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Four Horrible Pep Boys Products
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Dramatic Prius Sales Video
Way to Ruin Hello Kitty...Again

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Thompson Dalton
06/22/09

In reply to Four Horrible Pep Boys Products
i'm a 16 yr old, just got a 95 passat (white) and need some tips on customizing it.
I wanna put some "flying buttresses" on the back, like thte testarossa
i'm on a budget, meaning ABSOLUTELY NOTHING can be bought
besides the essentials, brakes, tranny, etc.

i'm gonna try a fiberglass for all the add-ons: flying buttresses, lip spoiler (not a distasteful wing), front lip/fascia, the "hip" over the rear wheels,
i also want to put "halo" rings around the headlamps.

but most of all, I want to keep it tastefully modded,
not a stereotypical kid that just got his license and can barely
keep his car between the yellow and white lines.

My favorite brand is Pontiac, if that helps you guys understand me in any way
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Novaload
06/22/09

@Thompson Dalton: Hi, Thomas. Welcome to Jalopnik. Are you familiar with the concept "sleeper"? Also known as "putting the money where it matters"?

My condolences on Pontiac. A worthy love object indeed.
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Dr. H. F. Danger
06/22/09

In reply to Four Horrible Pep Boys Products
JC Whitney has hood scoops for your MR2 needs...

[www.jcwhitney.com]

think about it
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Novaload
06/22/09

@Dr.Danger drives a Chevrolet movie theater: JC Whitney has everything for your needs...
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JCWhitless
06/22/09

@Dr.Danger drives a Chevrolet movie theater: Um, those aren't for the engine. Those are for dead hooker freshness.....
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B1663R
06/22/09

In reply to Four Horrible Pep Boys Products
snap on spinners are by far the best of the worst
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Paul Y. don't drive too fast.
06/22/09

@B1663R: I don't know, I like the fake brake rotors (bonus points if they're built into your hubcap, rather than under your wheel covering drums).
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leavethegun-takethecannoli
06/22/09

In reply to Four Horrible Pep Boys Products
26" huh- so why didn't you follow in Ron Jeremy's footsteps?
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MushyHeirloom
06/22/09

In reply to Four Horrible Pep Boys Products
Why does the kit bother including a clutch-pedal cover?
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MushyHeirloom
06/22/09

In reply to Four Horrible Pep Boys Products
The performance seat cover is great. The backseat performance of anyone who buys one is probably lacking anyway, so anything that could potentially help is a plus. Well, that assumes they could actually score.
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Flathead Smith
06/22/09

In reply to Four Horrible Pep Boys Products
When I look for auto parts my experience is that the chains are the ones to avoid except for NAPA. I try to find an old brink and mortar place that has some wisened geezer behind the counter, and then all the nonsense can be avoided.
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Novaload
06/22/09

@Flathead Smith: We have a well-hidden plumbing shop like that. Ancient guys. Hold up any part, however small or screwed up and off they go. Back with the perfect one. They don't even look it up on the computer. They also point out, "Well, if this is the part you had, that means the flange was at a 45 degree angle and you want to...."

I haven't found that for cars yet. Although once I did have a fellow ask, of a smoking dead rabbit we rolled into his shop parking lot, "So you want me to look in there and find what's wrong and fix it?"

Uh, no. I'll just shoot myself now.
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smalleyxb122
06/22/09

In reply to Four Horrible Pep Boys Products
Unfortunately, the hours of operation at most Napa stores conflicts with the working man's schedule, so most are stuck getting parts at AutoZone, Pep Boys, Murray's, Carquest, etc.

It wasn't long ago that those stores were more about parts than douchifying your ride, although as far back as I can remember they have all carried small block "dress up" kits that included foil-thin chrome valve covers, and poorly fitted braided stainless hose covers.
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Mad_Science
06/22/09

@smalleyxb122: Seriously.

Open 9-12 Saturday, closed on Sunday (when I need the part to get the car on the road by Monday). And they close at 5 or maybe 6 on weekdays.

I want to give you my money, but I can't.

2nd best option: the guys at the local AutoZone just let me go in the back to get what I need. I spend enough money there, they should name something after me.
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popsnicker
06/22/09

@smalleyxb122: Napa is the only place to ever give me the wrong part for my truck - even after I told the guy I had 10" drums in the back of my Ranger he still gave me the wheel cylinder for the 9" because his book said so. Of course I realized this when the aforementioned cylinder was already removed from the truck...

Autozone hooked me up - Just like Jesse James said they would.
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P161911 probably shoudn't have
06/22/09

@popsnicker: I used to work for Genuine Parts Corp. (the parent company for NAPA) in the rebuilt parts division as an engineer. The most common complaint was the wrong part in the box. It is quite likly the NAPA guy had the right part number, just somewhere along the way nobody did the QC to make sure the right part was in the box. It happens to all the parts stores. Sometimes you get luckier than others.
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Alfisted
06/22/09

@Mad_Science: You're lucky that AZ carries what you need. Are these WRX parts? I'm finding that LGT parts typically have to be ordered.
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Mad_Science
06/22/09

@Alfisted: I usually get most of my parts from Rockauto.com (open 24 hours a day!).

It's usually random bits of hose or something that I actually need from AZ. That, and oil change supplies. So, so many oil changes (put 30k miles/year on the WRX, plus the added changes on the Ford, Jeep and LeMons BMW).
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.357
06/22/09

In reply to Four Horrible Pep Boys Products
I need the 26" chrome. How else can I show people just how far I am from my dreams.
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pjsammy
06/22/09

In reply to Four Horrible Pep Boys Products
Is that a convertible Tiburon?
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pauljones
06/22/09

@pjsammy: Vinyl-top?
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pauljones
06/22/09

@pjsammy: I just remembered that Hyundai actually did make a prototype of a hard-top Tiburon convertible, called the Hyundai CCS Concept.

Pics here: [www.netcarshow.com]
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Thrashy, perpetual Minardi
06/22/09

In reply to Four Horrible Pep Boys Products
Think I could combine the 23" bling and the 21" bling so that everybody who sees me on the street knows I'm riding on 13s?
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SirNotAppearing
06/22/09

@Thrashy: As long as you keep 'em shined up real good.
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Novaload
06/22/09

@Thrashy: Heart click and guffaw.
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BLS
06/22/09

@Thrashy: So, you are the guy that gets to buy the tires that are advertized for $19. Or are those for 12s. btw I have massive 14s.
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Paul Y. don't drive too fast.
06/22/09

@Thrashy: Clearly, I need to do this for my 15" steelies.

If you don't roll on 15s, you ain't shit.
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Dennis Dubay
06/22/09

@BLS: When I was a po' student, I drove a junk yard quality '87 Subaru Justy rolling on 12 inchers. Sears ran an ad stating "Tires starting at $14" Hot dog, it was even in my size. I showed the ad to the sap behind the counter and asked for one $14 tire. He smirked and asked "What size tires do you need?" "The $14 size" I replied. To my surprise, they actually had one in stock!
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BLS
06/22/09

@Dennis Dubay: I like to get my money's worth in rubber. No, $500 rubber bands for me.
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Trembler
06/22/09

@BLS: The early Daewoos when they had dealerships ran on 13". I don't know what the geo metro used but probably simiar. 12" is like a golf cart size?
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Paul Y. don't drive too fast.
06/22/09

@Trembler: ATVs use 12s, as do Subaru Justys, some Metros, and any number of kei cars.

Fun Fact: any number of importers will sell you used kei trucks and vans, and specifically tout that ATV wheels and tires fit. They're all marked for off road use only, and pretty much amount to an enclosed Gator with AC and a stereo.

[www.allterrainminitrucks.com]
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Paul Y. don't drive too fast.
06/22/09

@TV's Paul Y.: Now that I think of it, my college used a fleet of Diahatsu Hijet pickups for campus maintenance, because they could be driven on all the paved walkways, but could also deal with the swampland that the campus sat on.
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Armand
06/22/09

@Thrashy: I recently told someone that I have 13" tires on my car. He looked impressed, and asked if the car was tubbed. He was disappointed to realize I was talking about the rim's diameter rather than the tire's width.
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WesR
06/22/09

In reply to Four Horrible Pep Boys Products
more like 2.6" is needed for the belt buckle!
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John Krewson
06/22/09

@WesR: Awww, man...
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.357
06/22/09

@John Krewson: It's OK. Don't listen to the haters.
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yisoo
06/22/09

In reply to Four Horrible Pep Boys Products
i can't wait until 36" rims come into the market....

then someone will make the 36" logos... i can buy them, and swap them backwards to cheaply replacement the C63 logos someone stole off me
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leavethegun-takethecannoli
06/22/09

@yisoo: Why don't you just buy a 26 and a 23?
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.357
06/22/09

@yisoo: Someone stole your C63 logos? I would hate that.
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PowerTryp, Starless wonder.
06/22/09

In reply to Four Horrible Pep Boys Products
Thank god we don't have these here in Canada.
We have Canadian Tire but they have other useful things like a sporting goods secion and power tools.
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.357
06/22/09

@PowerTryp: I prefer RONA.
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leavethegun-takethecannoli
06/22/09

In reply to Four Horrible Pep Boys Products
Where's the stick on sunroof?

That's got to be one of the worst products.
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djthekidd
06/22/09

@leavethegun-takethecannoli: No, those stick on portholes are even worse.
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friendlynerd
06/22/09

@djthekidd:

Oh god, yes. I think at least half the Sephias/Spectras in Philadelphia have at least 6 of them.
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Paul Y. don't drive too fast.
06/22/09

@friendlynerd: I saw an Optima the other day with the stick-on portholes on top of the hood. That made no damn sense.
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