was at AAP today

[jdm90]

A man come into the store asking for 5 qt.'s of tran. fluid for a 96 Chrysler. He did not know what kind. The saleslady asked the manager what kind. He told her Mercron 3 and the newer models get Mercron V. I couldn't be quiet, so I told the buyer I wouldn't do that if I were you. He asked,"Why?".I told him that Chrysler vehicles are real picky about what fluid you put in. I told him I would get the ATF +3, well they only had ATF+4. I pointed to the ATF+4 bottle were it stated for Chrysler vehicles. The saleslady tells the buyer the ONLY difference is ATF+4 is synthetic and the Merc.3 is regular. Well, the buyer is so confused between the manager, saleslady, and me , he says nevermind and leaves. What do you guys/gals think?

 

[Hootbro]

You tried and leave it at that. Your were working against to stupid forces. The stupid owner for not knowing what fluid he needed and the stupid parts counter people.

Hootbro

 

[bdcardinal]

i try to help people to an extent, then i give up. had a lady today ask me to look at her oil and see if it needed changing. looked at it and said that it looked like oil and the only real way to tell is to send a sample to a lab to get analyzed. she looked at me completely confused. she asked how often she should change it, it was a 3.0L Escape. i just told her to do whatever the owners manual said.

i get people like that a lot, i have to stop and think wether to just say 3mo/3k miles or give the real answer. sometimes its just easier to say 3mo/3k miles.

 

[RF Overlord]

Good for you, jdm90, for at least trying, but I think it's generally an uphill battle.

In most other countries, owning and maintaining a car is more expensive than here, so people tend to learn a bit more about them. Americans just want to be told "do this" and don't really care to know any more than that.

Present company excepted, of course...

 

[jdm90]

What the manager didn't know was I worked for another AAP '01 to '03 and my manager was hard core. You had to study and learn things such as this. Also, I have owned a 95 Dodge Intrepid that called for ATF+3. I was so dissapointed in these two.

 

[jdm90]

Oh yeah, RF I want a Marauder or possibly a 'Vic cop car, someday.

 

[ewetho]

Well ATF+4 is the ATF+3 replacement. Could have gotten out the Pennzoil Multi-vehicle ATF which covers both. Ah well, was at an AAP myself and guy was trying to figure out why one parts store calls for one FRAM filter and another lists another. He found the one he had and the one spec'd at AAP and they were the same thread, gasket size just the one he already had was smaller. Got hi to get a Purolator.

One down for FRAM!!! Yeah!!!!

Same price or cheaper and better.


Another guy was trying to choose brake fluid and asked while were having the conversation and told him about the differences. Base brake fluid Dot3 is Dot3. Showed him DOT3 & 4 Synpower for about a buck more(than the prestone for the big bottle) and he got that. He even has enough to flush the entire system Hurray.

Yet another guy was just trying to get oil and was just curious if it was true API spec'd oil was API spec'd oil. And he was just curious if AAP oil was made at a major refinery. Chevron was good enough for him.

I was done.

They said they were selling lots of PP with Buy 1 Get 1 FREE which is good.

 

[KBFXDLI]

Stupid + Stupid= Stupid2

You should have run out of the store disgusted not him.

 

[unDummy]

It cracks me up that people shop without knowing what they need or want. Cars come with owners manuals that make recommendations. Some cars even have dipsticks that state what to use. When literacy fails, these same people trust the underpaid store clerks.

 

[ibewman1141]

These part store guys need to learn more about what theyre selling. I went in AAP last week to buy some PP and a filter and wanted a pure one filter. Well they didnt have one for mine so I got the regular purolator, and the parts guy says "you dont need the pure one anyway, it has teflon or something in it and you already have good synthetic oil." geez.

 

[RF Overlord]

Quote:

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"you dont need the pure one anyway, it has teflon or something in it"

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Last I knew, only the FRAM DoubleGuard came with Teflon built-in...but I can see the parts guy's confusion since "Purolator" and "FRAM" sound so much alike...

 

[KBFXDLI]

Doesn't matter, I cleaned out all the PP at my closest AAP today on the 2-4-1 deal. Tomorrow I'll hit another one because their truckload is coming in. I'm stocking up at least a years worth for our 3 vehicles. That will give me a synthetic oil change for under $20. This will save a few $$ since the wifes Lexus dealer charges $137

 

[Mr Nice]

You should have told him to go to Walmart where they have the Dodge/Chrysler ATF

 

[KBFXDLI]

The WalMarts here actually have Mopar filters too.

 

[ibewman1141]

KBFXDLI is that you from hdforums?

 

[KBFXDLI]

Quote:

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KBFXDLI is that you from hdforums?

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Yep...that be me

 

[ibewman1141]

I go by wideglidedan.

 

[KBFXDLI]

I am unable to remember more than 1 login name....

 

[KBFXDLI]

You must be an electrician eh? IBEW?

 

[Winston]

If you walk into a parts store and tell them you own a Chrysler, why would they tell you to put in Ford fluid? Mgr was an idiot.

In the real world it is not common knowledge that there are many different types of ATF fluid. For that matter, most parts stores dont even know that manual transmission fluid is different than differential fluid. End of rant.