Things are getting ridiculous

adsm08 said:

This is what I used to tell people when I worked for Advance and they complained that some stuff under $30 was double what RockAuto wanted. I'd always ask "OK, and what is it after shipping?"

When I go shopping for car parts I get the same carts set up at Rock, Advance, and Amazon, get all my discounts in, and see who comes out lowest. Unless I have a lot of struts or unit bearings Advance almost always ties RockAuto, or gets close enough that I'll pay the extra to have it today. Sometimes I have to send it in multiple orders to use multiple rewards coupons, but I'll take an extra two minutes to do it again if it saves me $20. That's like making $600 and hour.

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I got an autovalue literally 1 minute from my house. A napa about 5 minutes.

I used to go to napa untill they started hireing the "Oh you need wipers what size engine do you have?" Crowd. The guys at autovalue are old school and normally know most of what i need (spicially for my 77) without even looking it up.

Advanced around here isnt bad, but its still 20 minutes away, as is autozone and oreiley. Usually if i go to a chain store its oreileys.

9 times out of 10 I go to O'Reilly's. Mainly bc the people there actually know what they are talking about and they are very helpful. Once I had a ball joint I couldn't get out even with the rented ball joint tool, so I took it to them and said their ball joint tool sucks so they gave it a shot. Literally 3 guys, an impact gun and 10-15 minutes later they got it out, tore up the threads in their ball joint tool and sent me out the door with the ball joint separated for nothing. I tried giving them a tip but they said it was fun trying to get it out lol. It is so true that one good experience can get a life time customer. I never used rock auto. I've always used Ebay for a lot of stuff that I don't need that same day. Been using Ebay for 15+ years with no issues and no stolen money, but I try not to buy from china. knock on wood.

Uncle Gump said:

PJ... they probably all thought they were being filmed for the new film... Bad Santa 2

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that's probably the nicest thing anybody will say to me today

from a couple years ago

pjtoledo said:

that's probably the nicest thing anybody will say to me today

from a couple years ago

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That's a really nice first generation Taurus you've got, there. I'm guessing, with the power antenna, that it's an LX?

While I'm here, thank you for your service, sir (I see you're a veteran).

1990RangerinSK said:

That's a really nice first generation Taurus you've got, there. I'm guessing, with the power antenna, that it's an LX?

While I'm here, thank you for your service, sir (I see you're a veteran).

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Looks like a SHO to me.

rusty ol ranger said:

I got an autovalue literally 1 minute from my house. A napa about 5 minutes.

I used to go to napa untill they started hireing the "Oh you need wipers what size engine do you have?" Crowd. The guys at autovalue are old school and normally know most of what i need (spicially for my 77) without even looking it up.

Advanced around here isnt bad, but its still 20 minutes away, as is autozone and oreiley. Usually if i go to a chain store its oreileys.

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I used to prefer Napa to Advance, but the Napa where I am now sucks monkey balls, and I know the guys at the local Advance because I worked there for a while, which means I can twist their arms into giving me a better price. And since I don't buy store brand anything, except maybe a quart of oil to top off between oil changes, or coolant (my B2 uses a lot of coolant), I am getting the same parts as Napa would give me for a better price. Some stuff I still buy at Napa, like air fittings, because they seem to be the only ones who can get the style I use.

AZ is at least 15 minutes away, and the closest O'Reiley that I know of is five hours away, closest AutoValue is seven hours, so I don't really shop there.

As for the wiper blade thing, they are just asking the questions the catalog asks. I know it seems stupid but I have actually run across a few cars (Nissan Sardine Tin is the only one coming to mind right now) where engine size actually does make a difference in wiper blades. It is probably less about the engine and more XYZ package uses ABC blades and only comes with D engine, so it's a quick way to sort that out.

On the Chrysler Cirrus the 2.7L could use one of two different, non-interchangeable, oil filters, and the only determining factor I have been able to figure out is coupe or sedan. So MOPAR literally went out and designed an engine that could use one of two oil filters based on the number of doors the car it came in had. Don't think there aren't other people out there in the design world doing equally dumb stuff.

Its funny you say that about the oil filters.

My wifes 2010 escape (2.5/2wd) has 2 filters listed for the same engine, ones the normal spin on type, the other is a cartridge. Hers has the spin on type.

I used to go to autozone pretty religiously, but the kid got an attitude (big time) with me when i got plugs for my 97 460. Trying to tell me they were factory platniums.

As far as oil my 97 gets motorcraft everything, the 77 usually valvoline and a motorcraft filter. Wifes car gets whatever shit they dump in at the quick lube places.

My local hardware store sells some off brand coolant for 3.75 a jug for 50/50. My 77 is the only one that spits it out (and i cant figure out why), so it gets that.

snoranger said:

Looks like a SHO to me.

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that it 'tis, complete with Yamaha 3.0 V6 and a manual transaxle.

the beard is now about 9",, gets tangled up in power tools



about parts dealers:

Napa, O'reilly, Autozone all within 2 miles. Advance is 2 blocks. I have walked to a couple of them when necessary.

I drive past AZ & Discount to go to O'Reillys. NAPA (Never Any Parts Available) is out of the question.
Me @ parts store: I got an 01 Ford Ranger 3.0 v6. I need a serpentine belt.

Guy at counter, looking good straight at the computer: what year is it?

Me: OH WON.

Guy: 4 or 6 cylinders?

Me: v6 3.0

Guy: 3.0?

Me: yeah

Guy? Fan belt?

Me: going to O'Reillys before he tells me they have it but it's at the warehouse and it'll be here tomorrow or that I can try the other store across town, because "they might have one"

rusty ol ranger said:

Its funny you say that about the oil filters.

My wifes 2010 escape (2.5/2wd) has 2 filters listed for the same engine, ones the normal spin on type, the other is a cartridge. Hers has the spin on type.

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The difference there is gas vs hybrid. The Hybrids got the Mazda version of the engine, and gas got the Ford version, and its still fawking stupid.

I used to go to autozone pretty religiously, but the kid got an attitude (big time) with me when i got plugs for my 97 460. Trying to tell me they were factory platniums.

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Because his system is telling him that. Ford revised all their stuff to recommend the platinums, and now the parts store catalogs show those as the OE replacements. I saw that a lot at Advance. It said "OE plug" for the platinums and I'd be like "Naw, they didn't have platinum plugs when this thing was made".

As far as oil my 97 gets motorcraft everything, the 77 usually valvoline and a motorcraft filter. Wifes car gets whatever shit they dump in at the quick lube places.

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I usually use Castrol in the 4.0s, but I think the truck is gonna get some Penzoil 5W-40 full synthetic next time. I'm not in love with the oil pressure at idle and want to see if 5-40 will bring it up. The Mustang gets Mobil Super 10W-30 because I got 5 gallons for $5 a while back.

The Expedition gets whatever is on sale.

My local hardware store sells some off brand coolant for 3.75 a jug for 50/50. My 77 is the only one that spits it out (and i cant figure out why), so it gets that.

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I know where the problem is, or at least I thought I did, but nothing seems to fix it. It misses the morning after I fill it up, but passes a head gasket test. When I top it off, drive and go park on dry level ground there is always a green spot right under the recovery tank, but replacing the hose and clamping both ends did nothing and I can't find a leak in the tank.

I'm gonna rip the whole front end off soon and I'll throw a spare unit I have that I know doesn't leak in when I put it back together.

Mine randomly blows it out somewhere after the T stat opens, but only sometimes, and only untill it gets low. No its not coming out the overflow, top hose, or T stat. Ive just learned to live with it

rusty ol ranger said:

Mine randomly blows it out somewhere after the T stat opens, but only sometimes, and only untill it gets low. No its not coming out the overflow, top hose, or T stat. Ive just learned to live with it

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Check the freeze plugs. I had one with a "pinhole" that was misting only at temp, and it wasn't until I looked right at it while it was doing it that I found it.

Then during replacing it I found that my "pinhole" was in fact a large hole and a lot of the plug has been rebuilt with a metal epoxy and then painted over.

Having stores deliver isnt new... when I was a kid you could order a pizza and they would stop and get you beer, cigarettes or snacks. Almost every pharmacy in town delivered medicine or basic househould supplies. We also use to get weekly grocery deliveries. And remember milk men?

If anything, things are just going back to the good old days...

pjtoledo said:

that it 'tis, complete with Yamaha 3.0 V6 and a manual transaxle.

the beard is now about 9",, gets tangled up in power tools

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I stand corrected. It looks like you just drove it off the show room floor.

adsm08 said:

Check the freeze plugs. I had one with a "pinhole" that was misting only at temp, and it wasn't until I looked right at it while it was doing it that I found it.

Then during replacing it I found that my "pinhole" was in fact a large hole and a lot of the plug has been rebuilt with a metal epoxy and then painted over.

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I didnt think about the freeze plugs. Ill look into that. The coolant seems to come from the top side of the motor though, shoots forward, hits the fan, then goes everywhere lol.

Its got a lean/bogging condition i was really hopeing was ignition, but it doesnt seem to be so. Im starting to wonder if maybe i got a bad intake gasket.