Learning The Ropes

[Barnyard]

I needed a 5 amp fuse for my motor home step and a 15 amp for my truck horn so I paid a visit to our local O’Reilly auto parts store. The young man (maybe 20 or 21) came out from behind the counter as soon as I walked in. The following conversation ensued.

Kid: What do you need today?
Me: Some 5 and 15 amp fuses.
Kid: Okay, follow me, they are down this aisle.
Me: That’s okay, I know where they are.
Kid: (who beats me to the display) Here are the 15 amp (handing me a pack of large fuses).
Me: No, I need mini fuses.
Kid: Okay, here you go. (as he grabs the right pack) And here are the 30 amp.
Me: no I said I need 5 amp.
Kid: (looking through the rack) We don’t have any mini 5 amp. How about these (as he hands me a pack of large fuses)?
Me: Those won’t fit, I need the mini.
Kid, How about using some ten amp?
Me: You don’t know anything about cars, do you?
Kid: No sir, I don’t.
Me: It shows. Stay with it and you will catch on (as I left without any fuses).
Hopefully he will stick around and learn. We need somebody to replace the older guys who are retiring.

I went a block down the road to Auto Zone. I went in, got my fuses and laid them on the counter for the young girl to ring them up.
She looked at the fuses and then asked, “How can I help you today?”
What was she thinking? This wasn’t self check out.

They are our future. I know they are young and learning, I was too when I started selling parts at our local Plymouth dealer over fifty years ago. I caught on quick, I hope they do too.

 

[staninlowerAL]

Bill, unfortunately most of us can relate to having had a similar experience, probably more times than we would like to acknowledge. When it comes to something older than the current group of autos/trucks/tractors/equipment, a lot of today's generation have never heard of the brands/names. Their knowledge is limited to what they can gain from the computer screen, not from any real world experience. Some will make it and sadly, some won't unfortunately.

 

[Slim140]

About 20 years ago dad and I were in halves on a 1970 F600 dump truck we used around the farm. One day a front freeze plug sprung a leak, I popped it out, measured it, and off we went to the parts store. 1st one we come to is Auto Zone, we walked in and a guy said can I help you? I said we need a 1 1/2" freeze plug. He moves to computer and says what's it going in? My dad says an inch and a half hole, come on son. We went to NAPA, walked in and told Tim what we needed, he walked back to the shelf and came back with it, cost us .19 cents.

About 3 years ago I went in O'Reilly and told Jim, the manager, I needed a set of points and condenser for a 140. He looked at the ceiling and said hold on. He walked away and came back with what I needed. He retired last year, unfortunately.

 

[Mht]

Around me advance auto, auto zone, and oreilys are all about the same. You are fine if they can look it up in the computer but otherwise they are about useless. I typically deal with NAPA which has a great bunch of guys that really know their stuff. They get me most of my cub parts and know exactly what catalog to find them in. If you really want to see someone with that deer in the headlight stare ask a young guy at one of the first three stores I mentioned for a floor mounted dimmer switch. I needed one for an old pick up truck and the kid argued that there was no such thing until he looked it up in the computer. He was in his 20’s and was shocked when he found it. Told me he had no idea, he had never seen one. I miss dimmers in the floor where they ought to be

 

[Eugene]

If you really want to see someone with that deer in the headlight stare ask a young guy at one of the first three stores I mentioned for a floor mounted dimmer switch. I needed one for an old pick up truck and the kid argued that there was no such thing.

Had a young store employee tell me that's only in cartoons.

 

[ricky racer]

Just don't ask for anything that's not real common. You should see the looks I got when I asked for lapping compound at every auto parts store in town. Not a single counterman or woman had any idea what I was talking about... :roll:

 

[Barnyard]

Around me advance auto, auto zone, and oreilys are all about the same. You are fine if they can look it up in the computer but otherwise they are about useless. I typically deal with NAPA which has a great bunch of guys that really know their stuff. They get me most of my cub parts and know exactly what catalog to find them in. If you really want to see someone with that deer in the headlight stare ask a young guy at one of the first three stores I mentioned for a floor mounted dimmer switch. I needed one for an old pick up truck and the kid argued that there was no such thing until he looked it up in the computer. He was in his 20’s and was shocked when he found it. Told me he had no idea, he had never seen one. I miss dimmers in the floor where they ought to be

1) Pursuant to the Missouri Department of Motor Vehicle Act No. 91-92, all motor vehicles sold in the State of Missouri after February 1, 1995, will be required to have the headlight dimmer switch mounted on the floorboard. The dimmer switch must be mounted in a position accessible to operation by pressing the switch with the left foot. The switch must be far enough from the left foot pedals to avoid inadvertent operation or pedal confusion.

2) Included in the Act, and beginning February 1, 1995, all other vehicles with steering column dimmer switches must be retrofitted with a floorboard mounted dimmer switch of the type described in section 1 above. The steering column mounted dimmer switch must be disabled or removed from the vehicle. Vehicles which have not made this change will FAIL the forthcoming Missouri Motor Vehicle Safety Inspection Program which is to follow.

3) It is recognized that this will cause some hardship for the driving public. However, this change is being made in the interest of public safety. Missouri DMV Act 298-99877 will revert all Kansas operated motor vehicles to the prevalent dimmer switch in use prior to the influx of foreign market vehicles. A recent study entitled "Initiation Sequence in Missouri Nighttime Motor Traffic Accidents" was conducted jointly by the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Missouri State University, Department of Research. It has been show that 95% of all Missouri nighttime motor vehicle accidents are the direct result of a blonde getting her foot caught in the steering wheel while attempting to activate a column mounted dimmer switch.

 

[PFord]

One of the Autozone's nearest me (not the closest one as they are useless) has a female manager. Late 30s. Another young lady works there in her mid-20s, sometimes with pink or purple hair. A bunch of younger guys work there too. That manager knows her stuff. She's IMMENSELY helpful. The younger lady too. Not as experienced, but clearly has turned some wrenches. None of the young guys know a left handed adjustable wrench from blinker fluid.

Sometimes when I am looking for stuff like rubber hose or whatever, the manager just tells me to come behind the counter and pick out what I need. I told her the other week when I was in there for something, that they were always my first stop because she and the young lady were the most knowledgeable parts people of any of the shops I go to.

Last time I went to NAPA, I was looking for some 90wt oil and a set of feeler gauges as I couldn't find mine. Kid had no idea what 90wt oil was, or a feeler gauge. There was an older gentleman in his late 50s or early 60s sitting at the end of the counter. Maybe he was the manager or something, but he just sat there watching this all transpire. There was a young lady behind the counter. No uniform or anything. Figured she might have been the older man's grand-daughter or something. She looked like she was in high school. She came from behind the counter, grabbed my 90wt and went straight to the feeler gauges and held up both kinds they had. Clearly, she'd worked on cars and had a clue.

When you pay crappy wages, you get crappy employees a most of the time. And we aren't going to effectively replace the gray/white haired dudes with 50 years of experience turning wrenches, with a kid in junior year of high school, who's never worked on a car in his life.

 

[Eugene]

A recent study entitled "Initiation Sequence in Missouri Nighttime Motor Traffic Accidents" was conducted jointly by the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Missouri State University, Department of Research. It has been show that 95% of all Missouri night time motor vehicle accidents are the direct result of a blonde getting her foot caught in the steering wheel while attempting to activate a column mounted dimmer switch.

Now that's funny.

 

[staninlowerAL]

One of the Autozone's nearest me (not the closest one as they are useless) has a female manager. Late 30s. Another young lady works there in her mid-20s, sometimes with pink or purple hair..........

Yup, the local O'REILEY'S store manager is female, mid 30's, ASME certified, sometimes blue/pink hair, BUT she knows her way around her store and problems with working on equipment. She shared with me her experience of burning brake fluid in a cylinder to heat the block to free a stuck piston (said hers required a second heat treatment to free it). Guess who I go see when I need something from the auto supply store. Not like the competitor's female clerk down the street who when asked to sell me points/plugs/condenser for a WILLYS, responded with "what's the make of your vehicle". I replied, WILLYS. She said no, like DODGE, CHEV, FORD, etc. I said Thanks and left for someone more knowledge.

 

[PFord]

Not like the competitor's female clerk down the street who when asked to sell me points/plugs/condenser for a WILLYS, responded with "what's the make of your vehicle". I replied, WILLYS. She said no, like DODGE, CHEV, FORD, etc. I said Thanks and left for someone more knowledge.

I'm glad people are getting past judging folks on superficial looks. Some of these people who make "interesting" wardrobe and styling choices are the most qualified people you'd ever want to meet. I've been around artists most of my life and you learn QUICK not to judge people based on appearances.