So I walked into NAPA today...

[Hardworkinguy]

Originally Posted by pritch

Around here, we call them 'Next Day Napa'.

Around here NAPA means Never Any Parts Available

[68C15]

Originally Posted by Hardworkinguy

Around here NAPA means Never Any Parts Available

Not so for ours. They even have a shifter cable in stock for my son's 92 Accord. And it's $50 cheaper than anyone else

[special-K]

So, i walked into NAPA today...and walked out with the parts I needed

Had fun, too. The young lady was waiting on me, chubby young boy in the middle, and Rich on the end on the phone. i noticed chubby had dozed off with his face melting into his hand. Just then Rich got off the phone and I waved my hands to get his attention and pointed at Chubby. Then I called the store on my cell phone from behind a rack, Rich answered, and shouted, "Chubby (or whatever his name is), catch line 2!" He jerked up and picked up the phone and I said, "I have an old rabbit. Do you all carry stuff for them?" He said,"Yes sir, what do you need?", and I said, "Oh great. Do you have anything to stop it from having so many bunnies?" and we all laughed. That'll learn him

[flashed]

We have a pretty good NAPA store here but its on the other side of town and I have a commercial account at O'Reiley's and they deliver to my work ,NAPA wont .Our O'Reiley's has hired a young lady to deal with the in front customers recently and she is great .All of the others are older and very good too and I get a great discount there .

[special-K]

Girls try harder in male dominated industries. This one is doing pretty good for being fairly fresh, yet. A lot better than Chubby! At Advance there is/was a gal and she was serious about her work. I had a gal working for me in the llate-80s cutting siding and doing brake work. A little thing, too. I wanted to hire her friends to start an all woman siding crew. People wouldn't know my company by name.But everyone would know about that all woman siding crew! She got an opportunity to take over a pet and feed store business or I had big plans for her. Always sittin' in her little Ranger when I pulled up to the job, never complained, just worked her little butt off.

[Tynee]

Originally Posted by pritch

My first thought was "Why-did you order something yesterday?"

Around here, we call them 'Next Day Napa'.

Same deal here. I've got more shelving in my garage for parts storage than my local Napa. The owner/franchisee owns a location in a neighboring town, so they keep stock there and have it delivered up to my local store. I'd really rather buy from there, but it takes some planning ahead.

[midniteblues]

Our local Napa is pretty barren inside also.
It has been there for as long as I can remember.
It's one of those stores that if your were not looking you'll never know it is there.

Most times the prices there are way outa hand compared too the other stores but usually have better quality.

Going off my other post.
I never paid for freight/shipping too a store. Then couldn't tell me how much shipping would be.

There has been a bunch of advance autos popping up around here. There is now 5 on one 30 MI. stretch of road.

I went into the local advance twice last week.
Once to get four rubber valve stems, they had one pack of two. I left.
I got 4 of them at a truck stop on the way home cheaper too.

2 days later I went back for inner bearing seals only cause I was in the area.
Waited in line while bubba ate his lunch/dinner and the other clerk was outside talking on the phone.

Finally bub tapped the key board while licking his other fingers clean.

Oh yeah we have those but only one in stock. Would you like me too order you one?

Ah no thanks, I'll Get them somewhere else that has two in stock.

Back too his food he went.

As I left I made sure my bike was loud enough too disturb the other employees important phone call.

[special-K]

Do people realize how man parts we are talking about keeping in stock for all the makes, models, variations, different level quality parts required for vehicles made in say, just the last 10 years? Millions, if they carried one of each. I'm in a small town and I drive older vehicles. I don't expect to walk in gat whatever I want. I have been an old car/truck guy all my life, so I know to inform them of what I need, give them time to get it, then go pick it up. Thy are a satellite to one major hub, all owned by one entity. That is a great system if you ask me. I am amazed that normally they can get what I ask for in the morning by 1pm or what I ask for in the afternoon I can pick up by 9am. Thy often make runs between those two. If they don't have that in their system it comes from the regional warehouse and usually within one day.

This is also how I bought all my N.O.S. parts from the dealership. You would see my name on the tags because it was ordered for me. I think people got spoiled somehow and fail to appreciate just how good they have it. There are more parts available for older vehicles now than when they were 10 years old. From where I stand, I see a lot of cry babies. We never wanted to be called that, so we learned how to suck it up and deal with it.

[flashed]

My O'reileys is great ,if they dont have it in stock they can sometimes get it same day If I call them before 11 AM .I needed shocks for my 72 El Camino the other day and they had them by 2 PM ,cant beat that .NAPA here is the same way but they are a little more expensive for the same brand parts.

[davischevy]

A couple of years ago I was driving my 72 down to Cruisin' the Coast. I stopped for gas in south Arkansas and green liquid was dripping from the front. I topped off the radiator and headed for Vicksburg, MS to meet friends. I did some research and determined one of the vendors that advertise on here was going to be at the show.

I called the store and asked if they could bring me a radiator to the show. The guy on the phone could care less if I ever got my truck fixed.

Via the net I found the O'Reilly store closest to my motel in Biloxi, MS and called them and asked if they could get a radiator. "No problem, it will be here when you get here".

I changed the radiator in the motel parking lot.

[flashed]

I wonder if our paths may have crossed at Cruisin The Coast ,we used to go every year in our 72 Malibu convertible ,we have not been in a few years now .

[Grumpy old man]

Does anyone remember hunting parts on the kitchen dial phone with the 4' cord and a yellow pages book ? Or going to 6 junk yards to look for a piece of trim ? How about ordering Mickey Thompson aluminum valve covers from Honest Charley's and waiting 2 weeks for them to come in ? Restoration of any truck / car has never been easier than it is today . I went to Advance to buy all the gaskets to reseal a 292 this week and it took 3 days to get it all on a 50 year old engine and I live out in the country ..... how many guys only order online and never talk to a "real person" and then complain their ordered parts don't fit ?

[davischevy]

We were probably there at the same time Flash. I have driven my 72 truck, the El Camino and 71 Chevelle over the years. I probably won't go back for a while because of the traffic.

[BR3W CITY]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

Does anyone remember hunting parts on the kitchen dial phone with the 4' cord and a yellow pages book ?

Im just old enough to be on the cusp of that change. I remember being like 12-14 and looking to help my dad with his 64 MGb racecar, calling like 30 specialty shops (long distance, remember when distance mattered?) and asking if it fit so-and-so's carb setup or this-and-that upgraded suspension.

Now even if I do have to call someone, both me and the tech are on pc's researching the info for a solution. I don't know if building and designing custom ECM tunes and FI swapping would be 1/10th as easy if the internet and the speed of information didn't change.

The only downside, along with all that new info, comes more bad info.

[Front Range]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

Does anyone remember hunting parts on the kitchen dial phone with the 4' cord and a yellow pages book ? Or going to 6 junk yards to look for a piece of trim ? How about ordering Mickey Thompson aluminum valve covers from Honest Charley's and waiting 2 weeks for them to come in ?

Good times, around here it was called Cheaper Charlies.

[davischevy]

I remember all that Grumpy. But I didn't even go to the Petti Jean Swap Meet here in Arkansas this year. I let somebody else pull the part and buy it form them online.

I have to admit I order almost everything online now days. I even check O'Reilly and Auto Zone online to make sure they have the part before I call them.

Larry

[Grumpy old man]

I buy and sell a ton of items on line weekly , and I should probably change my screen name to CHEAP Grumpy old man ! I price shop every part I buy online , 2 years ago my Gov loc 80 carrier got sloppy after 200,000 miles and when I tried to buy a new one local the prices ranged from $900 - $1,100.00 , eBay rebuilt /certified $299.00 works perfect still today and that's my go to towing rig and used daily around the farms . My point being it's never been cheaper or easier to buy parts and if I don't need it right NOW it's going to show up in a UPS truck at my door , Now , the cost of qualified labor is going crazy ! And that's just going to continue to rise .

[AnotherWs6]

Originally Posted by davischevy

I remember all that Grumpy. But I didn't even go to the Petti Jean Swap Meet here in Arkansas this year. I let somebody else pull the part and buy it form them online.

I have to admit I order almost everything online now days. I even check O'Reilly and Auto Zone online to make sure they have the part before I call them.

Larry

I do the same thing with an Advanced Auto near me. I usually order it online and then go pick it up. It's those times when you need help that you're screwed. Like a fitting, etc.

[davischevy]

Cheap Grumpy old man, I would be forced to change my handle to Cheap davischevy then. My one remaining official capacity is to find deals for the company.

_________________________________________________________________________

AnotherWs6, from Leadville to where you are now would be quite a culture shock.

I lived, for a short time, north of Leadville in the Granby, Frazier area in the late sixties. There were some good people there then.

My family has been here in the Ozark Hills for 150 years or so, and it ain't exactly an easy place to get rich, but I never could bring myself to give up the laid back lifestyle for money. I've almost starved out a few times, but I finally got over the hump.


Larry

[Tynee]

Originally Posted by special-K

Do people realize how man parts we are talking about keeping in stock for all the makes, models, variations, different level quality parts required for vehicles made in say, just the last 10 years? Millions, if they carried one of each. I'm in a small town and I drive older vehicles. I don't expect to walk in gat whatever I want. I have been an old car/truck guy all my life, so I know to inform them of what I need, give them time to get it, then go pick it up. Thy are a satellite to one major hub, all owned by one entity. That is a great system if you ask me. I am amazed that normally they can get what I ask for in the morning by 1pm or what I ask for in the afternoon I can pick up by 9am. Thy often make runs between those two. If they don't have that in their system it comes from the regional warehouse and usually within one day.

This is also how I bought all my N.O.S. parts from the dealership. You would see my name on the tags because it was ordered for me. I think people got spoiled somehow and fail to appreciate just how good they have it. There are more parts available for older vehicles now than when they were 10 years old. From where I stand, I see a lot of cry babies. We never wanted to be called that, so we learned how to suck it up and deal with it.

Not sure if that was directed at my post, but I'm WELL aware of all this. I'm simply comparing my local Napa to my local Advance and AZ stores. They have the same constraints as Napa, but I can walk in and get almost any part I need. I've NEVER called Napa and gotten anything but, "I can get it tomorrow." Ok, possibly, "I can have it by 1:00..." Like I said, I prefer to deal with them, because the owners are local-ish, but you have to plan ahead to be able to do that.

[special-K]

No, my comment was directed at "people". From the original post and throughout I see "people" expecting the typical buzz these days "I want it all and I want it now", which I believe is born of the internet. In the real world there are some things we just have to wait for, takes more than a "click" to get it done. If it wasn't for the internet most of the people into cars and trucks wouldn't be. First of all, they wouldn't be aware of half of what's out there. Second, it was never an easy thing before, it got done when it got done, and you didn't expect to get your money out of anything. You had to be resourceful and know what you wanted. The internet makes everyone resourceful and shows them what they want. It's not Barrett-Jackson that has driven prices up, it's the internet and all the "newer to it" people with no means of comparison for how it was before the internet (as well as all the expanded TV programming). I'm used to things taking time, ordering ahead, just being glad I could find a part, and all that. So, I'm happy that things have gotten so much easier and have no comlaints

[Grumpy old man]

Originally Posted by special-K

No, my comment was directed at "people". From the original post and throughout I see "people" expecting the typical buzz these days "I want it all and I want it now", which I believe is born of the internet. In the real world there are some things we just have to wait for, takes more than a "click" to get it done. If it wasn't for the internet most of the people into cars and trucks wouldn't be. First of all, they wouldn't be aware of half of what's out there. Second, it was never an easy thing before, it got done when it got done, and you didn't expect to get your money out of anything. You had to be resourceful and know what you wanted. The internet makes everyone resourceful and shows them what they want. It's not Barrett-Jackson that has driven prices up, it's the internet and all the "newer to it" people with no means of comparison for how it was before the internet (as well as all the expanded TV programming). I'm used to things taking time, ordering ahead, just being glad I could find a part, and all that. So, I'm happy that things have gotten so much easier and have no comlaints

Amen !

[3757chevy]

Clocked in and went to work trying to help the next guy in the door no matter what he asked for. And Yes sometimes the answer is No you can't get that here, but a lot of stuff has always been that way. Like special k and Grumpy old man said the internet has changed my job, some for the good and some not. I've done this job for 38 years, I have seen some changes.

[davischevy]

I was in the NAPA in Harper KS the other day and saw the classic "wife sent to pick up parts, getting yelled at by husband".

The counter guy had gone to the back to get my part and she was on the cell phone, and husband was yelling orders about where the item was in the store. I tried to help her find it, but it wasn't there. We looked in a couple more places, with no luck, and her trying to calm him down.

Then she did what my wife would do. She said "If you say one more word, when I get back I'm going to stick these fittings up your a$$".

Larry

[gmachinz]

I'm an ex parts guy and I still know my numbers. I only tell the parts guys what I need because I either already looked them up online or I know them myself. I went into an AZ I frequent often...I know everyone there....and usually I go grab my own parts behind the counter if it's an odd thing I need or, they ask what I need and I will tell them I need gaskets. They ask for what kind of vehicle....? I just say-grab a piece of paper and write these down: MS90314-3, VS12869AC and a 60038 for my air cleaner base.

I just don't have time to wait for parts guys to fumble around on the computer and usually things I need won't be in the computer anyway a lot of times.

How about when I ask for a u-joint conversion for a GM driveshaft and a 9" rear end? They look at me as if I have a 2nd head growing out of my shoulder as I talk....lol. That's when I just say "never mind, let me look in your chassis catalog-they have conversion sections for u-joints in them-you do have actual paper catalogs don't you?"