Got a new job...

[VanTrekker]

<p style="margin: 0px;">Hopefully this one will work out... I am now working at O'Reilly Auto Parts.&nbsp; </p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Their wage is reasonable for someone who has virtually no expenses other than a cell phone and car insurance.&nbsp; I'm hoping it will be a fun job while allowing me to add some $$$ to the camping kitty and reserves.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">I'm only going to work four days a week for now... It will be nice to to work a little less in order adjust to being on the feet as well as having a third day a week to camp, fish, bike, etc...&nbsp; </p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">OMG.&nbsp; I cannot tell you what the employee discount is but let's just say it's much better than Advance, Autozone, etc.&nbsp; If I could only go back and have bought some of the van parts from O'Reillys last year with the discount.... Well, at least the maintenance / repair parts will be more affordable.&nbsp;&nbsp; <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"></p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">It's a small store and seems like it's going to be a lot of fun.</p><p style="margin: 0px;"><br>V.T.</p>

 

[mockturtle]

Sounds great! <img src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">&nbsp; <br>

 

[sl1966]

<img border="0" align="absmiddle" src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif">&nbsp;Congrats!!!

 

[dborla01]

congrats on the job. sounds like fun at an auto parts store. Darrell.<br>

 

[yesican]

<p style="margin: 0px;">Are you going to spend your entire pay on&nbsp;van parts?</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Rae</p>

 

[stude53]

<p style="margin: 0px;">Hey, VT</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Once you are secure in your new position, suggest to management that O'Reillys could attract many vandwellers with an "permanently on the road" discount to full timers.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">We need parts!</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">Bob</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p>

 

[Ricekila]

<IMG src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" align=absMiddle border=0>As a former Autozone employee --- O'Reillys ain't a bad company to work for --<br><br>Your gonna be amazed - how much "Men" don't know about their cars --<br><br>Good - now I have someplace to go to when I need muffler bearings for my "Henry-J" <br>

 

[Ricekila]

And -- and ---<br><br>See if they have a discount for your personal cell bill --<br><br>At A / Z they had&nbsp;via - &nbsp;Verizon a 17 % discount ---<br>

 

[VanTrekker]

Rae - No, I won't have to spend all the paycheck money on van parts... That's why I bought a Chevy...&nbsp;&nbsp; *smile*&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Most of the money is going to British Petroleum instead.&nbsp; <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br /><br />Stude, for now I am&nbsp;going to hold off a bit on mentioning vandwelling at work.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The job is going great and I think it will be a terrific fit.&nbsp;&nbsp;For those who are senior citizens or miliary (active or retired), there are some discounts already!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br /><br />Ricekilla... So you were at&nbsp;Autozone?&nbsp; Remember the WITT-JR computer system?&nbsp; LOL.&nbsp; (I was a P.S.M.&nbsp;in a former life).. <br /><br />So far this place is pretty cool.&nbsp; From what I experienced from tramping around at Autozone and Advance, the employee morale at O'Reilly seems to be better&nbsp;than the other stores I worked at.&nbsp; I hope it stays fun... It doesn't feel like work.&nbsp; It's the "kind in a candy store" thing....<br /><br />V.T.

 

[Les H]

&lt;IMG src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" align=absMiddle border=0&gt;As a former Autozone employee --- O'Reillys ain't a bad company to work for --&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Your gonna be amazed - how much "Men" don't know about their cars --&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;Good - now I have someplace to go to when I need muffler bearings for my "Henry-J" &lt;br&gt;

For real? Isn't that in the same isle as the headlight fluid and the buckets of steam for degreasing your motor?!?

 

[Seraphim]

Hope he job stays fun for you lol.

 

[VanTrekker]

LOL...&nbsp; Headlight fluid?&nbsp;&nbsp;It must be&nbsp;on the next aisle over from the ventilated oil filters at AutoZone.<br /><br />There is one thing that I'm skeptical about though.&nbsp; Beware of R12 substitutes.&nbsp; A lot of consumers may be getting&nbsp;ripped off...<br /><br /> One interesting thing I learned is that there are a number of R12 (freon) substitutes that are not much better than snake oil.&nbsp; They can be approved as legal for sale by the EPA (basically, the only criteria is they don't ruin ozone)&nbsp;and may not work at all in terms of cooling.&nbsp; Worse&nbsp;yet, some of them can corrode and ruin the refrigeration system parts.&nbsp; There is no government oversight.<br /><br />V.T.

 

[Kisatchieman]

<p>In the Navy, they'd send us new guys for a can of relative bearing grease for the compass or 50 feet of chow line.<br /><br /><br /><br />---------------------------------------------------------------<br />&nbsp;If it doesn't fit, force it.&nbsp; If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway.</p>

 

[bobbert]

So&nbsp; <span style="text-align: left; white-space: nowrap;">VanTrekker, what kind of qualifications would one need in order to work at an auto parts store? is it possible to walk in from off the streets &amp; get a job there?<br />-thanks in advance-</span>

 

[VanTrekker]

<p>It varies with the company.&nbsp; Some rudimentary knowledge&nbsp;is helpful&nbsp;but not necessary.&nbsp; There are a great number of detailed training videos.&nbsp; If a person doesn't know at least the basics of how each system (i.e. braking system, fuel system, etc.) operates, it would be harder to pick up the details because the videos do assume you know a little.</p>
<p>Amazingly, it took me a half hour to do a psychology test online but never&nbsp; once in the interview did they even ask what I know about cars.... Amazing!<br /><br />So yes, the average person could walk in and get one of these jobs.&nbsp; Being at least a shade tree mechanic helps though...&nbsp;<br /><br />With all the reading about batteries and getting familiar with the various types and chargers,&nbsp;selling&nbsp;batteries and diagnosing alternator problems will be a piece of cake.&nbsp;&nbsp; *smile*&nbsp;</p>
<p>V.T.</p>

 

[gadgetMe]

VanTrekker...........<br /><br />I am really happy for you, it has to beat working for a convenience store by alot..<br /><br />Don't forget the blinker fluid and muffler bearings&nbsp; <img src="../images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" /><br /><br />Putz

 

[VanTrekker]

LOL.&nbsp; On of the bosses asked me to look up a 1993 Ford Explorer, 4 wheel drive, etc...&nbsp; I kept clicking through the screens till he said "muffler bulb" or some other bullsh* thing like that.&nbsp; I laughed and said "Come on, I'm not as stupid as I look!"&nbsp;&nbsp; We laughed about that.&nbsp; So far the bosses are pretty cool... It's better than a lot of the low end jobs and safer than a gas station.<br /><br />The only thing I really don't like is that there are no breaks in a 9 hour shift other than the federally mandated 1/2 hour lunch break.&nbsp; Suddenly my stomach is acting up on two hour intervals.&nbsp; They cannot prevent you from going to the bathroom, thankfully!&nbsp; It's safer than day than trying to start a union.&nbsp; LOL.<br /><br />VT<br /><br /><br />

 

[Ricekila]

Just remember -- when someone asks for spare tire bulb for a "84" vette -- it exists <img src="../images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif" alt="" align="absMiddle" border="0" /><br /><br />No radiator's for corvair's - no third gear for a power glide - a lexas is a toyota - an acrura is a honda -- <img src="../images/boards/smilies/rolleyes.gif" alt="" align="absMiddle" border="0" />

 

[Johnnomads]

&nbsp;Stay away from Pep Boys, i applied for a parts delivery driver, the online questionare took over an hour, and that was even before the actual application. Then when i went to submit everything, it all went poof. One of my friends told me they are all screwed up, he quit after a week, too many chiefs and not enough indians.<br />

<p>It varies with the company.&nbsp; Some rudimentary knowledge&nbsp;is helpful&nbsp;but not necessary.&nbsp; There are a great number of detailed training videos.&nbsp; If a person doesn't know at least the basics of how each system (i.e. braking system, fuel system, etc.) operates, it would be harder to pick up the details because the videos do assume you know a little.</p><p>Amazingly, it took me a half hour to do a psychology test online but never&nbsp; once in the interview did they even ask what I know about cars.... Amazing!<br /><br />So yes, the average person could walk in and get one of these jobs.&nbsp; Being at least a shade tree mechanic helps though...&nbsp;<br /><br />With all the reading about batteries and getting familiar with the various types and chargers,&nbsp;selling&nbsp;batteries and diagnosing alternator problems will be a piece of cake.&nbsp;&nbsp; *smile*&nbsp;</p><p>V.T.</p>