Really?

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This guy has been in the local AutoZone lot for three days like this, complete with a Rock auto box of parts.
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Back in my college days(mid 80’s), I worked at Champion Auto. A customer bought an Edelbrock cam kit, intake, Holley carb and headers for his 350 Blazer. Spent all day Saturday installing them in the parking lot. Came in a bunch times during store hours. Finished up in the afternoon and drove away. Lol
 
I've seen this a lot back in the day. Back in the 80's and 90's would go to my local Murray's on the weekend and see at least 5 vehicles being worked on, sometimes with one of the parts counter guys helping them. Guys just trying to get it together to be able to make it to work the next week to put food on the table.
 
If you live in an apartment, what else are you going to do if you don't want to pay a mechanic?
Yep most apartments say any auto work is illegal on the premises, even when you have a garage stall which is ideotic.

I’ve had to make repairs (alternator) in an autozone on a trip and roadside as well


Now for a truly really? Commentary
You lack permission, lol…

 
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Saturday mornings the part store parking lot use to be littered with people changing their oil in the parking lot. Had recycling tank right on site and used oil filter 55 gallon drum.

Haven't done any extreme auto mechanics in a parking lot in years. I did swap a battery in a Costco parking lot a couple years ago though.
 
Saturday mornings the part store parking lot use to be littered with people changing their oil in the parking lot. Had recycling tank right on site and used oil filter 55 gallon drum.

Haven't done any extreme auto mechanics in a parking lot in years. I did swap a battery in a Costco parking lot a couple years ago though.
I had to tear the trunk apart in the aldi parking lot a few months ago on the volt because the passenger ran the radio for an hour and the 10 yr old battery seemed to have had it, got the rear floor and shelf tore apart with the toolkit I left in there for that purpose, got to the secondary battery strap and the socket I had lacked an extension and was too large, thankfully a passer by had jumper cables (a rarity now days)

Restarted the car, drove across the street and had Sam’s club (only place open Sunday) Install a new agm instead of potentially dealing with the failed battery at home, and all was well, I was expecting to walk the battery there but either lucked out or not depending on how you view the wrong socket being in the trunk
 
Probably 20 plus years years ago now, changed a radiator and hoses on my motorhome in a parts store parking lot....but not before camping there 2 nights while waiting for the rad to come in.
Gotta do what we gotta do.

I admire the guy in the photo, I would have taken him a cold beverage.
 
I feel for him, I know I've been in the middle of a job with the vehicle all pulled apart and undrivable only to realize I needed to pick up another part without a way to get there.

His way the parts store is his office lol.
 
Having the courage to be on public display may encourage others to wrench and perhaps help sales at the store too. How many times have you stopped by to help others with assistance, advice and an extra pair of hands. Hard to resist. Assuming many on this great forum feel the same way too!
 
Likely works there
I'm bettin
Did a starter once on our old Caprice in the parking lot of a Woody's BBQ. Wouldn't start, poor as dirt- not towing and had to get it to run

My 440 Plymouth used to EAT starters. I finally started buying them by the case (12 each) and always carried the exact tools that I need with me and two spare starters at all times. It got so that I could change a starter in it in less than ten minutes. The most memorable replacement was the parking lot of the Tanglewood Mall in Roanoke Virginia in the middle of a very heavy rainstorm and in standing water at least 2 inches deep. I looked like a drowned rat before I finished but I got 'er done.

Sometimes you do what you have to do!

But you don't see much of that kind of self reliance today because of cell phones and AAA, etc. Even the EASY availability of credit cards means that most people today could have their car taken to a repair shop and repair it or replace it, even if they had to go into debt to do it. In my younger days, I didn't have a CC and if I didn't have enough good old CASH, then I had to find a way to do the repairs myself. When or where ever they were needed.
 
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I'm bettin


My 440 Plymouth used to EAT starters. I finally started buying them by the case (12 each) and always carried the exact tools that I need with me and two spare starters at all times. It got so that I could change a starter in it in less than ten minutes. The most memorable replacement was the parking lot of the Tanglewood Mall in Roanoke Virginia in the middle of a very heavy rainstorm and in water at least 2 inches deep. I looked like a drowned rat before I finished but I got 'er done.

Sometimes you do what you have to do!
Ha - my 1996 Olds wasn't that bad but I always carried an alternator. Known failure problems - GM couldn't them to last for some reason. Was right on top the engine and 3 bolts - always had one in the trunk, rebuilt would last 6 months, OEM a year maybe, or little more.

It was nice enough to warn you - the ABS light would come on - I presume due to low voltage? At that point you had 10 minutes or so to find a place and swap it, or you wouldn't have enough battery left to restart.
 
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