Describe your perfect auto parts store...

[stephen9666]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
One that has the genuine or OE part for the vehicle.

One that has knowledgeable and professional staff.

One that has flexibility in pricing.

oh wait, I've already found a parts store that does all 3 things....most dealerships I have been to can do all three of those things.


The problem is that this varies a lot by location. My local Hyundai dealer will not budge from MSRP. I'm not asking them to even match the online dealers, just make an effort to move on pricing. I kept walking out after hearing lines of B-S from the parts manager. "Hyundai sets the price, I don't have any wiggle room."

 

[Propflux01]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
I miss the old-time auto parts stores where there were some old guys at the counter who you could just show a part to and they would pull an exact match off the shelf without looking up something in the computer. There was one around the corner from where I lived that also had a nice machine shop in the back and they could actually fix things like alternators and starters and give you back yours better than new instead of selling you a cheap part from some other country that lasts just beyond the warranty. They could make up any hose, any cable, any pipe you needed, usually while you waited. Plus, the guys could also tell you exactly how to fix something.



Your NAPA was a whole lot different than mine, if you didn't have a mainstream ford or Chevy land yacht or pickup truck they had absolutely no clue. You would get the same look as the dog looking at the victrola on an old 78RPM record, then you'd get the famous "gotta be a dealer item" quote!

 

[calvin1]

For my (old, rusty, cantankerous) BMW the dealer is actually a pretty good place to get parts. They don't have much on hand for an 18 year old jalopy but they can get almost every widget on the car next morning. Their prices are on the high side but OTOH they have no "value" or "budget" options so each part is best quality and usually I can talk them down 10%-15%. Also, they don't mind talking in part numbers and VINs so I always know their parts will follow mid-year redesigns and option packages. A lot of times it's even money to have a lower quality part shipped from an online retailer and then I have to wait three days or more. With an old bimmer the only same-day availability option is U-Pull-It. Not that that's a bad thing, except when it's raining or -15F.

I've tried several times over the last 10 years to like to independents around here. Maybe a scrawny twenty-something doesn't fit the image of the guy they want in their shop? IDK. I can just never get the time of day from these guys, and this was when I was buying parts for a 90's F150. I know better than to bother them for anything for my funny little furrin car. Autozone kisses the ground I walk on, even when they can't find parts for my car. The crusty old guys usually can't be bothered to get off their stool. "Honest, mister, I just wanna spend some money with you."

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: fxrider
One with free oil & Hooters girls working the register

And a couple more in the VIP lounge in the back...

 

[joaks]

A Pick-n-pull (my local junkyard) with a fantastic selection.

 

[bdcardinal]

From the parts person end, I would love to not have hundreds of part numbers on back order with no date off due to vendors going out of business when GM and Chrysler went BK. I would love to be able to order a part from my supplier and not have to pay a 25% restocking fee to the manufacturer so I didn't have to pass that onto my customer. I would love to not have parts on 2004 MY cars be obsolete. Parts pricing that makes sense would be nice, there are outside mirror assemblies for Super Duty trucks that are over $1200.

 

[eljefino]

It would be in a mall with a Grainger, Fastenal, Ace, Cabelas, and Harbor Freight.

 

[DavidZ28]

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Where are the old time guys? The 50-65 year olds that have been in the business for decades? The guys who were around when cat cons first came out,when Escorts and K cars ruled the roads,when carburetors were still the order of the day.....


I work beside one of those guys at a GM dealership. I've learned alot from him the past few years, his knowledge and stories of the "good ol days" are priceless! It's going to be a sad day when he retires. His type are indeed a dying breed.

 

[default]

-Open 27/7/365
-Counter people that know what they are talking about, and/or will let me look it up and go get it myself.
-Stocks really weird, rarely requested, oddball stuff, Yugo parts, GM 3800 series 1 plastic intake manifolds, stuff like that.
-RockAuto prices.
-Next to a 27/7/365 Harbor Freight and Secretary of State office.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted By: DavidZ28
I work beside one of those guys at a GM dealership. I've learned alot from him the past few years, his knowledge and stories of the "good ol days" are priceless! It's going to be a sad day when he retires. His type are indeed a dying breed.

I think they are already gone--especially in the AZs, ORs, and PepBoys of today. Speaking for my little slice of Houston, if the computer does not list the part, the counter person is typically clueless. Most have never seen a carburetor and could no more look at the part that you bring into the store and grab the replacement from the shelf than the man in the moon.

Call me "seasoned" but there are no "old guys" at these stores, there is usually an early 30 something manager with some 20 something staff members who know all about 4 cylinder racing, but know nothing about the V8s of yesteryear. While their abilities with computers are usually more than adequate, there ability to reason through a problem without one is woefully inadequate.

Obviously, this is not the case everywhere--but it is more often than not...

 

[IndyIan]

I'd like to have some ex-mechanics at the counter that can answer questions on what's needed for a job or advice on what to watch for.
My local Home Depot got alot of business during our house building by having a few guys on the floor that actually worked in the trade. The one guy sketched out how to install a submersible well pump, with a pressure tank and then we walked down the aisle and got all the parts needed. It's not rocket science but it made the install easy and it worked.
There is a family run autoparts store in a town near me and the son actually does work on his car, so I am going there more and more even though the chains are more convenient.

 

[addyguy]

A part's store that sells more than Fram filters.

Seriously, that's pretty well ALL that is on store shelves here...some selection (Champ, Wix, Purolator..) would be nice!

 

[artificialist]

I would like a parts store that makes finding stuff for European cars easier. Seems like where I am, if I need stuff for just about any European car, I have to wait for it from some distribution hub.

I would love for a store to never sell the typical garbage from China.

If the store is going to sell fake ram air hoods, annoying mufflers, and disco lights, it can at least locate them in another section of the store so that when I am finding a car needs, I don't bump into some guy who is looking for a cigarette lighter with rhinestones on it.

 

[exranger06]

I already work for my ideal parts store. I can look up any part I want myself, go rummaging through all the shelves downstairs, I get all parts for just 10% over the store cost, and I have a key so if it's 8:00 PM and I need a part right away, I can just get into the store and get whatever I need any time.

 

[zzyzzx]

One thing is one of my car really needs a serpentine belt that's 1/4" shorter than what the book says. I ask for that at the parts counter and get funny looks when I say I want a 6 ribbed belt just like they one that they are showing me, except 1/4" shorter. However, if I do a reverse lookup for the belt I actually want and just specify that car at the parts counter, they come back with the right one.

 

[tightwad]

+1 on countermen leaving the industry for better jobs. 15 years ago, I could see that Autozone was going to bury my store. Went back to school for an accounting degree. Now I sit in a nice, quiet office and do tax returns all day for twice what I ever made from that stinkin' parts store. And I NEVER have to answer the #@$%&*$# phone.

 

[tbm3fan]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
I miss the old-time auto parts stores where there were some old guys at the counter who you could just show a part to and they would pull an exact match off the shelf without looking up something in the computer. There was one around the corner from where I lived that also had a nice machine shop in the back and they could actually fix things like alternators and starters and give you back yours better than new instead of selling you a cheap part from some other country that lasts just beyond the warranty. They could make up any hose, any cable, any pipe you needed, usually while you waited. Plus, the guys could also tell you exactly how to fix something.



Have two of those within 3 miles of me. One is a local chain of 5 called Monument Auto, where on a Saturday you will see 6 counters open. The other is the local NAPA where everyone is older than me and that says something. Was just in carrying a spring thermostat housing off of a Autolite 4100. The fellow sees it in my hands and goes what do we have here. Was good enough to look up all the applications at the time (1960-1966) and finds all but 2 are still around. We pick the most common and perfect it works correctly. The carb I got for $40 and so had no idea what Ford model it was correct for. It is now on my Cougar.

 

[DavidZ28]

Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
Originally Posted By: DavidZ28
I work beside one of those guys at a GM dealership. I've learned alot from him the past few years, his knowledge and stories of the "good ol days" are priceless! It's going to be a sad day when he retires. His type are indeed a dying breed.


Call me "seasoned" but there are no "old guys" at these stores, there is usually an early 30 something manager with some 20 something staff members who know all about 4 cylinder racing, but know nothing about the V8s of yesteryear. While their abilities with computers are usually more than adequate, there ability to reason through a problem without one is woefully inadequate.



Well said!!

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: DavidZ28
Originally Posted By: 2010_FX4
Originally Posted By: DavidZ28
I work beside one of those guys at a GM dealership. I've learned alot from him the past few years, his knowledge and stories of the "good ol days" are priceless! It's going to be a sad day when he retires. His type are indeed a dying breed.


Call me "seasoned" but there are no "old guys" at these stores, there is usually an early 30 something manager with some 20 something staff members who know all about 4 cylinder racing, but know nothing about the V8s of yesteryear. While their abilities with computers are usually more than adequate, there ability to reason through a problem without one is woefully inadequate.



Well said!!

Actually, what I find is that in many locations, there is one guy who loves lifted 4x4 pickup trucks and big block carb engines, and there is another guy who likes turbo 4 cars such as the VW GTI, Subaru WRX, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, etc etc.

You ask a question to the guy at the counter, and he will ask one of his co-workers to talk to you for the advice you need.