Whether you regularly get into the zone for know-how or only make a rare visit for a replacement part, your local auto parts store can be either salvation or a hopeless scrapheap for you and other car owners. Even within a major national chain, the state of a store’s stock and working staff can differ vastly from location to location. While you might eventually find a great place, it’s typically after an infuriating trial-and-error process.
What’s your worst auto parts store experience? As someone who used to work in retail, the expertise and enthusiasm of the employees can make or break the visit to a store. Most people just want to walk in, get what they’re looking for and head back out the door. If the shelves aren’t properly stocked, the staff have no idea what you’re talking about or the checkout lines are moving at a snail’s pace, it’s going to be a frustrating experience for everyone. It might make you regret choosing a particular store over somewhere else.
Look both ways before you cross an aisle at an auto parts store
While I don’t have an anecdote to share, there is a story that illustrates how a bad auto parts store experience can extend far beyond incompetent employees or damaged merchandise. In June, someone crashed a Toyota Rav4 straight into an O’Reilly Auto Parts in Kansas City, through the building’s siding and a brick wall. Thankfully, no one was injured, with the driver being taken to the hospital as a precaution. The Kansas City Fire Department had to remove an additional section of the wall to tow the SUV out of the store. According to KCTV, the damage was so significant that the O’Reilly Auto Parts was added to the city’s list of dangerous buildings.
Please share your auto parts store horror stories in the comments section below. Hopefully, your worst store run didn’t include dodging an SUV hurtling through the aisles.