Shipping prices are nuts.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Taxes, shipping and robots, isn't it great? Battle for bucks, welcome to 20/20.

[truckster]

Update on my experiences with O'Reilly Auto Parts - the store manager today tried to tell me that my 95 Z28 has drum brakes on the rear. When I corrected him, the price on the brakes went up. The web site lists them for $19.99 - I ended up paying $38.99. I'm heading back to the store now to have a conversation with him.

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by truckster

Update on my experiences with O'Reilly Auto Parts - the store manager today tried to tell me that my 95 Z28 has drum brakes on the rear. When I corrected him, the price on the brakes went up. The web site lists them for $19.99 - I ended up paying $38.99. I'm heading back to the store now to have a conversation with him.

These parts guys aren't mechanics by any means. I went to buy a fuel pump for my 66 with the stock 396 motor . Guy comes out with a drop in fuel tank pump for fuel injection told him "nope" he actually got a little hot saying the computer say it's right and I dont know what I'm talking about. Went out to my truck got the old one and put it on the counter.

I just screw with them now . You should see their eyes when I tell them the motor(new one) is 8.13 liters. They look for 20 minutes for it . I break down and give them the dayco part number for the alternator belt

[special-K]

Vehicle mechanical designs have gotten so widely varied and specific to vehicle I don't know how anyone could know what's what w/o relying on the computer. Isn't that what mechanics need to do? Things are so complicated now. And now you have parts guys who never had in their lives the vehicles that we know inside and out because they were so simple and consistent in design. It's also not all that different these days. I imagine back in '73 if you walked into Pete's Parts and asked old Pete for a water pump for a 1923 Essex he might have been stumped. I understand why a parts person might have trouble locating parts for my older truck... due to a poorly created program he is given to work with. What bugs me is when they are stumped and still hold the position that they are the know-all authority and I don't know what I'm talking about. I tell them plain and simple, I want you to help me get this part, I know these trucks inside out top to bottom, if you listen to me I can help you help me, then you'll be able to help others. Usually works, and if it doesn't I tell them I'm going to buy this part from somebody and hit the door. Usually the first thing they need to do is slow down and listen. I find myself telling that to a lot of younger counter help, parts store, hardware store, building supply, even grocery store.

I was in line at the store yesterday when my son called. He told me he just bought a gallon of milk and I was about to buy a gallon. I also noticed the packet of turkey lunch meat I grabbed had a split in the package. I get up to the clerk, he asks how am I, and I answer, "I'm fine, thank you. But I have a couple things I need to tell you. First, I just noticed this split in the package (and showed him) and second, I just got a call while in line and I don't need this milk. I can run the milk back when I go get another pack of turkey". He says "Ok", puts the faulty packed turkey to the side, starts ringing things up, rang the milk up and asks if I want it in a bag! No lie. It was as if I hadn't just clearly and simply explained to him what I had. It's a world full of ADD it seems at times. I find myself wondering if I just used French, German, or some other foreign language by mistake.

[truckster]

Originally Posted by special-K

Vehicle mechanical designs have gotten so widely varied and specific to vehicle I don't know how anyone could know what's what w/o relying on the computer. Isn't that what mechanics need to do? Things are so complicated now. And now you have parts guys who never had in their lives the vehicles that we know inside and out because they were so simple and consistent in design.

I get that. But when I give him the year, make, and model and he's looking at his computer screen insisting it's got drum brakes, trying to tell me I don't know what's on my own car, there's something wrong.