buying parts at sears...
Apr. 30th, 2004 10:38 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
javasaurusElectric garage door came with the house. No handles on door, so unless the opener is working properly, it's a pain to open and close. Well, it's not working. I took it apart to see if it was fixable, or if it needed to be replaced. The opener works by having a motor spin a large plastic screw, which spins a large plastic gear, which moves the chain that opens/closes the door. the large plastic gear had become toothless, and needed replacing. Easy to do. (I often regret saying this.) I checked the owners manual for the part number, and found two: one is just the screw and gear, the other is a kit of various parts including the screw and gear. Checking online, I found that the kit was only a few dollars more, so I decided to get the kit.
Went to the local Sears (the opener is a Craftsman, so Sears is the place to go), and waited in line at the parts department for about 20 minutes -- not so bad, there were, after all, there are only two people at the counter, and three people in front of me, one of whom was there because the department had called her and said her thing was ready, but of course, it wasn't. I've had this problem with Sears before myself, and I expect it has to do with closing a problem ticket in expected time, even if it's not ready to be closed. Anyway, it's my turn, and clerk A asks what I need, then wanders off to answer the phone. Sigh. Then clerk B is available and asks what I need. "part for my garage door opener. I've got the part number." I'm told they need the model number. I don't have that, I have the part number. She says I need to wait for clerk A.
Clerk A, still across the room on the phone, motions me over, and asks what I need, then talks to person on phone. Sigh, groan. I tell him I need a part for my garage door opener, that I have the part number. "What part is it?" he asks. I mention a screw and gear, and he mumbles something about a worm (the screw is also called a worm gear, I later found out), and goes into the back room. He returns with an small, opened cardboard box and tell me it's what I want. I look at the part number, and it's the screw and gear, but not the full kit. He shows me the parts, and I explain that there is a larger kit that includes the parts. We get to repeat the same two sentences a few times, and finally he asks for the part number. Grrr...
He enters the part number, and says they can order it, they don't carry it. I ask if there are other nearby Sears stores that carry it. Gaithersburg. Any others, maybe closer to Bowie? No.
I get to work, and check online. There are stores in Landover and Forestville (both much closer to Bowie) that have the kit.
I need coffee.
Went to the local Sears (the opener is a Craftsman, so Sears is the place to go), and waited in line at the parts department for about 20 minutes -- not so bad, there were, after all, there are only two people at the counter, and three people in front of me, one of whom was there because the department had called her and said her thing was ready, but of course, it wasn't. I've had this problem with Sears before myself, and I expect it has to do with closing a problem ticket in expected time, even if it's not ready to be closed. Anyway, it's my turn, and clerk A asks what I need, then wanders off to answer the phone. Sigh. Then clerk B is available and asks what I need. "part for my garage door opener. I've got the part number." I'm told they need the model number. I don't have that, I have the part number. She says I need to wait for clerk A.
Clerk A, still across the room on the phone, motions me over, and asks what I need, then talks to person on phone. Sigh, groan. I tell him I need a part for my garage door opener, that I have the part number. "What part is it?" he asks. I mention a screw and gear, and he mumbles something about a worm (the screw is also called a worm gear, I later found out), and goes into the back room. He returns with an small, opened cardboard box and tell me it's what I want. I look at the part number, and it's the screw and gear, but not the full kit. He shows me the parts, and I explain that there is a larger kit that includes the parts. We get to repeat the same two sentences a few times, and finally he asks for the part number. Grrr...
He enters the part number, and says they can order it, they don't carry it. I ask if there are other nearby Sears stores that carry it. Gaithersburg. Any others, maybe closer to Bowie? No.
I get to work, and check online. There are stores in Landover and Forestville (both much closer to Bowie) that have the kit.
I need coffee.
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no subject
Date: 2004-04-30 08:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-04-30 09:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-04-30 03:38 pm (UTC)one of these days we'll replace the thing... just not soon, after the last year's expenses