Want a good laugh? Auto Zone experience...

[sasilverbullet]

So I'm at Auto Zone yesterday picking up a oil filter wrench.

Found this on the shelf "tried it out" on a WIX XP filter I had to make sure it works, worked great.

Went to pay for it and the guy checking me out said, "You don't want that filter wrench. A couple of people have returned it because it's broke". So I took it out of the package and showed him that it worked fine. He was more adamant, "NO, it only works to take it off! You can't use it to tighten it"!

At this point I didn't know whether to cry or laugh. I just looked him straight in the eye and said, "Changing oil 101, you NEVER use a wrench to tighten a filter, only hand tight"! He looked at me like I was crazy, huffed a little and finally scanned it and let me go on my way.

Here's a pic of what I purchased...

 

[beanoil]

I've had one of those for many years. Simple design, haven't found a filter it would not get off.
Won't put ANY of them on though. Works perfectly, just like designed.
AutoStoners have their own special place in this world.

 

[SatinSilver]

I was getting a jug of Mobil Clean 5000 and guy at AZ said it was synthetic oil. I didn't say a word. Best to keep talk with them to a minimum.

 

[nascarnation]

The guys at my local NAPA are good...really good...50-something yr old guys with 30 years experience.
I've decided it's well worth paying more for parts to tap their advice.

I don't think AutoZone or O'Reilly pays enough to hold on to folks with any real experience or wrenching ability.

 

[2dogs]

I've used that wrench for years on different cars. Simplicity rules! Works fine...

Oh, in forty years of doing oil changes, never used a wrench to tighten. Like you said-Changing oil 101.

 

[silveravant]

I wouldn't say never use a wrench to tighten an oil filter. The filter on my 1980 Rabbit diesel was required to be tightened with a torque wrench. I guess that the filters were vibrating loose causing oil loss and a blown engine.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: silveravant
I wouldn't say never use a wrench to tighten an oil filter. The filter on my 1980 Rabbit diesel was required to be tightened with a torque wrench. I guess that the filters were vibrating loose causing oil loss and a blown engine.


I like to hand tightening them and then give them a 1/4 to a 1/2 turn with a wrench to be safe.

 

[John_K]

If it's broke why are they reselling it at all?

 

[Chris142]

Sounds like a customer returned it after they used it and used an excuse. I must use a wrench on my trucks filter. I cant get it tight enough by hand. Had tbem leak if I dont use a tool.

 

[Mr Nice]

I just would have said thanks, bought item and walked out of store.

 

[NormanBuntz]

Originally Posted By: beanoil
I've had one of those for many years. Simple design, haven't found a filter it would not get off.
Won't put ANY of them on though. Works perfectly, just like designed.
AutoStoners have their own special place in this world.


Autostoners. Priceless.

 

[njohnson]

Originally Posted By: John_K
If it's broke why are they reselling it at all?


I don't think it is broke. I think it is similar to the strap oil filter wrench I have and use, when you turn it in one direction, it clamps and gets tighter. This allows you to grab onto the filter to loosen it. Go the other way and the filter wrench loosens its hold on the filter.

When the AutoZone employee said a couple of customers had returned the wrench, it sounds like they had tried to use the wrench to tighten the brand new filter when they changed the oil, instead of using it to remove the old filter.

 

[BobFout]

Originally Posted By: silveravant
I wouldn't say never use a wrench to tighten an oil filter. The filter on my 1980 Rabbit diesel was required to be tightened with a torque wrench. I guess that the filters were vibrating loose causing oil loss and a blown engine.


Yep, I've torqued the filter housing on my 2003 Jetta. 25 Nm comes to mind.

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

That's the reason I won't set foot in our local AZ. Went there about a week after it opened and there wasn't anyone in that store that knew squat about vehicle repair. I'll bet the help has tuned over five times in the two years they have been upen. Clock watchers more interested in their cell phone and promoting the female in the crew .What a joke. But it's that way almost everyplace one goes today. And of course they all think they are $60,000 a year hands.

 

[HerrStig]

Use Amazon and avoid the droids.

 

[maximus]

Red shirt: $8/hr
Gray Shirt: $10-13/hr

What do you expect?

 

[Mr Nice]

Originally Posted By: maximus
Red shirt: $8/hr
Gray Shirt: $10-13/hr

What do you expect?


Why wears gray work shirts for work ?

 

[Vern_in_IL]

Originally Posted By: maximus
Red shirt: $8/hr
Gray Shirt: $10-13/hr

What do you expect?


You forgot the Red Shirts with ASE on their shoulders.(which I have never seen, but they do have a program)

Quote:
AutoZone pays for their employees to take the ASE certification testing. True enough the company doesnt pay much more for ASE certified people but there are a lot of employees that get their ASE certification paid for by AutoZone and then get real jobs at dealerships and such

 

[maximus]

Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Originally Posted By: maximus
Red shirt: $8/hr
Gray Shirt: $10-13/hr

What do you expect?


Why wears gray work shirts for work ?


Gray is management.

 

[bdcardinal]

They push hard at my work to get us to use them for their commercial side. I really don't use them a lot, but the other back counter guy does. We only use them for used cars or when people bring in competitive make cars. I lost a lot of faith in them when I ordered a part on their online ordering system and they pulled the wrong gasket, 3 times in a row. Each time the manager supposedly signed off.