What’s Going On With The Auto Parts Stores?

chromebumpers

chromebumpers

solid fixture here in the forum
Staff member
My once favored A. Auto stores seldom can be counted on to have the most common of parts. Oh they have plenty of oil, filters, spark plugs, batteries and cleaners. If you have any Asian sub-compacts these stores are your paradise.
There’s at least 16 parts stores within a 12 mile radius of me and not one had half of what was on my short list of needed parts for this weekend.
OE Fuel pump, steering column rag joint, Trans Kit for a TH400 that includes an “O” ring, sway bar bushings and a fuel filter for a QJet carb. All for A mid 70’s SBC 350. A few feet of 5/16” fuel line, 2’ of 1/4” vacuum hose or one dam can of matte or flat clear spray paint!

Just open up a franchise store that just sells Batteries, oil and cleaners, have some air fresheners and an assortment of 5 Hour Energy drinks by the register and be done with all the rest!

You can’t even find a quart of any transmission fluid at Walmart stores anymore. Even the mega-WMart near me doesn’t sell light bulbs, filters, tires or spark plugs!

Everything is available from the warehouse on Monday. Here’s an Idea, let’s go to the warehouse and get what we need. No delays, no excuses. Even the internet is getting wonky these days. Rock Auto screwed up 2 orders in the last week I’m still search for their phone number.
 
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I had to pick up some common parts today, the only place I could find them was at Pep Boys. I get there only to find out PB’s are just the service part, another company took over the retail side of the stores. They are converting over half the retail shelves, mainly the front isles - to what they call “The Speed Shop.” Only their work shirts say they are someone else. Nothing posted anywhere, not even on your receipt!
 
That’s it, I’m getting a divorce . . . .
From Advance Auto!
They are going downhill fast in this region. I’ve put up with the higher prices for a trade off to deal with nice people, but now that’s gone.

AA is just batteries, oil and cleaning/polishing products. The rest of the store is an incomplete assortment of random tools and a fraction of the spray paints they once carried. Everything else has to be ordered or the counter person thinks it’s no big deal to run around to opposite ends of a couple different towns to get that ultra rare radiator cap that was on just about every GM car from the early 60’s to the late 1980’s. A universal in-line fuel filter and an 18” wiper blade refill of any brand. Last year I bought a set of studs with nuts to hold down a Quadrajet carb at this store. You know, the set with 2 tall, 2 shorter bolts as that is what QJ need, the hook where they would normally hang is always empty. The store wants me to buy the 4 pack of the shorter studs and a 4 pack of the longer ones. The manager says “We’re not a speed shop you know!” So why is it that you have plenty of chrome plated Mr. Gasket universal fuel filters but don’t carry the standard steel filters?
And why is there a hidden commercial inventory in the back of AA stores that carry the large size Evapo Rust but I can’t buy it out front? Of course there is always the employee that has to tell me he only makes $9/hr. “So how the hell is he expected to know about those “supper old” cars that used 10w40 motor oil, or what a TH or Turbo 400 is?” (His words).
I needed a rubber grommet for a valve cover breather? Having the measurements wasn’t enough so I brought the VC in with me. The counter guy says “the grommets are in sealed plastic so if it doesn’t fit you can’t return it.” If there is no way to look up the application or the size then why tell me to bring the car or the VC? He says “We can sell something that was opened. Would you buy this if the package was opened?” I said yes, if it’s the size I needed and it wasn’t damaged (he just had to mumble under his breath “wise-ass!”).
 
Don't worry Rich. All of this goes away as "they" are ramming electric vehicles down our throats and they will just make gasoline powered vehicles illegal to operate. It's happening already.
 
When you think about it the switch-over is not that far away now. I wonder why they dropped Hydrogen power? There are cities in European countries that operate public bus transportation, trucking, trash trucks and School busses with hydrogen power and are reporting continued success. I thought Scandinavia was working on a cruise ship and mega freight liner that generated its own H source?
 
As far as powering vehicles with alternate sources of fuel in the US its not so much what works its what the politicians can skim more money from
 
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