I work part time at an auto parts store to help get me through college and some of the people that walk into my job simply amaze me. The first kind scare me... It's the 10 old people each day that can barely walk, and move really slow that come into the store. It just makes me nervous that someone who can barely move is on the road at the same time I am while on 2 wheels.

The next kind are the people who come in who don't know what they need, let alone what kind of car they are driving. Seriously... you were there to buy the car, why don't you know what kind of car it is? Late one night I had someone call and say they needed this "plastic jug that holds water" . I explain to them it's their overflow tank and we don't carry it, they will have to go to a junkyard or the dealership. They asked for a price, and I told them I don't know, we don't offer the part and don't have a price for it. Why not? Where can I get it? Again, a junkyard or dealership... Whats that? [sm=headbang.gif] this went on for a good 5 minutes.

The next are the self proclaimed mechanics... These are the best. My previous job I worked at a service station helping out and learned quite a lot, but I am by no means a mechanic, but I know a lot more than these people who come in saying they are mechanics. A guy ordered a fuel pump strainer and asked me where it goes. I respond it goes on the bottom of the fuel pump which is more than likely located in the tank. "I know that much, I've been a mechanic for years. Where at in the tank is it" Top, side, bottom?" I wanted to tell him sense he's a mechanic he should be able to find the fuel pump no problem. The next one comes in and wants to do a tune up to one of his customers car that is currently with him. He asks for plugs, cap, and wires so I asked him if he wants the rotor for the distributer as well. He looks me straight in the eyes and asks me "what does that do? Do I need it for the tune up?" I would really love for these people to be working on my truck... I'd feel a lot safer if they did.

Ok, my rant is over... That's just been bothering me for some time now and needed to get it off my chest.

 

Daaaang... these are "mechanics"?! What the heck?!

 

It ain't no better in the IT industry...we also have the self-proclaimed techies. A former commander in the unit I am contracted to work for was a know-it-all, and he did know his stuff...except he was about 6 years behind. The crap he would say was all accurate for the year 2002, and he was consistent across the tech board on this.

 

I deal with the same thing being the Parts manager at a Motorsports shop.

I get the same people that have NO CLUE as to what type or year of motorcycle/quad or jet ski they own then expect me to know every part and the price for it.

As for the do-it-yourselfers there's nothing worse then having the Micro-Fiche open and asking "what part do you need in this picture?" They stare at the screen for a minute then tell me " its the little roundish kinda square thing that connects to that piece where the other thing holds that piece on" [:@]

 

At least you don't have people coming in to pay their bills and they start talking to you in Spanish. Then I have to explain "No Habla Espanol" and then they get all upset and point to the back of the building like "then go get someone". Seriously, that s**t pisses me off to no end. I'm not catering to you, you stubborn-won't-learn-English-bastards. At least make an attempt to speak it, or bring in a translator, but DO NOT EXPECT me to learn Spanish just because I live in New Mexico......which the last time I looked.......was still part of the United States.......who's primary language is ENGLISH.

rant over. I feel better now.

 

GTS i feel ya bro, i am a tech and after these guys leave you (rant#3) they go fix the car, then 2 days later they come to me and want to know what the hell they did wrong, want me to fix it for free of course, and watch me do it so they can learn.

Fox i agree with the english thing,+ infinity.

 

Thats why i dont let anyone but me touch my stuff unless it is way over my head. When i see a person in a mechanics uniform i see the same thing as a clown with its face painted until i get to know them. Honestly, the people that i have found know the most about cars/anything are the ones that dont even work in that field, guy that helped me put the clutch/tranny in my car works at a fast food place lol guy that helped me build my first computer sold paper for a living. I dont yet understand how this world works.

 

Living on Florida we get a lot of spanish speaking people who come into my work as well, and only one employee speaks spanish, and he only works 2 days a week.

Another one I want to add is this one drunk guy who says all of the wheel studs we have sold him (about 10 now) are defective because they break. This guy is installing them himself and is stripping out the threads, somehow he can't get them in straight, then blames a local shop saying he had a professional install them for him. The last time we asked who did it, and he said X shop did it earlier today and they already broke... Said shop was closed that day due to a holliday then his story instantly changed. He comes back in later, brings in a receipt for 2 studs and 2 nuts, while only having the 2 studs he gnarled up himself. I go ahead and give him his money for the two studs (company policy because he had a receipt) and tell him to have a nice day. He starts arguing with me saying he wants the money back for the 2 lug nuts as well... He didn't bring them in, and myself, the manager, assistant manager, and one other have all told him if he doesn't have the product, he won't be getting any money back before... But he refuses to give up and demands that I give him his money for the lug nuts and tells me to go out in the street and find them because they fell off of the defective studs.

 

Mechanics ? Huh - that's why I'd rather battle through doing my own repairs.
At least then when I go to a spares shop I have some idea what I want
(sample in hand)
OMG a water jug thingy - you guys let people like that loose on your roads ?
No wonder AAA makes a fortune !!

 

[sm=icon_rofl.gif] [sm=icon_beat.gif]



Cannot remember who told this already, but there was a lady who was told she needed to put oil in her car...so she pours in a quart, and another, and another, and another, until the whole engine was topped off! lol