Take Me To Post Comment Form With the economy being what it is, few of us are racing out to buy brand new cars. If you’re anything like me, you’ll drive what you have – regardless of the fact that it’s only held together by duct tape and prayers. That being said, finding parts for your little jalopy can be trying. I know this because I work in the parts industry and I deal with a lot of people trying, sometimes in vain, to resurrect a long dead vehicle. While it is our mission as retail employees to make you happier than a pig in a poop patch when you leave, we are only human. There are limits to our abilities and knowledge. With that in mind there are some things that you can do to help that parts person help you! Here are some helpful tips to getting the parts you need. 1. It is generally helpful that you know what kind of car you drive. It is extremely difficult to look up a starter or battery for a person when the only description of the vehicle they have is, “It’s blue.” 2. Our computers are not complete databases for every year, make, and model of car. You’re just going to have to search on the internet to find those Model T parts on your own. 3. Don’t wait until it’s raining to see if you need wipers. In fact, why don’t you go check right now? You know, while it’s not raining. Most parts places will offer to install blades for free – so please don’t make us walk into a downpour to put on your blades. Now, we will walk into the rain because we want to help, but we really don’t want to work in the rain any more than you do. 4. Most places are open almost thirteen hours a day. That’s usually plenty of time to get any parts you may need, no matter what your schedule is. Please don’t wait until five minutes before closing to begin your wild goose chase for, “that thing that’s near that other thing by the engine.” 5. Please, please, please, please… come to the store yourself! Don’t send your wife or daughter or grandmother who has absolutely no clue what you need. We try our best to find parts for people but having to parse out the correct clues from the stammering of your go-fer is almost impossible. 6. When you’re calling us for prices, please turn off (or at least walk away from) the television or radio. I need to hear what you’re saying to me, not the latest hit from Lady Gaga. 7. Batteries can only take so much punishment. A tiny, cheap battery will NOT power your enormous Oldsmobile and its accompanying sound system. 8. Parts stores are not services stations. We have a number of services we will render cheerfully and for free, but pulling out each and every individual fuse in your fuse box to find out why something does work isn’t one of them. 9. There are proper names for parts. If you’ve invented your own clever term for something, please have patience with us while we try to figure out what the translation is. It might take awhile for us to realize that “stopping hands” means “brake pads.” We’ll get there… just be patient. 10. Finally, please remember that we are people too. We try to take care of our customers, but we’re not robots or holograms, so please give us the same respect you would give any other human being.