Auto spares Places - Do they think we are stupid?

[polo_spec_d]

They would have stocked a filter for a commodore.

Unless it was a 12 year old that served you..

Edit: I know for a fact that all the stores i listed stock oil filters for VP commodores.

Or maybe you were a rude customer so they are ****ing you around? Seen it done before heaps. Happens alot.

Nah wasnt rude or anything, Yeah the guy was abit "slow" I had my Polo parked outside and I asked for the K&N filter and oil filter for 92 VP Commodore and he goes, "so you want a K&N filter for that Euro car outside?"

Then he continued to tell me about how they cant stock one off oil filters and parts for a euro car. I had to keep telling him it was for a 92 Vp commodore over and over.

Then he finally listened and said "I thought you wanted it for that VDub, You know thats the car I saw you rock up in and that so I just assumed"

I havent got my money back I put down for the ordered Filters so I Just gave up.

In the mean while I have used one off those Stores above (Repco) and got the oil, oil filter and the K&N filter as soon as I walked in the store

Lesson learnt

[Kai]

was it supercheap or autobarn??

[polo_spec_d]

was it supercheap or autobarn??

It was supercheap

[GTI POLO]

Supercheap and Bursen need a good kick in the face..

I bought a thermostat for the old mans car, just preventative... I changed it over and the car heat up like a kettle... I thought it must have been a faulty thermostat so I went to supercheap and bought the thermostat for the car again... Again it heat up like a kettle.. I compared the thermostat I pulled out of the car with the units both Bursen and Supercheap provided me..

The spring side in the stock thermostat was much longer... It must have been a lower flow thermostat provided by bursen and Supercheap..

I put the stock thermostat back in and the car goes perfect...

Either they dont check the part numbers properly or the items are just no good.. Wasted a whole day wondering why it kept heating up (had to wait for it to cool down each time)

[VW Convert]

Supercheap and Bursen need a good kick in the face..

I bought a thermostat for the old mans car, just preventative... I changed it over and the car heat up like a kettle... I thought it must have been a faulty thermostat so I went to supercheap and bought the thermostat for the car again... Again it heat up like a kettle.. I compared the thermostat I pulled out of the car with the units both Bursen and Supercheap provided me..

The spring side in the stock thermostat was much longer... It must have been a lower flow thermostat provided by bursen and Supercheap..

I put the stock thermostat back in and the car goes perfect...

Either they dont check the part numbers properly or the items are just no good.. Wasted a whole day wondering why it kept heating up (had to wait for it to cool down each time)

I've been in the spare parts business since before many of the people on this forum were were born (truck and bus and now machinery parts) and whilst it is true that some of the companies mentioned set a low standard, I have to say there is another side to the story not only in relation to this post but in relation to the whole thread!

In relation to this thread, did you not compare the replacement part first and notice it was different? Second, if the car overheated when the thermostat was fitted why would you not have taken it back to where you bought it and questioned either the suitability or quality of the part? Third, does it not seem strange that both places gave you the wrong part?

In relation to the topic in general, whilst there are some people who don't have the necessary skills or training to provide the service required, there are many times more customers who:-

1. Don't know what part they require.
2. Don't know what car they want the part for, i.e. Make, model, year and
possibly VIN number.
3. Insist "they are all the same mate", believe me, often they are not.
4. Expect the spare parts salesman to diagnose the fault sight unseen and with only the vaguest description of the symptoms, (not forgetting that we are not mechanics).
5. Expect the (aftermarket) parts supplier to have access to all information that the OE parts supplier has (information which is jealously protected).
6. Treat the salesperson as a moron because he has to ask questions in an attempt to correctly interpret the customers requirements.

Not trying to defend poor service, but don't be too quick to criticise if you've never seen the other side. I could write a book about the ill informed, rude and stupid people that I've had to deal with in my time.

Cheers

George

[Kai]

90% of the time. The customer gives the wrong discription.

[GTI POLO]

I've been in the spare parts business since before many of the people on this forum were were born (truck and bus and now machinery parts) and whilst it is true that some of the companies mentioned set a low standard, I have to say there is another side to the story not only in relation to this post but in relation to the whole thread!

In relation to this thread, did you not compare the replacement part first and notice it was different? Second, if the car overheated when the thermostat was fitted why would you not have taken it back to where you bought it and questioned either the suitability or quality of the part? Third, does it not seem strange that both places gave you the wrong part?

In relation to the topic in general, whilst there are some people who don't have the necessary skills or training to provide the service required, there are many times more customers who:-

1. Don't know what part they require.
2. Don't know what car they want the part for, i.e. Make, model, year and
possibly VIN number.
3. Insist "they are all the same mate", believe me, often they are not.
4. Expect the spare parts salesman to diagnose the fault sight unseen and with only the vaguest description of the symptoms, (not forgetting that we are not mechanics).
5. Expect the (aftermarket) parts supplier to have access to all information that the OE parts supplier has (information which is jealously protected).
6. Treat the salesperson as a moron because he has to ask questions in an attempt to correctly interpret the customers requirements.

Not trying to defend poor service, but don't be too quick to criticise if you've never seen the other side. I could write a book about the ill informed, rude and stupid people that I've had to deal with in my time.

Cheers

George

George, with all due respect...

I told the guy at Bursen the exact car, he looked it up, he gave me the wrong part. Yes I did compare the two units and put the slight visual difference down to different brands etc. As for not knowing which part I require... its a thermostat.. the particular car had the same part number for 10 years or more.

I think anyone on here could interpret what I wanted. A thermostat for a 93 Ford Fairlane V8, 5.0 injected windsor motor. How can you interpret that wrong?

[VW Convert]

George, with all due respect...

I told the guy at Bursen the exact car, he looked it up, he gave me the wrong part.

As I said in my post, I'm not defending poor service and some of the companies mentioned set a low standard. The guys at Supercheap and Burson made the same error, there must be some reason that interpreters at two different stores made the same error. Could it be that there are variations in thermostats on this model or perhaps the information they are working from (probably supplied by the thermostat manufacturer) was wrong?

Yes I did compare the two units and put the slight visual difference down to different brands etc.

The spring side in the stock thermostat was much longer

Which was it?

As for not knowing which part I require... its a thermostat..

Nowhere in my post referring to your situation did I insinuate you did not know which part you required, my comment was in relation to the topic in general not your specific case.

the particular car had the same part number for 10 years or more.

You may well be right in saying the car had the same part number for 10 years, I don't know because I don't have access to that information. If you do then your information is better than Bursons or Supercheap.

I think anyone on here could interpret what I wanted. A thermostat for a 93 Ford Fairlane V8, 5.0 injected windsor motor. How can you interpret that wrong?

Refer point 3 of my previous post.


As I said previously, if the first thermostat you bought caused the car to overheat, why did you not return it and check that it was correct? Might have saved yourself a lot of time and trouble.

Cheers

George



Cheers

George

[Buller_Scott]

As I said in my post, I'm not defending poor service and some of the companies mentioned set a low standard. The guys at Supercheap and Burson made the same error, there must be some reason that interpreters at two different stores made the same error. Could it be that there are variations in thermostats on this model or perhaps the information they are working from (probably supplied by the thermostat manufacturer) was wrong?




Which was it?



Nowhere in my post referring to your situation did I insinuate you did not know which part you required, my comment was in relation to the topic in general not your specific case.





You may well be right in saying the car had the same part number for 10 years, I don't know because I don't have access to that information. If you do then your information is better than Bursons or Supercheap.




Refer point 3 of my previous post.


As I said previously, if the first thermostat you bought caused the car to overheat, why did you not return it and check that it was correct? Might have saved yourself a lot of time and trouble.

Cheers

George



Cheers

George

i went to tulla shopping mall the day i got my wheels from carshine, and asked the HOT little dood behind the counter of repco for some performance parts...

chest puffed, he looked AWESOME>

'whiteline adjustable rear sway for vw polo 9n pls... how much?'

'dunno. we dont deal that brand' (10 mins rummaging around out back later)

all i can say is... " fooly f.. sccchhhwittttttt maight!!!!'

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand im tired......

little mario looked pretty hot in his auto falcon xg/ commodore ju xrzs6 though.........

[Blitzen]

i went to tulla shopping mall the day i got my wheels from carshine, and asked the HOT little dood behind the counter of repco for some performance parts...

chest puffed, he looked AWESOME>

'whiteline adjustable rear sway for vw polo 9n pls... how much?'

'dunno. we dont deal that brand' (10 mins rummaging around out back later)

all i can say is... " fooly fookn sccchhhwittttttt maight!!!!'

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand im tired......

little mario looked pretty hot in his auto falcon xg/ commodore ju xrzs6 though.........

Whoa...ok then....