been either one.

If i remember correctly, isn't the left side officially the driver's side anyway? I believe on the driver's side door of my friends' dakotas, it says "Left Side" Or is that just for Mopar?

[Trash man]

im a part time apprentice at a local repair shop. i swear, levines has the worst sometimes! we called to get a case of 5w-20 they sent us 20w-50 or something like that. i also kno a part guy whos was in the trade for 30+ years so i learn to go to the counter, give em a exact description of the part, and even tell em what else goes wit it or what not. thats my lil rant for now