Chevy Dealer Parts Dept

[abbey castro]

Went to the local Chevy Dealer here in my area to buy the ACDelco Posi traction Additive for my Vette. I called and gave the guy the PN and he looked it up that way. When I got there he had it on the counter. Since I was already there I asked him for the 75W-90 Gear oil and he asked me for the vehicle's last four of the VIN Number. I asked him how the last 4 of the VIN Identify what parts correspond to a car. He pointed at a sign that said they didn't sell parts unless they had the a VIN #! I said that I would only take the posi additive, he then asked me for my name and phone # and I said that I don't provide that info at any store. Paid cash and left. Another parts department that not only lacks basic knowledge of anything automotive but also lack the willpower to look up parts or basic oil! The local GMC dealer is the opposite. I went there to buy a part for 2006 GTO and the guy flipped the screen so I could see and he looked at a bunch of screens while I watched until he found the part and I confirmed that is what I needed.
What has been your experience with parts departments?

 

[86LK]

not surprised. I work weekends at an auto store and the stupid computer systems are setup so that you almost can't find anything w/o knowing year/make/model. and in the case of Chevrolet, their parts system seems to be setup by corporate so that last 4 of vin are needed to look up parts for any car model. to be fair, I've seen a lot of legitimate notes when looking up stuff that are true.
-manufacturer has installed multiple different batteries in vehicle during build year, need to verify battery installed
-part has changed after certain production date, and it's not a minor change

but yeah, it's a major PITA otherwise

 

[wskirvin]

I work for a semi truck dealership in Parts. Started as a driver, moved up to inventory, worked counter sales, phone sales and outside sales. Finally in the Managers seat. We have the same issues here. If it's not a general everyday used part that someone knows off of the top of their head, then we have to have the last 6 of the VIN to even get into our parts system to try and look everything up. I have a bookcase in my office of notes and cheat sheets over the years of situations that have come up with no VIN, or what they needed was not listed on the build of materials. It sucks, but the days of guys on the counter knowing what they are doing are getting slimmer and slimmer. We can't find anyone with experience or knowledge so we have to hire the person we think will try the hardest. It's definitely hard for everyone buying or selling.

 

[Hurricane77]

There's so much that could be going on there.

1) Their invoice system probably does let them complete the sale unless certain fields are filled out.
2) Despite #1, despite them both being GM dealers, there's likely a difference in management styles. Parts Manager at Chevy is likely a stickler for the rules. GMC guy probably just tells guys, "just put in John Doe blah blah blah"
3) The VIN stuff probably stems from too many Karens and Kyles coming in thinking they know what they need and then returning bitching about how the parts counter guy gave them the wrong part. Probably after they've beat the crap out of it trying to make it fit.
4) Name and number stuff is pretty common at places where they they service business accounts. But usually when the same place does a cash sale, they either leave it blank or put is something like cash or John Doe etc.

 

[abbey castro]

I work for a semi truck dealership in Parts. Started as a driver, moved up to inventory, worked counter sales, phone sales and outside sales. Finally in the Managers seat. We have the same issues here. If it's not a general everyday used part that someone knows off of the top of their head, then we have to have the last 6 of the VIN to even get into our parts system to try and look everything up. I have a bookcase in my office of notes and cheat sheets over the years of situations that have come up with no VIN, or what they needed was not listed on the build of materials. It sucks, but the days of guys on the counter knowing what they are doing are getting slimmer and slimmer. We can't find anyone with experience or knowledge so we have to hire the person we think will try the hardest. It's definitely hard for everyone buying or selling.

I was not aware that the last 4 of a VIN # can Identify the make model and year of a car! I thought it only indicated the ser # of the production run. Can you have two cars with the same last 4 ser#s. Isn't what makes the make year etc in the 1st series alpha/numeric codes?

• The last six numbers are the specific vehicle production number representing the serial number of the vehicle.

 

[86LK]

I was not aware that the last 4 of a VIN # can Identify the make model and year of a car! I thought it only indicated the ser # of the production run. Can you have two cars with the same last 4 ser#s. Isn't what makes the make year etc in the 1st series alpha/numeric codes?

• The last six numbers are the specific vehicle production number representing the serial number of the vehicle.

depends on how the database query is setup. if you've been to the dealer before then they will have your vin in their service system and that query will pull it up. if you told them the year and model, and the last 4 of the vin, the default computer query may be to search for all year-model-last 4 of vin in a 50 mile radius. what are the odds another Vette of same year and identical last 4 vin is somewhere close by?

regardless, it's the stupid computer system programmed by corporate.

 

[wskirvin]

I was not aware that the last 4 of a VIN # can Identify the make model and year of a car! I thought it only indicated the ser # of the production run. Can you have two cars with the same last 4 ser#s. Isn't what makes the make year etc in the 1st series alpha/numeric codes?

• The last six numbers are the specific vehicle production number representing the serial number of the vehicle.

I can't speak for automotive dealers, but we have to have the last 6 and then it can list anywhere from 1-5 different trucks. Now if a customer gives us the last 8 of the VIN, then it will pull up their exact truck without having to ask what year and model it is.