Auto Parts Store Clerk Talking About Oil

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I was in an auto parts store today and i heard a parts clerk answering a customers question the customer asked what oil and filter for his 2008 Camry the customer said he used synthetic but wanted conventional because he wanted to save money..The clerk said to him in an alarming voice that if he used conventional after using synthetic his engine would seize up and handed him some castrol snthetic 10w30 and a fram filter..I had a hard time controlling myself so i asked the parts guy what causes the engine to seize up using conventional and he said he was suprised that me being in the engine business never heard of this...He explained to me that conventional is watered down and causes a sandpaper like effect on the pistons... I handed him a paper with the B.I.T.O.G. website and told him to go there and read up on his theory and next time i come back i want to discuss this further.. It's people like this that makes life interesting.
 
Lol kinda same thing I did, when im at walmart, saw this old guy searching for fram oil filter he pick up a fram oil filter, I ask him what car, I look it up and give him the motocraft oil filter and take the fram oil filter away from him ^^, I told him from now on using this oil filter for your ford car when ever u come here.
 
HaHa i have the same problem i always talk to someone in the oil isle about oil and filters some listen and some don't
 
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Thats too bad for the guy who got suckered into buying syn. I dont know why anyone would ever listen to some kid working the register at a parts store for any advice. They never know a thing about oil and they dont know how to work on cars. They just work the register and look greasy.
 
Originally Posted By: yaris0128
Thats too bad for the guy who got suckered into buying syn. I dont know why anyone would ever listen to some kid working the register at a parts store for any advice. They never know a thing about oil and they dont know how to work on cars. They just work the register and look greasy.


I'm so sick of everyone on this site bashing auto parts store employees. Some of us on this site work at parts stores and actually give GOOD advice, AND we work on our own cars. (And yes, I'm talking about myself)
 
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Thats too bad for the guy who got suckered into buying syn. I dont know why anyone would ever listen to some kid working the register at a parts store for any advice. They never know a thing about oil and they dont know how to work on cars. They just work the register and look greasy.


I'm so sick of everyone on this site bashing auto parts store employees. Some of us on this site work at parts stores and actually give GOOD advice, AND we work on our own cars. (And yes, I'm talking about myself)

Unfortunately the bogus information/advice passed along tends to stand out more and therefore seems be more note/comment worthy. Contrary to the words "never know a thing", undoubtedly there are good and knowledgable ap store employees too. This one just happened to be uninformed. Wouldn't take it too personally.
cheers3.gif
 
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He explained to me that conventional is watered down and causes a sandpaper like effect on the pistons..


He was confusing conventional oil with SM 20 weight oils... 8)
 
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Originally Posted By: exranger06

I'm so sick of everyone on this site bashing auto parts store employees. Some of us on this site work at parts stores and actually give GOOD advice, AND we work on our own cars. (And yes, I'm talking about myself)
Im sorry its a bit of a stereotype. Ive gotten into it a few times with them and have always made them look like [censored]. They try to tell me some garbage about oil that is obviously wrong and I blast them a question about motor oil they just cant answer. I usually ask something about molybdenum and they never know what it is, and thats never the question. Any oil noob should able to say a word about moly. I really hate seeing them give bad advice or any advice period. Everyone should read their owners manual and use that advice only.
 
Why not go to home depot's garden nursery section and ask what sort of shrubs would do well on your property? Then start arguing about how some plant likes more acidic soil and shade and there's an invasive pest that likes to eat them.

The parts store guy is there to put your money in the register and hand you the boxes the computer says to.
 
Originally Posted By: exranger06
Originally Posted By: yaris0128
Thats too bad for the guy who got suckered into buying syn. I dont know why anyone would ever listen to some kid working the register at a parts store for any advice. They never know a thing about oil and they dont know how to work on cars. They just work the register and look greasy.


I'm so sick of everyone on this site bashing auto parts store employees. Some of us on this site work at parts stores and actually give GOOD advice, AND we work on our own cars. (And yes, I'm talking about myself)



Ive worked at a few when I was hard up for extra cash. It is true that a lot of parts store people, usually the young kids, dont know jack about most things. Having completed "parts training" I can see how it happens when they hire people that dont know anything about cars and get bad training.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
The parts store guy is there to put your money in the register and hand you the boxes the computer says to.
Not always lol. I was surprised when AAP counter guy handed a buddy of mine AAP brand "Universal Dex/merc ATF" for his 94 Honda accord....he said that's what "his computer" said the car called for.....

He did put the fluid in anyways, in a quick pinch....but after doing some research it appears online there was some references that Dex/Merc can be substituted "in an emergency"....lol...never the less, he got the leak fixed, and next time I went up there with him to get the Honda Z1 fluid....luckily, my friend had a ATF leak, so the majority of the Dex/Merc likely leaked out anyways.....
 
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
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He explained to me that conventional is watered down and causes a sandpaper like effect on the pistons..


He was confusing conventional oil with SM 20 weight oils... 8)


And wouldn't that sandpaper effect ruin ALL engines that use conventional and wouldn't the oil companies get sued? DUH.

John
 
Yeah well, people go to bars and ask bartenders for medical advice.

The response usually starts with, "I'm no doctor but...."

Who would have thought that a doctor didn't give up practicing medicine to become a bartender?
 
Good one, Groucho.

About all I have to contribute to this thread is: "Whose house is of glass, must not throw stones at another."
 
Originally Posted By: exranger06

I'm so sick of everyone on this site bashing auto parts store employees. Some of us on this site work at parts stores and actually give GOOD advice, AND we work on our own cars. (And yes, I'm talking about myself)


Based on my experience, you are the exception.
 
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Originally Posted By: tommygunn
Not always lol. I was surprised when AAP counter guy handed a buddy of mine AAP brand "Universal Dex/merc ATF" for his 94 Honda accord....he said that's what "his computer" said the car called for.....

He did put the fluid in anyways, in a quick pinch....but after doing some research it appears online there was some references that Dex/Merc can be substituted "in an emergency"....lol...never the less, he got the leak fixed, and next time I went up there with him to get the Honda Z1 fluid....luckily, my friend had a ATF leak, so the majority of the Dex/Merc likely leaked out anyways.....


Most ATFs now you can pretty much only get at a dealer. Around here, pretty much the only ATFs stocked in parts stores are Dex III/Mercon, Mercon V, Dex VI, and ATF +4. If a car calls for a special dealer-only fluid, the computer will most of the time default to a universal fluid. At my store, it always defaults to Valvoline Maxlife.
 
I've got some very good advice from parts store guys in the past. These guys deal with thousands of parts daily and cant be experts on everything. I agree that his advice wasn't the best and the guy needs to learn more about the benefits of synthetic oil but maybe he was the guy who normal handles brakes and electrical. Either way Castrol synthetic and a Fram filter should keep the Toyota running fine and was probably one of the oil change specials that month.

Anyhow if you are buying your own auto parts you should do your homework in advance and decide what parts you are going to buy. I already have my next 3 oil changes planned out down to the rebates I'm using.
 
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Every single time I go to check out at AZ I am always offered "Lucas Fuel Injector Cleaner" by the female clerk. And I quote "It will give you more miles to the gallon". While purchasing Chevron Techron and Seafoam... -_-
 
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