I love working for a German car company

When I first started working in Parts the Micro-fische were in German, which made looking items up a little long winded. Now this was 1981 and you would think that since the cars were in this country for a number of years already, the catalogs would have been in English...No. You would look through the screens until you found the part you thought you needed lets use something easy...Gummi-ventil. You would look at the picture, find the call out number for the item, scroll down the page to that number, There you would find the Mfg part number and the word Gummi-ventil. With the part number written down you would flip to the end of the listings and look for the part number...Once you found it you would find it's English name...Tire valve. (Rubber vent). When looking up a major order with items not so easily identified, this method was time consuming. 

Then there were parts with English descriptions that were no help, trust me, when you are trying to make sure you have the right part and the English title is "part" or "piece" it leaves a little doubt in the air.

There was always the help lines, these were a godsend, because when you were stuck you simply picked up the phone and after a bit of waiting, you would get a Consultant who would give you the desired information. You had to wait sometimes on hold because they were busy, (Probably had something to do with the parts information system, everyone had questions). They would often ask you if you checked the European listings....Why the hell would I check the European listings for a car built for the U.S., because you had to. They would give you an answer to your question and if you asked why it isn't listed on the parts system, they would say well, they have a different system then us...This would usually make me ask a simple question...Why? Would it not behoove the Company if the people with the customer standing in front of them had the answers available.

My absolute favorite answers were for the parts that didn't fit. They would tell you to use this switch or that relay so you would order it. It would come in a week later (back then it was a week wait), the tech would try to install it and find it wouldn't plug into the electrical socket. So back on the phone and they would say, "Oh yeah, cut the pin off that is in the way, it isn't needed anyway". Of course, why hadn't I thought of that, take a incorrect part and just cut it to fit.

Luckily times have changed, We don't cut parts any more...OK they haven't got past that yet, we still have those items to cut. But the information systems are in English and that's a huge plus, of course some of the information you need is on the electronic parts catalog, some is on accessory websites, some is in a Dealership training/information sites, tire sites, tool sites, some is in a Technical Information site, Some comes through in Daily messages, which don't save, so try and remember what you read last week. And some are in sub menus under sub headings of other websites or links with unique Acronyms. 

The electronic parts catalog is state of the art, you enter the vin, it tells you what options the car has, it doesn't always eliminate the items that don't fit, that's for you to do, I mean how can you expect a computer to filter a car down to a specific part fit when (as an example) the option code places a check mark indicating an Automatic transmission, then places a question mark for Manual transmission. I'm not sure but I believe a vehicle can only have one style trans, if it verifys one, wouldn't you think it would cancel the other.

Everything is an Acronym, especially if it's electronic, trouble is, the diag computers name it one thing, the Technical services another, neither of which match the parts chosen acronyms and Warranty has their own listings.

But the help people are still available. Of course they still have systems we do not, they receive instructions on where to find certain things that we may have to take a couple hours to find, if we even think to look there and oh yeah...having them on the phone when the customer is in front of you with a question...not happening, this is the electronic era, so no personal contact, enter a ticket, tell the customer "I'll get back to you with the answer later today, or tomorrow, or Monday..."

Progress you have to love it