Worth getting to know people

I've been buying Fleetguard FS 1000 fuel filters. They are huge filter that I use on my waste veggie powered vehicles. They do a pretty good job of keeping the French fry parts out of my diesels' injectors.

The local heavy equipment supply dealer has kept them in stock for me. Over the years, I've gotten to know the people who work there by name. Told them all about running vehicles on waste vegetable oil. (It helps to have something unusual to talk about.)

I've always taken the time to deal with them as people. Over the years it's something I've made an effort to do. I got to know them as more than just parts guys behind the counter.

Today it paid off. One of the guys who works there called me up. They're discontinuing the Fleetguard line. He was willing to let the rest of the filters in stock go for cost. I picked up 12 filters for a price I haven't seen since 2001.

Those filters are my main expense for running vehicles on WVO. This saves me a fair bit of change.

Mark, the part's guy, said that once I get near the end of those filters, call him up so he can stock an equivalent filter from the new supplier.

-Sixbears