Nothing amazing me anymore!

[1970Moparmann]

I was in need of some Grade 8 bolts last night while I was working, so I called Autozone.  A girl answers, how can I help.  I ask her if they have any grade 8 bolts.  She asks, is that the brand name?  After I explain to her what a grade 8 bolt is, she said she will ask a manager.  She comes back - yep.  I ask her to check if she has 3/8" size bolts, course thread that are 3" long.  5 minutes later, yet.  I drive 10 minutes to the store, they don't have any.....This happens over and over again at this place.  I go to Advance auto 10 minutes down the road, no.  Lee Auto Parts, closed.   O'Reilly don't have them.  I get home over an hour later and my wife asks, did you get what you needed.  No, I need a beer. 

Maybe that is what is needed, an auto parts store that has EVERYTHING.  Have a bar inside, a couple mechanics, and some lanes so people can work on their cars in an inside area. 

Mike

[Ghoste]

They used to have them, but they were all swallowed up by big box style franchised autoparts stores that only stock the really heavy hitters and prefer to hire school kids as much as they can.  The good part is that everything is made in China now so if you do go in there and decide you can't live without that combination flashlight/screwdriver that they have in the bin near the till as that weeks special mega buy, you will rest easy in the knowledge that it was very affordable.

[bobs66440]

I usually go to a hardware store for bolts & stuff like that. They know what you're talking about. AutoZone usually only has no-name hardware pre-packaged hanging on hooks. Napa usually has a decent selection too if you have one nearby.

[FLG]

Got to go to a actual parts store...where the mechanics get their parts.

The one by me is great. They know my cars and I just need to tell em what I need. They mostly know off hands what interchanges (old guys do anyways) and if they don't and its not on the pc they break out the books. Plus I get parts for a nice discount. And last time I asked for grade 8 bolts they just gave em to me 

[1970Moparmann]

I wish I had the money to just get a bunch of common parts and bolts, ect. and keep it on hand.  A friend did this and has everything organized just so.

I was just blowing some steam off earlier....... A couple of beers and all is good.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Believe it or not I think Home Depot / Lowes has those bolts as well

[bobs66440]

Believe it or not I think Home Depot / Lowes has those bolts as well

Ours does. We have a real old fashioned True Value here that has virtually everything imaginable in hardware.

[1970Moparmann]

I found an Ace Hardware that has them . 

Yesterday I went through the same thing with another part........ The cool thing is I stopped by a place called Rock and Roll Automotive, met the owner, and wound up talking cars for an hour with him and 2 others.  Real cool guy, built a 55 Chevy with 1,000 HP... There were two Mopars in the front of the shop, so it was a good day to stop by .  One was 71 Duster with a 340 that the owner just finished restoring, and the other was a Sublime green 72 Chally.  Both owners were great people and hang out at the Rock & Roll Auto once in a while.  That's what it's all about........  The owner of the shop needed some help with computer issues-I fixed it and he thinks I'm a god now.  Nothing like meeting new friends. 

UNFORTUNATELY, the Rock and Roll didn't have what I needed either...... 

[bobs66440]

UNFORTUNATELY, the Rock and Roll didn't have what I needed either...... 

Bummer...but maybe someday they will and now you're in! 

[jeryst]

Maybe that is what is needed, an auto parts store that has EVERYTHING.  Have a bar inside, a couple mechanics, and some lanes so people can work on their cars in an inside area. 

Mike

And if there are women working at the counter, they should be topless - lol.

Hardware stores like True Value, Lowes, etc, have grade 8 bolts.
I never go to auto part stores for that type of thing.

[The70RT]

I usually go to a construction supply store for that. Whites, Salsburys etc. Lots of hardware stores don't have automotive hardware & fittings....just the usual plumbing & household stuff.

[1970Moparmann]

My local Home Depot is a smaller scale footprint, and no dice on the bolts.  The nearest Ace has them, but it's a 20 minute drive... You know the game.........

[RD]

sorry to say, but the hardware sections of autoparts stores should not be your first place to find those "hardware".  they are overpriced and the stores do not make a lot of money of the items.  they are high "shrink" items that the store loses money on.  they are more of a convenience item than a "money" item.  True value hardware stores are the best place, that i have found, to care automotive hardware at a good price.

[Mike DC]

they are high "shrink" items that the store loses money on

It never ceases to amaze me what people will steal. 

Can you imagine actually risking jail over something that stupid & minor?

 

[1970Moparmann]

I've been in the electronic security business for over 13 years now and the average person has no idea what retailers are losing.  In the past I worked with True Value store owners, and it wasn't uncommon for them to be losing 5% of sales to theft.  An average True Value store will do roughly $1,000,000 business a year, and is losing $50,000-that hurts were it counts.... I've seen a lot of family businesses go out of business due to theft......  Think about a big box retailer who may have a shrink level of 2%, but they do $1,000,000 in business a week!!!!! $20k a week in theft I have stories beyond stories!

[chargergirl]

Believe it or not I think Home Depot / Lowes has those bolts as well

Ours does. We have a real old fashioned True Value here that has virtually everything imaginable in hardware.

Halls Hardware in Milton rules...if they don't have it, they will get it, or it just isn't made!

[SFRT]

here in SF we have this amazing place

http://www.hbbolt.com/thumbnail.cfm?mcId=1&cat_select=0&submit_thumb=1

4 blocks from my shop.  they carry everything and I mean everything.

[bull]

This type of ineptitude can work in your favor too. The last time I needed some bolts I went to the nearest Carquest which had no fasteners so they referred me to another Carquest about 20 blocks away which allegedly did. I wasn't too confident that I would find what I needed but I went anyway. When I got there and was showed the bolt bin I was happy to find a bunch of grade 8 bolts mixed in with the grade 5 bolts. So I went through and picked out all the grade 8 stuff I needed and paid grade 5 prices.

[RD]

www.fastenal.com

[bobs66440]

they are high "shrink" items that the store loses money on

It never ceases to amaze me what people will steal. 

Can you imagine actually risking jail over something that stupid & minor?

 

If you are a thief, by definition you are a moron.

[chargergirl]

At a well known drug store they had to put the antitheft devices in the toilet paper rolls so people wouldn't take them in quantity out of the bathrooms. The managers thought it was kids...turned out to be gramma's stealing the stuff. It wasn't like they didn't have the money...they just didn't want to spend it that way. Just like the pilferring of the sweet & lo from restaurants.