Target disappointment

I stopped by my local Target "Super Center" on the way from work. I was hoping to pick up a timing light since I can't find mine and Autozone wants $40 for their cheap light.

The automotive section of this "Super Center" was 2 small isles consisting of floor mats, cleaning supplies, a few bottles of oil and some misc. crap. The home improvement section was even more disappointing.

I had to walk past 20 isles of toys to get to this cornucopia of DIY goodness.

Wal-Marts are just as bad. i remember getting plugs, wires, and dizzy caps years ago. I suppose it's good that at least they still have oil and filters for those 1am oil changes.

those things are vanishing.. most new cars do not need more than oil, filters, and mats.

The local Walmart Supercenter has tires, oil, plugs...a good selection. Not as good as an auto parts store but OK...they didn't have plug wires though...weird.

I think Food Lion or Dollar Tree have a larger auto parts selection than the Target I went to.

I live within walking distance of 2 Oreillys and an Autozone. Walmart is only for detailing stuff.

Think of the demographics - these days you're lucky to find one person in a thousand who would even know how to use a timing light.

There is that. Thank god for the internet... and Lowes. Strangely, they have quite the automotive tool selection.

Ebay has timing lights with free shipping for around $25.

Sears.

nderwater wrote: Think of the demographics - these days you're lucky to find one person in a thousand who would even know how to use a timing light.

QFT. Same demogrphic that uses a matchbook as a feeler guage to set the points.

People that know what matchbooks do are a dying breed.

Target doesn't have any depth in any of their product lines anymore. I used to be able find just about anything at a Target, but they've started carrying only the top 2-3 lines of every product. That means that if you want anything even the slightest bit different you have to shop somewhere else too. If I'm shopping somewhere else anyway, then why go to Target.

And by even the slightest bit different I mean simple things like maybe just a deodorant with no perfume in it. Multiply these differences by every product you have on your shopping list and Target is useless.

Target has never been on my list of places to get anything automotive.

WalMart used to be ok for basic tuneup stuff like plugs, wires, caps and rotors but they don't have that any more. now all they have is oil and Fram filters.

for most general automotive needs, i like a place called Mills Fleet Farm. they have almost everything you need for anything. need some grade 8 bolts to put your suspension back together? go there and buy them for $2.79 a pound. i spent about $10 for every front suspension and body bolt on my old 71 Nova.

carguy123 nailed it....Target has, in "recent" years, slimmed down there selections in many departments in order to add....MORE DEPARTMENTS, like food and books.

The last time I was in a Target, to get a battery for a calculator to do my taxes, I was asked by the clerk if I wanted to apply for a Target Card. I said no. And I told the salersperson the big reason why I wouldn't apply for a card was because Target no longer carried anything I REALLY wanted to buy.

i've found lots of people goto Target on pretension that its not Wal-mart...

integraguy wrote: And I told the salersperson the big reason why I wouldn't apply for a card was because Target no longer carried anything I REALLY wanted to buy.

Boy, you really told that near-min-wage employee, who was only asking you because the register prompted them to do so, what was what.

Wowak wrote:

integraguy wrote: And I told the salersperson the big reason why I wouldn't apply for a card was because Target no longer carried anything I REALLY wanted to buy.

Boy, you really told that near-min-wage employee, who was only asking you because the register prompted them to do so, what was what.

My son works at Target and they get a point and get their name in a drawing to win something crappy when they get a hit. They are forced to ask you for the Target card; although he said this week Target is going away from that credit card.

EastCoastMojo wrote: Ebay has timing lights with free shipping for around $25.

Harbor Freight has them for $15 +tax in my hand. Unfortunately, Target is on my way home and Harbor Freight is the opposite way. HF is also about an hour away from home so I don't go there except during lunch time.

novaderrik wrote: Target has never been on my list of places to get anything automotive. WalMart used to be ok for basic tuneup stuff like plugs, wires, caps and rotors but they don't have that any more. now all they have is oil and Fram filters. for most general automotive needs, i like a place called Mills Fleet Farm. they have almost everything you need for anything. need some grade 8 bolts to put your suspension back together? go there and buy them for $2.79 a pound. i spent about $10 for every front suspension and body bolt on my old 71 Nova.

When I grew up in Wisconsin we had a Mills Fleet Farm and my Dad and I shopped there all the time. I sourced a lot of parts for my baja bug there, guns and ammo too! I really missed it after moving to Arkansas. I'll always remember the "aroma" of the place, miss it.

In Minnesota by work and on the way to Road America; they have Mill's Fleet Farm. In Illinois we have Blain's Farm & Fleet. Almost identical stores to me.

When I would mention Farm & Fleet they would correct me up in Minnesota; "you mean Fleet Farm?"

Target was the best store in the world a few years back when they mismarked all Mobil1 oil to $1.68 a quart.

I bought 65 quarts of oil that day...

One thing that always confused me, at least about the local Target stores, is that they have half an aisle of painting supplies, but do not sell paint. I suppose they had to cut the Home Improvement department selection in order to free up space for the Pink and Brown Fuzzy Dorm Furnishings and Trinkets department.

I got into it with a friend last weekend about the "At least Target pays their employees a decent wage" line of thought. Locally, Target starts at $8.50/hr. Wal-Mart starts at $10.50/hr. Oh, and Wal-Mart will sell me a damn can of spray paint.

Just came back from Blain's Farm and Barn, wood chips for the smoker (mmmm, smoked pork shoulder) and a gallon of Round-Up. Checked out the welders while we were there too.

FWIW Blain's is a Janesville, WI based company. Nothing like supporting the locals.

i am startin to get partial to tractor supply company.. major variety.

Tractor Supply, Dickey Bub and Orscheln are my new favorite stores. They sell stuff that people who do stuff need to do that stuff. What a concept.