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No Help at Auto Zone

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 1:58 pm
by Barnyard
I had the wheels off the small trailer getting new tires mounted so I thought it would be a great time to pack the wheel bearings. I went to our local Auto Zone and the girl behind the counter asked if she could help me. I said I was sure she could. Of course that was before the following took place.

Me, handing her an axle seal, "I need two of these for a trailer."
Her, "What is it?"
Me, "An axle seal from an International Trail."
Her, "What year?"
Me, "Good question, I guess it's about a 2001."
Her, "I'm probably going to need the exact year. The computer doesn't show anything on it."
Me, (knowing I'm in trouble now, "Okay, thanks for your help."

Here is where the young store manager steps in.
Him, “There should be a part number on it we can cross reference.”
Me, “I thought so too, but I wire brushed it good and can’t see anything”.
Him, “It looks like there might be something on it.”

He grabbed a magnifying glass and squinted real, real hard, almost like I do but I’m 35 years older and need eye surgery.
He types in a number. No match found. He looks again and changes one digit. No match found. He looks another time and changes another digit. He did this a couple more times with the same result. He hands the seal back to me and says, “Sorry, I can’t help you.”

Okay, so I go two blocks down the road to our local KOI Auto Parts.
I walk to the counter and the guy looks at me and says, “Trailer Axle seal. How many do you need”?
I said, “Two”.
He goes in back and comes out with two. I paid him and left.

I made a mental note that, next time I need parts, don’t stop anywhere between home and KOI. It just takes longer to get the job done.

Re: No Help at Auto Zone

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 2:30 pm
by RUSSALL
Never heard of K O I auto parts. Are they a chain or a local store ?
It's good to have a place that knows what they are selling.


Russ

Re: No Help at Auto Zone

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 2:32 pm
by RUSSALL
Do they sell fish and supplies also? :D


Russ

Re: No Help at Auto Zone

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 3:18 pm
by tmays
It's amazing the level of incompetence you come across at parts stores nowadays. But I guess that's what you get when you just hire someone to fill a slot

Re: No Help at Auto Zone

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 3:42 pm
by ScottyD'sdad
Probably laid off the experienced counter man, and hired a lower priced replacement. Happens all the time! Ed

Re: No Help at Auto Zone

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 4:11 pm
by Cub-Bud
I don't go to Auto Zone for this very reason. I use our Napa or O'Rielly Auto Parts stores.

Re: No Help at Auto Zone

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 4:16 pm
by Former Member
:Dito:

Napa=all but one idiot
O'Riley's (Cumberland Auto Parts) (franchise store)
Advance auto

last resort Auto zone

Re: No Help at Auto Zone

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 5:07 pm
by Buzzard Wing
The online places are just as bad, but there is 'no one' to feel sorry for and they sure don't have 'IH' in the list of vehicles.

I did get a set of Timken 1" trailer bearings at AutoZone for about $20 for my fast hitch C-2... only trouble is, had to buy two sets to get the second seal I needed. Trailers only have one seal (the other side is the cap).

BTW Koi is what my neighbors, the Ospreys, steal from my other neighbor's pond.... I guess it's not stealing if you are a bird. The nature writer for the local paper said the Osprey was eating a 'red snapper', I borrowed his binoc's and knew right away it was a several hundred dollar goldfish. The property is an entire city block, so I suppose the neighbor is not poor.

Re: No Help at Auto Zone

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 7:20 pm
by dgrapes59
RUSSALL wrote:Never heard of K O I auto parts. Are they a chain or a local store ?


KOI Auto Parts originally started as Nelter Oil Company, a gas and service station, by the Neltner family, father William and sons Tony and Wilfred. In 1953 they purchased a local auto parts retailer named Kentucky Motor Service. They continued to grow, acquiring additional local auto parts retailers Wilcox Auto Parts & Savage Auto Parts, eventually changing the name of the company to KOI Auto Parts incorporating the three predominant states it did business in, K-Kentucky, O-Ohio, I-Indiana.
:wink:

Re: No Help at Auto Zone

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 7:49 pm
by Ralph
Yeah
I have been dealing with KOI for many years .
I remember the when they changed their name to Kentucky Motors .
My Son Edward (Camo) worked for them for a couple years driving delivering parts .He is now a mechanic at sears auto center in florence .
They are the one place in our area that you can walk up to the counter and get most any seal or gasket for a cub or anything for that mater.
As a mater of fact i was at Woodson ridge cubfest in miss. at Russ Leggits a few years ago and needed some cub tune up parts and stopped at an O'reileys and told the kid i needed a couple sets of points for a cub ..... He came back to the counter with a set of points for a small block gm with the allen set screw in the side ///// and said that all points were the same they will fit.......
I said HOLD ON Called my local KOI at home in KY and got the part numbers and he had all the parts cap rotor points cond. i got 2 sets and gave them as door prizes......



So Yeahhhh Barnyard save yourself some Greif and Go To KOI............

Re: No Help at Auto Zone

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 8:08 pm
by dgrapes59
KOI also does a lot of "behind the sceens" work with the major dealers in this area. When I bought my new '06 F-150 it didn't have remote start that I wanted so I "added" it on at the time. I thought I was getting a "dealer" installed system. KOI actually did the install with their supplied "Ford" parts (including Ford fobs). I had an issue with it and a KOI tech person had to go to the dealer to resolve but it had to be coordinated with when he would be at that dealer. In talking with them they gave me the tech's phone number, he ended up meeting me at their big distribution warehouse downtown Cincinnati, a couple miles from my work, on my way home. Fixed it there and I was on my way!

Re: No Help at Auto Zone

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 8:58 pm
by Bob Perry
About a month ago I went to Auto Zone for the last time. Started out bad because I needed help but the 3 workers were too busy laughing and having fun in the back room. I went out there and asked "Do you know where the Bondo is?' and I am sure the girl with the snooty attitude had no clue what Bondo is. Then after waiting at the register for a few minutes, I had to open the door and ask the cashier if he could cash me out. It was a big problem because he hadn't finished his cigarette. Then, all the stuff I had on the counter, well he told me I had to move it to his register, (how was I supposed to know?) Then, in the middle of bagging my stuff, he stops bagging and gets into a conversation with his co-worker about how awful his job is, recent cutbacks in store staffing, etc.

Around here the best is non-franchised "Ray's" in New Bedford, they are outstanding.

Re: No Help at Auto Zone

Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2012 11:07 pm
by danovercash
I think that I would left it on the counter and let them restock it! We have a local 2 store family owned, that is my first "go to".

Re: No Help at Auto Zone

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2012 7:04 am
by ScottyD'sdad
We have a family owned, 3 store auto parts store here. One of my sons married the boss' daughter, so that helps me get service. They used to scatter and hide, when I came in, because I always wanted something unusual Now, I get service, and a discount! Ed (Bob, try them, Lacava and Sowersby, stores in Fall River, New Bedford, and Somerset.)

Re: No Help at Auto Zone

Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2012 7:17 am
by Barnyard
ScottyD'sdad wrote:...They used to scatter and hide, when I came in, because I always wanted something unusual...

Ed: I'd like three glazed donuts and two cream filled danish rolls please!
Woman behind counter: I'm sorry sir, but I can't sell those to you.
Ed: Why? Is it because I don't look like I should be eating pastry?
Woman behind counter: No sir, that is not the reason.
Ed: Okay then, is it because this is John Deere country and I like Farmall?
Woman behind counter: Oh, no sir, not at all!
Ed: Then tell me! Why won't you sell me the pastries I asked for?
Woman behind counter: Well sir, it's because this is an auto parts store!