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After 20 or so years in this business, I've decided that its time to do something else. It used to be a fun challenge, now its just ridiculous, and its only getting worse. Working for third generation owners that will trip over $100 to try and catch a dime.
Far too few owners value good employees anymore. A perfect example is my assistant manager. Been here for 11 years, in the business since '89. Wealth of knowledge and a great employee. Never has been given a raise. Without giving specific numbers, he makes less than 30k/yr with bonus. The last few months it has become an issue with him, and rightfully so in my eyes. I went to the owner and said that we need to increase his pay, I can't even replace him with an autozone reject for that kind of money. They finally gave in yesterday, gave him $25/wk salary increase. No bump in bonus. Now I'm going to lose him. I'm tired of the constant turnover and the constant micro managing. Too many hours, too many headaches for not enough consideration and not enough compensation. I'll still be trolling on here just to see how the industry is going and keep tabs on my brothers in battle. But now I'm moving on to bigger and better things. The bigger and better refers to what my pay will be.....
Good luck my brothers (and sisters).

Stuckinparts no longer....

Can't say I blame you> I have been considering it for a while now. Parts used to be fun(sortof) but with the manufacters intrusion and customers attitudes it is just not worth it.

Good luck in your next challenge.


I was once told that if you find a job you love you will never work a day in your life. Well I am working a hell of a lot lately.

I have now done this for nearly 40 years. One thing I have learned is 2nd and 3rd generation owner's don't have the same knowledge and drive as the original owners. They haven't been through the fire and in most cases don't have the debt to cover monthly which helps to drive innovation and efficiency. As they say, you can't sharpen a knife with butter and these owner's have had a pretty soft life. It's sad how many dealers succeed in spite of themselves. Over the years, I have tried to get out of the industry more than once but our industry has a bad reputation, sometimes well deserved I suppose. I was told straight up in an interview once that they don't hire people like those that work at dealerships. A generalization of a few from dealer world that got me labeled as unworthy. I have never forgotten that and never will, it was an awakening.
Best of luck to you. Experience is something we get when we don't get what we want and I hope yours serves you well in the future.

Understandable. Good Luck in your new journey!

I feel your pain. I’ve been at this since 1978. I’ve been a parts manager since 1985. I’ve seen it all and I can tell you that right now things are worse than ever, at least as far as working in a GM store. I worked for a second generation owner for 25 years. He was/is a terrible person but I stuck it out because of the friendship and comradery I enjoyed with my fellow co workers. This idiot never understood the value of a good employee. He never wanted to pay anybody. One time I was asked by my office comptroller (we went through several) to dig up a document out of our archives. I serendipitously came across the owner’s salary. I turned out this “owner” paid himself $17,000.00 a month. I don’t blame you one bit for getting out.

I remember a day when a job duty of the parts manager was to set and maintain appropriate inventory levels. The manufacturers have decided that they can do a better job than we can. Just let them overload your inventory with what they want at "no risk" because you can just send it all back if it doesn't sell. Seems like a gigantic waste of time and money. Mike Nicholes said it best that no computer program can match the instincts of a good parts manager.

This is an interesting topic, as started (continued?) by stuckinparts. I say this because it seems, to me anyway, to be more and more commonplace. Unlike the manufacturers, specifically General Motors, dealerships cannot afford to lose the experience of long term, knowledgeable employees. Manufacturers "retired" a lot of experienced district managers and hired many new ones. I am sure there are some good people within this new crop of manufacturer employees. However, generally, it has not been my pleasure to work with many of them, yet. I am still holding on to a little hope but like others it is fading. Unlike the manufacturers, new dealership employees rarely have anyone to look to for answers. Dealers are too busy working the "other" side of the business and as mentioned before the "new crop" of district managers are generally doing one of three things:

1 - Trying to learn their new job while pleasing their direct boss by pushing this week's program.
2 - Covering their backside so they can keep their job.
3 - Working on their office politics so they can get the next job "up-the-ladder"

I too am becoming frustrated with the general situation within dealership life as a whole. Absolutely no one understands the situation middle managers (parts managers, service managers and even fixed operations managers) are in. Basically the job has always been a thankless one. Of course there have always been a few feel good moments - helping someone who genuinely appreciated it - however, those are few and far between (not the helping part, the appreciation part...LOL). Consider just some of what we expect will happen on a daily basis. Now throw on all the manufacturer added headaches of the last 5 years - since the bankruptcy. Add on the lack of support from manufacturers. Add on all the new, expensive technology AND still try to remain profitable.

Gee I wonder why we are all stressed to the point of the old "Take this job and shove it" attitude?

Now just today I met with our wonderful new district manager (DMA). Prior to my time with our DMA, he met with our service manager. By the time we met there was "problem" in the air. Basically we are facing the threat of an all encompassing audit because we have refused to comply with a policy - AS INTERPRETED BY - our current DMA. I was unaware that the DMA can call an audit with no prior regional involvement. However, checking around, apparently audit teams are now out in the field and the general feeling is that each and every dealership will receive an audit in the coming months. If your DMA requests it, your dealership (in this case our dealership) can be put in the front of the line for special treatment due to not complying. This is something we simply didn't have to deal with in the past. And if this is not simply a threat tactic, then I won't have to choose to move on - that decision will be made for me. The conversation went so far as the DMA actually seeming to be proud of the fact that one of his dealers had already been audited and the debited funds were nearly $50,000. Back when I started and for years after that, it was the district manager's job to assist the dealership in anyway necessary. Not only with factory support but sales and marketing and offering suggestions (not threats) of ways to meet policy requirements.

The new way of business basically sucks. Why can't we work with the manufacturer. It seems that we are constantly going different directions. Here's something that seems lost. WE ARE ON THE SAME TEAM. WE SELL THE SAME PRODUCTS. No wait, we are selling their product.

Sorry to hijack the thread and go off on a rant.

I wish everyone well - but especially to stuckinparts. I have been doing this since 1979 and have never seen it worse that it is right now. Trust me, since 1979, there have been some dark times.

It would be good if all dealers and G/M's could read this; it might make a difference; as for 'some" not "all" of the manufacturers; they also could do well to find out what is happening in the trenches. It is the sad truth that some 'leaders' of any endeavor, who do not have, nor obtain, an empathy, for the responsibilities and results of actions at the 'working level' are destined to do more harm than good. Good luck and good hunting to those who leave, what is otherwise a good job experience.