The last nail in Auto Zone's coffin.

[ramenth]

I usually stop into AZ just to grab chemicals. I haven't bought actual hard parts from them in years, not when I can get Moog, KYB, National, or any number of better parts across town from Advance or Napa and know that I'm shipping my customers out the door with good parts at good prices.

What I have done, though, is buy some specialized tools from AZ that I can't get any where else on the fly. One of these was a coolant system pressure tester adapter for the GM screw on radiator caps.

I was testing the coolant system on a customer's 3400powered GM on Monday to check for blown intake gaskets and had the pressure tester at just 15# of pressure when the adapter burst, hitting me upside the head.

Ummm, it couldn't take 15# of pressure, where most systems are set to run? What the f***?

I don't know what pissed me off more, that it came apart and hit me, or that it came apart and sprayed the engine with coolant when I'm trying to find a coolant leak.

The worst part of it is, I suffer from migraines, and a blow to the head can trigger one. My migraines can lead to strokes. (I've suffered one already.)

Come to find out, after looking at it, it looks like the tool pieces were just held together with weatherstrip adhesive.

AZ, the Wal-Mart of auto parts stores. Buy cheap, low-quality junk, sell cheap, low quality junk.

 

[sheetmetaldan]

Auto Zone sucks!

Sorry for the bump on your noggin Ramenth that sucks. I have been thinking of switching from AZ too. The manager at my local store is a complete idiot. I was looking for a small part last week distributor rotor I think, anyway of course they can`t look anything up without the computer. So I tell him it`s for a 72 Barracuda and he says Chevrolet! DUH! WHAT A DUMB ASS! This guy ain`t a kid either probably mid 40`s! He can`t sell a green pine tree air freshener without checking the computer first to see if it`s compatible with my vehicle! But he always makes sure to ask if I want to buy Gumout for my fuel system when I cash out "it`s on sale increase youre gas mileage". You would think that being the manager of the store he should know a little bit about cars! Do they always try to sell you a little something extra at your store too? They are always nickel and dimeing me at the register.Tossing in those stupid little grease packets when you buy a battery or bulb.

 

[shadango]

I have had mixed results with stuff from there....

Some of my issues have been due to scumbag customers buying parts or tools, using them and taking them back and saying there is nothing wrong with them....then the clerks at AZ dont bother checking them out and they just re-shelf them.

Maybe that is what happened in your case?

I have had issues with parts/tools from every one of the shops around....I dont think its one shop....its cheap crap in general everywhere these days.

 

[shadango]

Sorry for the bump on your noggin Ramenth that sucks. I have been thinking of switching from AZ too. The manager at my local store is a complete idiot. I was looking for a small part last week distributor rotor I think, anyway of course they can`t look anything up without the computer. So I tell him it`s for a 72 Barracuda and he says Chevrolet! DUH! WHAT A DUMB ASS! This guy ain`t a kid either probably mid 40`s! He can`t sell a green pine tree air freshener without checking the computer first to see if it`s compatible with my vehicle! But he always makes sure to ask if I want to buy Gumout for my fuel system when I cash out "it`s on sale increase youre gas mileage". You would think that being the manager of the store he should know a little bit about cars! Do they always try to sell you a little something extra at your store too? They are always nickel and dimeing me at the register.Tossing in those stupid little grease packets when you buy a battery or bulb.

For the record, the green treet fresheners are only compatibl with 70 and 71 barracudas......you have to move to the blue tree for 72 and up. :icon_jokercolor:

What chaps my @ss the most at AZ is how you have to stand in line waiting for one of the two counter people to get to you.....but they also serve as cashier and battery/wiper installers....so its usually a long wait.

Then when they finally get to you, the phone rings and you have to wait even longer!

 

[burntorange70]

Sorry to here that Robert. I live in a one parts store town. Just lucky it is a Napa. I hate that Fing computer too. It is always telling me my car never came that way. Never had a 340 or disc brakes. Or a 99 Ford truck never came with a V10. I just tell them to go out side and take a look. LOL

 

[AlleyoopMgv]

That would've sucked out loud, ramenth! I know what you mean about the headaches, if I look at the sun the wrong way, I get a headache (lol).

That's part of the worlds problems, make cheap ****, sell it for big bucks. :thatswck:


I went into a Checker Auto Parts store a while back ago, and asked the guy behind the counter for some orange and yellow pinstripe tape, and he had no clue what I was talking about. He said he never heard of pinstripe tape? WTF??

I bought a 3/8 air ratchet from the Snap-On guy about a month or so ago, It lasted a week! I told him, he can keep it and refund my money, so he did.

They just don't make stuff like they used to!

 

[ramenth]

Sorry for the bump on your noggin Ramenth that sucks. I have been thinking of switching from AZ too. The manager at my local store is a complete idiot. I was looking for a small part last week distributor rotor I think, anyway of course they can`t look anything up without the computer. So I tell him it`s for a 72 Barracuda and he says Chevrolet! DUH! WHAT A DUMB ASS! This guy ain`t a kid either probably mid 40`s! He can`t sell a green pine tree air freshener without checking the computer first to see if it`s compatible with my vehicle! But he always makes sure to ask if I want to buy Gumout for my fuel system when I cash out "it`s on sale increase youre gas mileage". You would think that being the manager of the store he should know a little bit about cars! Do they always try to sell you a little something extra at your store too? They are always nickel and dimeing me at the register.Tossing in those stupid little grease packets when you buy a battery or bulb.

There's a reason I haven't bought hard parts from there for a couple of years. They like to push the Duralast line of parts, and frankly, it's misnamed. It's store brand, cheap. Absolute garbage. (It gets even worse with their Valucraft line.) The only thing they carry that's worth a crap is Timken, Goodyear Gatorback's, and Bosch wires. But the complete lack of knowledge when it comes to parts and the cars they service those parts for isn't worth the effort, not when Fed-Mogul, Dayco, and Autolites are of the same quality and I can buy those from someone who understands the application, without the upsale on everything.

I had one customer who didn't like the price of the Moog balljoint that I quoted him for his Envoy. He went to AZ and bought a Duralast at half the price. Six months later he's back in for the same balljoint. He brought his own part so he was paying me for the job again. After two different labor charges on the same part, plus the intial price of the part, he paid more for the Duralast. And the Moog wouldn't be bad after just six months.

 

[ramenth]

I have had mixed results with stuff from there....

Some of my issues have been due to scumbag customers buying parts or tools, using them and taking them back and saying there is nothing wrong with them....then the clerks at AZ dont bother checking them out and they just re-shelf them.

Maybe that is what happened in your case?

I have had issues with parts/tools from every one of the shops around....I dont think its one shop....its cheap crap in general everywhere these days.

I'm leary of using the rental tools, especially if making an outright purchase. I'm paying the price to keep it and ordered the tool in new. I'm not paying full price for a used one. The problem is, Advance, Napa, even more local paint jobber, who sells tools, too, couldn't have it for a week. I bought it a year ago, just for GM's. It doesn't get used on a daily basis, or even a weekly basis, but I have used it. And I'm gentle on my specialty tools. That's a lot of money laying in cases on my shelf...

For the record, the green treet fresheners are only compatibl with 70 and 71 barracudas......you have to move to the blue tree for 72 and up. :icon_jokercolor:

What chaps my @ss the most at AZ is how you have to stand in line waiting for one of the two counter people to get to you.....but they also serve as cashier and battery/wiper installers....so its usually a long wait.

Then when they finally get to you, the phone rings and you have to wait even longer!

Don't even get me going on the AZ counter person using the scanner, like your example of installing wiper blades or batteries.

AZ counter person: "You've got two 02 sensor lean codes in your '01 Windstar."

Customer: "What's that mean?"

AZ counter person: "It means you need 02 sensors."

No, Mr. Customer, what it means is that you've got a Windstar. You need to get it to a qualified technician who has more than just a code reader and has the experience and know-how to use it. You've got a blown intake manifold gasket where the breather hose is pulling oil out of the head and dumping it in just behind the throttle body. That money you're using to replace two A/F monitors can be used to fix the actual problem.

As far as the phone, it's company policy. You'd be surprised how many times, at how many different places, when I'm standing in line and the counter person answers the phone I put my items on the counter and walk out. The person on the phone is shopping for P&A, I'm actually there buying. Well, not that time.

 

[ramenth]

Sorry to here that Robert. I live in a one parts store town. Just lucky it is a Napa. I hate that Fing computer too. It is always telling me my car never came that way. Never had a 340 or disc brakes. Or a 99 Ford truck never came with a V10. I just tell them to go out side and take a look. LOL

I've noticed this issue, too, Russ. Too many people stuck on the computers and not actually looking the car. Or enough actual experience to know. The problem with the computer is the software catalog. If the person designing the software isn't savvy enough it leaves the person behind the counter without a clue.

Lord forbid if some of these folks should open the book. Guess I'm lucky. I've got two folks who sell me parts who check the computer first and who understand that if I'm asking for a part for a certain car that isn't listed in the software, well, then I'm right and the computer's wrong. They go to the books to find a listing. Or they make some phone calls to more specialized shops to see what they might have.

I was impressed yesterday. I've got a trailer sitting at the shop that needs and axle. We have a store in town that specializes in trailers, big trucks, equipment, staffed by older guys, all of 'em with gray hair. A couple of guys came in looking for brake shoes for an L-series Ford dump. Without even having to look in the books, or at the computer, the man waiting on 'em walked over the shelf and pulled the new shoes out of the box. That's a man with experience right there!

 

[ramenth]

That would've sucked out loud, ramenth! I know what you mean about the headaches, if I look at the sun the wrong way, I get a headache (lol).

That's part of the worlds problems, make cheap ****, sell it for big bucks. :thatswck:


I went into a Checker Auto Parts store a while back ago, and asked the guy behind the counter for some orange and yellow pinstripe tape, and he had no clue what I was talking about. He said he never heard of pinstripe tape? WTF??

I bought a 3/8 air ratchet from the Snap-On guy about a month or so ago, It lasted a week! I told him, he can keep it and refund my money, so he did.

They just don't make stuff like they used to!

How in the hell does someone work at a counter in any parts store and not know what pinstripe tape is? Wow...

Funny that you mention Snap-on. I've noticed the quality coming down there, too. And for the price... it better be the best damned quality I can get.

 

[Cranky]

Was the part made in China?? Sue the hell out of AZ and the supplier and the maker.....I'm sick of this China crap too. Wasn't made in China, sue them anyways. I'm not usually one to litigate but like I said, I'm sick of poor quality products that still cost us too much.

 

[74CudaDave]

Carpet Underlay. Probably all of you know what those two simple little words mean. But the young girl behind our NAPA counter one saturday sure didn't. I had to explain what it was. I think these computers they use should have a quick linke to Google as well as their own parts screens.

 

[ramenth]

Was the part made in China?? Sue the hell out of AZ and the supplier and the maker.....I'm sick of this China crap too. Wasn't made in China, sue them anyways. I'm not usually one to litigate but like I said, I'm sick of poor quality products that still cost us too much.

You're not the only one to advise me to lawyer up.

I had a headache for a few days, a throb in the area where my migraines usually start, but thankfully it didn't trigger a full blown migraine. If it had, I'd have definitely been getting ahold a lawyer.

My wife is under orders if this every happens and I'm incapacitated. She's to lawyer up and sue the hell out of everyone.