When your order is $10.35 try giving them a dime.
Who makes a Corvette? Really?
- Thread starter AndyG
- Start date
When your order is $10.35 try giving them a dime.
Like are real paper catalog? Hell find a parts store that still has any of those.
So I have been involved in the parts realm one way or another for the last 30 years and I have some stories but I will stick to these two that link together.
I worked for while at an Al's (anyone remember them or their sister Grand) to pay my way while in college (early 90s). While I was there we had a pretty decent crew and a reputation good enough that people would go out of their way to come to our store. But this was the beginning of the part time parts era and computer lookup was also making its way into the fold. I do not know how many of you had to deal with that old green screen parts software but lord did it suck so most of us just stuck to the books. Management took notice of this and decided that they needed to force us from using them. So one day we came in to all the catalog racks in the dumpster. After much protest we were allowed to keep one rack in the warehouse with a warning that if one catalog made it to the counter that you would be fired on the spot and that no new hire was allowed to go near them. The couple old timers we had could see the writing on the wall so they left and for each of them three part timers replaced them. Up until this point I was actually pretty happy working there. Management was pretty accommodating of my class and life schedule but as more part timers were hired that changed as well with my boss basically telling me at one point that I was 100% expendable. I left pretty quick after that. It was the only time in my professional career that I did not give two weeks notice but I was expendable so I did not feel real bad about it.
During this time I drove a 76 F150 that was not exactly stock and needed some spark plugs a couple months after quitting. I was still friends with a couple of the assistant managers so I figured I would pop in and give them some shit for still working there and grab some plugs. So I bellied up to the counter and here comes one of the rookies and here is how the conversation went:
Rookie: Thank you for choosing Als what can I assist you with?
Me: I need 8 Autolite #25 spark plugs please.
Rookie: Are you sure those are the right ones for you vehicle? Maybe we should double check? (At this point my friend Wade notices who was at the counter and started shaking his head as he could see the smile I had).
Me: Absolutely you can. They are for a 1976 F150 4x4 with a 351 Cleveland 4V out of a 1973 Grand Torino Sport and I need them two heat ranges colder than stock.
Rookie: Ah...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Wade: Hey Rookie you might try grabbing the orange box with a 25 on the end of it right behind you. Computer will not help you with this one.
My NAPA in Ellensburg still uses paper catalogs for some items. But it's farm
country. Are you talking the old Al's Auto in WA?
Yup, plus the fact that Joe Customer will scream at them when they don't have the part in stock for his 1987 Honda Civic. Sadly I've witnessed this a few times.
These stores hire anyone with a pulse, not people with car knowledge, or even anyone with people skills.
I was at a wedding a month ago and one of the fellow groomsmen is an old friend from high school. He happens to now own a Car Quest. Plus he knows how to do an 32 minute engine swap as he’s one of the guys on the winning team in the below video. I need to compile a list of swap parts I need to order for him. Guarantee he won’t ask what car they’re for.
What is even funnier is someone going to oreillys for anything more than windshield washer fluid or oil…
Yeah depending on if you were in WA,OR,ID,CA, or AK they were Als or Grand and owed by Paccar until they sold to CSK in 1999.
I don't know this for a fact but I thought Al's started in the PNW as a mom and pop type parts store?
But I'm talking about back in the mid 70's.
Yes I'm freaking old.
Edit: https://myeverettnews.com/2012/05/19/abe-al-wexler-founder-of-everetts-als-auto-supply-chain-passes/
Last edited:
I won't tell you what most of us thought about them after they'd been acquired..
Shame these places had to go away.
Oh boy. I’m fortunate to have a couple old school parts stores in town, plus a new auto zone. I routinely blow their mind going in for motorhome parts. Depending on what I’m looking for, it’s either a 78 olds toronado, g30 van or sometimes it’s a random GM part that I don’t have any idea where it’s from. Thank goodness for the Internet, as I can usually figure out what I need and what’s it’s from before heading to the store. The couple older stores in town each have an old timer working in them too and I will pick their brains occasionally.
You tell the lazy fucks the part mummery and brand ands they still ask what it’s from… 1933 Edsel? Not quite sure, or a 1978 piper tomahawk! That one really fucks them up
Did the whole coolant flush recently and needed a couple new hoses. Walked into the local Autozone with a list of Mopar PNs thinking cross-referencing would be fast and accurate. Turns out their parts management system doesn't have OEM PNs...
For context, I work in supply chain management. Not having the resources to cross-reference as-like PNs is ludicrous.
For context, I work in supply chain management. Not having the resources to cross-reference as-like PNs is ludicrous.
Nimbley
TJ Enthusiast
I work in the semiconductor industry as field service on capitol equipment. Sometimes I’ll need to find a local electronics store in the city I happen to be working in at the time for electrical pins, fuses, connectors, etc. I always go in and ask for exactly what I need and it never fails, the kid will ask “What are you working on?” So I explain in explicit detail whatever I’m working on and just watch their eyes glaze over. They always end up just pointing me to what I need and asked for to begin with and walking away. Makes me laugh every time.