Who makes a Corvette? Really?

AndyG

AndyG

Because some other guys are perverts
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So I’m chasing some random part for this Corvette my dad left behind and I’m down at one of the parts stores and I asked the kid behind the counter if he’s got whatever for a Corvette....

He asked me what manufacturer made that car.

I realize everything is done on computer but it used to be that the guy behind the counter was pretty car knowledgeable.

I just continue to marvel at the new breed of young people that are in the work force.

Tell me some stories you guys of heard similar. Heaven help us.
 
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I arrived late at night DFW and had to pick up a rental. My previous rental (some kind of kia or the like) had a death wobble at 65 mph, so I complained and got a free upgrade for my next rental. They were all out of upgraded cars with the exception of a bunch of Cadillac SUVs... or a Camaro SS. The rental guy was really enthusiastic about it. "You're gonna love it! It's got a Hemi in it!" Well, he was right about one thing.
 
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112dB said:
I arrived late at night DFW and had to pick up a rental. My previous rental (some kind of kia or the like) had a death wobble at 65 mph, so I complained and got a free upgrade for my next rental. They were all out of upgraded cars with the exception of a bunch of Cadillac SUVs... or a Camaro SS. The rental guy was really enthusiastic about it. "You're gonna love it! It's got a Hemi in it!" Well, he was right about one thing.
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You know I don’t know if it gets much worse than when you combine ignorance and enthusiasm like that.

I used to know a guy in the tile business and he was so passionate about all his knowledge...But his knowledge was so incorrect. And he had a portfolio of failed projects, lawsuits and bankruptcies to prove it
 
Years ago, when I got my used Warn winch off of Craigslist, I needed new rubber boots that fit over the motor terminals. Not knowing where to go to find such things, I stopped by an AutoZone or similar. I brought in one of the old boots to show to a red shirt and described what it was. The first question he asks is the year, make and model of the vehicle. I said none of that is going to help us find this thing. Don't you have a section of rubber fittings in back I can look at? He says he can't find the part without this information. I laugh and tell him 2003 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4wd 4.0. Now find the section on GWBush-era Warn winches.

I walked out and soon figured out that I could get these terminal boots on Amazon.
 
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jjvw said:
Years ago, when I got my used Warn winch off of Craigslist, I needed new rubber boots that fit over the motor terminals. Not knowing where to go to find such things, I stopped by an AutoZone or similar. I brought in one of the old boots to show to a red shirt and described what it was. The first question he asks is the year, make and model of the vehicle. I said none of that is going to help us find this thing. Don't you have a section of rubber fittings in back I can look at? He says he can't find the part without this information. I laugh and tell him 2003 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4wd 4.0. Now find the section on GWBush-era Warn winches.

I walked out and soon figured out that I could get these terminal boots on Amazon.
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That is it in a nutshell- They don’t have any practical knowledge.

You can’t believe what I went through just trying to get rear sway bar bushing’s at the axle recently for my TJ.

“No sir I don’t want front sway bar bushings.”

“ No I don’t want sway bar links. “

“That will be under the chassis or suspension section. “

“ Yes you do sell these just like you sell every other bushing that goes under these because I bought some last year”

It’s really bad to argue with somebody dumber than I am.

It’s sort of reminds me when you think about how stupid the average person is that you have to realize half of them are stupider than that.
 
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112dB said:
I arrived late at night DFW and had to pick up a rental. My previous rental (some kind of kia or the like) had a death wobble at 65 mph, so I complained and got a free upgrade for my next rental. They were all out of upgraded cars with the exception of a bunch of Cadillac SUVs... or a Camaro SS. The rental guy was really enthusiastic about it. "You're gonna love it! It's got a Hemi in it!" Well, he was right about one thing.
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Not long ago, I rented a car and ended up a Kia Soul. That's fine. I had never been in one and was mildly curious because people like them. The kid at the counter got really excited when he saw what I was picking up and told me everything he knew about the Kia Soul and how amazing the new Kia Telluride was.

The Kia Soul was fine. Nothing to complain about. It's a solid, boring small SUV. But the Avis kid sure was taken by them!
 
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The normal auto parts store I go to is closing down, it’s one of the last places around that I like. Last time I went in to get a Ujoint for my front driveline, I just set it on the counter, he pulls out a set of calipers, takes some measurements, then goes back and get me the correct Ujoint. Never even asks what’s it out of.
Last Sunday, I needed one for the rear driveline and there closed, so I go to a chain parts store. I set the old joint on the counter and the kid start asking year/make/model then goes back and gets me the wrong joint. I then give him the correct spicer number 5-213X, he tells me it’s not that one then goes back and brings me the wrong joint again. I then ask him just to get me the part number I gave him and he tells me again that not the correct joint, so I ask him to lookup whatever that joints out of and pretend that I own that now. He rolls his eyes goes back and gets me that joint and it’s a perfect match for the old one that’s on the counter.

I dislike chain part stores
 
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AndyG said:
That is it in a nutshell- They don’t have any practical knowledge.

You can’t believe what I went through just trying to get rear sway bar bushing’s at the axle recently for my TJ.

“No sir I don’t want front sway bar bushings.”

“ No I don’t want sway bar links. “

“That will be under the chassis or suspension section. “

“ Yes you do sell these just like you sell every other bushing that goes under these because I bought some last year”

It’s really bad to argue with somebody dumber than I am.

It’s sort of reminds me when you think about how stupid the average person is that you have to realize half of them are stupider than that.
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When I was building the York OBA, I wanted an OEM fitting or something because it would be easier to work off of than not. I bring the York into AutoZone again just to see what would happen. Same deal with year, make, model vehicle I have. I tell this red shirt that none of that is relevant to what I need and that I have no idea what this pump came out of. Try Freightliner. Freightliner isn't in the database. Try an early-80s Volvo 240. Pick a year. He panics. The manager is off to the side giggling.
 
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Mumblewood said:
The normal auto parts store I go to is closing down, it’s one of the last places around that I like. Last time I went in to get a Ujoint for my front driveline, I just set it on the counter, he pulls out a set of calipers, takes some measurements, then goes back and get me the correct Ujoint. Never even asks what’s it out of.
Last Sunday, I needed one for the rear driveline and there closed, so I go to a chain parts store. I set the old joint on the counter and the kid start asking year/make/model then goes back and gets me the wrong joint. I then give him the correct spicer number 5-213X, he tells me it’s not that one then goes back and brings me the wrong joint again. I then ask him just to get me the part number I gave him and he tells me again that not the correct joint, so I ask him to lookup whatever that joints out of and pretend that I own that now. He rolls his eyes goes back and gets me that joint and it’s a perfect match for the old one that’s on the counter.

I dislike chain part stores
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I wonder how they can be that thick headed.
 
Waiting my turn in line at the grocery store to buy some last minute BBQ supplies the morning of the 4th of July a couple of years ago. The 18-24ish gal running the register was overwhelmed at how busy it was and asked the kid bagging, who was about the same age, what made July 4th such a big deal.

He scanned eyes with each of us in line, rolled his eyes, seemingly to say, 'here we go again', and reminded her it was a holiday. Of course she had to ask why, to which he replied, '...you know, the day the United States declared independence from Great Britain and became a country...?'

That poor girl was totally confused like it was the first time she'd heard it and said she should have paid attention in high school. 🤦‍♂️
 
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Good points- I worked as a counter guy in my teens- it was a good education in working with people and all the parts that went on cars-

The big companies make it where you don’t need any knowledge other than how to punch in the information the system needs. No sin in that, but basically by compensating for unknowledgeable people they are making sure we continue to have them.
 
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DaveC said:
Waiting my turn in line at the grocery store to buy some last minute BBQ supplies the morning of the 4th of July a couple of years ago. The 18-24ish gal running the register was overwhelmed at how busy it was and asked the kid bagging, who was about the same age, what made July 4th such a big deal.

He scanned eyes with each of us in line, rolled his eyes, seemingly to say, 'here we go again', and reminded her it was a holiday. Of course she had to ask why, to which he replied, '...you know, the day the United States declared independence from Great Britain and became a country...?'

That poor girl was totally confused like it was the first time she'd heard it and said she should have paid attention in high school. 🤦‍♂️
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Sort of like “was Paul McCartney in a band before Wings?”

I once heard a guy say he had never heard of a Carrier air conditioner. Uh, Mr. Carrier invented air conditioning sir.
 
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I worked the counter through most of college. It was more than minimum wage but not by a whole lot. Saw a lot of people come and go, but it seemed like every store had a core of about 2-3 that weren't helpless. If nothing else it was a good learning experience, getting an idea how few parts manufacturers there really are, learning the lifetime warranty game, trivia like there not being an 83 Corvette or a 96 wrangler, and I still am pretty good at knowing right off the bat if there's any hope of finding a particular item at a parts store.
 
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