Great post. I agree.
I think that was the jist of my post. The number of people selling the parts who know the 'where's and why's' is dwindling. At least in my area.
If it does not pop up on the screen it does not exist.
If there are ten people at our local Autozone I would be there are at least 8, maybe even 9, that would know to go up a year if the date code in in the latter part of the year.
Let's not even talk about short pumps and long pumps.
When I interact with a counter person who has car experience and parts experience (not just fetch what the screen suggests) it is a pleasant surprise.
But I agree. There are some who have no idea what they need, what they are looking for and what needs to be done.....that would get old too.
S
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Originally Posted by xs-style
I'm with y'all on the cell phone dependency. For the others... Remember there's two sides of every coin. Just a few examples....
It might be "just an old 350" but they're not all the same. Water pumps (both the length and bolt style), front lip seals on the oil pan, and valve cover gaskets can all vary. And that's just external stuff.
If possible, bring the old part with you. Sometimes I give people to much credit. Had a fella yesterday ask for a coolant temp sensor for his s10, so I give him what she calls for. He's back 20 minutes saying it's not right. So I go up a year, down a year and find a different ect listing and swap out with him. He's back in 20 again, again saying not the right one, but this time he has the old part. I can tell by looking and having had s10s, it's his temp switch for the gauge. So in that case third time was the charm, but it was kind of on him too. When someone comes in and seems like they know what they need, they get what they ask for.
Then there's the other end of that spectrum. You don't know how many times I wish i could bluntly say "if you don't know where it is or what it does, what gives you the idea that changing it will solve your problem?"
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