Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Hahl
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Followed up with "Automatic or manual transmission, lol.
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"Then V6 or V8?"
I used to work in parts, and was smarter than the average bear. It was a long time ago when the computers weren't as advanced/complete as they are now. We also had a full rack (2 actually) of paper catalogs.
I used to have folks get pissed at me for that sort of thing, but not for headlights. And the problem was usually that they didn't know crap about their vehicle, so rather than say "I don't know about my car" they would get mad to deflect attention from them onto you. I remember one case in particular was for an older (probably early 80s) economy car, probably something like a Toyota Tercel. The guy came in for brake pads. I asked him "what size engine, 1.2L or 1.6L". THe guy responded with "4 cyl." So I had to say "yes, 1.2 and 1.6 are both 4 cyl, but 2 different sizes, and I need to know which one to get you the right brakes." My system hadn't asked me, but when i got to the brake pad page, it said "for 1.2L brake pads are part no XX. For 1.6L brake pads are part no YY."
Moderns systems won't let you go to the next step without specifying engine, transmission, etc.... Parts folks occasionally give out the wrong part, possibly because they make assumptions, but also often because the customer gives them the wrong information (customer doesn't know, so they guess). So it's better for the person providing the parts if they get all of the answers to reduce the risk of wrong parts, and to at least put the likelihood of incorrect parts on the customer.
Yes, there are or could be issues with the data in the software, but most of the time the issue is human error, either the parts guy looked at the F596, but accidentally grabbed the F569 off the shelf or fat fingered the year of the car or the customer told him the wrong data or....
I last worked in an auto parts store in Jan of 1995. At the time, most of the 80s GM fwd cars took brake pads with "183" in the part number or "215" (for the HD brakes).
Just one of those stupid things that's stuck in my brain.
183
215
