Horrible Luck

[chevymotocross]

Started my project today, replacing my radiator and condenser. I bought the radiator at a local shop, but I bought the condenser at Autozone because they were much cheaper. I had to order the condenser. Today, I took out the radiator and condenser, come to find out, the "condenser" I ordered was a radiator for a car! Their warehouse must have screwed it up. Now, I have no choice but to install my new radiator, and when the right condenser actually arrives I will have to remove it, again. Guys, check the parts you order before getting into a big project. I knew I should have!

[hessian18]

Go figure huh

I had this same problem awhile back with some belts LOL

Got all the way home took off the old belts and 1 out of the 2 new ones fit

[old Rusty C10]

thats what happens when you rely on the automotive professionals at autozone.. most of them couldnt find their way out of a paper bag if ya gave em a road map

[xtreme80]

Originally Posted by old Rusty C10

thats what happens when you rely on the automotive professionals at autozone.. most of them couldnt find their way out of a paper bag if ya gave em a road map

Agreed. Napa tends to be much better about hiring more competent employees.

I refuse to go to autozone for anything unless it's just a quick fuse or something along those lines, and that's only because its the closest to my house.

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

Wow thats no good. That sucks that you ended up having to deal with that.

[Dave Kay]

Yep, to me AutoZone is great for oil filters, batteries, bulbs and car air fresheners, otherwise I'll go to NAPA for serious hard-parts.

One thing good I can say about AutoZone is they do have fairly good fix-it-yourself webpages... helped me more than a time or two...

[chevymotocross]

I can't really blame the parts clerk at autozone, since he did actually order me the correct part, it was whoever at the warehouse that mixed up the orders. The part numbers on my receipt and box matched, but the warehouse dude screwed up. Stupid me, I should have actually checked the part before starting the job but I figured if the numbers matched, I would be good. Out of all the parts stores in my area though, Pepboys is by far the absolute worst. It's unbelievable and I hear talk of that company going under. Anyways, the new radiator is in, but I will have to drain the coolant, remove the radiator, top shroud, hoses, to get the condenser in. Atleast, I won't have to remove the lower shroud, and I can leave the hoses on the engine, big deal it still stinks! The condenser was leaking out of a small crack where one of the a/c pipes connect at the condenser. The rest of the condenser looks decent, I probably could have had it repaired but oh well. The reason I believe it cracked, is my radiator support. It's rotting pretty badly and where one of the corners of the condenser sits, rotted out. It probably flexed enough to make a crack. I patched it, doesn't look pretty but it will do. Here are some pics:

[Square84]

i work for autozone and you guys have no idea what we deal with on a daily basis sometimes yes we rely on the computer too much and get the wrong part sometimes we just get bad info from the customer. and MOTOCROSS if you did get bad stuff talk to the guys at autozone and they will prolly give you new antifreeze to refill the rad for the trouble.

[Dave Kay]

Originally Posted by Square84

i work for autozone and you guys have no idea what we deal with on a daily basis sometimes yes we rely on the computer too much and get the wrong part sometimes we just get bad info from the customer. and MOTOCROSS if you did get bad stuff talk to the guys at autozone and they will prolly give you new antifreeze to refill the rad for the trouble.

Sounds fair enough to me and nothing personal against AutoZone employees who try to give the customer their best... buts it's just like any other service-type job; there are ones who don't and that gives the whole company a bad name. I can sympathize with ANY parts-counter person 'cause a lot of times you guys/girls are only as good as your customers input... having said that I think we all can agree that mistakes will be made on both sides of that counter... and I digress.

[Square84]

thanks dave ill agree

[xtreme80]

Originally Posted by Dave Kay

Sounds fair enough to me and nothing personal against AutoZone employees who try to give the customer their best... buts it's just like any other service-type job; there are ones who don't and that gives the whole company a bad name. I can sympathize with ANY parts-counter person 'cause a lot of times you guys/girls are only as good as your customers input... having said that I think we all can agree that mistakes will be made on both sides of that counter... and I digress.

I agree, and Square84, I have no doubt that there are knowledgable people working there, just not the ones around here.

Every autozone I've been to in AZ has nothing but hispanics who barely speak english working there. Most of them wouldn't know a rotor from a valve cover unless you showed them a picture. And if it's not them, it's the 17 year old kid from the local high school who thinks he's a hot shot because he put a cold air intake on his honda.

Any service type job has it's good and it's bad employees, just seems like around here napa only hires the good ones.

[Square84]

we ran into a problem like that at our store the boss told us we needed a spanish speaking employee and said he didnt care who he was or what his qualifacations were as long as he spoke spanish!

[chevymotocross]

Guys, I hit a new snag. Although I patched parts of the radiator support, shown in the pics I posted. I realize the mounts are in horrible shape and the radiator support actually flexes at the mounts, since the rubber pucks are pretty much deteriorated. I forgot to state that the lower fan shroud was cracked and split. During this job, I repaired that, it was cracked and split when I bought the truck, and never had a problem with the fan hitting the shroud. Well now I think I realize why that lower half of the shroud was in that rough shape. I went to test out the new radiator install, went to take a sharp corner, and the fan started hitting the shroud, luckily no damage! The entire radiator support is flexing at the mounts, causing the shroud to hit the fan. Should I risk spending the $90 for new mounts, or should I actually replace the entire radiator support? I believe I can get by, replacing just the mounts, but I'm not too confident on the support, as you can see in my pics. How hard is it to install the support? When the condenser arrives, I will have to remove the radiator anyways. Just a couple bolts and headlights?

[joeymarkgraf]

Originally Posted by xtreme80

Every autozone I've been to in AZ has nothing but hispanics who barely speak english working there. Most of them wouldn't know a rotor from a valve cover unless you showed them a picture. And if it's not them, it's the 17 year old kid from the local high school who thinks he's a hot shot because he put a cold air intake on his honda.

I walked into autozone yesterday, and low and behold, a young hispanic kid asked me what I needed. I said "A freeze plug." He looked at me with a blank stare and then said, "never heard of that part". Then he types it in the computer and spends 15 minutes "in the back" and brings back a box of bolts and washers. (I must also mention that he brought up a picture of it, and I said, THAT ONE and pointed to it) He proceeds to dump it on the counter and goes through each one, checking the part number on each.

After about five minutes of this, I said, "Thanks for looking, but I need it today" and went straight to Knechts. Once I got there, I told the white kid (about the same age) what I needed and he fired back with "brass or steel?". I was thrilled.


<Begin Rant>

I am no racist, but come on. How come this seems to be a trend?

Gonna go out on a limb here and use my super community college business degree skills. If you need employees that speak spanish and english & know parts, why don't they hire the guys that work at the local junk yards? They know their stuff AND speak E/S? I should tell the manager @ autozone... Wait, I don't speak spanish...... Damn.

</End Rant>

[cobb_ben]

Autozone can work for you. Look your part numbers up online before and tell them the part numbers.

[danielwetpaint]

It's all a part of destroying America,,now they say that there are 38 million illegals here.They want to disrupt and displace us as it happens.