Those that can't achieve the minimum level of stupidity at parts stores are
referred to Home Depot.Those surpassing the minimum level of stupidity are
then fast tracked into management positions.

A few years ago NAPA spent millions of dollars in training. There were sent
to training facilities across the continent and you'll probably find that
they can say "it's not in the computer" with the same level of confidence as
in the old days when they'd say "There's nothing in the book".

With that said, I don't expect these people to know everything about every
part on every vehicle. I just wish they could acknowledge that for whatever
reason the part isn't available through them instead of saying that the part
you have in your hand doesn't exist at all.

Have you ever had this conversation?

Me: Hi, I need a 2" ball and receiver for a Class 3 hitch.
NAPA: What year is the vehicle?
Me: '92 Suburban, like that matters.
NAPA: Air conditioning?
Me: Let me go check.
....I still wonder if the guy was thinking "what an idiot, he doesn't even
know if he has air conditioning" while I drove off to another store.

-Brian

<calcerise@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1118006554.771275.167720@g47g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Has any one else noticed this?
>
> All the independents are gone and all the auto parts stores are chain
> owned. And they tend to hire stupid people exclusively.
>
> They must have some secret test for intelligence in hiring and employ
> it diligently, lest some non-stupids accidentally be hired.
>
> I am not talking about any one incident. I am referring to twenty-plus
> years of dealing with chain parts stores. The level of plain stupid is
> astounding. They have no skills, no mechanical sense, and no
> willingness to go beyond the blindingly obvious-indeed, even that fails
> them ofttimes.
>
> It seemed like before, when you had the little guys, they would at
> least endeavor to help you out if you weren't a total jerk. If what you
> wanted wasn't in stock, they'd figure out how to get one or send you to
> a nearby alternate source. Now, if they don't have it, or if they have
> it and don't know it, you get that stupid stare and half-shrug.
>

 

Those that can't achieve the minimum level of stupidity at parts stores are
referred to Home Depot.Those surpassing the minimum level of stupidity are
then fast tracked into management positions.

A few years ago NAPA spent millions of dollars in training. There were sent
to training facilities across the continent and you'll probably find that
they can say "it's not in the computer" with the same level of confidence as
in the old days when they'd say "There's nothing in the book".

With that said, I don't expect these people to know everything about every
part on every vehicle. I just wish they could acknowledge that for whatever
reason the part isn't available through them instead of saying that the part
you have in your hand doesn't exist at all.

Have you ever had this conversation?

Me: Hi, I need a 2" ball and receiver for a Class 3 hitch.
NAPA: What year is the vehicle?
Me: '92 Suburban, like that matters.
NAPA: Air conditioning?
Me: Let me go check.
....I still wonder if the guy was thinking "what an idiot, he doesn't even
know if he has air conditioning" while I drove off to another store.

-Brian

<calcerise@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1118006554.771275.167720@g47g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Has any one else noticed this?
>
> All the independents are gone and all the auto parts stores are chain
> owned. And they tend to hire stupid people exclusively.
>
> They must have some secret test for intelligence in hiring and employ
> it diligently, lest some non-stupids accidentally be hired.
>
> I am not talking about any one incident. I am referring to twenty-plus
> years of dealing with chain parts stores. The level of plain stupid is
> astounding. They have no skills, no mechanical sense, and no
> willingness to go beyond the blindingly obvious-indeed, even that fails
> them ofttimes.
>
> It seemed like before, when you had the little guys, they would at
> least endeavor to help you out if you weren't a total jerk. If what you
> wanted wasn't in stock, they'd figure out how to get one or send you to
> a nearby alternate source. Now, if they don't have it, or if they have
> it and don't know it, you get that stupid stare and half-shrug.
>

 

Those that can't achieve the minimum level of stupidity at parts stores are
referred to Home Depot.Those surpassing the minimum level of stupidity are
then fast tracked into management positions.

A few years ago NAPA spent millions of dollars in training. There were sent
to training facilities across the continent and you'll probably find that
they can say "it's not in the computer" with the same level of confidence as
in the old days when they'd say "There's nothing in the book".

With that said, I don't expect these people to know everything about every
part on every vehicle. I just wish they could acknowledge that for whatever
reason the part isn't available through them instead of saying that the part
you have in your hand doesn't exist at all.

Have you ever had this conversation?

Me: Hi, I need a 2" ball and receiver for a Class 3 hitch.
NAPA: What year is the vehicle?
Me: '92 Suburban, like that matters.
NAPA: Air conditioning?
Me: Let me go check.
....I still wonder if the guy was thinking "what an idiot, he doesn't even
know if he has air conditioning" while I drove off to another store.

-Brian

<calcerise@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1118006554.771275.167720@g47g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Has any one else noticed this?
>
> All the independents are gone and all the auto parts stores are chain
> owned. And they tend to hire stupid people exclusively.
>
> They must have some secret test for intelligence in hiring and employ
> it diligently, lest some non-stupids accidentally be hired.
>
> I am not talking about any one incident. I am referring to twenty-plus
> years of dealing with chain parts stores. The level of plain stupid is
> astounding. They have no skills, no mechanical sense, and no
> willingness to go beyond the blindingly obvious-indeed, even that fails
> them ofttimes.
>
> It seemed like before, when you had the little guys, they would at
> least endeavor to help you out if you weren't a total jerk. If what you
> wanted wasn't in stock, they'd figure out how to get one or send you to
> a nearby alternate source. Now, if they don't have it, or if they have
> it and don't know it, you get that stupid stare and half-shrug.
>

 

I have a Napa store near me that sucks on prices, but there are several guys
behind the counter that can find parts for my Jeep when I need them.

Basically, I can get anything I need at the Napa store, and I can get
anything else at Kragen or AutoZone.




<calcerise@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1118029699.721005.61020@g49g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...
> Yes, well there are no more independents around me. The hot rod places
> ironically cater only to serious drag racers and the FWD Honda crowd.
>

 

I have a Napa store near me that sucks on prices, but there are several guys
behind the counter that can find parts for my Jeep when I need them.

Basically, I can get anything I need at the Napa store, and I can get
anything else at Kragen or AutoZone.




<calcerise@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1118029699.721005.61020@g49g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...
> Yes, well there are no more independents around me. The hot rod places
> ironically cater only to serious drag racers and the FWD Honda crowd.
>

 

I have a Napa store near me that sucks on prices, but there are several guys
behind the counter that can find parts for my Jeep when I need them.

Basically, I can get anything I need at the Napa store, and I can get
anything else at Kragen or AutoZone.




<calcerise@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1118029699.721005.61020@g49g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...
> Yes, well there are no more independents around me. The hot rod places
> ironically cater only to serious drag racers and the FWD Honda crowd.
>

 

I have a Napa store near me that sucks on prices, but there are several guys
behind the counter that can find parts for my Jeep when I need them.

Basically, I can get anything I need at the Napa store, and I can get
anything else at Kragen or AutoZone.




<calcerise@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1118029699.721005.61020@g49g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...
> Yes, well there are no more independents around me. The hot rod places
> ironically cater only to serious drag racers and the FWD Honda crowd.
>

 

"Cherokee-Ltd" <nospam@home.com> wrote in message
news:aYGdne8DQrDnKTnfRVn-vw@rogers.com...
> Those that can't achieve the minimum level of stupidity at parts stores
are
> referred to Home Depot.Those surpassing the minimum level of stupidity are
> then fast tracked into management positions.
>
> A few years ago NAPA spent millions of dollars in training. There were
sent
> to training facilities across the continent and you'll probably find that
> they can say "it's not in the computer" with the same level of confidence
as
> in the old days when they'd say "There's nothing in the book".
>
> With that said, I don't expect these people to know everything about every
> part on every vehicle. I just wish they could acknowledge that for
whatever
> reason the part isn't available through them instead of saying that the
part
> you have in your hand doesn't exist at all.
>
> Have you ever had this conversation?
>
> Me: Hi, I need a 2" ball and receiver for a Class 3 hitch.
> NAPA: What year is the vehicle?
> Me: '92 Suburban, like that matters.
> NAPA: Air conditioning?
> Me: Let me go check.
> ...I still wonder if the guy was thinking "what an idiot, he doesn't even
> know if he has air conditioning" while I drove off to another store.
>
> -Brian


I can't help but wonder why you would need the guy behind the counter to
help you find a Class 3 receiver and a 2" ball.

 

"Cherokee-Ltd" <nospam@home.com> wrote in message
news:aYGdne8DQrDnKTnfRVn-vw@rogers.com...
> Those that can't achieve the minimum level of stupidity at parts stores
are
> referred to Home Depot.Those surpassing the minimum level of stupidity are
> then fast tracked into management positions.
>
> A few years ago NAPA spent millions of dollars in training. There were
sent
> to training facilities across the continent and you'll probably find that
> they can say "it's not in the computer" with the same level of confidence
as
> in the old days when they'd say "There's nothing in the book".
>
> With that said, I don't expect these people to know everything about every
> part on every vehicle. I just wish they could acknowledge that for
whatever
> reason the part isn't available through them instead of saying that the
part
> you have in your hand doesn't exist at all.
>
> Have you ever had this conversation?
>
> Me: Hi, I need a 2" ball and receiver for a Class 3 hitch.
> NAPA: What year is the vehicle?
> Me: '92 Suburban, like that matters.
> NAPA: Air conditioning?
> Me: Let me go check.
> ...I still wonder if the guy was thinking "what an idiot, he doesn't even
> know if he has air conditioning" while I drove off to another store.
>
> -Brian


I can't help but wonder why you would need the guy behind the counter to
help you find a Class 3 receiver and a 2" ball.

 

"Cherokee-Ltd" <nospam@home.com> wrote in message
news:aYGdne8DQrDnKTnfRVn-vw@rogers.com...
> Those that can't achieve the minimum level of stupidity at parts stores
are
> referred to Home Depot.Those surpassing the minimum level of stupidity are
> then fast tracked into management positions.
>
> A few years ago NAPA spent millions of dollars in training. There were
sent
> to training facilities across the continent and you'll probably find that
> they can say "it's not in the computer" with the same level of confidence
as
> in the old days when they'd say "There's nothing in the book".
>
> With that said, I don't expect these people to know everything about every
> part on every vehicle. I just wish they could acknowledge that for
whatever
> reason the part isn't available through them instead of saying that the
part
> you have in your hand doesn't exist at all.
>
> Have you ever had this conversation?
>
> Me: Hi, I need a 2" ball and receiver for a Class 3 hitch.
> NAPA: What year is the vehicle?
> Me: '92 Suburban, like that matters.
> NAPA: Air conditioning?
> Me: Let me go check.
> ...I still wonder if the guy was thinking "what an idiot, he doesn't even
> know if he has air conditioning" while I drove off to another store.
>
> -Brian


I can't help but wonder why you would need the guy behind the counter to
help you find a Class 3 receiver and a 2" ball.