Wrong parts

[Hay hay hay]

I am one frustrated old dude today. For the third time this summer I have gotten the wrong parts. So when I try to fix something, usually with rain or a project deadline, the job is stopped for lack of the right parts. The circumstances are all different, and I ask myself, is it my fault? But when I order a part from the distributor and they ship it to me, I expect it to be right. But when I call, they look at the bill and say "Ooops, our bad, we goofed, we will ship the right parts tomorrow"....but does not help my hay that got rained on today????? Or at the store where the seal looked like the right OD! Yes it was the right OD, but the wrong ID. My fault, I should have checked before I left the store, because I knew you were over your head. Or the store that can only find it if you know the make, model and year of the car. But it is not for a car, it is for a trailer axle....we don't stock those....check your computer....OH, yes we do, what was that again?
...an axle seal. What year make and model?.... Never mind.

A few more people that were really competent in their jobs could help America again...that part is not China's or Canada's fault.

Sorry, just a grouchy old guy expecting people to do what they are paid to do.

 

[Billy Shafer]

The only good parts man we had retired. The one that took his place. Couldn't find the part if you put it in his hand. I ordered a fuel pump and he got me a water pump. Then told me that was what I ordered.

 

[optiman]

perhaps one day ill tell you of the story of buyng a shock obsorber and ask the gal if it was gas filled she told me straight faced she did not believe monroe put gasoline in their shocks.

 

[onefarmer]

I got so I look up the parts before I go to the store. Then they look it up and I double check the part#. Used to be an auto store here back in the late 70's early 80's. They would hand out the wrong parts 25% of the time. I learned to look over their shoulder.

 

[GVSII]

(quoted from post at 19:10:42 08/30/18) I am one frustrated old dude today. For the third time this summer I have gotten the wrong parts. So when I try to fix something, usually with rain or a project deadline, the job is stopped for lack of the right parts. The circumstances are all different, and I ask myself, is it my fault? But when I order a part from the distributor and they ship it to me, I expect it to be right. But when I call, they look at the bill and say "Ooops, our bad, we goofed, we will ship the right parts tomorrow"....but does not help my hay that got rained on today????? Or at the store where the seal looked like the right OD! Yes it was the right OD, but the wrong ID. My fault, I should have checked before I left the store, because I knew you were over your head. Or the store that can only find it if you know the make, model and year of the car. But it is not for a car, it is for a trailer axle....we don't stock those....check your computer....OH, yes we do, what was that again?
...an axle seal. What year make and model?.... Never mind.

A few more people that were really competent in their jobs could help America again...that part is not China's or Canada's fault.

Sorry, just a grouchy old guy expecting people to do what they are paid to do.

I have believed for a long time that if the part you ordered is not in stock,they will send you something even though it's wrong.

 

[Elton Fancher]

My sympathies. I did sell used auto parts at in laws scrapyard a few years though, and some folks would call and ask for parts, say for a Buick. I would say what kind? They would say green. Takes a long time for a good parts man to develop, and often the pay ain't there for that long term education, but, like you I get frustrated, just that those years I did it I kind learned what to look for when I go in there. Sometimes I have to guide them through, they don't want to be made to look stupid, but nothing seems to be easy now.

 

[Will Herring]

Wrong parts, defective parts, prematurely failing parts... Cheaply made pot metal garbage... People who act like you have 3 heads when you ask for a part. Or that tell you that that part doesn't exist. Not sure if it has gotten much better or worse, but I order online these days and have been much more pleased with the parts. I barely darken dealer's doorsteps anymore, since they don't stock much themselves other than toys and new chainsaws it seems.

 

[Bob]

I just replaced intake gaskets in a Ford Ranger, thermostat is sealed by a special O-ring, which was leaking and didn't come in the gasket set, thermostat was probably original, so I ordered a new thermostat.

Right or wrong, I tend to get OEM thermostats for the newer, more fussy, electronic stuff.

Ford dealer is 40 miles away, parts guys know me, I called and ordered a thermostat and seal plus a special seal for the EGR line.

Partsman calls me back, says we don't have to order a thermostat seal, as it now subs to a Motorcraft t-stat, and the seal is included.

Parts came in, a friend was going that way, and picked the parts up for me.

Guess what, NO seal in sealed bag with t-stat. Looking up the # online, it DOES come with a seal, well, my $27.22 t-stat is seal-less! and $27 for a freaking thermostat????

Rock Auto shows a Motorad t-stat, with seal, for $3.61. Think I got hosed a little?

 

[IanC]

With all the resources available on the web, the parts counter persons should not have to look up anything. They should just be given the part number for the part you need that you looked up and know is correct because YOU looked it up and can look at the parts catalog, and the machine, just can't be lazy and "let Fred do it". As for getting shipped the wrong part if you are ordering online many times the place SHIPPING you the part is not always the place who SOLD you the part. And it happens even at the manufacturer level. Got a parts shipment in from CNH when I was at the New Holland dealer with the correct part number I'd ordered with MY bin location info etc. and description, and what was in the bag was the drawer divider for a parts tray. The low person on the pole gets their pick list which says to pick one B549 Knutten Valve from bin ABC123 and take it to shipping that is what they are going to do, and probably don't know a Knutten Valve from a Waffle Stomper. And there are countless people who called in wanting a part for their Jubilee, and come to find out that they really had a 640, or 861 or something. If you ask for the wrong part you'll get it every time.

 

[LAA]

Your whining and America bashing gets pretty tiresome, why don't you verify your own parts, order what you need and do it in a timely manner so that your ready to make hay when the sun shines, no one can be expected to compensate for procastinators.

 

[FBH44]

Well there are parts people and there are parts people. I had a long discussion with a Case-IHC parts kid who insisted that fine thread Nylok lock nuts were the same thread size as coarse-thread Nylok lock nuts. I never did win the argument, however he's no longer there.
I went to get a new distributor cap for an H Farmall AT THE NEWLY TOOK-OVER CASE-IH DEALERSHIP and the new parts guy said "Here!" and reached in the drawer and handed me a 6-wire distributor cap. I gave him a long look and couldn't resist, and said a Farmall H was a 4-cylinder. He said "Oh..."
At the same dealer, at the other end of the counter, is the old guy, quiet, knows everything, in the old days could single-hand a Farmall belly pump back up into place all by himself, in the barn yard. I hope he never leaves.

 

[Keith Molden]

I went to our local NAPA 2 months ago for a u joint for my old 55 N.H. hay rake. I had the old one with me. Counter man says they can't even cross reference it. They closed the store a week ago. I wonder why LOL. If they can't look up the part they can't sell it and they won't last long. I then went to the NAPA in Pt. Pleasant WV and they had it in stock, kinda tells the story don't it. Keith

 

[johnlobb]

I worked at an auto parts store in the late '60's and actually had people come and say the following. "Gimme a set of rings for a Buick", and "Gimme a set of plugs for a Ford"...

 

[rrlund]

If I comment it's gonna sound like I'm piling on Deere,but that's exactly what happened to me literally every time I needed a part from them for the last ten years I did business with them,without exception. It got old after the first year or so.

 

[dleefarms]

In response to LAA. First when you have hay down and a bearing goes out in the baler you can't "order in a timely manner". Second, when you have to order parts online (as so many confounded places are requiring now) you can't "verify" the part until you get it shipped wrong. Case in point - I just ordered a 25x20 air filter from Walmart to be sent to my home. When it arrived it was a 20x20 - I don't think that will fit - do you. I double checked my order sheet and it clearly states 25x20. My question to you - how could I verify the item before I received it?

 

[Part Time Pete]

Last weekend I called the local Napa for a power steering line - yep, We've got one, so I headed out to get it (20 miles). Got there and he said, dang, I thought I had one but I don't.
I asked him to check the other closest Napa (20 miles in the opposite direction of home)- yep they have one and put their hands on it. So I went and got it - but my $15 part cost me 80 miles of driving

 

[Texasmark1]

Back in the early days, pre 1975 or so, getting the wrong parts from the local auto parts jobber (before the advent of the big box stores) was a real problem. When you drove junkers to work and had to keep 4 kids in "Rent-a-Wrecks" that meant a lot of auto parts. Can't remember having much of a problem since.

What's really amazing is that I buy a lot of stuff online because I live in the country and the local (25 miles to towns) don't stock a lot of what I want....lumber-fencing excluded. I buy a lot of ebay stuff because of their guarantee policy and merit system where I get courteous service, usually a good price and super fast shipping. Never have to worry about a scammed credit card which is a big plus. Out of some 300 items I bought over the last few years (most to establish my indoor hobbies) I can count on one hand, with fingers left over, the times I've had a problem and it was on used model train equipment and the dispute was ALWAYS in my favor. Can't beat a deal like that.

 

[LAA]

Dleefarms?



Why dont you learn to read, he stated he had parts that were wrong in his possession but did not check because he assumed the parts had been supplied correctly. As to the hay down and a baler bearing goes out, if you ever have baled much hay you would have a few high use parts on hand plus you would also have your machine in top shape before the job starts, and if you really have to rely on that hay or have a lot of input money tied up then you would probably also have a back up baler, maybe you rely on luck but I don't, fertilizer and seed are too expensive to let waste on the field because of slovish stupidity.

 

[caterpillar guy]

For the look them up ahead of time idea. You can't look up parts on line for a Peterbilt truck they will hardly give you the part number over the counter let alone otherwise. Now for the M tractor I was looking at the CaseIH site the other day for it and an M would not come up to look at parts the MD would. Now the engines are different so other than that you could use most of the information interchangeably.
I am fortunate to have a couple of the best parts guys around locally so don't have to much trouble with truck parts and generic parts for most things. They do have a lot of parts in stock also. They are basically a truck parts house so tend to cater to that direction for parts and stock. They both know what you are looking for when you come in. We do have differences on wheel seals. I will only use a Stemco on truck and trailer axles and they don't like when I will not use their other seals if the Stemco is not on hand.

 

[rustyfarmall]

I can remember going to my local NAPA store. Asked for a set of points and condensor for a 1971 Ford truck with a 6 cylinder. Guy behind the counter never even looked in the book. Just walked back and grabbed the correct parts off the shelf.

 

[Destroked 450]

(quoted from post at 07:44:58 08/31/18) Dleefarms?



Why dont you learn to read, he stated he had parts that were wrong in his possession but did not check because he assumed the parts had been supplied correctly. As to the hay down and a baler bearing goes out, if you ever have baled much hay you would have a few high use parts on hand plus you would also have your machine in top shape before the job starts, and if you really have to rely on that hay or have a lot of input money tied up then you would probably also have a back up baler, maybe you rely on luck but I don't, fertilizer and seed are too expensive to let waste on the field because of slovish stupidity.

I keep a few high use parts for my baler but sometimes it's a non high use part that shuts you down. In those cases you need the parts supplier to hand you the correct part. My last baler went 10 years before a bearing failed and it wasn't one I expected to give problems so I didn't have it.
As for the spare baler thing I'm glad you can afford to have a spare setting around, my present baler cost $35000 six years ago, I can't afford to have another $35000 baler setting around waiting for this one to give trouble.

How many spare pieces of equipment do you have setting around in case one breaks.

 

[LAA]

Plenty, I have back ups for tractors, feed grinders, tub grinders, feed carts, grain carts, augers,
hay cutters, you name it I keep it and keep it up, no, none of it is new but its ready to go if
needed. It does not take a new, 35,000 dollar baler for a back up.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

I have a $500 baler so I can afford to have 3 back up balers that cost me $500 to $300 each and 4 more for parts(LOL)

 

[Mike M]

I was working on my truck with a Dana 60 rear end. I would of liked to of gotten a new crush sleeve too. I was up in Akron Oh. so stopped into Summit Racing parts. Parts order counter says we have a rebuild kit for that. I asked does it have the crush sleeve ? They have no idea book doesn't say. So how about grabbing one and lets look at it. Well this place is so big for their britches you can't just look at parts. They say you have to order it and then they will bring it up. Orders have to be paid for up front ! So I order one. Go to next line and await for it to arrive. At least it was vacumed packed on a sheet so I could look at it. No crush sleeve ! So then I now had to go to the returns counter to return it ! What a JOKE ! I wanted to get it done that weekend so I put the old one back in. I had picked up bearings from another source.

 

[jim buford]

In my humble opinion there is no need to call people stupid and can't read. We have all had bad experiences with getting the wrong part, and incomplete set and delayed shipping because someone failed to process the order. I am 80 and it seems to me it has gotten worse over the years. I do think there is less pride today in doing a good job. I worked public work from age 17 to 75 and I have seen work attitudes change and not for the better. I know one thing for sure one surely can't do business today with a handshake like we used to.

 

[SVcummins]

Every time I go into fiat it?s well we don?t have it but it?s in Portland we can get in a week and you pay the freight

 

[LAA]

No where did I call him stupid, the comment about reading is in response to his accusation that I unfairly charged that the man did not look at his own parts when that is what he wrote himself. In my opinion, people should not make accusations if they do not have accurate information.

 

[jim buford]

Well, you did imply he was guilty of slovish stupidity. My point is we can all do better and raise the level of dialogue. I apologize if I misrepresented you.

 

[LAA]

You have nothing to apologize to me for, maybe I was not very clear but the what I meant in the slovish stupidity remark is that is what I would consider myself guilty of if I did not do all I could do to preserve my crop, whatever it might be, by having parts and or back up Equipment. Your comments regarding civility in dialogue are correct and many people would benefit from a reminder to keep it civil and professional from time to time, and I definitely count myself in that group who needs reminding.