I don't frequent O'Reilly's nearly as often as AutoZone or Advance Auto due to their higher regular prices and smaller selection of supplies. However, I have found O'Reilly's to be superior when: (1) seeking out certain hard to find items
(e.g., Redline SI-1, WIX branded filters) and (2) especially when purchasing parts with a lifetime warranty. O'Reilly's computer system maintains the warranty information indefinitely and it is networked between locations.
AutoZone deletes the info from their system every few years when their software is updated and some Advance Auto brick and mortar locations play fast and loose with interpreting what
"limited" lifetime warranty means. I have actually been told by two different A.A. store managers that
"limited" means that the warranty was limited to the functional lifetime of the alternator that failed 5 years later!
Go figure...
Advance Auto also has a history of superseding a part with a new brand/label
(e.g., Driveworks vs. Carquest), often rendering the original part number void in their inventory system. They can't honor a lifetime warranty on a superseded part number that is not in their current POS* system because there is no way to enter an exchange into their system. I had the printed receipt for a lifetime warranty Carquest door lock actuator that was superseded and all the manager could do was refund the original price and offer to sell me the same actuator in a different labeled box for $15 more than I originally paid. I said no thanks and ordered it from Amazon for $15 less than what I originally paid. Also, online purchases picked up at a local Advance Auto B&M store do not appear in their computer systems.
*double entendre by design