Perry 951

Ok.. I just made my last attempt ever in acquiring parts from a dealer. I know there are people less knowledgable than me, but you would think that a parts guy would know parts. Here are how the calls went:

P=Porsche
M=Me


P - Ring Ring: "This is Tony."
M - "Hi Tony, I need 4 wrist pin circlips for an '86 944 turbo."
P - "What?"
M - "4 wrist pin circlips... (5 second pause).. the clips that keep the wrist pins from moving."
P - "Where is that?"
M - "It is what holds the wrist pin in the piston, connected to the rod."
P - "Um.. ok.. what car?"
M - "'86 944 Turbo."
P - "Hang on DUDE."
M - "Good god." (1 minute wait)
P - "Looks like you need to buy the whole piston and pin. You need 4?"
M - "No, I need 4 of the clips, not the entire piston."
P - "Oh.. hang on." (1 minute)
M - "You must be kidding."
P - "I don't got any, but you need 4? Want to order them?"
M - "No, I will find them elsewhere."

Next Dealer

P - Ring Ring. "PARTS!!!
M - (deaf) "Hi , I need 4 wrist pin circlips for an '86 944 turbo."
P - "What is a wrist pin?"
M - "Well.. it's.. I'll get you the part number when I call back."

For the love of god. I thought you needed a good knowledge of cars to work at a parts counter. Not even the specific model, just the basics of a car!!!!!!!!

If someone at Beechmont or Northland Porsche in Cincinnati reads this, PLEASE e-mail me! If you need some management in your parts department, I'd be happy to fill that position, and hire some competent personnel.

Off to call Paragon or Ian and wait for shipping. Should have done that in the 1st place.

pete944

[quote]Off to call Paragon or Ian and wait for shipping. Should have done that in the 1st place. <hr></blockquote>

What WERE you thinking?

rfuerst

I think we take for granted the ability of having common sense!!We gear heads,regardless of our level,seem to have a thought process and a method for what we do when it comes to our cars and we assume most others have this also.When it comes to dealers,we have a good one here in Orlando but I have come across many like you have described,it does not matter whether American,Orient or European,you can find many folks that came from the shallow end of the gene pool.You just shake your head and it makes you realize how good you have it that people like Paragon,Zims,Ians and some others are only a phone call or e-mail away to getting you the right parts at a good price. <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Ski

After all of my work on the car, the way Jason handled the order and the parts, I get all my stuff from him. Good thing is Perry, he has a whole bunch of things on hand or can get them the next day or even have them dropped shipped. Good fortune putting it back together!

ArcticCzar

I just got off the phone with my local dealer trying to buy a 'switchblade' key container and he said that they have inner transponders that are car-specific. They can only be ordered from Germany using a specific v.i.n. So, after visions of Sphinx blowing up Johnny B's Mercedes had left my head, I kindly thanked him and hung up. I'll be buying it somewhere else.

Tabor

This wouldn't happen if you lived 10 minutes from Sunset Imports (me).

Tom R.

Perry,
You just found Craig and AMAF!!

They got jobs working at the porsche dealer!

just a few clowns short of a circus.

My944Turbo

I have gotten to the point that I just look up the part numbers that I need. Write them down on a piece of paper and then I just walk in and hand it to the parts counter. Oh and I write in big black letters, 1987 944 Turbo, at the top. Yet, more than once they have asked me what kind of car...uhm, one you don't really need to know what kind of car it is cause you have the part number, and two well it is right in front of you.
But at least they have always been nice to me, a little slow but nice.

jim968

Well, this solves one mystery... I'd been wondering, you know...

Jim, what happened to our village idiots...
<img src="graemlins/roflmao.gif" border="0" alt="[hiha]" />

tazman

[quote]Originally posted by rfuerst944s:
<strong>I think we take for granted the ability of having common sense!!</strong><hr></blockquote>

DING DING DING We have a winner!

This seems to be something that alot of people lack.

Skip

wutza piston?

GOBOGIE

I work'd at a dealership for about 4 yrs. after high school doing bookeeping. Trust me, just because they (parts guys/mechanics) work at a dealership, this doesn't put them at a higher knowledge level that your other parts store counter guys (except for probably the mechanic of course). I would never take my car (if I owned a Ford/Lincoln/Mercury) to most of the dealerships that I had contacts with when I worked there. It amazed me the low level of workmanship that I witness'd at these dealerships that are charging $70+/hr for labor for so call'd "factory trained" technicians...

A good mechanic is sooooo hard to find and when you do, hold on for dear life!!!

ClassJ

I have had tons of porsche dealer problems in the past.

However I found a dealer in CA that is better than any other so far. First of all he stocks most of the 944 parts while alot of other dealers do not. Second, he is primarily mail order. Third, anything he has to order is at the dealer the very next day 90% of the time. The it is just a matter of how quick you want it shipped. Next day, ground etc.

He is very good with part #s and knows the 944 inside out. Most of the time he rattles off the part number before I can finish my sentance.

I am not saying he does not screw up here or there. But he is at least 80% better than the dealers I used to deal with.

The name of the dealer is Carlson Porsche. They are in CA. The advertise in excelence monthly.

Ask for Mike. He is basicly the most knowlegable guy there.

Carlson porsche
palo alto, ca

Bill

I buy the majority of my parts from Carlson Porsche. They are a 45 minute drive from my house, but worth it. They give me a PCA discount even though I am not a member. Very knowledgable and good service.

Once a year, Carlson has a swap meet and car show. Last year they had 924 GTR, and the fabled 500rwhp milleadge motor car. Spoke to him for a long time, very knowledgable and a great guy. Really cool car.

951Badger

When I bought my '88 951 S I had the local Porsche dealership check the car before I actually paid for it (I'm in AZ the car was in Kentucky).

On the phone with the mechanic, I ask him to make sure it has all the "S" components (M030 suspension, larger brakes, shocks, etc.) to make sure I'm getting the right car. He tells me...are you ready for this?..."

"I'M NOT AWARE THAT THERE IS OR WAS EVER A 944 TURBO "S""!!!!

I calmly explain that in 1988 there were a limited number of "S" 944 Turbos then in 1989 the "S" was dropped but the specs were continued.

"Noooo" he says, "There's no such thing as an "S"".

Needless to say I was a little worried that this guy was in charge of my pre-buy check.

This was at the DEALERSHIP!!!!!

Go figure...