Got a new axle from a Pontiac 6000 for my 4.5 swap...

Fkn idiots up there at the store ordered the wrong one. And i waited all day on the damn thing because
before making the left side motor mount permanent (drivers side) i needed to get the axle in and measure it and make
sure that everything is good and straight. So...Now, i can honestly say that this was a wasted day.

Talkin bout parts stores... my favorite is when you look at the part, touch the part, and call about the part AND THEY SAY IT DOESNT HAVE IT! Not that they dont have it, but that the car doesnt!!! Just went through that not to long ago with a rear tie rod....

Yeah same here...i went and got a thermostat.
And you could tell that the guy was dumb as a box of rocks. Well i wanted a thermostat and i specifically
said that i wanted a 180 one. And he goes and gets a 195. And i was like "dude, i want a 180" and he's like
um sir, they dont make one for a 4.5. And i just looked at him and asked him if e know anything about motors
and he replies saying "yeah, i tinker with lawnmowers" and i had heard enough lol and told him to go get a
damn 180 thermostat with the same diameter. And he finally got me one lol.

I never buy jack from Advance or Auto Zone - I go to the local O'riley... Those guys at least know what they're talking about some of the time (actually, they're pretty good - mostly fans of JDMs though)

what tha fck...


they just brought me another axle....The first time they said it was a passenger side pontiac 6000 one, which isnt the
right one. And as far as the diameter of it, it didn't even look like a 6000 one. Well about 10 minutes ago they
brought another one and they said it was a drivers side 6000 one and it wasnt right wither. The female side of
the axle was right, but the side with the splines was way too big in diameter.

i went in and they didnt know what a glasspack or a fiero was...and when they tried to look up a glasspack they looked under the fiero....so ofcourse none showed up

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In recent times, the custom aftermarket car/automobile roadwheel has become a status symbol. These wheels are often incorrectly referred to as "rims". The term "rim" is incorrect because the rim is only the outer portion of a wheel (where the tire is mounted )

damn idiots....

(not you guys)

Everyone is prone to f***ing up sometimes. i have never had a problem with advanced auto parts. in fact they went above and beyond on a brake caliper that was a day out of there warrenty period that i messed up to get me a replacement caliper for free... my hats are still off to them. personaly pepboys is where i get my hassels.

never been to pepboys before, dont even think there is one near me.

But this advance auto parts store has really stupid people working there.

They don't train them, and they make minimum wage, what do you expect? Try looking up the part yourself on their website, get the part number, and go in there with the part number. If you STILL get the wrong part, their system is screwed up, or YOU screwed up. Never trust the parts guy, and do your own work.

quote Originally posted by RWDPLZ: They don't train them, and they make minimum wage, what do you expect? Try looking up the part yourself on their website, get the part number, and go in there with the part number. If you STILL get the wrong part, their system is screwed up, or YOU screwed up. Never trust the parts guy, and do your own work.

yes that is a fool proof way for sure . i like autozone a ton better when they turn the computer screen so both u and counter person can see it i haved show a ton of not so bright bulbs how to find the the parts . but these are the kind of peaple that call help desk too turn off a light switch lol

quote Originally posted by RWDPLZ:Try looking up the part yourself on their website, get the part number, and go in there with the part number. If you STILL get the wrong part, their system is screwed up, or YOU screwed up.

I started doing that, after several instances of watching the parts counter guys fumbling their way through the computer menus trying to find the part I want. Although, I still occasionally need to have the parts counter guy look something up, because the part number on the website doesn't match the part number in their database. For example, you might find a part number that reads "A2474" on the website, but it's listed as "2474" in their database. (Advance Auto is bad about this)

Since I often put non-stock parts in my Fiero, I got in the habit of writing down the year / make / model of the car that the part comes from, as well as the part number on the website. Since I started doing this, I haven't received an incorrect part yet.

quote Originally posted by Blacktree: I started doing that, after several instances of watching the parts counter guys fumbling their way through the computer menus trying to find the part I want. Although, I still occasionally need to have the parts counter guy look something up, because the part number on the website doesn't match the part number in their database. For example, you might find a part number that reads "A2474" on the website, but it's listed as "2474" in their database. (Advance Auto is bad about this)

You can call the local store, and ask them if they have part # ____ in stock there, which will tell you a) the part number from the website works in their store, too, and b) they actually have it in stock, so you don't have to drive all the way out there and find they don't have it. If you want to get REAL anal about it, ask if they can go check on the shelf to make sure it's there, and put it on hold for you.

quote Originally posted by RWDPLZ: If you want to get REAL anal about it, ask if they can go check on the shelf to make sure it's there, and put it on hold for you.

I stopped doing that, because I found that when you ask for them to physically check the shelf, they are likely to:

1) Tell you they don't have the part, just to avoid the hassle
2) Go take a 5-minute break while you wait on hold, then come back and make something up

Since there are several auto parts stores within a 5-mile radius of my house, I'd rather go in person, so they can't pull any of those tricks.

Pretty sad, isn't it?

quote Originally posted by Fiero Reagan: what tha fck... they just brought me another axle....The first time they said it was a passenger side pontiac 6000 one, which isnt the right one. And as far as the diameter of it, it didn't even look like a 6000 one. Well about 10 minutes ago they brought another one and they said it was a drivers side 6000 one and it wasnt right wither. The female side of the axle was right, but the side with the splines was way too big in diameter.

The difference between light duty and ABS brakes.

yeah, i know and that being said....bigger diameter means it simply wont work.

remember, these "kids" are getting minimum wage, probably know nothing about cars and well...are just kids. As mentioned before I always look on the internet, find whos got the lowest price, print the page and BRING IT WITH ME. that way you make sure you get the right part # and most of the time the internet price is lower than the in store price and they have to honor the printed price. AND if you go to the other store, they will usually beat the other guys price.

I got engine parts for my Coronet. Some of the stuff they said it didnt have....I had to bring the used parts in as I took them out to show them. There almost as stupid as paint store salesmen. Worse one was buying an oil pump. On old big block Mopars, its an external pump mounted on the outside of the block at the front drivers side. The salesman told me car oil pumps are inside the oil pan. LOL, except on dry sump race cars. He was amazed when I showed them a pic of the block and laid the pump on the counter.

quote Originally posted by RWDPLZ: Try looking up the part yourself on their website, get the part number, and go in there with the part number.

I've been doing this myself for a few years now with local Oreilly's.

One day when I handed the guy behind the counter my sheet with the parts numbers on it he said, "Mister Gibler, you are my favorite customer", to which I replied, "DJ you are my favorite employee that has been here over six mounths!"..............

Kevin

quote Originally posted by RWDPLZ: They don't train them, and they make minimum wage, what do you expect? Try looking up the part yourself on their website, get the part number, and go in there with the part number. If you STILL get the wrong part, their system is screwed up, or YOU screwed up. Never trust the parts guy, and do your own work.

I've done that, and they STILL want to know year, make and model. Grrr...
If it's not in the computer, it doesn't exist.

Well as an ASE certified auto tech and part time employee of Advance Auto I can say were not all bad. My customers only come in on nights I work because I'm willing to go the extra mile to make sure the right part they need is located and correctly ordered. So were not all that bad just thought I'd toss that out there for hard working good parts guys like myself!

[This message has been edited by indyguy (edited 08-11-2010).]

yeah, advance auto parts is easily the best one around my area

people want cheap parts, so the chains have cut budgets and cut training and now folks get their parts cheap, but a good counterman is hard to find anymore...

I once (about 1975) won a $20 bet with the owner of a Honda (motorcycle) dealership. I asked for a part for a 1972 CL250. He said very rudely there was no such thing. When I told him I had one he told me I was an idiot if I thought he didn't know what they make and don't make. When I showed it to him he took a $20 bill out of the drawer put it on the counter and walked into the back room without speaking. What he didn't know (and I never told him) was they didn't import them. I was in Japan in 1972 and shipped it home

Asking for parts that are not OE is where the problem starts. You ask for a 180 degree thermostat when the only stock option is say 195 degree it is going to be a problem for any parts person. Do you have any idea how many different thermostats a store might have? And they are not listed by size or temp. To even think that a counter person can just go to the shelf and pull just the right one is outrageous. At our store I have over 200 thermostats and there is no practical way to find the one you might want without knowing the correct application.

Remember it's a two way street. Just because you know your car's every nut and bolt doesn't mean I do or should in order to be a good counter person. Give me enough information and I'll do the very best I can but I can't perform magic. You wouldn't believe the number of customers that come in and have no idea what car they have much less what part they need and yet get upset when we have trouble helping them.

There are bad people working at all auto parts stores (Lord knows we have our share at my store) but to go off the deep end based on the stories told here is stupid. Help the person out and I'm sure that you will get better results.

If you really want to confuse them walk in there with a fiero axle and tell them its off a front wheel drive mustang.

You think the parts people are bad you should see dumb some of the customers.

I could tell you stories.

There's an old man named alfred at my local autozone with whom I've had
Several poor interactions with. I tend to avoid his counter completely if
Possible because he's very stuborn and "knows everything".
The other day I was waiting in another line when his opened up and he just
Stood there and starred at me. So to be polite I walked over and told him I
Needed a coolant level sensor for X. He typed collent temp senseor into the
Computer and told me the part didn't exist on the vehicle when the computer
Search came back with no results. I turned and walked out of the store without
Saying a single word.
The man has worked there for over 10 years and can't even spell coolant.

quote Originally posted by hyperv6: You think the parts people are bad you should see dumb some of the customers. I could tell you stories.

Don't temp me...

I tell ya good parts guys are indeed hard to find. I work at the local Carquest store and we have an autozone and advance about a mile away, as well as a napa store two stores down. Autozone is the only one i remotely trust out of all of them...they all have lost several commercial customers to us because its all about going that extra mile. As far as different temp thermostats go, i dont know about other peoples systems but our Exploris system show multiple temp options for all vehicles if available...and the 4.5 is one of them. How many people use Carquest parts here anyways???

Ok , I have to put in my 2 cents ... as many of you know I work for Advance and I believe any store in your town can be the best store to get the right quality parts the first time. It all has to do with the people in the store. Ask if anyone there is ase certified and work with them if possible. Special application parts will take more time to research ( engine swap parts, performance parts etc) to get right and it may not be possible even with all the info at our disposal to get the correct part everytime. There may be several potential choices that may or may not work ie hot rod parts, pickup chassis parts, u-joints etc. that will vary even within a model year. As has been said some people, havnt got a clue what year or model their vehicle is and the expect you to get it correct!! I take pride in trying to be as accurate as possible and being able to come up with parts noone else can find or get, special orders can be a challenge but when you get it in and the customer looks at it and says " its exactly what I wanted" it really makes it enjoyable. Seeing customers come back to show me the parts installed on their collector cars, having my parts on a legends car at the world championships etc, etc,is a blast!! Not trying to be defensive but you have to be able to appreciate the other side of the fence in order to put things into perspective.

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If I only had ONE more part it will be finished...... famous last words.....

quote Originally posted by ConstableFD12: How many people use Carquest parts here anyways???

*raises hand*

The last time I went there (a couple months ago) was to buy an oil cooler for my 3.4 V6. I explained to the guy that it was a non-stock application. So he grabbed a catalog, pointed me to the right section, and let me look for something that fit my specifications. That was pretty cool, IMO.

You guys should move to Surprise, AZ the Autozone down the street has 2 very beautiful women working there. Late 20's to Early 30's and they KNOW cars. It's incredible!! Not that women know cars but these chicks should be modeling next to cars not selling parts for them lol. Anywho I never go to Checker O'Reilly's since O'Reilly's took over Checker, their customer service has gone down the drain.

Pepboys is good to buy oil and air filters from. Autozone is good for stock parts. Advance auto is good for nothing. Enough said.

i believe every store differs from one another it all depends on the employees who work there. i for one work at oreilly auto parts. and i know for a fact that we sell the most to commercial customers in this town. and advanced is second and lastly autozone. but it all depends on the employees at the store not the name of the store... i mean correct me if im wrong.

Major problem is that a good part interpreter knows as much as a doctor but is paid the minimum wage. If someone has the ability to not only inter prate parts but distinguish the model they are worth their weight in gold to tese places but they choose to offer low wages and these guys end up back on the tools. The job is for the injured tradesman or the retail guy thats wants to know more otherwise it is for the exploited worker.

went to oreillys to get fuses and a fuse puller. the worker was in his late 40s to early 50s. was smoking a joint right outside the front door. gave us the wrong size fuse puller, but STILL ended up talking my buddy who was buying the fuses into buying the ones that are like $3 a pop and light up when they blow. good at his main priority for his job, bad at doing what he should be doing--KNOWING THINGS ABOUT CAR STUFF lol

You just got to know how to handle them..

quote Originally posted by Fiero Reagan: what tha fck... they just brought me another axle....The first time they said it was a passenger side pontiac 6000 one, which isnt the right one. And as far as the diameter of it, it didn't even look like a 6000 one. Well about 10 minutes ago they brought another one and they said it was a drivers side 6000 one and it wasnt right wither. The female side of the axle was right, but the side with the splines was way too big in diameter.

Are you aware there are several sets of axles for the pontiac 6000? A light duty version with the 4T60 that fits the fiero and the heavy duty brakes which has a larger outboard spline....

It is best if you do the research and order the axle by part #. If you do that and it comes in wrong, it was boxed wrong. Here are all the various parts numbers for the correct pontiac 6000 axles for a fiero swap.

quote Originally posted by fieroguru: Not much going on, but I tracked down the part #'s for the 440T4/4T60axles. Source: 89 Pontiac 6000 with 4speed auto, light duty brakes, 30MM nut and 31 spline. LEFT side drive axle 8471, A1 CARDONE PN 601078, ADVANCE AUTO PARTS CV 10029 RIGHT side drive axle 8430, A1 CARDONE PN 601115, ADVANCE AUTO PARTS CV 10076 From Napa: p/n 95-9178 and 95-9208 I purchased mine from: A-1 Drive Shaft (800-228-0356) 47-557 ($49) and 47-558 ($49) Total with shipping = $118.00 (and no core charge). Should be here in a few days.

I went to Auto Zone for a new distributor for my 3.4 crate engine. I took an old beat distributor in. I just said it was for a 2.8 Fiero. Not in stock, but they had one at another store and would get it in the next day. I went back the next day and out of the box it was some strange distributor..same part # on the box. Next day same thing. The third day, finally the right distributor. Some one just put a distributor in a box. I usually have the shop where I have the car repaired get the parts as he has all the contacts and knows Fiero parts.

Most the kids that are working behind the counter don't know what a Fiero is, as they were born after the model was discontinued. My cousin who found a 38 Oldsmobile is having "fun" trying to locate parts for his car.