Submission for biggest BS answer by a parts seller...

[MartyG]

So here I am, buying all the hardware to replace my brakes...all four drums, shoes, springs, etc...and I contact a shop in my town.
"Fast Undercar" here in Ventura. I was told by a buddy, "stay clear of drums made in China, they can warp" Ok, so I ask the guy at the parts store "where are they made?" He replies..."right here"
Me: So, they arn't made in China?"
Him: "nope...right here in the US"
Me: "Great! I'll be right over"

I get there...he lays all the boxes on the counter, and I see on all the parts stickers on each box read "China"

Me: "I specifically asked you if they were made in China"
Him (Get ready)....."Oh, the parts are made here...it's just the boxes that are made in China"

....and then, after he over heard the conversation...THE MANAGER walks up and re affirms, "yeah, it's just the boxes made in China".
Maybe it was my shirt I was wearing saying "MENTALLY CHALLENGED"

Anyway, I needed the parts and I was pressed for time on this project...so I took them;they do have a return policy.
They all all labelled "Centric" anyone have any experience with that brand?

 

[stock1970]

when you can walk the rice paper with out leaving a trace it is time for you to go grasshopper.. lol.

 

[Viperwolf1]

They make all the boxes in the Harbour Freight stores too.

 

[WyleCoyote]

I wouldn't trust the return policy after that BS...Come on, really, they just lied, straight up to your face, you think they will have any problem making up reason to not allow a return?

 

[Steve83]

"There's why your battery won't charge: you have 2 black cables. You need to buy a red cable. We can install it for $50+the part+shop fees+tax."

 

[thegreatjustino]

Crazy - I can tell from the conversation that both the counter guy and the manager didn't know what they were talking about. It's the stickers that say "China" that are made in China, not the boxes. Sheesh, get your facts straight guys %)

 

[justinkwitt]

It kinda sucks nowadays with the brake companies. Raybestos Bendix and Wagner are all outsourced. They have their imported line which is a lower grade a steel and maybe not exactly stock when it comes to fin designs in the rotors and such, but even their higher quality lines aren't produced here anymore.

 

[tortuga]

They do that so when you go back and say they are not centric, they can say "sure they are - it says right here on the box:.

My favorite was trying to buy a new starter relay for my 73, with the kid at the counter telling me they don't have one in their system. As I patiently explained that there were probably 15 gazillion fords on the road with that exact part, and he was free to look up any one of them, one of the older guys took one look at the part and grabbed it off the shelf for me.

 

[broncoitis]

They make all the boxes in the Harbour Freight stores too.

LOL! ;D Nice one.

Anyway, most places don't give a hoot anymore. They just want your money. Nothing less and nothing more. Experience costs more than $8.00 per hour. %)

 

[kurtboyd]

Parts stores are funny at best. At worst, they are a PITA, particularly when their systems are tethered to the year/make/model scenario. The guys at the parts stores in my area act like they've never even heard of an EB. I like going to parts stores with my father. He knows all the Dana Spicer part numbers by memory. That really gets them going.

I say, it's a ,66 Ford Bronco with a 96 Explorer 5.0, 4r70w transmission, D44 Scout rear end, Chevy spindles, etc, etc

 

[00gyrhed]

I just love haveing to make up fake cars and answer 100 stupid questions just to get to I need brake pads. I had a buddy that had his own parts store for years. I just loved beign able to go in and say a need a chevy 6cyl dist, or Ford SB starter for an auto, etc and not have to come up with an imaginary car to get the parts I wanted. I now go to online sites and find part numbers before I go to the parts house just so I can stay sane.

 

[00gyrhed]

experience

LOL! ;D Nice one.

Anyway, most places don't give a hoot anymore. They just want your money. Nothing less and nothing more. Experience costs more than $8.00 per hour. %)

If a guy has an knack for parts he shows it in increased sales and the next thigh you know he is in to fleet sales and never arround the shop when most of us working guys hit the shop.

Even the worst of these chain sales places has someone that actually knows what is going on during their 7-4 shift. 5 days a week. Thier main warehouse will also have a guy too. Problem is getting to him. I have found it best to deal only with the young kids who are still learning. I even get behind the counter and show the kid how to back into a part. Most of these kids are still amazed that that 71 bronco has chevy brakes and a 3/4 ton PS box with a 1/2 ton worm. Never mind the gear reduction starter and EFi on an old 71 engine. I find the kid that likes the truck and wants to help. The old sour farts that are working there because their high paid factory job laid them off, well they can KMA.

We have one of them here in mesquite at an auto zone. The whole world around him knows him as turtle. GO FIGURE!! There are at least three other parts stores within a few miles of him so my Big Fat Shadow Raely darkens his door. But, he won't even help you if he htinks you are making up a car just so he will go get your part. He will look atyour history at teh store and get mad at you for lying to him.

 

[Airmapper]

Anymore I get online ahead of time, find the parts on their system, which nearly always shows if it's in their inventory or not. If they have it I write part numbers on a sticky note to give them when I arrive, if they don't have it on hand I call ahead with part #'s and have them get it for me and I drop by on the way home from work.

I actually like it that way, it skips all the questions. Really for stores like NAPA and Advanced Auto it seems you have all the information they do at your fingertips through their websites, but then again I'm kinda handy with computers so doing business that way is my preference.

 

[Fitz24]

Sounds like someone should put all the stories in a book. Sell them to support our sport and help keep trails open.

 

[scrapman1971]

centric is a customer of mine that remans brake calipers. they are in cali. but almost every rotor and drum are made in china i don't care who you get them from. even a lot of parts that are made by american companies are produced in china. they send their engineers and molds and machines over there and try to do the best they can but it isn't quite the same. you can just tell a part made in china because of the lack of casting numbers and the edges aren't as finished as the american castings.

 

[77BRONKOTN]

Advance Auto the other day.

I short belted my new set up. No a/c,smog pump,add idler pulley.

I ask for a 82 inch 6 grove belt, easy right? NOPE!

Looks up my 77, brings back some V belt. I explained all he needs to do is find a 6 grove belt with part number starting with 82 that being the size. He says my bronco doesn't use a Serp belt.

So I explain it's a 91 Lincoln lsc motor and front dress I used. That's why it has a Serp set up. He looks up a Serp belt and brings back a 90 some inch belt. I explain how I don't need a stock belt because I shorted it and changed the routing.

Some more typing then he looks me dead in the eye. They don't make a 82 inch belt for a 91 lincoln.

After asking for permission I went behind the counter, employee in tow. I grab a 8200 6 grove Serp belt off the shelf and go back to pay. He looks at me and says it won't fit the Lincoln motor I'm using. So he grabs a belt measure yard stick thing and measures the 82 inch one I picked out. Only he measures it to be 85 inches, saying it's still over 5 inches too short to fit. ????!!!

I can understand him not knowing the belt number is the size of the belt. But all the rest just baffled me. 25 minutes to get a belt.

 

[72Sport]

So here I am, buying all the hardware to replace my brakes...all four drums, shoes, springs, etc...and I contact a shop in my town.
"Fast Undercar" here in Ventura. I was told by a buddy, "stay clear of drums made in China, they can warp" Ok, so I ask the guy at the parts store "where are they made?" He replies..."right here"
Me: So, they arn't made in China?"
Him: "nope...right here in the US"
Me: "Great! I'll be right over"

I get there...he lays all the boxes on the counter, and I see on all the parts stickers on each box read "China"

Me: "I specifically asked you if they were made in China"
Him (Get ready)....."Oh, the parts are made here...it's just the boxes that are made in China"

....and then, after he over heard the conversation...THE MANAGER walks up and re affirms, "yeah, it's just the boxes made in China".
Maybe it was my shirt I was wearing saying "MENTALLY CHALLENGED"

Anyway, I needed the parts and I was pressed for time on this project...so I took them;they do have a return policy.
They all all labelled "Centric" anyone have any experience with that brand?

The older the Bronco gets the fewer parts sources you are going to have. I gave the local parts house Bendix numbers and received Centric wheel cylinders. They are on my RV. So far so good.

Your made in China story probably got started by one of our site sponsors. I bought a disc brake kit and specifically asked if the parts were make in the US. Of course they said. When I received the boxes I called the sponsor. Their reply: "They are made in the US. They were just machined in China". That was about 5 years ago. The way you can tell if a salesman is lying his lips will move.

 

[casadejohnson]

In my quest for longer wheel studs, I went into a local parts store that has one old dude that is always helpful. My guy was not there so I ask the counter monkey about studs that are 1/2" longer than stock. He tells me that they only sell stock length studs. I ask if its possible that another application might use a longer stud. His answer, "No". So I ask him if all of the studs they sell are the exact same length. His answer, "Yes". So I try to confirm what he is saying. Me: " So all cars and trucks on the road have studs that are the exact same length?" Him: "Yes, It was standardized in the early 60's". Me: "Is Jim working at all this weekend?" Him: "Why?" MeUnder my Breath) "Because your an idiot!" Him: "He will be in tomorrow" Me: "Will You?" Him: "No" Me: "I'll come back then"

 

[ransil]

counter help has gone down hill, even at advance my last help at the counter was a 18 year old girl with braces..
here comes my political correct disclaimer... not like there is something wrong with that I have many friends that are 18 years old with braces..

I have a hard time with most of the employees in there the blond girl is my favorite she usually takes good care of me the others are total idiots.

I needed an alternator tested one day so they sent the new kid back by himself, there was a part missing from the machine, no one would help him ,I had to stop him before he hurt him self.

 

[Ohio Bill]

One day I needed a part that only Advance had. I looked up caliper on several sites so i could just walk in and get what I needed. Frustration then set in!!
Walk in go thru the greeting thing and I said yes I need a caliper part number 29062.
from behind the counter, what does that fit? I said it doesn't matter I just gave you the part number! counter man said I can't check inventory until I have the application.
Well in so many words....not nice....I asked him why he couldn't just go back on shelf and pull the part number I gave him.
So here I'm stuck cause I needed the caliper, I give the application and the response was.. damn your right....you want a job?
My response was not with you.. I don't!