Because the programming in that computer is constantly being revised, and each revision generates a new part number. The computer programming is the most complex part of the car.
A water pump is a pump for water. The rate of technological change is perhaps not quite so rapid. The only real reason to change it is for packaging. So it's legitimate to expect quite a bit of interchange.
good point, sir!
Spoolpigeon wrote:Trans_Maro wrote: Unfortunately, most parts place won't pay a good counter guy what he's worth because "the computer knows everything". You pay peanuts and you get monkeys.My place pays less than McDonalds down the street. Can't exactly hire a pro staff with that kinda pay.
That is exactly why I got out of the business. Used to be a guy could work his way up to store manager or even open his own and have some hope to be able to support a family. Not any more, thanks to first Bumper to Bumper, then Advance etc.
In reply to Curmudgeon:
You can, but it's few and far between. My company loves to hire outsiders when they have a dozen qualified guys right under their noses. Their most recent WTF moment was hiring an outside commercial sales guy (responsible for the commercial accounts of about 15 stores) from..............wait for it................a grocery store.
Curmudgeon wrote:Spoolpigeon wrote:That is exactly why I got out of the business. Used to be a guy could work his way up to store manager or even open his own and have some hope to be able to support a family. Not any more, thanks to first Bumper to Bumper, then Advance etc.Trans_Maro wrote: Unfortunately, most parts place won't pay a good counter guy what he's worth because "the computer knows everything". You pay peanuts and you get monkeys.My place pays less than McDonalds down the street. Can't exactly hire a pro staff with that kinda pay.
^^This The best parts guy in this town ran his own parts store in the space under and behind a Mexican grocery. This guy could get you anything you needed or wanted, from OEM replacement parts to JDM speed parts. He had the old-school parts books behind the counter and enough experience to know what would work and what wouldn't. It was a sad day when he closed down. He basically couldn't compete with the AdvanceOreillyZones in town. That guy never gave me the wrong part, and routinely went above and beyond to get the parts I needed when I needed them. But in the end, he couldn't run the business and support his family on the margins. Name of the store was Baker-Alford, closed down about 6 years ago. Still miss the place.
Spoolpigeon wrote: In reply to Curmudgeon: You can, but it's few and far between. My company loves to hire outsiders when they have a dozen qualified guys right under their noses. Their most recent WTF moment was hiring an outside commercial sales guy (responsible for the commercial accounts of about 15 stores) from..............wait for it................a grocery store.
That's what Advance did about 8-10 yrs ago.... They quit selling auto parts for $5/can peanuts and $1 soft drinks....
Yup. We had a bunch of pickle pushers running the show a few years ago lol
Advance just bought out CarQuest too, fellas.
I just saw that too. Too bad. The carquest store had a great staff and were really helpful. Now I'm down to the Napa who all ask me 3 times what make a Barracuda is and the O'Reilly's which is ok but no customer service at all.
In reply to 06HHR:
Yup, I used to deal with a place like that. Guy would find you Jimmy Hoffa if you paid him enough.
They went under because the big chains could afford to sell for less and didn't care if they gave you the wrong part, then the right box with the wrong part in it, then the right part for the wrong side of the car and finally, after four trips, the right part which may or may not be broken.
Shawn
Some crackhead stole a windshield wiper today. He put his old one in the box, which is how we figured it out some hours later when a coworker went to install it it on another customer's car. Classy.
Javelin wrote: Advance just bought out CarQuest too, fellas.
Who do you work for Jav?
The Carquests around here suck, and i've never seen any other customers in the store besides myself.
None of them are ever helpful, don't know what they have on their own damn shelves, and their stores themselves are just sad.
The only thing i've found them useful for is that they're the only local place that has a 50/50 chance of having NGK ZFR7F11 plugs, and for some reason, they tend to carry better car detailing stuff than the other chains.
Just so it's not ALL negative, we DO still have this super awesome import parts place on the other side of the city that doesn't even HAVE computers for anything other than inventory and taking payments.
Just a huge rack of about 50-60 parts books. Hardly has any parts out on the floor, just a huge curved bar-style counter with some grizzled old dudes sitting behind it. Usually there will be a couple other old dudes sitting on bar stools on the customer side of the counter just hanging out, not buying anything, just telling lies.
I walked in there looking for an alternator belt after getting frustrated with Autozone damn near refusing to sell me one after i told them the car doesn't have a/c. (Pro-tip: alt belt is separate.)
He didn't even look up the part.
"MX6 GT? Damn, nobody has asked for parts for one of those in probably... 8 years? Yeah, i've got one in the back, i'll be right back."
Didn't look at ANYTHING.
Came back in less than a minute with the right belt.
"Hey man, i've got a bunch of stuff back there for those cars, make sure you come back here."
And i will.
Oh, and the belt was $2 cheaper than at Autozone. For a Gates.
It's probably been mentioned before, but I'll leave this right here...
The Unknown Parts Counter Guy on Bangshift.com
That Tony Sestito in the comments sure is a funny guy! 
and yes, that really happened. The kid just dropped stinky heat sticks right in the chrome aisle. 
The Carquests here are actually pretty good. They mostly service commercial shops, and of the 4 in town 1 has a machine shop, 1 is a auto paint supply store and 1 makes hydraulic hose assemblies. I hope that doesn't change with the buyout. Last time I was in one I didn't notice any soft drink coolers or a snack aisle..
Adrian_Thompson wrote:Javelin wrote: Advance just bought out CarQuest too, fellas.Who do you work for Jav?
sounds like someone catching a few zzzz 
bmw88rider wrote: I just saw that too. Too bad. The carquest store had a great staff and were really helpful. Now I'm down to the Napa who all ask me 3 times what make a Barracuda is and the O'Reilly's which is ok but no customer service at all.
Our local good store, Spartan Automtive, got bought out by CarQuest several years ago and it went from sugar to E36 M3.
Javelin wrote: Advance just bought out CarQuest too, fellas.
For a billion in cash.
Carquest is now AAP Commercial, but the signs aren't changed.
This whole damn thread is hysterical. Some people are just crazy train nuts.
In reply to fornetti14:
Did you say gravy train and someone who is nuts??
Spoolpigeon wrote: In reply to Curmudgeon: You can, but it's few and far between. My company loves to hire outsiders when they have a dozen qualified guys right under their noses. Their most recent WTF moment was hiring an outside commercial sales guy (responsible for the commercial accounts of about 15 stores) from..............wait for it................a grocery store.
When I ran an AAMCO store, I had to go to their place in Philly for a 1 week training session. While up there, I was asked what my background was, I recited my background of parts and service sales. The guy running the class wrinkled his brow and said 'we recommend that the owners hire copier salespeople'. 
No, I ain't no damn pushy copier sales guy. But- I did rack up sales about 15% ahead of projection after the place opened.
Rufledt wrote: In reply to fornetti14: Did you say gravy train and someone who is nuts??
besides Thomas the Gravy Train.. What exactly is in that photo? Calves? One calf? That's berkeleying goofy.
Yesterday was a E36 M3ty day, lots of shiny happy people. One shop called in, yelled for 2 cans of black spray paint, and tried to hang up. I shot in with "Gloss, semi-gloss, semi-flat, or flat?" before they could and that seemed to piss them off. He yelled flat at me and hung up the phone. I sent over a can of Bumper Trim and a can of header paint.
Awesome!
Get yourself a gold star out of petty cash..
We used to have a sketchy transmission shop that we dealt with. Would call a few times per week yelling, "TWO CANS OF CHROME PAINT AND A BOX OF LATEX GLOVES." They went through 6 cans per week on average...
You'll need to log in to post.
