Sometimes rude is necessary

My car is old - 133,000 miles, 7 1/2 years old. It's tired, and it needs brakes. I'm cheap, so I look for the best deal I can on brakes. I found a website that sells the OEM Mopar brakes for a guaranteed lowest price - yes! For some reason, I still think my car needs the same brakes that it came with when it was a shiny new machine with 6 miles on the odometer - I don't know why. So I go through the menu prompts: year > make > model > front brakes > brake pads: $120. Hmm, sounds kinda steep for pads, but maybe it's a set for both wheels. Maybe before I order, I should ask how many come in a box. Maybe I'm the only asshole on the planet buying brakes that doesn't know how many pads you get if you just order 1 set. But just because I'm an asshole, doesn't mean you're not an idiot:

ME: need to order new pads and rotors for my 02 PT. Can you confirm that I need to only order a quantity of 1 for the front pads to get a set for both front wheels? I plan to order 2 front rotors and 1 set of pads and I want to be sure I get what I need. I'm guessing that at $120, it's pads for both sides of the car.

- I thought this was a reasonable request, fairly simple, right? Here's the first response:

THEM: Hello, we would need the VIN number to locate this part. Thanks The xxxxmopar Team

- I don't feel the need to expose their name. I also don't see how a VIN number adds value to the question...so I start to get a little annoyed.

ME: VIN number? it's a 2002 PT Cruiser. Front pads quantity 1 includes pads for how many front wheels?

- Yes, I drive a PT Cruiser. Love it or hate it, that's me.

THEM: Sorry, we have requested the vin for proper information, the vin is the vehicle identification number, without that we cannot help you.

- Thanks for clarifying what VIN stands for. Could you also provide me with such elusive facts as what meal comes between breakfast and dinner, or perhaps the best way to tie my velcro shoes? At this point I'm no longer thinking that I'm the one that needs help, and I'm ready to move on.

ME: Nevermind then. If you need a VIN instead of a vehicle make and model to tell me how many brake pads come in a box, I'll take my business elsewhere.

- Yeah, that'll show 'em! The old threat of losing business! In this economy, surely they'll be begging me to buy from them and showering me with apology...

THEM: Well, sir we are a crysler dealer, without the vin, we do not gurantee any item to be correct. most dealers that prefer to get it right the first time always request the vin, thank you.

- I really wanted to move on. I also wanted to teach him how to spell Chrysler and guarantee, but there was no time for that lesson, only retaliation (and maybe some exaggeration)!

ME: I don't have the vin readily available where I am right now. Your site also does not require me to enter a vin in order to find the part. It asks for year, make, and model. It's a simple question, how many brake pads come in the box if I order a quantity of 1?

Somebody walks in to your dealership and says "I need to buy front brake pads for a 2002 PT Cruiser." He didn't drive the car there and doesn't have the vin on him, but he knows the year, make, and model. How many would you sell him? Or would you tell him to go home and find the vin?

THEM: Sir, there are 3 different types, and if someone walks in here and asks for brakes we ask for a vin, also the website is not a site that we operate and is not a chrysler website it is a 3rd party website, the dealer site that all dealers use is alot different than the site you look at, and when you place an order it does ask for a vin, twice, there really is no reason for you to be rude, we just try to do our job correct, if I were to send you an incorrect quote or an incorrect part, you would then be very upset if you recieved the incorrect part, also, the brake pad kit comes with both sets of pads to do the front left and front right, rotors come as one to do one side, thank you.

- Not sure I've ever seen so many words strung together without a period, but anyway...

ME: Sorry if I sound rude, but you just answered my original question - how many sets of brake pads come in the kit. Didn't need a vin, didn't need to have 8 messages to get there. Had you simply answered something like "the brake pad kit comes with both sets of pads to do the front left and front right, rotors come as one to do one side, but be sure to provide your VIN for proper parts," I would have ordered them a week ago.

- Ok, so I'm being a condescending, forceful, rude, instructional asshole. Does that mean I'm wrong? Have we added fire to this feud? Will they just accept defeat and perhaps learn from their mistakes?

THEM: God bless you and have a great day.

- The world may never know...