I guess I'm fortunate. Awhile ago I went to my local Advance to pick up a K&N oil filter.
When I tried to install it, it wouldn't fit. Compared it to my old one. There was a visual difference. Took it back to Advance, explained the problem. They did some checking and found the difference. The K&N's were labeled wrong. they supplied me with an alternate filter which was less money. The refunded the difference and when I left they ere pulling all of the K&N's of the shelf and checking them.
I call that pretty good service.
For specific parts, I find my Ford dealer to give good service also.
That's why I stopped buying anything except standard maintenance items, like oil, filters, batteries and such from chain stores. And I don't go into Advance/Auto Zone anymore. I get most of the bigger stuff from specialty sites or RockAuto now.
I usually just get things like oil, filters, fluids, and cleaning/lubricants that are pretty much the same anywhere from the local parts stores as well as anything parts-wise that I need NOW. There are varying degrees of them too- nearest to me is an Advance, I personally prefer the Autozone about half a mile further (or the one with more knowledgeable staff another mile further in the other direction). Have had slightly better luck with O'Reilly on some things, and though we have them, haven't been in any of the KOI's since I had the RX-7.
They have their place in the ecosystem of auto care, you just have to use them for what they're best at: being a convenience store.
Anything like that, I walk in with part numbers (Readily available on the store's website, or Rockauto if you need a X ref). I also avoid autozone, stick with places that have a commercial counter (Oreilly, NAPA, Advance), somebody in there is bound to know what the hell they are doing.
wlkelley3 wrote:
That's why I stopped buying anything except standard maintenance items, like oil, filters, batteries and such from chain stores. And I don't go into Advance/Auto Zone anymore. I get most of the bigger stuff from specialty sites or RockAuto now.
and Rock Auto isn't immune to the "bad" part number either …
they had a clearance sale a while back (Honda stuff) and were practically giving away the "Exact Fit" windshield wipers
ordered a couple of sets … not only don't they fit length wise, but the don't attach to the OEM wiper arm
EvanR
Dork
6/4/15 12:57 p.m.
I really want to like O'Reilly's. There is one literally within a stone's throw of my new place, and the folks behind the counter are intelligent and helpful.
However, their website blows goats. I needed #1129 bulbs for the turn signals on my Honda. Can you simply look up "#1129 bulbs"? Heck no! Can you look up "turn signal bulbs for a 1980 Honda C70 Passport"? Heck no!
So I figured the workaround was to tell the website I needed "turn signal bulbs for a 1960 VW Beetle". Great, there are those #1129 bulbs!
Now the website tells me "print this out, take it to the store, and they will order them for you." Great!
So I print it out, complete with bar code, and take it to the store. They look at it like I've handed them the Ancient Scrolls of Babylon.
Then I have to start all over again with the nice counter guy. He punches "1960 VW Beetle" into his computer, finds the bulbs, and we go through the process from scratch.
Next day, they arrive. Great! But why can't they scan the barcode from the printout and just get them? I think they need IT help.
Javelin wrote:
G_Body_Man wrote:
Up here we have Canadian Tire, which is about an autozone equivalent. It's fine for regular maintenance stuff, but when you ask for a valve cover gasket for an SBC, they have to look up the make, model, and engine.
Early or late perimeter bolt or center bolt? 5/32 or 7/32 cork or rubber or viton? 
most of the perimeter bolt gaskets have the dual pattern for both early and late bolt patterns and thickness is a matter of preference.. most parts stores around here have at least a couple of sets of the thick Mr Gasket valve cover gaskets in the bling bling section so you don't even need to do the "make, model, interior color" crap with the counter guy that is staring at the computer.. same with intake gaskets for the pre 96 small block..
I'm kind of lucky in that I live not far from the former HQ and Distribution center for CarQuest. Having the executives in walking distance to the counter kept everybody on their toes.
Service has gone down a bit since they were bought out, though, but the fact that the warehouse is attached means that they have TONS more parts available if you're willing to wait 10 minutes for somebody to walk back and get it.
EvanR wrote:
I *really* want to like O'Reilly's. There is one literally within a stone's throw of my new place, and the folks behind the counter are intelligent and helpful.
However, their website blows goats. I needed #1129 bulbs for the turn signals on my Honda. Can you simply look up "#1129 bulbs"? Heck no! Can you look up "turn signal bulbs for a 1980 Honda C70 Passport"? Heck no!
So I figured the workaround was to tell the website I needed "turn signal bulbs for a 1960 VW Beetle". Great, there are those #1129 bulbs!
Now the website tells me "print this out, take it to the store, and they will order them for you." Great!
So I print it out, complete with bar code, and take it to the store. They look at it like I've handed them the Ancient Scrolls of Babylon.
Then I have to start all over again with the nice counter guy. He punches "1960 VW Beetle" into his computer, finds the bulbs, and we go through the process from scratch.
Next day, they arrive. Great! But why can't they scan the barcode from the printout and just get them? I think they need IT help.
That's pretty much my experience every time i go there. Complete with a dot matrix printer.
That chain is dead.
G_Body_Man wrote:
Javelin wrote:
G_Body_Man wrote:
Up here we have Canadian Tire, which is about an autozone equivalent. It's fine for regular maintenance stuff, but when you ask for a valve cover gasket for an SBC, they have to look up the make, model, and engine.
Early or late perimeter bolt or center bolt? 5/32 or 7/32 cork or rubber or viton?
Crap, I forgot that they changed the valve covers. Whelp, time for me to wear the dunce cap 
Not just that but do you realize how many part numbers there are on the shelves behind the counter of a parts store? Somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-8k part numbers. You really expect ANYONE to know all those off the top of their head at all times? C'mon, lets be realistic here. They have to "know" partsfor every make and model.
E36 M3, I never even came close just learning ACURA numbers in 10 years ofparts slinging for them. That was just one small sliver of a car company, not ALL of them.
But lets not let reality stop people from irrationally bashing other working people.
Bobzilla wrote:
G_Body_Man wrote:
Javelin wrote:
G_Body_Man wrote:
Up here we have Canadian Tire, which is about an autozone equivalent. It's fine for regular maintenance stuff, but when you ask for a valve cover gasket for an SBC, they have to look up the make, model, and engine.
Early or late perimeter bolt or center bolt? 5/32 or 7/32 cork or rubber or viton?
Crap, I forgot that they changed the valve covers. Whelp, time for me to wear the dunce cap
Not just that but do you realize how many part numbers there are on the shelves behind the counter of a parts store? Somewhere in the neighborhood of 6-8k part numbers. You really expect ANYONE to know all those off the top of their head at all times? C'mon, lets be realistic here. They have to "know" partsfor every make and model.
E36 M3, I never even came close just learning ACURA numbers in 10 years ofparts slinging for them. That was just one small sliver of a car company, not ALL of them.
But lets not let reality stop people from irrationally bashing other working people.
The reality is that you're a ginger. 
Swank Force One wrote:
That's pretty much my experience every time i go there. Complete with a dot matrix printer.
That chain is dead.
Hey, now! Dot-matrix printers are awesome! How else are you going to print that multi-part form?
1988RedT2 wrote:
Swank Force One wrote:
That's pretty much my experience every time i go there. Complete with a dot matrix printer.
That chain is dead.
Hey, now! Dot-matrix printers are awesome! How else are you going to print that multi-part form?
In the meantime, most of the other stores i shop at are emailing me my receipts so i don't have E36 M3 in my pockets all day.
In reply to Bobzilla:
For instance, my store has 17,500 part numbers in stock, and we are an average sized store. That's part NUMBERS, not a total part count. Our part count was just over 60,000. Some of the larger hub stores can have north of 30,000 part numbers in stock 
Spoolpigeon wrote:
In reply to Bobzilla:
For instance, my store has 17,500 part numbers in stock, and we are an average sized store. That's part NUMBERS, not a total part count. Our part count was just over 60,000. Some of the larger hub stores can have north of 30,000 part numbers in stock
Well, I learned from GRM that a good counterman will have all of them and their applications memorized. Otherwise you're just a worthless pile of berkeley.
You're not even a counter jockey anymore. Join the dark side. We have cookies.
I still am for myself. I still look up all my own parts, and either order online and pick up or deliver their part numbers, my phone number and important info in person.
Bobzilla wrote:
I still am for myself. I still look up all my own parts, and either order online and pick up or deliver their part numbers, my phone number and important info in person.
Well, you probably suck at that. (Just trying to make it feel real for you.)
81cpcamaro wrote:
Actually GM used a few different turn signal switches in those years. Just looking at resto parts places, there are 8 different turn signal switches used for 1964-72 LeMans/GTO cars, depending on what options your car has. But you are correct that most parts stores rarely have the right one. Dealt with that plenty of times myself.
Since I work at a resto parts house, I get to see both sides. Many times columns have been changed over the years and they don't know it. Then it is real fun to find the right switch for them.
Agreed, but they are all basically the same mounting; just one is for cars with sidelights, one has the wiring exit the other side for column shift... but they all bolt in. The one they gave me is for 78-97 cars. As in.. this one would bolt in to my 96 Impala.
Even Rock Auto has some challenges in getting the right parts. I hop on the site looking for AE86 parts, pick year, make, and model, of which there is a generic "Corolla" choice. To narrow it further the choices don't make sense. The next choice is often coupe/sedan, or 1.6/1.6EFI, but I those years Toyota offered 1.6 carb RWD 2-door, 1.6 EFI RWD 2-door, 1.6 carb RWD 3-door, 1.6 EFI RWD 3-door, 1.6 carb FWD 3-door, 1.6 EFI FWD 3-door, 1.6 carb FWD 4-door, and I am not even sure about the wagon choices!
You think you are looking at parts for a RWD twincam EFI coupe, and next thing you know, singlecam carb manifold gaskets and CV joints start showing up under the same car!
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:
Oh goody! Another parts store rant.
Blame yourselves for using them. You can order whatever you need online and have it faster than they can get it from the warehouse.
Disagree - politely. Rock Auto sucks for older car parts and their shipping is expensive and abysmally slow. I can get most parts from Summit or Jegs with faster free shipping but they're expensive and their websites are terrible. Ebay is joke for parts like this. They assume that they're gold plated and want three times what its worth.
If you can get the right part numbers to the parts store and do the work for them, I've never waited more than 2 days (often times just a few hours) for parts.
jmthunderbirdturbo wrote:
i am on alternator #4 in a 3 week period. i can deal with the morons, but to sell me 3 alternators that are junk out of the box when i live 50 miles away from the store...
frustrating...
-J0N
Tipple check your ground strap and even consider adding another one from the battery to the bracket/bolt for the alternator. I had the same problem and it turned out the ground lead from the battery was no good.
