And now a word from the other side of the counter:
You would be amazed how many times customers come in, and not only do they NOT know what year their car is, they don't know the model, and some even don't know the brand. Brakes are my favorite. I asked a guy what the gross vehicle weight rating of his truck is. His reply, it's a 1500. I explained to him what GVW rating meant. His reply, "Look buddy, it's a gd 1500."
Then there was the guy who needed brakes for an F-250. I asked him what the gross vehicle weight of the truck was. His reply? "What the f$@# does THAT matter? I've driven that truck to Florida three times!" (Yes, I am DEAD SERIOUS)
Are some of the guys behind the counter idiots? Absolutely. Does the guy behind the counter make mistakes? You bet. But 80% of the time, it's because he assumed that the customer actually knew what hell he was working on. So many people think the date on the door post is the model year. It's the "born-on" date. The title, VIN, or emissions sticker tells what year the vehicle is. What year is a PT Cruiser built in December, 1999? It's a 2001, and no, I'm NOT an idiot because I can't find spark plugs for a 1999 PT Cruiser. There is no such car as a 1999 PT Cruiser. And by the way, dumbass, if you put a 1999 Corvette engine into a 1947 Ford pick up, then you need to be getting engine parts for a Corvette, not a Ford. And if you're using a different distributor you might want to let me know about that too when you buy a distributor cap and rotor. And, by the way, don't ask for parts for a "350". They didn't just build one, you know. And what makes them different is, wait a minute, let me think........ Oh, Yah, it's the PARTS they build it from. And if you assume your engine is standard bore, and lie to me when you assure me that you have checked, then you may ALSO assume that the pistons I sell you are going to be wrong. You're right. That makes me an idiot.
Then there's the people who think that a counterman with a $150 code scanner can diagnose a car's problem. Look buddy, there's a reason why this is free and a dealer charges $100 to do this. Scanning a code is the first step in diagnosing the problem. The second step involves months of training and a heck of a lot of experience and documentation.
No, I don't know what sized tool it takes to remove your crankshaft position sensor. No, I don't rent screwdrivers and combination wrenches. No I don't sell brake pads individually. No, I don't know why they don't make re-useable gaskets.
And, for God's sake, don't get all pissy when you ask for a part for your 72 A Body. Frankly, that's an "inside baseball" term. Can you tell me what a "J" car is, or an "LM" car is? And while we're at it, are you talking about a GM A body, or a Mopar A Body?
