Pep Boys..never again.

[Steve]

C'mon everyone, quit whining. %) Pep Boys, Autozone, etc. are in business to MAKE MONEY! That means that they must cater to the majority of the public, and we are not it. There's a good reason that there are only a handful of EB parts houses and literally hundreds (thousands?) of generic auto parts stores around. Just like a grocery store, book store, clothing store, etc. they can only make money by selling what the majority of the public will buy. You've also gotta realize that those stores don't pay enough to hire ASE certified mechanics who know what they're doing, so the parts people aren't rocket scientists.

I've generally found NAPA to be better than Pep Boys, Autozone, etc., but that's not always true either. However, I do live in a relatively small town and can almost always find what I need locally. For hardware, the best place I've found is a tractor supply place. They have all of the grade 5, 8, etc. stuff, and it's way cheaper than auto parts or hardware stores.

 

[eBronc]

Sorry, didn't realize I was "whining".

Yes, I understand that retail corporations stay in business by selling what the (majority of the ) public wants to buy - and that's one of the reasons this is so sad. When an auto "parts" store quits selling real "parts" and instead caters to the "crap and junk" market, that is just one more indicator that society is rolling downhill like a snowball headed for hell.

It's like this everywhere - guys like us, who like old stuff, who do the work required to keep it running and enjoy it, are a dying breed. There's still some of us around, but our numbers are dwindling. Nowdays if you haven't got the latest and greatest, biggest and best, loudest and brightest, you're just not with it.

I concur with the previous posts - Wurth makes some quality stuff. I use their chemicals and hardware when I'm working on my '66 Porsche restoration project. Tractor Supply Company has a great selection of heavy-duty hardware and other cool stuff. Napa and Autozone are my choices for daily driver auto parts - Autozone's web site is incredibly handy for looking up part numbers and comparing them from year to year and vehicle to vehicle. Home Depot has a limited, but handy selection of metal for fabrication projects, not to mention tools and welding supplies- some even stock Grade 8 hardware, (but not 7/16" diameter, for some weird reason).

Where did I finally find the Grade 8 bolts I needed? Ace Hardware, 1/2 mile from my house. Go figure.

 

[supermottl]

My local Napy is the best around for me.
Pep hoes, Autozone can all take turns, licking balls.
Autozone especially when some pillow biter manager tried to belittle me when I bought my hub/rotors there... that's the only part I'll ever buy there...

 

[thegreatjustino]

The thing that I find funny about Pep Boys is that when I first moved to an area where there was one, they always ran TV commercials where some guy walked in and was looking for about a dozen obscure parts for a bunch of classic cars. In the commercial, the guy behind the counter found the parts in the computer and handed them to the guy, and then the slogan "if we don't have it, it probably doesn't exist" popped up on the screen and was read by the narrator of the commercial. I drove a '65 Mustang at the time that these commercials were on and the three times I went to their store looking for parts for it, they didn't have them. I managed to find them at another place without too much trouble. So much for truth in advertising. %)

 

[BwoncoHowie]

Oh god... I just realized that you are from La Mirada. Woudn't happen to be the Pep Boys on Rosecrans would it? Heh thats where they sent me for training..... and if it make you feel any better, our stores here in Bakersfield are even worse....

You should tell your managers about this thread. The store near me (Orange) still has the dorman section but it's all picked over and depleted. I don't depend on Pep girls for anything any more but they still have the biggest selection of car wax ;D , and they seem to have Motorcraft FL-1s' in stock for the best price, and they stock Borg Warner Select ignition parts. other than that the store is worthless unless you want some Yosemite Sam mudflaps...;D

 

[68beast]

Re: Mailorder parts

So who are some of these mail order houses with great prices. Thanks guys

www.jegs.com and sumit racing a lot for general parts

 

[77BroncoWag]

have Motorcraft FL-1s' in stock for the best price, and they stock Borg Warner Select ignition parts.

about all they are good for. Tell em you need something for a 77 bronco and they will ask" big bronco or little bronco?"%)

 

[BwoncoHowie]

about all they are good for. Tell em you need something for a 77 bronco and they will ask" big bronco or little bronco?"%)

The queation is ... Er a, is that 1973 Bronco a full size?

What is your favorite response to this question?

How about...

No.
Well then, is it a small Bronco?
No.
Well then, what size is it?
I dont' know but I drove it here, perhaps you can look at it and tell me!
Ok... Oh that's definately a full size!
Thanks for letting me know, when ever I come and order parts here it will be a full size from now on ok?
Ok!

Or how about this one...
They only made 1 size that year and who in that stupid computer screen that you are reading wants to know?

Or
Did I say BroncoII you idiot!!!?

 

[broncoswede61]

"Big bronco or little?"
"...uh big,it's parked right over there,the blue one..."

"You mean the jeep?"

 

[Steve]

What I love is when I want axle, brake, steering, etc. parts that never came on a 69. I tell them what I want, and they always ask what year it is. I tell them it doesn't matter and they look at me wierd. %)

 

[Panama71]

Only Napa has earned my deep hatred here. I went in to get some parts for my disc brake conversions (front and rear). The guy asked me why all the parts for different vehicles and (stupid me) I told him.

Now our conversation tuns into this:

Him: That won't work.
Me: Yes, it will, I have seen it done.
Him: No, it won't.
Me: Yes...it will....can I have my parts now?
Him: You can buy this stuff but I still say it's not going to work.
I finally ended up just buying the hub and rotor assemblies and got the rest from Autozone (I tested Autozone by telling them the same story..Their guy said "SWEET! tell me how it works out.")

A week later the same guys at Napa told me that there is "no such thing" as a spindle bearing. I showed it to them on a Dana44 diagram, I told them that I had seen them with my own eyes. They would not believe me. I finally drove home, looked up the part number on the internet and went back and bought it from them (they had the part in stock). Since then I have been going to Autozone and Checker.

 

[Jerrod4567]

about all they are good for. Tell em you need something for a 77 bronco and they will ask" big bronco or little bronco?"%)

Shoot, you think thats bad. After I quit Pep Boys I called them up one day to check on a clutch for my bronco and the first thing they asked me after I said I need a clutch set was "Is that a manual or an automatic" I hung up the phone right then and there.

 

[homesickaggie]

I know NAPA normally sucks but the one here is pretty squared away. Sure they sell the occasional Jeff Gordon laser autographed collecible car, but they are pretty cut and dry with parts. It's the Schucks (or Kragen) that sucks. I can't even walk in there without tripping over motorized scooters or getting caught in neon tubing or gigantic flame-embossed steering wheel covers. I went there the other day for an O-ring for my fuel tank sender and they dug around in boxes for 30 minutes just to tell me tey didn't have one. A FU#@ING O-RING!!! It's like my Dad told me; whenever they give you a part, drive around the block, then come back and tell them to give you the right part.

 

[Little71]

Something I always see that many people forget in threads like this is that most chain autoparts, like someone said earlier,stores are not going to be staffed by a team of ASE certified people, though CSK does pay for its employees to become so. Nor will these people be experts on every vehicle ever made. I used to work for one and happened to be in one day when one of the guys there I used to work with, after an older lady stormed off, complained that she had just bitched him out. Seems he didnt happen to know what bolt she needed and she wouldnt tell him where that mystery bolt was located, nor what kind of Honda it was. Many of you out there would be surprised at the asinine questions they get. And yeah, there are books there to use when looking up parts but would you like to be in line while the guy behind the counter has to flip through any number of pages trying to find a part only to discover that the customer he is helping doesnt quite know what the part is called or what it does exactly. A computer is a lot faster. Computers use databases...you have to look stuff up, not just yell at the guy, "I need a rotor for a Honda" and expect him to pull that part number out of his ass. And yes, people do look at you like an idiot when you follow their vague statement by asking them if it was for the brakes or ignition...And as for looking up wierd stuff, how else would they be able to find the part number (and parts shelves are organized numerically and by category surprisingly) except by application, and for that they need some basic information about the vehicle, like its make, model and motor, and you would be damned surprised at how few people can even tell you how many CYLINDERS their vehicle has. I dont mean to go off on a rant, but I have been looked and talked to like an idiot for not knowing or been able to find a part based on its generic description or the parts nickname and nothing more. And can someone, ANYONE tell me why so-called men send their wives in to buy parts without even the basic information like what sized wheel the car has when buying BRAKES!!! Now this doesnt excuse rude or dumbass people working behind the counter, I worked with a few in my short stint. Some were great people but didnt really know anything about vehicles at all. And yeah, Pep Boys does tend to suck from what I have seen. Does anyone there answer the phone to even put you on hold (dont get me started on that issue)? But anyway...I will end my rant now...or I will literally go off for an hour.



What was my point again?

 

[Little71]

As for the stupid ass scooters....I dont know why they carry them but they do apparently sell very well. What I was eyeballing one time I was in was the flashing neon flame exhaust tip. That would be the shiznit under my truck.

 

[homesickaggie]

but I have been looked and talked to like an idiot for not knowing or been able to find a part based on its generic description or the parts nickname and nothing more.

I see your point about stupid people asking stupid questions. My main beef was the spinning 14" hubcaps and the carbon-fiber look-a-like door lock knobs that tripped me when I was looking for a 3 INCH O-RING!!!!

 

[supermottl]

Only Napa has earned my deep hatred here. I went in to get some parts for my disc brake conversions (front and rear). The guy asked me why all the parts for different vehicles and (stupid me) I told him.

Now our conversation tuns into this:

Him: That won't work.
Me: Yes, it will, I have seen it done.
Him: No, it won't.
Me: Yes...it will....can I have my parts now?
Him: You can buy this stuff but I still say it's not going to work.
I finally ended up just buying the hub and rotor assemblies and got the rest from Autozone (I tested Autozone by telling them the same story..Their guy said "SWEET! tell me how it works out.")

A week later the same guys at Napa told me that there is "no such thing" as a spindle bearing. I showed it to them on a Dana44 diagram, I told them that I had seen them with my own eyes. They would not believe me. I finally drove home, looked up the part number on the internet and went back and bought it from them (they had the part in stock). Since then I have been going to Autozone and Checker.

Same with me, but for me, it was the Napy guys how were way cool, and the autozone prikcs who looked at me like I was froma Mars...

 

[BwoncoHowie]

Oh yeah, how bout this one.
You are in pepboys already being helped (or so you thought) at the parts counter and the phone rings. Instead of answering the phone and putting the person on hold, the parts counterperson starts looking up parts and prices for the person at the other end. What ever happened to first come first served? Tell me this hasn't happened to you at pepboys. Doesn't it just frost your A**? I walked out of a pepboys once because of that. I still didn't have what I needed and wasted more time shopping elsewhere because I'm so bullheaded, but it felt good making a statement by walking out of pepboys with my wallet intact. I suppose you could get bad service just about anywhere.

NAPA stores are independent so the service you get at one of those places can vary. It just stems from the management and how they choose to run things.

"Arent you glad you live in a country where you have a choice where to buy from"?

 

[bronco977]

I'm play the fence here.... I've had bad experiences with Pep Boys, Kragens, Autozone, even Chief when they were around. I get all of my parts now from a Car Quest dealer. Good parts, great service, fantastic conversation and advice. BUT- we've all been at the store, and witnessed some dork walk in and ask for part like this:
What car? "Uh.... Cirrus"
Ok, Chrysler. What year? "I dunno."
What engine? 4 or V6? "Heck, I dunno. You're the expert- you tell me." You noticed that the illiterate dude showed up in a Celica.......
Probably the only things in life that bring out the idiot in people are booze, guns, and cars. Bottom line is, those poor guys at those stores are trying to make a living, dealing with a client base that is questionable at times. AND- which of us has not stopped and looked at those powered scooters?

 

[eBronc]

AND- which of us has not stopped and looked at those powered scooters?

Uh...ME.

Lord help me, if I ever get so lazy or fat that I have to use an electric scooter to get around, just shoot me and put me out of my misery. My two feet will carry me anywhere I need to go - and they pedal a bicycle just fine.