Part store fiasco

I am finishing up my front-end rebuild and have nothing but the brake pads left. That is the easiest part, or is it? I went the Trak Auto (they are closing the store and have 30% off) and told the guy that I needed front pads for an 87 T-bird Turbo Coupe, 4cyl. I get the normal blank stare until he found that they did indeed put a 4 in those cars. He gives me the pads and I am on my way home. SOBs don't fit- so I go back and explain to him that these don’t fit- I tell him to look up an 87 GT and he tells me that it is the same part number (not true) I think he was trying to save face and not admit that he screwed up. I figured I would come back at another time (when he wasn't there) and talk with someone else). The other guy finds what I need - part number 431 or 200 and tells me we don't have those in stock. Since they are closing down they have no refunds, exchanges and all sales final. I didn't have the receipt either. I get a little upset and the manager gives me my money back! Now I have to go somewhere else and get what I need! Just wanted to share my frustrations with someone who will understand

Morals of the story-

Trust no one.
Always keep the old part for visual comparison.

Thanks for listening.

[This message has been edited by RiglerTKE (edited 08-18-2002).]

Trak Auto (before they closed down) seemed to have the worst parts people. About a year ago, I had the kid behind the counter tell me they never put a 4 cyl in a Tbird, and that I must have a V6. The idiot wouldnt even look in look it up in the computer because he said that that car / motor combo didnt exist. That was the last time I ever went to Trak.

A few months ago, a Parts guy at Auto Zone said he couldnt sell me an A/C accumulator/dryer for my 91 Escort because I didnt have an A/C repair license!! I told him I wasnt trying to buy refrigerant, just the part, but he still wouldnt sell it to me. (BTW, here in WI, you need a license to buy both R12 and 134a, but that hasnt stopped me from aquiring a decent stockpile of both) Went down the street to Advance Auto, and bought the accumulator no problem.

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Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 20 psi, forced air intercooler, water injection, bypass valve, Ranger roller cam, subframes, etc., etc.. // 86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP nitrous, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.... // 91 Escort: Bone stock winter car // 00 Windstar (wifes vehicle)

I had the same thing happen to me at pep boys. I went there to get a new timing belt. Go there once, I explained the entire description of my car. Seemed to understand. Wrong belt. Go there again. Gave me the wrong one again. I returned them and he said that this thunderbird does not take the type of belt I needed. What the hell was up with that. They never seemed reliable when knowing what they are doing unless it is for an import or a mustang (that's what my area mainly consists of). O well, I found a good place that actually know about these cars and haven't had a problem since.

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88 TC W/ 87K:
K&N in custom sanded airbox||Gillis Valve||Stereo Sytem: Pioneer 8400, Infinity Ref. Series & Polk Audio Speakers Powered by 4 Channel Pioneer Amps||Performance Radiator & Cooling System||Custom Interior Converion||Gutted Cat & Dynamax Ultra Flow Muffler||Indiglo Gauges ||and more to come!

hey revamp,

what autoplace is it, a chain like autozone or advanced auto? I havent found anyone around here that doesnt give me a dumb look when i tell them about my 88tc. Had one salesperson at napa also tell me that the 4 cyl was to small for that heavy of a car and i should put the original motor back in it.

it amazes me,
forrest of nc

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88tc,metalic red, raven int. loaded except leather, has moon roof, but not powered. k&n direct to vam for now. abused by previous owner, so I just need to get her running right before the good stuff. forrest of north carolina.

I shouldn't even touch this one because I could go on & on. The bottom line is, just like every line of business anymore you have a new generation of "book smart" people that get hired because they have a piece of paper with some initials at the top it. Example: ASE(Ask Someone Else). Kragens is real proud that their people are ASE certified. I met an ex employee and asked what exactly they were certified in. He laughed and told me some of the test questions. (Where do spark plugs go----where do the wires go---)Now we get it, huh? Tell them you need something for a TurboCoupe and most ask if it's an Olds or what? I went in one time and told the guy I needed all the clutch stuff and he asked me if it was an automatic or stick.....it amazes me! I sent the wife to Ford one time to get the oil separator and hose that goes in the valve cover. The guy told her the cars never had anything like that..........but he sold her a hose for it! I went down there and within 2 minutes found it in their fische(sp). It's sad to see how the industry has taken a dive. I know at that age I wasn't as incompetent as all these people seem to be. I told you I could go on & on.......


Oh yeah, want to have some fun? Go to any chain store and tell them you need exh. manifold gaskets for a small block Chevy. When they ask what year, tell them you don't care. When you see their frustration, tell them anything pre- 70's. Their computers only go back to '70 and they have to go to the books. If it isn't on the computer, they're lost. Then you can show them on the box that they're the same all the way back to '55. But they still won't care....
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Dave
'83TC
'85TC
'87TC

[This message has been edited by TRBOBRDS (edited 08-26-2002).]

[This message has been edited by TRBOBRDS (edited 08-26-2002).]

As rare as TCs are around here, I don't have any problems. In fact, sometimes when I call the local Advance, the guy will recognize my voice and say "You've got that '88 turbo Thunderbird, right?" That's a sure sign that my car needs too much TLC. [Image: biggrin.gif]

segfaultxr7 - pretty much the same thing now, but before i had discussed it with the manager (who is a former TC owner himself) two kids that work in there told me there was no way i had a "little wimpy 4-banger in that heavy-ass car.. it like wouldn't move, man" hehe..

I have been lucky in Toledo I guess never had any problems at Auto Zone or Murrays in toledo. Actually a guy at Murrays used to have Turbo Ranger but he wrecked it.

Truth is, I haven't had any problems getting the parts I need.

And I've got to argue about parts people who have been there forever. The newbies will at least not act like they've got all the answers when they have none. I've come up to the fellows who have been in parts for 20 years, and if they've never heard of it, it can't exist. Yeah, they have less knowledge of the more common cars, but at least they don't try and make you look like a punk without a clue. The human brain can't store everything automotive, so let the boys trust your judgment and input, and go to them books and comp. It's the arrogance that turns me off. Being 23, trust me, I get a lot of it from the more "experienced" chaps.

You know what? I have more trouble getting the right parts on my g/f 95 Tercel than I do getting my tc parts.

the other day, while i was troubleshooting my hydraulic clutch problems at my uncle's shop, i went to buy a new master cylinder. went to NAPA first, cause i had good experiences with them in MY town, and told them what i needed. "sure, i can have that part for you in the morning, no problem". so i go down there the next morning and he's like "uh, well, they didn't have that part, i'm sorry". i was PISSED. so i went to advance. it was a brand new store, very nice people, but unfortunately their PDQ warehouse didn't have any in stock and it would take several days to order one. i was like screw that, so he referred me to a small store called Abbie Auto Parts.

i went in there and told the old guy what i needed. whenever i said "'88 4 cylinder thunderbird" two or three guys looked up and one grinned, saying "that'll be a 'Turbo Coupe'", and the other was like "yeah, a turbo four banger, those things would move". oh yeah, after the guy looked up the part, he could get it the SAME day cause the warehouse that supplies him is in the same town! i just got a ticket, drove down to the warehouse, and picked up my part. get this, that idiot at NAPA is supplied by the same warehouse! and he claimed he couldnt get the part!