Heard a new one today @ Autozone

[Pu241]

You can ask for "out of date" batteries at most mcparts stores. They don't have the long warranty but are alot cheaper.

I just bought a new out of date battery for my exploder and it was $35

Excellent idea, especially if you get an over sized battery!
I like the 800+ CCA group whatever size.
Because a festiva has such a small demand on a battery this size, they last a long time provided your charging system is OK.
Besides, that warranty is only worth 10 - $20, at most, if your in the last few years of it anyway.
If you saved $50 on the battery then your still ahead of the game!

[blkfordsedan]

I can tell you why he said that... he wanted to sell you a battery!

Actually, I don't think he's that enthusiastic about sales....he suggested I go to Wal-Mart and buy a cheaper one, LOL.

Generally, azone and advance only hire people with 0 real life experience with vehicles, so they can teach them to say things like that..

LOL, I've applied for a part time job there 3 times and never even got a call. I would have thought that someone with a Mechanical Engineering background, 25+ years experience working on cars and 20+ years experience in Industrial Power Transmission distribution, customer service, sales and management would be qualified to sell spark plugs and oil filters on the weekend for $7.00/hr.

He was probably the kid the shop teacher sent to the parts store to pick up blinked fluid and a v-belt for a sparkplug drive. Lol

Funny you should say that...the local High School auto shop teacher used to work there part time. My oldest my brother went in to order a cable adapter kit to attach the TV cable on a Ford AOD transmission to a standard Holley 4Bbl carb. The guy told my brother that he never adjusts the TV cable on Ford AOD transmissions. He just zip-ties the lever in the forward position and "never has any problems". Against my explicit warnings, my brother took his advice and several days later burnt the transmission up.

I went in once to get a new thermostat for my truck and asked for a 180* instead of the factory 195*. The guy helping me said that switching to a lower temp thermostat would not change the temp that the engine runs at, it would just take it longer to warm up.

There are actually a few knowledgeable guys that work there, but
the rest are just accidents waiting to happen.

[PhoenixSHO]

First CCA stands for cold cranking amps.

Colder the engine , more it will take of it , bigger the engine , same deal.

So unless its doing -30 degs , I wouldnt sweat it.

On a side note , the Walcrap Energizers are really good , I had some of those in my 7.3 powerstroke and they are tough.

[blkfordsedan]

As you well know, most who call themselves "Christians" are not!
I have noticed that those not calling attention to their religious affiliation are far more "Christian" than those who make all the noise about being a "Christian"!

Jesus noticed the same thing...........and was crucified because of it.
(Except, obviously, in his time they called themselves righteous and holy)

[twopass]

If you go the WALMART Route be sure to look at the label it has the maker
some of the same batteries come from 2 different factories be sure to buy from
JOHNSON CONTROLS, not from Exide

[boydg1]

.... Everyone is entitled to their own thoughts!
.

As you well know, most who call themselves "Christians" are not!
I have noticed that those not calling attention to their religious affiliation are far more "Christian" than those who make all the noise about being a "Christian"!

[IdealSociety]

The Advance i work at is pretty good with only hiring people who are knowledgeable, sans one young evening kid and a pair of ladies who still do a decent job in my opinion.

I do notice however, that in larger towns this changes to the opposite, with only the RPP (retail parts pro) being car savvy and the 4-5 people working with him being kinda derp. I wasnt even looking for a job when the old manager and some of the crew seen me in often enough that he literally asked if i wanted to work as a commercial sales and driver position. It helps in these positions to have particularly qualified individuals since they are constantly dealing with mechanics who know exactly what they need and have to get their parts everytime they call and as soon as possible.

Probably doesnt help that the Advance starting pay is barely over minimum wage. I got lucky before they changed their new hiring standards (before last year a store manager could get a new employee up to 10$ an hour without having to go to regional managers for approval, i got well over that). Literally across the street at mcdonalds most of the employees make more an hour than in my parts store.

Imo, here in town where i live the Napa is the worst for customer service. Its the reason i even started shopping at advance and got my job. I was a hardcore Napa parts guy (they usually have a great selection of chassis parts) but after i got blown off a couple times by their employees who couldnt find parts for my 68 VW Sqauareback nor even wanted to try to look for them i opted out of Napa indefinitely.

Funny how just a couple bad apples can screw a whole company over for ya, but thats how it is.

[200KGPGTP]

I got a smaller than stock battery at walmart two weeks ago for about $70. It was listed under festiva though.

[200KGPGTP]

Also, a couple of years ago I went into Advance to see if they had any supercharger oil for the Grand Prix.

They(several counter people) proceeded to claim it ran off of the engine oil, and that one was a diesel tech for 5 million years and that he had never seen one with it's own oil, and that I was wrong. They LITERALLY laughed me out of the store.

I swore off them for good, but now my bosses' wife works there and gives me discounts

But yeah, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN #$%^@# OIL!!! Just so you know.

[TominMO]

LOL, I've applied for a part time job there 3 times and never even got a call. I would have thought that someone with a Mechanical Engineering background, 25+ years experience working on cars and 20+ years experience in Industrial Power Transmission distribution, customer service, sales and management would be qualified to sell spark plugs and oil filters on the weekend for $7.00/hr.

It may well be that you didn't get the job because you are over-qualified....they figure you will bail as soon as you find a better job.

[blkfordsedan]

I thought of that...but all I wanted was a part time on evenings, weekends and holidays. When I was in retail management, I would have killed for an applicant like myself. Older and established...no worries about calling in sick or with a hangover, stealing money or product, willing to work the hours no one wants, etc.
I mostly just enjoy retail sales and service and cars are my passion. I figured it would be fun to combine them as a side hobby that would give me some extra Festiva funds.. I would never give up my established career or current job. I probably make more than their regional manager does.

[NTRCOOL]

Funny you should say that...the local High School auto shop teacher used to work there part time. My oldest my brother went in to order a cable adapter kit to attach the TV cable on a Ford AOD transmission to a standard Holley 4Bbl carb. The guy told my brother that he never adjusts the TV cable on Ford AOD transmissions. He just zip-ties the lever in the forward position and "never has any problems". Against my explicit warnings, my brother took his advice and several days later burnt the transmission up.

I went in once to get a new thermostat for my truck and asked for a 180* instead of the factory 195*. The guy helping me said that switching to a lower temp thermostat would not change the temp that the engine runs at, it would just take it longer to warm up.

There are actually a few knowledgeable guys that work there, but
the rest are just accidents waiting to happen.[/QUOTE]

That is always sad to see that you half to fish for the knowledgeable ones and avoid the people that should be home collecting a state check because of missing a few too many IQ points. Luckly at my AZ the guys all work on their own cars and have a decent idea on what goes on past turn the key and put into D.

I filled out applications at the Rochelle Il along time ago when I lived out that way for a few years and got interviewed once but there attitude was geared more to "What year?" "What make?" "What model?" "What engine?" "UHHHH is it break yet?"
One time my dad went for a part for a little 4 banger fox body mustang we had and my dad said to the guy at the counter " I need xpart for a 88 Mustang" and the guy at the counter replied "who makes that?"

[hotfordcat]

Another out of work Tupperware saleman found himself a job!!!

[DriverOne]

I've yet to have a problem with the Advance Auto here. The place hires a lot of college students, so the lot's loaded with all kinds of cars in some kind of mods (many that you CAN'T get from AA) and those students need some way to pay for their food/mods bills while their parents front the cash for Clemson. I actually get a lot of respect walking in, trying to get Festiva parts, because some of the guys at least know about the Shogun or the Mazda background. We talk upgrades all the time.

[IdealSociety]

My festiva and VW Squareback were the reasons i got my job here at Advance lol.

They had troubles finding parts for my cars until i kept recommending they look under different cars for interchangeable parts that i knew would work but dont share part numbers so wont come up in the computers. Eventually they realized i was unemployed and took the opportunnity to hire their only import specialist Everyone in my shop has their own expertise kinda. We have the Ford guy, the dodge redneck, the GM truck guy, the mustang nut and then me... the "if its wierd i probably know about it" guy.

Thats sad they thought it was regular oil 200KGPGTP. Maybe its just because i grew up with a couple guys who were into the GTP scene but even i know offhand they use blower specific oil (thats quite spendy if i remember right).

It may well be that you didn't get the job because you are over-qualified....they figure you will bail as soon as you find a better job.

This is a major possibility. A problem im currently also having as well. I used to work in fabrication as a production lead in 1-off and short run production parts using some rather odd and unique in-house built equipment. Due to the amount of machines i had to learn to use my expertise is extremely wide but i was paid very well to do it. Unfortunately when i was given the option to go salary and work 6 days a week i pushed it off for 2 years until they gave the ultimatum "take the promotion or leave"...

so i left and went back to school. this year i will finish my Mechatronics A.A.S. which extends my abilities in the same field even further to include basically every kind of automation system to component level as well as programming and designing them.

Unfortunately since next year i will be continuing on into electrical engineering, alot of the jobs im looking at are nervous about hiring somebody at an already high requested wage, who over the next 3 years will be looking to get engineering level salary that many are not looking to pay out.

Doest help the job market is still rough, alot of people are in fields they would have normally never been in due to the way things have changed over the last couple years.