iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

Parts Store

Started by Autocar, September 18, 2014, 07:26:30 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Autocar

I have a seal leaking on the  torkconverter to the power shift on my Treefarmer. I tore it apart and went to a shop west of me ten miles a young fellow came to the counter looked at the number ,nope we don't have any sorry. Ok while I was in that town I stopped at the Napa store the guy behind the counter says I can't read the number and probably should get glasses a younger fellow came walking up and he had glasses on so I said let him read it so he reads off the number and checke's the computer nope we don't have it sorry. Ok I drive back home and call a local shop on my way, nope we don't have it it will be a four day back order with a $15.00 extra charge to walk back and get it off the shelf at the ware house. So for the fun of it I stop at the Napa store here in St. Marys I read the number off to the fellow and he says I will have it here by eight in the morning. It's a National seal a pretty common seal it just tickled me how some places the help could give a heck if they sell anything for the company. Times sure have changed for sure  ::).
Bill

sandhills

Autocar, I have to say I'm pretty much blessed in this respect, if you have trouble finding a bearing or seal shoot me a pm with part#, we have a good bearing shop in town, the place I go for vehicle parts, the same way, I get along really good with the manager, he'll do his best but will also tell me to go to xxxxx if it will be cheaper for the exact same part, not to offend anyone this is local, but not too impressed with NAPA.

Delawhere Jack

Most of the auto parts places now, if you can't give the year make and model, they just give you a blank stare. Sometimes you get lucky. The NAPA near me -- took in the alternator from my LT40, and a "new guy" behind the counter, who worked as a mechanic for 30+ years recognized it immediately, "yeah, that's a Delco xyz." A couple minutes in the catalog and he had one for me 10am the next morning.

Guess where I'll be going first from now on.

On the other hand, another clerk at the same store couldn't be bothered to do a little looking when I needed a very common solenoid for the hydraulic pump. Ended up paying $40.24 for what "he had in stock" for what should have cost less than $20...... >:(   I was dead in the water without it, so I forked it over. No Christmas Card for him!  >:(

snowstorm

i bought a spring hanger a while back for my old ford. 97 f250 napa had one $140 with the tax. from the ford dealer $100

coxy

I just bought a hanger yesterday for my 96 250 68 bucks +tax from napa

ScottAR

It should be noted that most if not all Napa stores are independently owned so pricing may vary quite a bit.
The one in town I'm told charges freight if they order something.  I work for their competition so I have never been there. 

I'm not out to start a flame war, but counter person is a harder job than it looks.  I do have some thoughts on the subject as it is my day job.

I've worked this industry at a couple different places for around 10 years total and I have seen it change quite a bit in that time.  All the chains are in a race to the bottom for price.  Payroll is one of the few things that is not fixed a cost so it is as minimal as possible.  The changes to medical insurance as they are don't look for that to change anytime soon.  Just in time inventory means items not sold regularly are not kept in stores.  Again, don't look for this to change anytime soon.

My tip is if you find a counterperson you like, keep using them.  They will learn your habits and your vehicles/machines and give you better service.  Commission is a motivator for those that get it.  It is for me at least. 
Scott
"There is much that I need to do, even more that I want to do, and even less that I can do."
[Magicman]

thecfarm

What Autocar says is true. Some will go out of thier way to help and others just don't care. Put in thier hours and go home. Some take pride in thier job and want to learn each day. I use to work in a factory with 60-80 people. Some take pride in thier job and some just punched in each day.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

timberlinetree

I've lost a lot of time because of parts weather wrong one or bad in the box. Down time is important. Have had them send me to another store that had the part to get us going to. Depends who you get!
I've met Vets who have lived but still lost their lives... Thank a Vet

Family man and loving it :)

drobertson

No doubt about it, some folks, just don't care about giving service, I have to think they don't know what it is? who knows,  our auto parts here in town are good, very nice folks both stores.
only have a few chain saws I'm not suppose to use, but will at times, one dog Dolly, pretty good dog, just not sure what for yet,  working on getting the gardening back in order, and kinda thinking on maybe a small bbq bizz,  thinking about it,

pineywoods

Most parts stores are independently owned. I have found the wide variation in service, and to some extent prices is directly related to how well the clerk uses the tools at his (or her) disposal. In a word, computer expertise. All the major parts suppliers offer computer packages of varying sophistication, usually at a cost to the individual stores. In it's simplest form, just a listing of in-store inventory by part number. Most will have access to inventory of the supply warehouse and maybe nearby stores. A top-of-the line system will be capable of doing a word search of on-line inventory, sorta like a google search. Say I need a bearing 1/4 bore 1 inch od, 1/4 thick, but no part number. A quick search of available inventory will give a list with part numbers. I know of one system where if the warehouse doesn't have an item in stock, they can tell you if they can get it and how long it will take.

All these services are useless if the store doesn't have them available, or more likely the clerk doesn't know how to use them and most likely doesn't want to learn...
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

luvmexfood

Yep. Some employees just don't care but then again big chain outfits tend to hire labor as cheap as they can get it to maximise profit.

Couple of examples:

Local stop and rob store that is close. Went in the other night to get a cold beverage. None in the rack but could clearly see some in the overstock rack in the cooler. Clerk came walking by and I asked him if he could get me some out of the back. Said they didn't have any. Boy he was embarassed when I told him I could see them and they did have some.

Stopped by a local Farm Bureau store today to get some wedges for a hatchet handle. Picked up a couple of other small items that were at a good price and noticed two pallets of bar oil but no price anywhere on them. Asked the cashier and she said $7.99 or $8.99 she wasn't sure. Good enough price so I go get a gallon. She did not know how much to charge me and the "guys" were out loading a truck so I would have to wait till they came back in.

Forget it. How hard is it to put a price sign on an item? I'me standing their with cash in hand to purchase but can't because they don't know how much to charge.
Give me a new saw chain and I can find you a rock in a heartbeat.

Ianab

Local car parts stores are pretty good.

Had to get a new ignition lead for the old Toyota and the normal parts places didn't have it. Oddball resistor lead with weird clips to hold it in place etc. Had to get it through a Toyota dealer  :( To be fair the car was an oddball that was never sold new in NZ, but some where imported used ex Japan.

But I walked into the local dealer's service dept. Told the nice lady at reception what I needed, she asked for the vehicle licence plate and taps that in her computer. It's queried the Govt vehicle registration database and has the model, chassis number, engine type etc.  30 secs later we are looking at the IPL on the screen, make sure it's the right bit, and she looks it up. None in the country, 7 days ex Japan. OK, I need it anyway, and 6 days later it's there.

OK it was horribly overpriced genuine part, but I couldn't complain about the service.
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Autocar

I agree with all of you guys some will go the extra mile and others just put there time in. Ive done business with all the stores I was in that day I fell the help isn't motivated to go the extra mile and don't really care.
Bill

r.man

When I deal with parts I try to find the oldest guy behind the counter, a lot of the time it's  because the part I want is from a machine that he remembers fondly and he either knows how to find it easily or is willing to. The young guys have no stake in the past. Having said that the two best parts people I deal with on a regular basis for the past few years are women. I do enjoy dealing with someone who is good at their job.
Life is too short or my list is too long, not sure which. Dec 2014

sandhills

Quote from: r.man on September 20, 2014, 08:52:15 PM
When I deal with parts I try to find the oldest guy behind the counter, a lot of the time it's  because the part I want is from a machine that he remembers fondly and he either knows how to find it easily or is willing to. The young guys have no stake in the past. Having said that the two best parts people I deal with on a regular basis for the past few years are women. I do enjoy dealing with someone who is good at their job.
I couldn't agree more with everything you said!

pineywoods

I am fortunate to have 2 good parts stores close by. The old guy behind the counter is the OWNER...excellent service...
1995 Wood Mizer LT 40, Liquid cooled kawasaki,homebuilt hydraulics. Homebuilt solar dry kiln.  Woodmaster 718 planner, Kubota M4700 with homemade forks and winch, stihl  028, 029, Ms390
100k bd ft club.Charter member of The Grumpy old Men

Ljohnsaw

Two stories - I got an old generator free off of CraigsList.  Fuel line was not attached and they said it leaked gas - duh...  Replaced the lines and sure enough, it still leaked.  Cracked float.  Went to NAPA about 9:00 with the carb.  What's it off of, he asked - a Tecumseh engine.  So he flips through his book, there's the float.  Next to it is a carb rebuild kit.  Let me have that, too I say.  So, not in stock, but can have it here by 11:30 - is that ok?  I figured it would be at least the next day!  Spent an hour that afternoon rebuilding and for a $24 investment, it now starts on the first pull and runs great.

I've always liked Interstate Batteries.  The only place to get them around here now is at a Firestone dealer.  I'm used to them changing the battery for free - not any longer!  Now it's $15 plus at LEAST an hour's wait.  So my 2005 original battery gives out and I'm dreading going to that dealer again.  So I stop in an AutoZone store.  No, we don't have Interstate but our batteries are made in the same factory (as there are really only two factories, he says).  OK, he asks if I want to swap it out now.  Sure - he offers tools - no, got that covered (for Firestone...).  He's amazed that I have the old battery on the counter in a minute or two.  Then, he offers me the free uses of a spray can that cleans up the battery clamps and lets me use his wire brush post-and-clamp cleaner (I forgot mine).  I will be going back there from now on!

Side note:  My daughters 4Runner's Interstate died early.  She goes back to that Firestone dealer to have it replaced.  The battery bracket didn't fit (because they sold her the wrong battery the last time (taller) and I had to bend the bracket slightly to clamp it securely), SO THEY LEFT IT OFF!  My daughter noticed a funny sound when she went around corners.  I look and there is the hold down laying loose on the battery - not attach at all!  I bent it back to the original shape and now it's good.
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

gspren

   My dad, now 90, sold auto parts for over 40 years and as a teen in the 60s I remember him getting phone calls on Sundays or evenings after hours and for the garage men he would open up and sometimes deliver parts. He also told and still tells stories about people asking for a part and they didn't know whether they had a 6 or 8 cylinder engine, and other similar stories.
Stihl 041, 044 & 261, Kubota 400 RTV, Kubota BX 2670, Ferris Zero turn

Jim_Rogers

All these parts stories reminds me of the time I went to a store to get some bolts and nuts for the sawmill. Not an auto parts store. But I wrote of this, here on the forum before.
I got to the bolt aisle and the bolt salesman was restocking their shelves. Great, someone who knows their stuff.
I ask him for a specific nut, size and thread count. He hands me one and asks if there is anything else I need. We find them as well.
Now to the check out counter, as I can't use self check out with loose nuts and bolts.
The woman clerk takes the nut and tries to look it up to get the price. I tell here the size, thread count and everything.
She looks at the computer screen and tells me that they don't sell that size.
I look at her and told her "it's in your hand of course you sell it".......
She tells me that they don't, but that they sell the next size larger. I paid for that.
Then I walked back to the bolt and nuts aisle and tell the bolt salesman that this store doesn't carry this nut right here in my hand. And their computer says so.
He said he'd straighten that out before he left that day.

Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

coxy

found out Saturday that napa -sks  cant get cat bearings  ;D

Wisconsintimber

Interesting read since I work in an auto parts store.  I find that 70% of the time it's the simple basic parts like belts, brakes, filters, tune ups...  It's that remaining 30% where having years of experience is very usefull.  We find in this computer age that for many parts catelogs are still very necessary.  It is also usefull if the salesperson has a personal interest in what they are selling.  In my case, I'm interested in anything mechanical(sawmilling, repairing, fabricating, welding, building)  so I can relate to many of the odd requests that we may get.  I have often been in the same situation as customers looking for obsolete parts, bearings without numbers on them, or making parts fit non factory applications...That helps me to help my customers.

Thank You Sponsors!