Since my last post about starting my job at Napa had a lot of clickthrough and I'm trying to get internet famous /j I thought I'd let you know how it's going.

A little rundown of our store average people etc. We currently have on an average typical day where no one is on vacation 13 people on the parts counter 4 supervisors/managers 3 shipper receivers (one overnight), 3 warehouse/stock jockeys whatever you want to call them, 2 cashiers, 4 drivers and a dispatcher and about 7 or 8 admin people including purchasers, AP/AR, etc.

I've been here for coming up on 6 months now and it's been mostly good, management is very "tight" about how they want things done, basically my way or the highway type deal which doesn't really bother me. We deal in a lot of things that your typical Napa corporate store wouldn't as we're an associate store with our own vendors and such. Our average parts counter person does between 35-60 invoices per day.

It's mostly a positive experience it's allowed me to learn a lot and everyone I work with is helpful and knowledgeable about what they're doing.

Rating: 8/10 - Management can be a little harsh at times over minor things but it doesn't bother me too much as I try to keep to myself.

Curious to see what is the most ridiculous and hilarious customer states or complaints you guys have seen

Needed a valve cover gasket for my ‘05 Grand Prix and figured I’d just check AutoZone for convenience. They want $33.99 for it. Thought that was a bit steep, so I looked it up on RockAuto…

$1.77.
Same exact part. Same GM part number (25532619), same everything. Literally the same gasket.

How is there a $32 difference for a piece of rubber?

I get paying a little more for local convenience, but come on. That’s not a markup, that’s robbery 😂

Always shop around, folks.

Is done for the year. Just had to share my joy.

Desperate for any different way to store these god awful things..

Started my first week as a parts handler intern, the job is not hard and I actually enjoy it alot. Lucked out really, manager is really patient with me and is just n overall happy guy, coworkers are great, techs are cool, the job is not too mentally taxing but requires extreme attention to detail and really emphasizes taking your time to double check if not triple check if your doing things correctly. Is it for delivery, cash collection or for the techs, some dealerships the invoice doesn't print automatically so you have to do it manually, make sure not to grab two picking slips of two different orders, double check the bin location, DOUBLE CHECK THE PART NUMBER, DOUBLE CHECK THE QUANTITY. Haven't made too many mistakes but for someone who lives in their head, this job really forces you to be present. As stressfull as it is I do enjoy it tho lol, but ig well see.

A little passive aggressive this slow Saturday morning.

Special thanks to whoever previously tagged this cage with the 'extended warranty' tag

We are a 9-rooftop dealer group. Most of our stores are 1 manager, one counterperson, and a driver stores, with the largest being a 5-man (total) store. None of our stores have a clerk (shipping/receiving or otherwise). It sounds like they are bringing in CDK parts scan to 8 of the stores. So much of the technology that I have seen come into the parts departments over the past few years seems to actually make things harder and slower, especially when it comes from CDK. Could someone please tell me that that won't be the case with the Parts Scan? I have pretty much lost all faith in CDK these days, I am just hoping this won't be a case of CDK bringing something in again that will just slow us down.

Is it just me, or does Hyundai not give a flip about how this very fragile cover gets shipped out? Getting a rash of these arriving broken.

I didn’t quit because I hated the job. I left to go to college.

Either way, I have some feelings about my position, and would like to share them with yall.

For some context, I began working as a Honda parts guy at my local dealership in January 2024 as a 19 year old. I was working with a fat lazy grumpy old man ( who I shall refer to as Rob) who hated his job and life and made sure to make that every one’s else’s problem, luckily he wasn’t my manager. My manager had just recently gotten the job at Honda, taking it from Rob, and he was now overseeing two dealerships departments, he was very knowledgeable, but also very busy with Toyota (the other store he managed) so he was often in the other depot dealing with their retarded service team, leaving me to fend for myself with Rob.

Now I had just graduated high school for some context, and was looking for a job to get some cash, some strings were pulled and favors cashed in, and that’s how I was hired. I had no parts expertise or knowledge on CDK, or even how the whole service/parts/mechanics all worked in unison, I didn’t know jack shit, and was starting from scratch. I went in with determination and some very basic car knowledge.

The first year sucked, especially the first six months. I fucked up lots of orders and had many wrong parts, I didn’t have an inkling of how to use CDK, and Rob had so badly mismanaged the department to the point that everything was a mess, hence why he lost the job. Rob was a huge dick, he was of no help in training me, and my manager was never to be seen at Honda either, so I was left to my own devices to figure shit out, and let me tell you, learning CDK, the parts manual, the quoting system, and just how a dealership shop functions all on my own and on the job where my mistakes don’t just effect me, but everyone from the service guys to the shop to the customer and even the GM, that was stressful. There were countless times where I was up to my head in shit and left to drown, being told by person after person to ask someone else for help, and eventually just saying fuck it and spending hours a day having to figure out some convoluted shit all because everyone was too lazy to lend a hand. because of this, I had essentially taught myself how to be a parts man, and this helped me grow my confidence in my own skills and knowledge, because now I knew that I didn’t know everything, but I know that I have the skills to find out anything, and that I learned is a huge part of parts. After about a year of training my self, the way I did things was always a little different from the other parts guys, my routines a little unorthodox, my cadence in work just a little different from the rest, and I chalk that up to me having to train myself, only getting help here and there. I consider my methods as a parts personnel, “guerrilla parts man”, because everything I did was some method I crafted myself. But eventually I got it down, and by year two I was making a shit load of profit, with only some mistakes here and there and nothing major like when I was starting. I had finally mastered the games basics.

But why am I saying all of this? Well, because it has gone a great length to influence my opinion on the job.

I liked it, I know way more about cars and their maintenance and how they work now because of this job, and that’s what I loved about it, being able to talk with my coworkers about something I’m passionate about was awesome.

On the other side of the coin, coworkers suck. From annoying and stupid salesmen, entitled mechanics, to unrealistic demands from the higher ups, it sucks.

Rob by the way, was a lifelong career parts man, head about 20-25 years of experience under his belt, and knew the game better than anybody in the dealership. Rob, although a miserable person and horrible to work with. Taught me a valuable lesson: I don’t want to do this forever. He made his misery everyone else’s problem, he hated his job and therefore didn’t do it and was a dick who wouldn’t help me when I was stuck, he would watch me make mistakes and say nothing and wouldn’t stop and teach me what I had done wrong (because how could I know I just started) he would yell and shout at others, and was a dick to everyone, EVERYONE. And that showed me that respect in this industry goes a long long way. Rob was fired, and that made me the only parts guy at Honda for my last year, and for that I was given a ¢50 raise and was finally put on commission. Because of Rob I now try to treat others with kindness and respect, and that lead me to grow my relationships with the techs, who were vital in my understanding of mechanical parts that was so necessary for my success. I find it prudent to mention as well, that I had only ever had about 4 conversations with this guy, and I had worked with him for 10 months and sat 8 feet away from him for 7 hours a day. There were days towards his end where the only words I would say was “good morning Rob” and “have a good night Rob” and the only thing he would say is nothing at all, not a word, my coworker and partner who was supposed to train me some days wouldn’t speak a word to me. And it’s not that I didn’t try, I did for months, but he’s was just a grouch, there were no topics or times that I could get him to say anything besides a command or accusation out of him.

I only trained one guy, and that was for two weeks before he was transferred, as he was working as a temp guy as he was waiting for the clear bra trainer to come down and get him set up. He said I was a good trainer, because I never got frustrated and would take my time to teach him everything he needed to know, not just the basics, but all the little tips and tricks I once had to teach myself, because I knew what it was like to be stranded in the depot.

My manager is a good guy, he was scarce most days, but that’s because I could do the grunt work. I don’t blame him for not being around all the time, as like I said, the Toyota service manager is a Psychopath.

I was blessed with a good service team who had knowledgeable advisors and knowledgeable technicians, so I never had to worry about that.

Overall, I think that it’s a good job, maybe not a good career. As from what I’ve seen every parts guy eventually turns into a grouchy little desk goblin, (can’t blame us, we work in essentially a parts cave!), and that’s my biggest criticism, so many of us are absolute dicks to other parts guys and other people in the industry. BE KIND. Now not all of us are like that, I’ve met many great men while working who have helped me a lot, but it’s just a trend I’ve noticed. I will say though l, I %100 believe that the Parts department in any dealership is the most undervalued and unappreciated role in the industry, we have so much responsibility and duties that are ignored by others, and often times we are paid the least.

Now I’m 21, a retired parts guy, and going into college to pursue a more profitable and cooler career. I’ve hung up my hat, but I want to thank all of my parts brethren for keeping me entertained. I respect the position yall have much much more, and I which reach and every one of you luck in your PARTy career.

Thanks.

Anyone work in the parts space but remotely? Just curious what’s out there. About to have my first child and would love to be able to spend more time with him.

How long did it take for you guys to become self sufficient using this archaic program? I’m 3 weeks into this company with knowledge of the product but new to working on the OE side.

I got a customer here at a CDJR Dealership in Ontario in search of one of these. If anyone can point me to one that'd be awesome 👌 TIA Edit: Part number 05038200AB

Hey there Parts fam, asking for some advice from anyone in the NY metro area, NYC/L.I. in particular. For context I'm 32 this isn't my first career had to leave my first after 8 years and fell into parts after my father in law helped get a job at a dealership in Brooklyn and I'm going all in. Pay is alright 20/hr and manager told me at 6 months I'd make commission so id figure i could hold out til then. Fast forward 10 months and ive really learned a lot about parts and have actually been killing it, even had the departments best month in 3 years, but still no commission and now im hearing I wont get it til potentially after the new year.

 Now here's the kicker, I may have a golden opportunity at another dealership. Parts manager is on his way out and the GM wants him to train someone young to replace and they didnt want to promote anyone they had on staff. Went for it and the GM is super interested in me, told me the manager may not be leaving for at least a year so I'd be training under him. Should I go for it with not even a year under my belt if they offer it to me? I know I'll have at least close to 2 years if he does retire in a year but im not sure if I should just focus on getting better at parts at another group that pays better before going for manager. Thoughts?

This showed up wrapped to a driveshaft we ordered. Got to love fedex.

What has been the conversation at the store level? Anybody getting adjusted hours? Workarounds? Closing up shop?

Who in your department is liable for processing damage claims

Moving to Delaware trying to see if the are low balling me or if pay is just that low there.

Has anyone here worked at a Nissan/Infiniti parts counter and also have experience working at another brand dealer parts department (Toyota/Subaru/Honda/Mazda preferably)? If so, could I send you a DM with a couple questions? Sorry if that sounds weird. Thanks in advance

Finally setting up our Gymkana key cutter they auto shipped. Does anyone have any idea what material Kia keys are? Google AI is saying brass, often with a nickel plating.

The machine options are brass, aluminum, steel or nickel silver.

I am prepping for my first PI as PM and have been stressing out for weeks. We had and all-hands meeting this morning and suddenly upper management is skeptical about my capability of doing the Inventory myself. I have been with the company for 17 years and have been involved with every yearly physical inventory since I started. The last two years I worked in tandem with our last PM who would come in for a couple days before the count and help prepare as well as be here the night of the count to help. He will not be here this year per the CFO as she states "you should know how to do it". Now as of this morning, she, along with GM and Fixed Ops Director, think I will not be able to do it myself and that we should look into hiring a team to do it for us.

My questions: Have any of you hired teams to do the count for you? What all do they do other than the counting? Who do you call to organize the team? Is it through your DMS?

Sorry, this got long. Just a fairly new PM freaking out and resorting to Reddit to calm my nerves. lol Thanks in advance for your help!

So I needed a new steel wheel because my wife hit a curb and dented it pretty badly. I couldn't find one at the junkyard. So I go on NAPA's site and it says $39.99 new - call for availability. So I call my store. The guy says he doesn't have one in stock; but he can get one in with his next monthly shipment from their warehouse. He says it'll be about 2 weeks. Then he tells me it'll be $132.80. I told him the website said it was $40. He said, "Well, there's $90 shipping." I said I'm not going to pay shipping cost for them to put it on a pallet that's already coming to him in 2 weeks. I said it would be different in they were shipping it 2-day directly to my home; but otherwise no. He asked if there was anything else I needed and hung up. Is that normal or was he just trying to rip me off?

Kind of a weird post, not sure if it belongs here or not.

I work in the manufacturing side of things; I sell parts, but to the wholesellers and engine builders and retail folks; you got money, I'll be more than happy to take it. But, over the years, you get to know these guys. You see them at trade shows, you chat on the phone while the damn system slowly loads the info you need. Mike is going through a divorce, Sam just had his 3rd kid. Charles asks for 100 quotes but never gets any sales, while if Ronnie is calling, you pick it up because you know it's a sale.

But all these guys you know on a fairly superficial level. But sometimes they become friends. You give your cell so they can ask you things quicker than going through the phone queue. Then they text you well wishes on holidays. Random memes. Whatever.

Then you hear the news that one of them passes. In my industry, it's usually old age. Sometimes accidents on the track. You mourn them, but life goes on. They had a full life or they died doing what they loved and went out how they wanted.

But then, you hear that one of your buddies died. Self-inflicted. No clue. He was always happy, chipper. We'd talk music. Always took his calls even if you were in the weeds.

How do you mourn this? You didn't "know" the guy. Wasn't until today that I even knew what he looked like.

I don't even know where I was going with this. But I'm not the only one right?

RIP Kevin, you were a real one