Is your FLAPS disappearing, ...or generally a waste of time Options

[914werke]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) I remember when there were multiple differing parts suppliers including 1 or 2 thriving hot rod shops. Now its down to 2 or 3 which ALL carry the same thing & are staffed with a revolving barrel of monkeys. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif)
The interweb & Amazon have killed your corner auto parts store.
I had a Worldpac account until even Redline weber started limiting the ACVW stuff they carried. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hissyfit.gif)

[GregAmy]

I'll go there is it's very time-sensitive and ONLY with the exact part number on a sticky note. I have a NAPA storefront on a regional warehouse 5 miles away.

But the days of trying to figure things out with a sharp counterperson are long, long gone.

[Front yard mechanic]

Went to Napa the other day at their distribution center. The counter help told me to try orilerys or auto zone ! For a 02 Chevy part. Drove to the dealer and picked it up. DUH (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sheeplove.gif)

[Justinp71]

We have a Napa / Riebes by me best parts in the area. They actually carry premium parts over regular napa stores. Of course this really just applies to newer cars, mostly not german stuff.

[StarBear]

FLAPS good for routine supplies but not parts. The other local shop here discourages retail trade - only wants the commercial accounts. Otherwise, the standard 914 sites and the inter web. Local garage handles my other car.

[Bullethead]

But Rock Auto has all the parts you'll ever need!

[FlacaProductions]

I try. I really do.
My 914 lives in a small, midwestern town. I often try to get things at one of the 3 local auto parts stores: napa, Advance and O'reilly's - but almost every time I do, I find I can get it quicker and usually cheaper online.

The last time was going in to get a new trickle charger. Desk jockey didn't know what i meant. "Battery Maintainer" seemed to jar something loose....but I paid much more than if I had ordered it. I honestly bought it there out of pity for the place...

[mepstein]

In a lot of cases, it doesn’t make sense to stock rarely sold parts in expensive store front real estate. You’re also not going to find qualified help at low wages so it makes sense to sell good margin parts that turn over often and that employees can sell without training.

[emerygt350]

I had some good help from the guys at Napa recently when I made my copper oil pressure line, but seriously... They can't even help me with my 80s mustang on a good day. 914rubber, autoAtlanta, lmr, for old cars you need to go to the specialists. For my explorer? Yeah, whatever... Flaps, Amazon, whatever works. Although flaps do have a selection of wiring stuff that since RadioShack pooped the bed you can't find elsewhere.

[914Sixer]

FLAPS counter help in town is turning into a joke. Tried several places looking for 914 13" wiper blades. NO stock, including Walmart.

[bkrantz]

Within 100 miles I can go to NAPA (sometimes successful), O'Reilly (for consumables), and Autozone (usually my last resort). Plus most major brand dealerships and tire stores.

[sixnotfour]

Even wholesale suplliers are , lacking ,, I used to buy 200 Valve Guides at a time . Now lucky to get 12...

[Mikey914]

Well, if you are having a hard time finding parts I'll do my best to make sure we have them. We have started stocking many parts we don't make too. Just makes sense that if you need a set of wheel bearings we have them. Hope that helps, but yes I feel your frustration. Thought it was just me getting older.

On another note now that I have my lift in we will start taking apart a few cars that we can harvest parts off of, supposedly every other Friday for a few hours. This way the girls and Scott can see where our parts actually go onto the cars and get a better feel of how they should fit. Call it team building, or just having some fun, but it should be time well spent.

[Superhawk996]

I’m going to start with a premise that Advance Auto, O’Rileys, AutoZone, and the chain stores are not really FLAPS. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif)

FLAPS is the crusty local place that has an automotive machine shop in the back and a counter staffed by men who actually know the difference between a Weber and a Holly carb and have actually rebuilt a carb a time or ten. They should actually know what decking a head or resizing rods means and have the equipment and someone in house that can do it!

The counter staff should know the difference between a crankshaft and a camshaft. Ideally they might even have a dusty old Edelbrock box or two still hanging around from the 80s waiting for someone rebuilding a small block.

When I’m heading toward where the oil and filters are, the first question shouldn’t be what year, make, and model. There should be a greasy, dirty, dog eared paper catalogs near said filters that I can look up what filter fits what. Of course, that cross reference book is only needed when I don’t already know which filter I need by memory like when I buy a “new” used 30 year old car I’ve never changed the oil on before.

When I want transmission oil cooler hose - they should not bring me fuel hose or heater hose. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif) I shouldn’t have to explain to them what the difference is and why it matters.

So by my definition, FLAPS are almost extinct. There are a few still around but they are becoming increasingly hard to find. Sometimes I still find an old school NAPA that is OK but increasingly they too are staffed by people that clearly don’t know a Porsche from a Pontiac.

Signed - grumpy old man who avoids the chain auto parts stores like the plague. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[930cabman]

I’m going to start with a premise that Advance Auto, O’Rileys, AutoZone, and the chain stores are not really FLAPS. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif)

FLAPS is the crusty local place that has an automotive machine shop in the back and a counter staffed by men who actually know the difference between a Weber and a Holly carb and have actually rebuilt a carb a time or ten. They should actually know what decking a head or resizing rods means and have the equipment and someone in house that can do it!

The counter staff should know the difference between a crankshaft and a camshaft. Ideally they might even have a dusty old Edelbrock box or two still hanging around from the 80s waiting for someone rebuilding a small block.

When I’m heading toward where the oil and filters are, the first question shouldn’t be what year, make, and model. There should be a greasy, dirty, dog eared paper catalogs near said filters that I can look up what filter fits what. Of course, that cross reference book is only needed when I don’t already know which filter I need by memory like when I buy a “new” used 30 year old car I’ve never changed the oil on before.

When I want transmission oil cooler hose - they should not bring me fuel hose or heater hose. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif) I shouldn’t have to explain to them what the difference is and why it matters.

So by my definition, FLAPS are almost extinct. There are a few still around but they are becoming increasingly hard to find. Sometimes I still find an old school NAPA that is OK but increasingly they too are staffed by people that clearly don’t know a Porsche from a Pontiac.

Signed - grumpy old man who avoids the chain auto parts stores like the plague. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Same with hardware stores, basically a thing of the past.

My local NAPA is decent, at least the counter is not manned with younger kids who have no clue

Another grumpy old guy

[Geezer914]

Finding parts at a local NAPA or AutoZone is like rolling the dice. My go to parts sources are Rock Auto or Pelican. You need to deal with vendors that cator to our cars.

[ClayPerrine]

I’m going to start with a premise that Advance Auto, O’Rileys, AutoZone, and the chain stores are not really FLAPS. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif)

FLAPS is the crusty local place that has an automotive machine shop in the back and a counter staffed by men who actually know the difference between a Weber and a Holly carb and have actually rebuilt a carb a time or ten. They should actually know what decking a head or resizing rods means and have the equipment and someone in house that can do it!

The counter staff should know the difference between a crankshaft and a camshaft. Ideally they might even have a dusty old Edelbrock box or two still hanging around from the 80s waiting for someone rebuilding a small block.

When I’m heading toward where the oil and filters are, the first question shouldn’t be what year, make, and model. There should be a greasy, dirty, dog eared paper catalogs near said filters that I can look up what filter fits what. Of course, that cross reference book is only needed when I don’t already know which filter I need by memory like when I buy a “new” used 30 year old car I’ve never changed the oil on before.

When I want transmission oil cooler hose - they should not bring me fuel hose or heater hose. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif) I shouldn’t have to explain to them what the difference is and why it matters.

So by my definition, FLAPS are almost extinct. There are a few still around but they are becoming increasingly hard to find. Sometimes I still find an old school NAPA that is OK but increasingly they too are staffed by people that clearly don’t know a Porsche from a Pontiac.

Signed - grumpy old man who avoids the chain auto parts stores like the plague. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Same with hardware stores, basically a thing of the past.

My local NAPA is decent, at least the counter is not manned with younger kids who have no clue

Another grumpy old guy

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

There is an O'Reilly around the corner from me. I buy oil, carb cleaner, batteries, bulk vacuum hose and stuff like that when I am there. I don't even try to find 914 parts there. They are OK when it comes to parts for the 06 GMC Envoy, but even parts for my old Jeep pickup are questionable. They used to have a bunch of guys there that knew something about cars. They are gone and the counter people there are a bunch of kids that only know what the computer says.

For anything complex, I either go to Zims, order from one of our suppliers on here like AA, 914Rubber, PMB, Tangerine, BDStone and others. Or I go to the internet and use PET to get the Porsche part number, then I do a search for it and buy it online.

Another grumpy old guy.

[campbellcj]

Samey samey here - for years I've only bought stuff like motor oil, batteries and cleaning supplies locally, and everything else comes from online/mailorder suppliers...

[VaccaRabite]

You gotta know the limits. The local places are good for modern cars and SOME classic Detroit muscle.

The last place near me that was good (Broadway Auto) closed up during COVID in 2020. That SUCKED. Their machine shop was great, and inexpensive. The desk staff knew left from right.

Zach

[jd74914]

It's not just auto parts though. The same issue exists with ag and construction machinery. Even a decade ago it was pretty usual to walk into a Deere/Cat/Case dealer and get good advice from the parts counter. I've not experienced that so much lately. And machinery is a bit tough since some types can change a lot in a low serial number span due to the small production numbers.