OReilly Auto any good???

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In southern Michigan, a regional auto parts chain called Murrays was bought by O'Reilly's.

How does O'Reilly's compare to the other big box type auto parts stores such as Auto Zone and Advance Auto? Vs. NAPA and CarQuest?

Thanks
 
It's similar to AZ. I consider NAPA to be a step above. of course, if you get lucky and your local store has some good people in it.... then ur good to go!
 
I buy most of my parts from OReilly's. I think for the most part they are better than AZ or AAP. I would have to drive a ways to find a NAPA.
 
we use them at my dealer for non OEM parts and used cars. its a lot better since we can order online from them and not have to answer the lame questions that dont apply to the cars.
 
I used to shop there relatively exclusively when we had one close. It must have been staffed by good people because they always had the answers I was looking for. YMMV.
 
They built a new one close to work and one out close to my parents in the country and have been very aggressively expanding in St. Louis. According to the clerks at the one I use their stock is doing great. I was told there was an agreement that O'Reilly's would not build next to Auto Zone until Auto Zone built next to an O 'Reillys. It sounded like an all out war since then. The O'Reilly's close to my parents house was built next to the Auto Zone. I loved the free oil they had after rebate. The EGR for my Saturn has worked well and it was priced much less then Auto Zone. They sell Wix filters. I put them higher then Auto Zone. I have had good service so far.
 
In general I would consider them the closest a big chain store gets to being like a NAPA, CarQuest, or local shop.

The staff at the individual store still can make or break it though IMO.
 
I generally like my O'reillys, but there is this one lazy sob that ruins it every time I have to speak to him. He won't look up a simple or universal part that's behind the counter where I can't pick it out myself. Like when I needed a universal gm egr block off plate he was "what year make blabla" When I told him it was universal, just type it in the search box, he just walked away, came back and said they don't carry that part. Didn't leave my site or look at all. The part wouldn't show up under a '72 because only the cali trucks (like mine) had egr. I have already figured this out on their website. Then I went to the guy next him and got it right away. He always avoids eye contact now.
 
Originally Posted By: moklock
In general I would consider them the closest a big chain store gets to being like a NAPA, CarQuest, or local shop.


My feelings exactly. They are far above AZ and Advance, and similar to NAPA, maybe with slightly less on-hand inventory. They tend to buy out the good regional and small local chains, keeping the staff and locations, but switching to their own systems and brands. They still have some emphasis on "real" parts, not just headlights, wiper blades, starters, alternators and brake shoes, and it isn't all bargain basement junk.
 
They are alot better than Autoshack and AA.Some of the guys working behind the counter were very lazy and rude.These people are no longer there and they now have very helpfull employees.You would not believe some of the previous employees they had.Some of them would not even wear a company logoed shirt and would dip tobaco and spit into a paper cup when they were looking up a part number on the computer!Gates belts,Wix filters,Wagner brake parts,their electrical parts are way better.They cut hyd.hoses,turn rotors 7 days a week,and the guys behind the counter don't act like they are smarter than you either.If my local Parts Plus store doesn't have a part in stock I use the big "0".
 
I think I am going to be seeing more of my NAPA dealer. Last year I did complete brake jobs on both my truck and car, Pads, calipers, hoses, everything. A bunch of the stuff didn't fit right. Some if it didn't come in whenthey said either. The last straw was the less than a year old throw out bearing going bad that I replaced when I replaced the clutch. I was not happy having to remove the transmission again in less than a year.

I don't think they will be seeing me except when they have a good sale on YB Pennzoil.
 
I have had only one problem at an O'Reilly's. I went to get an oversized Wix oil filter for my Saturn. I had the part number but he insisted I give him the year and model. Then he became very hot under the collar and emotional and told me the filter I wanted to get would not work and was not going to sell it to me. I guess since it was not the one his computer listed. He finally calmed down and sold me the filter I wanted when I assured him other Saturn owners used the same filter.

Speaking of counter people. My favorite counter experience was at the Napa store where I grew up. I was helping my stepfather put a new grill on his truck last year and needed a wrench. I went to Napa and the three counter people were the ones that worked there when I graduated in 1978! They all had gray/white hair.
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Originally Posted By: MONKEYMAN
.. the three counter people were the ones that worked there when I graduated in 1978! They all had gray/white hair.
55.gif



Wow, working together 31 years. They probably either finished each other's sentences, or didn't have to talk at all to know the others' thoughts...
grin2.gif
 
There's an OReilly down the street from my office that I try to patronize before I darken the door of any local AZ or PB. Everyone there is extremely helpful and the store is always immaculate.

Having said that, a local NAPA store really came through for me recently. The axle nut on my bike is a 14mm allen head. After hitting AZ, PB, Harbor Freight and even Sears with no luck, my local Napa had a dusty package on their shelves with a 14mm allen wrench in it. They saved my bacon last weekend.
 
Originally Posted By: TooManyWheels
Originally Posted By: MONKEYMAN
.. the three counter people were the ones that worked there when I graduated in 1978! They all had gray/white hair.
55.gif



Wow, working together 31 years. They probably either finished each other's sentences, or didn't have to talk at all to know the others' thoughts...
grin2.gif




I started working in a parts store right out of high school. I am still amazed at how many of the guys had been working there for so many years. I worked my way up through the ranks, but in the late 90's things seemed to change and good workers for good pay were phased out for warm bodies and minimum pay. My favorite position was in the parts dept at a GM dealership.
 
O'Reilly is relatively new here, in the last two years or so. That said, Napa generally gets most of my business, and O'Reilly is next in line. I haven't been in an AZ or AA for a very long time and don't plan on starting anytime soon.

O'Reilly has Wix filters, Gates belts and Hoses, and my local ones carry some motorcraft items (filters, batteries,etc) at a price that is nearly as low as Wal-Mart. Not too shabby...

Special orders have also been good - in many cases where Napa couldn't get an item in for a few days, O'Reilly had it in a few hours. Of course, that's gone the other way too...
 
Originally Posted By: rat
but in the late 90's things seemed to change and good workers for good pay were phased out for warm bodies and minimum pay.


That seems to have happened for a multitude of jobs!
 
It also depends how the counter person looks up parts very well.The Carquest and Auto Value parts store in my area come up with the right part most of the time.There are no Oreily parts stores in the Muskegon,Mi area,Mostly Carquest,Auto Value,Napa,Parts Plus including AutoZone and Advanced in my area.Will not buy anything from Napa,the sponsor is on a Toyota race car and I hear their parts are junk.
 
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