Argh, cheapos trying to get autoparts store staff to be mechanics

[berettafan]

My goodness it's frustrating waiting in line while some guy who is just being a cheap bastard wastes the clerks time trying to avoid paying a mechanic.

I'll ask a question here and there (which RTV do you recommend?) but damned if I'm gonna ask the guy to outline the entire process of replacing a master cylinder or fuel pump.

[masraum]

nice. Frankly, it bugs me a bit when they want the battery pulled/replaced or a headlight or wiper blades. Seriously, change your own damn wiper blades.

[herr_oberst]

Maybe the cheap bastard doesn't have the dough to get his car fixed but he needs to get to work. Or, maybe C.B. has had it up to here with incompetent or dishonest mechanics and is going to learn how to do some of this stuff himself.

Geez, I know it sucks to get in the slow lane, but put yourself in his shoes for just five minutes.

As bad as it is to wait in line for him, at least he's trying to get his car going so he doesn't have to ride his bicycle on public roads.


(And the FLAPS needs to get more countermen to move the lines faster...)

[berettafan]

i dunno oberst, it seems the counter guy is most likely an out of work mechanic and the guy asking for all the free help is contributing to the unemployment of said wrench.

[J P Stein]

Originally Posted by berettafan

My goodness it's frustrating waiting in line while some guy who is just being a cheap bastard wastes the clerks time trying to avoid paying a mechanic.

I'll ask a question here and there (which RTV do you recommend?) but damned if I'm gonna ask the guy to outline the entire process of replacing a master cylinder or fuel pump.

It depends on heat.
Mostly, I use Permatex Ultra Black.....good to 500 deg.
Need more? Permatex Ultra Copper.....good for about as high temp as RTV is viable. I use that for headers and on my wood stove.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by berettafan

My goodness it's frustrating waiting in line while some guy who is just being a cheap bastard wastes the clerks time trying to avoid paying a mechanic.

Geez, I'd hate to see what you're like if there's a real problem to deal with. Do you pull out a shotgun?

Part of the clerk's job is to know a thing or two about cars. Most chain auto parts stores are s*** jobs where the employees have to deal with people in a hurry. More than a few times, I've taken 5 minutes to explain how to do some things on a car to a newbie.

[Dantilla]

Not just auto parts.

I'm amazed at the patience of the guys at my local paint store. Spending a half-hour with happy housewife going over the minutiae of color, sheen, light reflectivity, and when she finally makes a decision, buys..... One quart!

[RANDY P]

In Vegas, it's the same thing, except in Spanish...Why the **** do these people handle auto parts like they are legos? (fiddling with it at the counter?)



Take one look at the product inside, compare and pay and walk out- you don't need to sniff it, fiddle with it, lick it, and ask more stupid questions. I hate that- you are buying replacement parts, not sampling wines.

rjp

[TechnoViking]

Auto parts stores provide some degree of technical help for a reason: THEY WANT YOU TO BUY THE PARTS FROM THEM.

If a guy can't figure out how to install the part he'll end up taking it to a shop and the auto parts store loses the business. When I'm doing a project, I'll ask a lot of dumb questions from whoever is willing to help.

[TechnoViking]

It's amazing to me how most people on this board bemoan the lack of good customer service in the world today and now complain when they see it happening!

[berettafan]

i don't think explaining to a guy who has never turned a wrench how to replace a major mechanical part in his vehicle is customer service.

customer service might be 'hey don't forget a crush washer from aisle 6' or 'we've had a lot of those come back, you might try this alternate brand'. not 'first remove the negative terminal, next find the 6 bolts holding the .........'

[cockerpunk]

no, what is far worse at autoparts stores is when you somehow have to accidentally leak that you have a porsche or some other hot car. you then need to listen to a 25 minute story from the 19 year old behind the counter about how his older brother, had a friend, who had a 950 hp supra and it was so awesome.

god i hate autoparts stores.

[bell]

Had a guy walk in the back of my shop asking if he could use our Jack, "borrow" a filter, so he could try to do his own oil change. ...... my exact words were "are you ****** kidding me"?.......
I chalk it up as people are dumb more than anything. ...

[911SauCy]

Originally Posted by cockerpunk

no, what is far worse at autoparts stores is when you somehow have to accidentally leak that you have a porsche or some other hot car. you then need to listen to a 25 minute story from the 19 year old behind the counter about how his older brother, had a friend, who had a 950 hp supra and it was so awesome.

god i hate autoparts stores.

THIS,

Me: Do you have Bosch #xyz?
Part Dude: Strange, no, nothing even close. What's it for?
Me: I should have known better by now

Or simply:

There's no sense in wasting the guy at the counter's time... He's a parts counter guy for a reason, if he had the aptitude to be a mechanic...he'd be one.

[vash]

last week i was in line waiting to buy some coffee.

the lady in front of me was just coated with some patcholie smelling ointment. the line behind me was long..the lady ordered one thing at a time..coffee..then a cookie..then a bowl of oatmeal.

the eyerolling from all those waiting in line behind her was epic. then the worst thing happens..right before the lady was about to relinquish her spot at the register, she pauses and buys a $30 gift card...people moaned. i grinned,..wtf..i was next.

she gets the card and said, "here, use this card to buy everyone in line behind me coffee until it runs out"

i was blown away..i still got my own coffee, but the lady was pretty cool and made everyone behind me feel guilty for moaning out loud.

i took it as a lesson in patience..i need a refresher or two.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by cockerpunk

you then need to listen to a 25 minute story from the 19 year old behind the counter about how his older brother, had a friend, who had a 950 hp supra and it was so awesome.

god i hate autoparts stores.

Coming from a guy with a 944 Turbo.. LMAO.

[Danimal16]

Originally Posted by vash

last week i was in line waiting to buy some coffee.

the lady in front of me was just coated with some patcholie smelling ointment. the line behind me was long..the lady ordered one thing at a time..coffee..then a cookie..then a bowl of oatmeal.

the eyerolling from all those waiting in line behind her was epic. then the worst thing happens..right before the lady was about to relinquish her spot at the register, she pauses and buys a $30 gift card...people moaned. i grinned,..wtf..i was next.

she gets the card and said, "here, use this card to buy everyone in line behind me coffee until it runs out"

i was blown away..i still got my own coffee, but the lady was pretty cool and made everyone behind me feel guilty for moaning out loud.

i took it as a lesson in patience..i need a refresher or two.

That is just so good in so many ways!

[yel911]

"here, use this card to buy everyone in line behind me coffee until it runs out"

Amazing!!!

[sammyg2]

Iffn you go to a pep-boys, you will be surrounded by pep boys customers.
That's why i don't go to pep boys.

There's an auto parts distributor warehouse nearby, they sell parts to FLAPS.
But I found out one day that they'll sell to me too.

So i strut in, tell em what I want, they hand it to me, and I pay for it. They don't have time for conversations and neither do I.
Works perfect.

I bet there are plenty of them places around iffn you looked hard enuff, that way you could cut down on your FLAP trips and frustration quite a bit.

BUT, it's a double-edged sword.

If I go in there and I'm not sure what I need, they get real frustrated and post about be on their auto parts warehouse forum.

[cockerpunk]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

Coming from a guy with a 944 Turbo.. LMAO.