Where'd you get that part number ?

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The guy at the dealer today didn't like the idea of me having the part number.
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"Where'd you get that part number?"

"The internet."

"Where on the internet?"

"Nally Buick/GMC ......... why do you ask?"


No answer back and I could tell he was ticked.
grin2.gif


This is the same guy who's told me on the phone that "We don't give out part numbers."
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What an idiot. You would think a guy in the PARTS DEPT job would be a lot easier if informed consumers already had the part number they needed. I repeat, what a tool bag.
 
Or, when you take a vehicle in for warranty work... and you get the question "Didja buy it here?"

I had a general manager for a dealership tell me, the answer to that question should always be "Does it matter?"
 
Weird. I love when people have part numbers, and I give them out freely.

What I hate is "Uhh, I be need a key fo my Pontriac Montrana, what I got do get dat?"..."If you don't have an original key, I need proof of ownership and ID so I can get the key code."..."Why dat?"..."So I know you are the owner."..."Wut if my uncle Pookie own it?" Really???

Or, anything that's remotely close to "I need the thang that come off the thang and go to the thang."

Part numbers are great.
 
Pssst....You can check Rock Auto's catalog. They usually list OEM part numbers within the aftermarket parts descriptions. At least with parts for GM vehicles.

Back when I used to work a parts counter, I loved it when people came in looking for a water pump for a Chevy. When I ask for what year, make and model they say:

"It don't matter. They're all the same."

That's when I give them a water pump for the most obscure Chevy engine on the shelf. Like a Vega or a 153 4-cylinder.
 
Originally Posted By: paulo57509
Pssst....You can check Rock Auto's catalog. They usually list OEM part numbers within the aftermarket parts descriptions. At least with parts for GM vehicles.

Back when I used to work a parts counter, I loved it when people came in looking for a water pump for a Chevy. When I ask for what year, make and model they say:

"It don't matter. They're all the same."

That's when I give them a water pump for the most obscure Chevy engine on the shelf. Like a Vega or a 153 4-cylinder.


Now they flip out if you ask for a VIN. "They all the same!" Oh really? Well which of these five versions of the "same" part is the one you need?
 
He better not go work on German vehicles, Merk. The Audi had part numbers stamped on just about everything, including some fasteners. It made life much easier when trying to track down parts.
 
I will ask the walk-in customers that because there is a lot of bad info out there on the Ford and Mazda forums. Our company policy is we don't allow returns on special order parts, especially ones where we did not look them up. I have lost track of how many times people give me a part number, we order it, it wasn't what they wanted and instead of letting me look them up, they blame me instead of their forum.

Also we don't give out part numbers because people will go buy them cheaper. Sorry, I am paid on commission and our parts lookup software is not free. We are charged thousands of dollars a month for the software licenses for our parts lookups. Also we don't give out part numbers because on the rare occasion it is wrong, the customer holds us responsible when they install it and it is wrong.

As for cutting keys, if they don't give me proof of ownership and matching photo ID, they are down the road. Also I refuse to help tow companies doing repo's, we have a warning splash page telling us to not help lien sale or repos.
 
Back in the late 80's the countermen at the GM dealership decided to give me extra copies of parts books for late 60's early 70's GM cars. They got so tired of me being in there finding parts for all my old Camaros all the time they finally threw in the towel.

Oh, and everything bdcardinal posted above. Parts guys catch an inordinate amount of [censored].....eventhough most of them are the devil.
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Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
The guy at the dealer today didn't like the idea of me having the part number.
grin2.gif


"Where'd you get that part number?"

"The internet."

"Where on the internet?"

"Nally Buick/GMC ......... why do you ask?"


No answer back and I could tell he was ticked.
grin2.gif


This is the same guy who's told me on the phone that "We don't give out part numbers."
grin2.gif



You should have told him "a random part number generator, I like to gamble".

I understand the dealer's point of view as far as giving out part numbers. I usually have them look it up to double check my number and they don't seem to mind.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Also we don't give out part numbers because people will go buy them cheaper. Sorry, I am paid on commission and our parts look-up software is not free.


I would absolutely not spend a freaking penny in your dealership. Who cares if I buy the part cheaper somewhere else? You would probably get a lot more money if you were customer oriented. Part numbers are easily found elsewhere. There is absolutely no reason for you to not help a consumer out.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Also we don't give out part numbers because people will go buy them cheaper. Sorry, I am paid on commission and our parts look-up software is not free.


I would absolutely not spend a freaking penny in your dealership. Who cares if I buy the part cheaper somewhere else? You would probably get a lot more money if you were customer oriented. Part numbers are easily found elsewhere. There is absolutely no reason for you to not help a consumer out.


I do it on a case by case basis. When a customer comes in and straight up says "i was looking at XX and could not figure it out, I need the part number so I can get it from them" they don't get help. The people that are my regulars get them all the time. It is all in the attitude.

I will usually give out the basic number. If you know how Ford part numbers work, they middle section is a basic number. So when someone wants an axle seal number because Napa or Autozone can't get them the right one I just say "the part number is 1S177, all a parts person at Ford needs is a Vin or axle tag number and a basic number and there is no reason for looking it up wrong.
 
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Originally Posted By: bdcardinal

Also we don't give out part numbers because people will go buy them cheaper.


I buy a lot of my replacement parts with a local Ford dealership. All the parts men there know my voice and will help me out and they give me a discount. If the part has been discontinued and is not available to them, they will give me the Ford part number if I ask them for it. Then I try to find it on Google, Ebay, Green Sales or a few dozen other parts warehouses. I can see the reasons why a parts man won't give out specific part numbers on a daily basis. There is nothing to gain and so much to lose.
 
Originally Posted By: Kruse
I buy a lot of my replacement parts with a local Ford dealership. All the parts men there know my voice and will help me out and they give me a discount. If the part has been discontinued and is not available to them, they will give me the Ford part number if I ask them for it. Then I try to find it on Google, Ebay, Green Sales or a few dozen other parts warehouses. I can see the reasons why a parts man won't give out specific part numbers on a daily basis. There is nothing to gain and so much to lose.


Totally, I have a bunch of customers that I know by voice over the phone or for some weird reason I have their VINs memorized. Most of them are really cool and I have gotten to know them over the years, to the point where I see them outside of work and they will introduce me to their families.

If a part is obsolete and there isn't a dealer that has it in stock that I have a charge account with, I will print out the list and give it to the customer to find. Most understand and are happy I could help.

The customers that when I ask for a VIN or an engineering number and they give me attitude back get the minimal help I am required to give and nothing more. My manager has actually told customers to leave that refused to give us info we needed to get the right part. We would rather lose that sale than fight for the info only to have them leave anyway.
 
Our wholesale business is so big it doesn't really matter if a walk-in gets something from us or not. Body shops are calling all day. Body shops usually place orders quick and often order thousands of dollars in stuff at a time. Walk-ins tend to buy piddly stupid stuff, and want to use up as much of your time as possible. That's why I like people with part numbers...they usually aren't the ones who want to spend 30 minutes discussing their '98 Olds 88 with you because they have nothing better to do. If they get it wrong, it's on them.

I sometimes give people a part number and direct them to another dealer that has the part if I don't just to get them out of my hair. That way they can look at the part before someone orders it, and I don't have to deal with them twice. If I order it and it's not what they really wanted, then I have to listen to them ramble for 30 minutes again.

Key customers are always the worst and at least half get turned away.

Some walk-ins I really don't mind helping, but so many people have no business working on their car or trying to get parts for it.
 
It works the other way around too.

Years ago I went to Tuban Ford to get a clutch fork PIVOT for a '62 Comet. These stamped steel things would always crack/break where it was bent 90-degrees.

They didn't have it in stock but the counter guy gave me the part number.

I drive down the road to Sunnyvale Lincoln-Mercury. Same thing. Not in stock.

I drive down to San Jose. The guy goes in the back, comes back out and hands me a clutch FORK.
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Originally Posted By: bubbatime


I would absolutely not spend a freaking penny in your dealership. Who cares if I buy the part cheaper somewhere else? You would probably get a lot more money if you were customer oriented. Part numbers are easily found elsewhere. There is absolutely no reason for you to not help a consumer out.


If your getting the number to buy elsewhere then your not a customer.
 
Originally Posted By: paulo57509
It works the other way around too.

Years ago I went to Tuban Ford to get a clutch fork PIVOT for a '62 Comet. These stamped steel things would always crack/break where it was bent 90-degrees.

They didn't have it in stock but the counter guy gave me the part number.

I drive down the road to Sunnyvale Lincoln-Mercury. Same thing. Not in stock.

I drive down to San Jose. The guy goes in the back, comes back out and hands me a clutch FORK.
mad.gif



True, that would bother me too, but that would be an unlikely mistake these days.

With walk ins, I generally always show them the diagram, and have them confirm that the part I am looking at is the same one they need. Modern diagrams for most brands (at least the ones I deal with) are pretty good and show a lot.

Basically, I try to help as long as it is not a blatant waste of my time. The GMT800 tailgate handle clip customers, GMT360 shift cable customers, and various coolant elbow/fitting customers do not bother me, but the people who are in over their head before they walk in the door kind of do.

One guy came in the other day who appeared to be homeless. And smelled like it. It was so bad the guy over at the shop counter could smell him. He wanted a door panel for an '05 Cobalt coupe, but of course did not have a VIN, interior color code or anything. I told him I would need to know exactly which color the interior was to order the right door panel, which bothered him, because apparently I was supposed to know the interior color of this Cobalt with no VIN, no RPO code for the interior, and only a vauge, incoherent description of what I was looking for to start with. He says "well just give me a price." I pulled up one of the part numbers, and it was something like $225. "TWO TWENTY FIE FOR A PIECE'A CARDBOARD??!?!?" I just said "yes, two twenty five." He stormed out. Fine with me. Cobalts are pretty simple cars, but I would like to see a piece of cardboard that could replicate the door panel. That would be something.
 
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