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Posted on 10/20/25 at 2:22 pm to weagle1999
quote:John Wayne Gacy* used to work the counter at an Auto Parts store.
The older gentlemen working the parts counter at NAPA or Car Quest who not only knew about the parts he was selling but also knew something about vehicles and what it took to keep them running.
Is that the type of “gentleman” that you pine for?
*I made this up. But it COULD have been true.
Posted on 10/20/25 at 2:32 pm to EvrybodysAllAmerican
quote:
The people they have now know less than i do.
They typically never offer to help you either. It's like they want to avoid customers. Really strange.
Posted on 10/20/25 at 2:52 pm to bad93ex
quote:
my car within 20 minutes but would've cost me $300+ for a stealership to replace.
Would have taken the dealership guy 10mins but the book says 2hrs so that is what you are charged for.
Posted on 10/20/25 at 4:07 pm to weagle1999
quote:As someone who opened new stores for AutoZone back in the day I can tell you our strategy for staffing a new store in small town was to send a recruiter in to identify the main "parts guy /motorhead" (aka Parts Pro in AZ language) in the town. If we could that person to comever he store generally did well right out the gate. If we didn't get him right away... then he came over once we took enough market share from the mom and pop store.
The older gentlemen working the parts counter at NAPA or Car Quest who not only knew about the parts he was selling but also knew something about vehicles and what it took to keep them running.
To your point - these guys could diagnose and fix an old school engine and building engines was a nice side gig for them.
Posted on 10/20/25 at 4:15 pm to weagle1999
(no message)
This post was edited on 10/20/25 at 4:49 pm
Posted on 10/20/25 at 4:17 pm to weagle1999
Know what you need, relying on some else 
Posted on 10/20/25 at 4:20 pm to weagle1999
I’d settle for the books in the stores that tell you which oil filter, air filter, wiper blades, etc are correct for your vehicle
Posted on 10/20/25 at 4:42 pm to bad93ex
quote:I was a Certified YouTube mechanic until the coolant temperature sensor and thermostat went out in my wife's Cadillac. I took it to the shop for that one lol
Anyone with access to YouTube should be able to work on their car within reason
Posted on 10/20/25 at 5:07 pm to weagle1999
I knew the world had changed many years ago when I went to Sears for a new washer/dryer expecting to see a 55 year old man wearing a short-sleeve dress shirt and clip on tie who knew his shite about the appliance dept. Instead, I got a young woman who couldn't tell a washer from a dryer.
Posted on 10/20/25 at 5:30 pm to TulsaSooner78
They have never not been helpful for me. I just noticed the trend and was curious
Posted on 10/20/25 at 5:47 pm to TheHarahanian
quote:
the books in the stores that tell you which oil filter, air filter, wiper blades, etc are correct for your vehicle
This was also a huge loss.
Posted on 10/20/25 at 6:04 pm to weagle1999
Knoxville had a major small engine repair shop un in Halls (Humphries) who knew almost everything. It's gone now. We've found a replacement at a hardware store over in Jefferson City that has knowledge and a small town attitude of service. That's a "fer piece" away from Halls.
Brown Appliance Parts near downtown Knoxville was sold to a major regional equal and they seem to be worthless. We knew what we needed, we gave them the part number and after a week we heard nothing from them. I called and they didn't know when they might get it in. (For my washing machine). So I ordered the part from Amazon. Got it in two days. Four frickin' months later I got a call from the major regional store that they had my part in. I told them to keep it for the next poor fool who came looking for that part for their Maytag.
Brown Appliance Parts near downtown Knoxville was sold to a major regional equal and they seem to be worthless. We knew what we needed, we gave them the part number and after a week we heard nothing from them. I called and they didn't know when they might get it in. (For my washing machine). So I ordered the part from Amazon. Got it in two days. Four frickin' months later I got a call from the major regional store that they had my part in. I told them to keep it for the next poor fool who came looking for that part for their Maytag.
Posted on 10/20/25 at 6:21 pm to real turf fan
I have used eReplacementParts.com for all small parts, appliances and garden equipment and they always have come through for what I needed. Never had an issue.
Posted on 10/20/25 at 6:36 pm to weagle1999
My FIL was one of those guys until he retired at 70. His "prime years" were spent doing car inspections in California. He's 80 and still works with my youngest on his truck.
A LOT of "Bobs and Cecils" disappeared with the internet and a lot of these "old knowledge"/"old man knows best" jobs are running out of the types of people who manned them. Now its way too easy for Jaxsyn to buy a diagnostic tool at Walmart, punch in the code online, and order the part from Amazon.
A LOT of "Bobs and Cecils" disappeared with the internet and a lot of these "old knowledge"/"old man knows best" jobs are running out of the types of people who manned them. Now its way too easy for Jaxsyn to buy a diagnostic tool at Walmart, punch in the code online, and order the part from Amazon.
Posted on 10/20/25 at 6:41 pm to weagle1999
quote:
We have lost so much.
Watching a modern day clueless customer ask Juan how to fix a car is the blind leading the blind.
We really have.
Posted on 10/20/25 at 6:47 pm to EvrybodysAllAmerican
quote:
Same for Home Depot. Used to have those knowledgeable older retired guys working part time. They could advise you on what you needed and how to fix stuff. The people they have now know less than i do.
They still exist, but they work the shifts where they aren’t extremely needed.
Go at 6 am on Saturday. They’re there, but the average 6 am Saturday Lowes and Home Depot shopper is there for a reason and knows what he needs.
The old guys still like to talk about whatever you’re going to work on, so don’t just ignore them!
Posted on 10/20/25 at 6:51 pm to weagle1999
Shaniq’ua don't curr bout no parts for yo Altima. She on break.
Posted on 10/20/25 at 7:06 pm to LazyDaveD
quote:
miss knowledgeable counter workers at dealers. They are completely useless, they must have a vin number.
30 year dealership parts/service manager here. My counter guys are pretty damn good, but they won’t sell you a cap for your valve stem without a vin. Because that’s how we have to do it. Several reasons, but here are two. First, guy comes in and needs plugs for his ram with a hemi. Is it an EZH or an EZC? It matters because they use different plugs. Telling me “it’s a hemi” doesn’t mean shite. Oh it’s a 3.6, is it an ERB or ERC. It matters and the dumbasses we have to deal with don’t know. Second, not only do we need the vin to proceed, we put it on the invoice. We have to because of the dumbasses that watched a YouTube video and have now fricked up the part and try to bring it back with “it’s the wrong one and I got the right one at autozone”. No you didn’t. Or it didn’t fix it and they try that shite. So, if you don’t want to give us the vin, go somewhere else. And chances are, we do in fact know exactly what you need, but all the dumbasses have made us have to do it.
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