Napa(don't) know how.....

[The Evil Twin]

A couple of months back I needed spark plugs for my B......2 cylinder. Tsc had a 4 pack for 24.00......O'Reilly had them 2.00 each.........that " for life out here" slogan must really up the price. When the kid behind the counter asked for a year make and model it really confused him when a 1951 John deere b wasn't in the system.

They could never seem to find our boat in their system either
Oh, and I did shop around for the plugs. Seems like NGK sets the price. They are the same everywhere.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

3 NAPAs near me, all have DIFFERENT prices for same item........AND if you open an account, price drops by 30% on some items.....

 

[The Evil Twin]

3 NAPAs near me, all have DIFFERENT prices for same item........AND if you open an account, price drops by 30% on some items.....

Data is a huge commodity. I'm betting that when you open an account all of your purchases, online browsing of items on their site, and everything else is compiled and sold. That's how they make up the difference.
A friend and I went to a place to grab lunch and a beer a little while ago. They said we had to download their app for the menu. That ain't happening. So we just ordered a beer. They said the app is also how we pay. Without hesitation, we both got up at the same time and walked across the street to the other restaurant.

 

[Foxrunfarms]

Data is a huge commodity. I'm betting that when you open an account all of your purchases, online browsing of items on their site, and everything else is compiled and sold. That's how they make up the difference.
A friend and I went to a place to grab lunch and a beer a little while ago. They said we had to download their app for the menu. That ain't happening. So we just ordered a beer. They said the app is also how we pay. Without hesitation, we both got up at the same time and walked across the street to the other restaurant.

That's how it's is at our local Applebee's now............the food isn't all that good anymore so need to worry on going there and using their app.

 

[The Evil Twin]

That's how it's is at our local Applebee's now............the food isn't all that good anymore so need to worry on going there and using their app.

Their servers probably still want a 20% tip

 

[Runs With Scissors]

We had a guy who talked like a sailor.

Was that fu@@ing me????

Edit: Guess not, I was a fu@@ing Marine .... Carry on...

 

[Botamon]

As far as cost of batteries, recently read some articles discussing why the price has gone up 50 - 100% in the last few weeks. Lots of reasons, most of them BS. Just had to buy a battery for our Search and Rescue Polaris Ranger. Battery is about half the size of a car battery...cost $173.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Bought 2 for the old 7.tree diesel. $775.

 

[Lil Foot]

O'Reilly's isn't any better:

Went to oreally? auto parts the other day and asked for ATO/ATC fuses in 40amp.
"We don't have those."
" Are you sure, maybe ask someone else?"
"No, we don't have those"
"WHAT don't you have, ATO/ATC fuses, or in 40amp ratings?"
"Niether"
"Oh really?" I reach past him and pick up a pack 40amp ATO/ATC fuses.
"Then what are these?"
"Guess we do have them"
Lord help us all.

 

[fried1765]

Was that fu@@ing me????

Edit: Guess not, I was a fu@@ing Marine .... Carry on...

Once a Marine.....ALWAYS a Marine!

O'Reilly's isn't any better:

Went to oreally? auto parts the other day and asked for ATO/ATC fuses in 40amp.
"We don't have those."
" Are you sure, maybe ask someone else?"
"No, we don't have those"
"WHAT don't you have, ATO/ATC fuses, or in 40amp ratings?"
"Niether"
"Oh really?" I reach past him and pick up a pack 40amp ATO/ATC fuses.
"Then what are these?"
"Guess we do have them"
Lord help us all.

Incompetence is flourishing throughout the USA!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

well someone's smart...
they're eliminating the 'middle' class. by dumming down the youngones, handing out 'free cheese' and lowering all 'standards', there will soon only be the poor and the rich

 

[Runs With Scissors]

All of these automotive places are in basically the "same boat".

1. Lack of qualified people.
2. Stiff competition (price wise) from online retailers that don't have the "brick and mortar" overhead.

The only guy I trusted at our local Oriellys just retired. I worked with him about 35 years ago when it was named "Murrays". Great guy, and he knew his sh!t, because he had a hoist, and was a weekend warrior that had "hands on" experience.

I miss him dearly.

Now the manager is some mouth breathing dolt, that couldn't change the plug on a weed whipper. (but I bet he could kick my a$$ on his Play Station video game thingy.)

Paul

 

[hagrid]

Not quite sure what I.... "fail to realize"?

You think customer should "eat" faulty product?
Isn't that how you think it should work?

I think you may have mis-understood lugbolt.

 

[Yooper]

Working on the SIL ‘62 Cadillac last month. Went into Autozone to get some light bulbs and I see their sign for tool rental. Asked them if they had a dwell meter for rent (I already new the answer) and the deer in headlights look that I got still brings a smile to my face.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Working on the SIL ‘62 Cadillac last month. Went into Autozone to get some light bulbs and I see their sign for tool rental. Asked them if they had a dwell meter for rent (I already new the answer) and the deer in headlights look that I got still brings a smile to my face.

Hahahah .....You should have seen their face when I sent my daughter up there to rent a "Cable stretcher"

 

[lugbolt]

Not quite sure what I.... "fail to realize"?

Parts store owner returns faulty battery (terminal leak) to battery supplier!
Battery supplier provides parts store owner with free replacement!
I did not over tighten terminal/cable........been installing batteries for 50+ years.
Customer gets free replacement.

You think customer should "eat" faulty product?
Is that how you think it should work?

there are many “unknowns” in your original story.

I’ve had this exact thing happen, from both sides of the counter.
As a dealer representative I have found that many people inflate their stories in order to get whatever they want, yes a lot of times there’s some truth to their side. But there’s also some truth to the dealers’ side too that we often fail or refuse to accept. And that was the point of my ramblings. There’s always three sides. Theirs yours and the truth.

in 33 years of doing dealer work I can remember ONE time that the dealer was trying to “get over” on a customer. Almost exactly one month later I left that job. I won’t work for dishonest people.

on batteries they’re sometimes damaged (and not visible) and once they’re signed for after the shipment is received they are “yours”. Shipping companies won’t buy them, manufacturers don’t want to take them back, customers obviously don’t want them and sellers have to pay someone to dispose of them. batteries are ridiculous in that sense. That’s part of why they cost so much. Especially Lithium! Warranty on OTC batteries are little if any and to get any warranty coverage you’ve got to jump through hoops. Polaris is the best in that sense but still a pain. Kawasaki ain’t got much if any warranty on otc batteries, Yamaha similar, Honda similar. Kubota is ok but dealer still has to fill out an hours worth of paperwork to get credited. It’s ridiculous.

To defending any one side or the other because I only know your side. Their side and the truth is what I’m pointing out, nothing more.

 

[fried1765]

there are many “unknowns” in your original story.

I’ve had this exact thing happen, from both sides of the counter.
As a dealer representative I have found that many people inflate their stories in order to get whatever they want, yes a lot of times there’s some truth to their side. But there’s also some truth to the dealers’ side too that we often fail or refuse to accept. And that was the point of my ramblings. There’s always three sides. Theirs yours and the truth.

in 33 years of doing dealer work I can remember ONE time that the dealer was trying to “get over” on a customer. Almost exactly one month later I left that job. I won’t work for dishonest people.

on batteries they’re sometimes damaged (and not visible) and once they’re signed for after the shipment is received they are “yours”. Shipping companies won’t buy them, manufacturers don’t want to take them back, customers obviously don’t want them and sellers have to pay someone to dispose of them. batteries are ridiculous in that sense. That’s part of why they cost so much. Especially Lithium! Warranty on OTC batteries are little if any and to get any warranty coverage you’ve got to jump through hoops. Polaris is the best in that sense but still a pain. Kawasaki ain’t got much if any warranty on otc batteries, Yamaha similar, Honda similar. Kubota is ok but dealer still has to fill out an hours worth of paperwork to get credited. It’s ridiculous.

To defending any one side or the other because I only know your side. Their side and the truth is what I’m pointing out, nothing more.

Here is MY TRUTH!
I installed a new battery (having installed dozens over my lifetime).

Battery had 3 yr warranty.
Post started leaking after 6 months.

What happened to the 3 year warranty.
Is that only a "3 year warranty" for print color fading on the battery case?

Neither the dead battery, nor the next replacement had any similar issue.

WALMART EVERSTART MAXX is the battery to buy!
THEY will stand behind their batteries.

 

[cthomas]

WALMART EVERSTART MAXX is the battery to buy! What a joke, I have warrantied 5 neverstart batteries and then Walmart banned me from batteries getting warrantied. I believe neverstart batteries are just the lowest tier battery made by Johnson Controls.About 10 years ago Johnson got on the how cheap can we build batteries and the warranty claims showed it. Johnson Controls also supplies GM with batteries and I was replacing at least one a day. My 2016 Colorado AGM battery lasted almost 11 months of daily use. The Detroit Free Press reported GM seeks over $28 million to cover costs associated with warranty claims involving Johnson Controls-supplied batteries. GM used the batteries in 2014-2016 model year vehicles. Specifically, some 34 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac models featured the batteries in question.

Before they went out of business the local NAPA store was known as No Automotive Parts Available.

 

[D2Cat]

I am not familiar with the problem you report! I've used a lot of Wal-Mart batteries and never had an extreme early failure or had any difficulty getting a replacement.

 

[lynnmor]

WALMART EVERSTART MAXX is the battery to buy! What a joke, I have warrantied 5 neverstart batteries and then Walmart banned me from batteries getting warrantied. I believe neverstart batteries are just the lowest tier battery made by Johnson Controls.About 10 years ago Johnson got on the how cheap can we build batteries and the warranty claims showed it. Johnson Controls also supplies GM with batteries and I was replacing at least one a day. My 2016 Colorado AGM battery lasted almost 11 months of daily use. The Detroit Free Press reported GM seeks over $28 million to cover costs associated with warranty claims involving Johnson Controls-supplied batteries. GM used the batteries in 2014-2016 model year vehicles. Specifically, some 34 Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac models featured the batteries in question.

Before they went out of business the local NAPA store was known as No Automotive Parts Available.

I had an SUV and a van with the junk Walmart batteries. After destroyed battery trays, much corrosion and destroyed windshield washer pumps I had to give up. Yes, they replaced each leaking battery multiple times but the vehicle damage was on me. I agree on the cheap build and suspect that the Walmart buyers pressured the manufacture for every nickle possible. NEVER, NEVER AGAIN, not even a flashlight battery from this store.