G-05

[dlundblad]

Wouldnt the computer have told you what coolant it took if you asked for the model, year and make?

If it took G05 and you didnt have any in stock, he would have been back if you ordered it. Napa IIRC sells it, but it is always over-priced.

He could have went to the dealer, but who knows that they charge either.

 

[Brasileno]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Wouldnt the computer have told you what coolant it took if you asked for the model, year and make?

If it took G05 and you didnt have any in stock, he would have been back if you ordered it. Napa IIRC sells it, but it is always over-priced.

He could have went to the dealer, but who knows that they charge either.


That's a good point and I have to get more used to the computer look-up that tells us capacities and I ASSUME type of fluid, but, we never got that far. Here, if we don't have something like that on hand, customer is out the door, over to Pep Boys across the parking lot.

The FoMoCo Ford Dealer Parts Department is actually right across the street, as well.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Ok thanks; I'm running G05 in my B2300; that is why I asked.

edit; those links are gold; thanks for that too.


G-05 should have been factory fill for that.

 

[exranger06]

As someone who's worked at an auto parts store (mostly part time) for almost 9 years now, this is my take:

Originally Posted By: Brasileno
So, being the Parts Pro that I am and wanting to make the sale, as encouraged by the atmosphere at the store but not by my pay (I am not commission..) I then asked what color. Since customers really only care about matching color with color. Chemistry be [censored].. If a car has a certain color in it, it's my best move to try to match it

No, that's not your best move. Your best move is to educate the customers who don't better that you can't just go by color, and that the chemistry is what's important.

Originally Posted By: Brasileno
(Remember: the customer is here to save money over a dealer. Or, they don't care about the dealer, and they come here for everything else. Even shops get parts here. Ok.)

Sometimes the dealer is the only option. If the dealer is the only place to get the correct part, so be it.

Originally Posted By: Brasileno
So, with my main driver being COLOR, .. this particular customer kept saying "All I know is its G-05, it's for a Ford. I got G-05, I need more." Also "It's for a Ford." So, again, after pointing out we DID NOT HAVE G-05.. I then went to "All Makes, All Models" and went to Prestone.

I would've left it at, "sorry sir, we are all out of G-05. If you'd like I can order some more and it will be here by ___." What happens next is up to the customer. If he asks me about All makes/models coolant, I'll give him my honest opinion, which is: it'll probably work, but I wouldn't recommend it and I would only use G-05. If he still wants to buy the All Makes, I'll sell it to him. If he walks out the door, then oh well. I would rather have a customer get the CORRECT part somewhere else, than get the WRONG part at my store.

Originally Posted By: Brasileno
We carry Pentofrost, (A2, A3, etc, even that has markings as to COLOR, I sold the last Toyota Red last night,) also Peak, BMW OEM, Prestone, CarQuest, CarQuest's twin, and I think we sold out of the Zerex. We even have another one, I think. Might be the Prestone Dex-Cool.. we may have a Dex Clone. Not sure.

Pentofrost is trying to make it idiot-proof by listing the color on the bottle, knowing that most people just go by color. You still need to verify that it's the correct chemistry.

Originally Posted By: Brasileno
I am aware there are more colors than Green and Orange. However, unless a customer specifically says "I have this" then I ask "Green or Orange." Even then, it would come out: "No, it's a Toyota, it's Red." And I would then go to the Pentofrost A3... there is even Blue now. A2.. whatever designation. See what I'm saying?

You need to STOP asking customers what color their coolant is, and just ask what TYPE it is (Dexcool, G-05, G11, etc). I'll tell you right now that MOST customers will have no idea. At that point you ask what year, make and model vehicle it is, and look up the correct TYPE in the computer if you don't already know off the top of your head.

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

Brasileno, do you work for Autozone?

 

[Brasileno]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
As someone who's worked at an auto parts store (mostly part time) for almost 9 years now, this is my take:

Originally Posted By: Brasileno
So, being the Parts Pro that I am and wanting to make the sale, as encouraged by the atmosphere at the store but not by my pay (I am not commission..) I then asked what color. Since customers really only care about matching color with color. Chemistry be [censored].. If a car has a certain color in it, it's my best move to try to match it

No, that's not your best move. Your best move is to educate the customers who don't better that you can't just go by color, and that the chemistry is what's important.

Originally Posted By: Brasileno
(Remember: the customer is here to save money over a dealer. Or, they don't care about the dealer, and they come here for everything else. Even shops get parts here. Ok.)

Sometimes the dealer is the only option. If the dealer is the only place to get the correct part, so be it.

Originally Posted By: Brasileno
So, with my main driver being COLOR, .. this particular customer kept saying "All I know is its G-05, it's for a Ford. I got G-05, I need more." Also "It's for a Ford." So, again, after pointing out we DID NOT HAVE G-05.. I then went to "All Makes, All Models" and went to Prestone.

I would've left it at, "sorry sir, we are all out of G-05. If you'd like I can order some more and it will be here by ___." What happens next is up to the customer. If he asks me about All makes/models coolant, I'll give him my honest opinion, which is: it'll probably work, but I wouldn't recommend it and I would only use G-05. If he still wants to buy the All Makes, I'll sell it to him. If he walks out the door, then oh well. I would rather have a customer get the CORRECT part somewhere else, than get the WRONG part at my store.

Originally Posted By: Brasileno
We carry Pentofrost, (A2, A3, etc, even that has markings as to COLOR, I sold the last Toyota Red last night,) also Peak, BMW OEM, Prestone, CarQuest, CarQuest's twin, and I think we sold out of the Zerex. We even have another one, I think. Might be the Prestone Dex-Cool.. we may have a Dex Clone. Not sure.

Pentofrost is trying to make it idiot-proof by listing the color on the bottle, knowing that most people just go by color. You still need to verify that it's the correct chemistry.

Originally Posted By: Brasileno
I am aware there are more colors than Green and Orange. However, unless a customer specifically says "I have this" then I ask "Green or Orange." Even then, it would come out: "No, it's a Toyota, it's Red." And I would then go to the Pentofrost A3... there is even Blue now. A2.. whatever designation. See what I'm saying?

You need to STOP asking customers what color their coolant is, and just ask what TYPE it is (Dexcool, G-05, G11, etc). I'll tell you right now that MOST customers will have no idea. At that point you ask what year, make and model vehicle it is, and look up the correct TYPE in the computer if you don't already know off the top of your head.


These are well-received points. Thank you.

Maybe I can educate my team, too..

 

[Brasileno]

 

[Brasileno]

Originally Posted By: Oldmoparguy1
Brasileno, do you work for Autozone?


We have Auto zone and get so many customers from there it's sad.

We have a better team.

 

[GaleHawkins]

Last night I decided to go with G05 in our 'new' 2006 Ford Five Hundred with 110K miles. The engine is very clean on the inside (oil changed every 5K miles at Ford dealership). The AWF21 ATF had never been changed so we did the Seafoam Trans Tune bucket flush and got that finished last weekend and topped of with 16 oz. of Lubegard Platinum. For ATF I went with Mobil 3309 since in met the standards of the owner's manual.

Next to address is the coolant and Xerex G05 matches the owner's manual.

The car has been well cared for engine oil wise and I am trying to catch up on some of the other fluid replacement.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

RV Antifreeze under engine coolant ... not a good idea.

Yes - you don't set the planograms. But bad idea.

 

[meep]

my local Autozone tried to sell me a universal when I specifically went in looking for G-05 for the s60. They didn't have it but tried to tell me the "all makes, all models" chemistry would be fine. I left, went across the street to Advance, and bought a jug of G-05.

I've been favoring AZ in my town lately as they've kept better inventory, but in this case AA got the sale. Buyer beware.

-m

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: meep
my local Autozone tried to sell me a universal when I specifically went in looking for G-05 for the s60. They didn't have it but tried to tell me the "all makes, all models" chemistry would be fine. I left, went across the street to Advance, and bought a jug of G-05.

I've been favoring AZ in my town lately as they've kept better inventory, but in this case AA got the sale. Buyer beware.

-m


Unless something changed after 2004, G05 is not the proper coolant for a Volvo. My 04 S60R definitely did NOT take G05.

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: meep
my local Autozone tried to sell me a universal when I specifically went in looking for G-05 for the s60. They didn't have it but tried to tell me the "all makes, all models" chemistry would be fine. I left, went across the street to Advance, and bought a jug of G-05.

I've been favoring AZ in my town lately as they've kept better inventory, but in this case AA got the sale. Buyer beware.

-m


Unless something changed after 2004, G05 is not the proper coolant for a Volvo. My 04 S60R definitely did NOT take G05.


Proper coolant is OEM BASF Glysantin G-48. (Blue-green color)

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: GiveMeAVowel
Proper coolant is OEM BASF Glysantin G-48. (Blue-green color)


Yup, that was what it was. I just got it from the dealer next door, I remember it being fairly cheap as far as OEM coolants go.

 

[bullwinkle]

Originally Posted By: Brasileno

Looks like you're an AAP guy-you could have told him to order it off your website, or ordered it for the customer (from another store or the hub). Honestly, if you HAD to mix the wrong coolant with G-05, regular old low-silicate green is the closest match (although you would shorten the coolant life). If it were me, I would have sent him to the Ford dealer if the guy was desperate, better that than risking a plugged heater core or similar problem from the wrong stuff.

 

[01rangerxl]

GHT, do not ask things like "green or orange" unless you really know what you are doing. This is not your Blazer or Civic where you can have at it with concoctions and guessing at what will work. This is someone else's car, and the responsible thing to do is to only suggest what is correct for the vehicle. If you don't know, tell the customer that. You can't know everything.

Suggesting an all makes/all models Dexclone isn't the worst thing in the world, but I won't use it in either of my Fords, one of which calls for G-05, and the other green.

Now, if someone comes in asking for SP-III transmission fluid, you could direct them to the Valvoline Import Multi-Vehicle ATF that AAP stocks because it says on the back of the bottle specifically that it is compatible in those applications. Beyond the specific spec being printed on the label, do not speculate or guess.

It is not all about making the sale. It is about selling the correct thing. There is more at stake than selling a Newark bopper a Black & Mild, so please do not speculate and guess with other peoples' cars.

 

[Brasileno]

^^^ Everyone here is making good points.

This particular customer elected to not buy anything when we did have the G-05, so he decided to err on the side of caution as to putting the right stuff in. Had he not been out the door in such a hurry, I'd have mentioned the dealer for the correct fluid. As.. ordering it from another store, or the hub.. he didn't even give me time, to tell him about our "other store."

And, while everyone is absolutely correct, and I agree, about the right part at another store and etc etc.. I'm also about to be rated on sales. Sales Per Hour, hitting a "goal," etc.

They like me there, but I missed work yesterday.

This store, I had a couple people come in asking for the G-05. I was told, by other employees: "I know, we are out of the G-05 right now." Apparently ordering, or from the Hun, hasn't occurred to anyone. And for something like antifreeze.. THAT never occurred to me.

I may be ordering a new muffler or cat from it all myself. If I hang onto this job. And hopefully I'm looking at just a fuel or spark issue..

 

[CT8]

A parts guy that actually knows something is worth their weight in gold..