O'Reilly Autoparts - AVOID!!

[KenO]

So, I rarely go there anyways except when I see clearance stuff on here, but I've been going there a lot recently because of the Lots of Loot promotion an the $5 off $5 purchase coupons. I have to say, once my coupons are used up, I don't think I'll be going back. They carry NOTHING special that I'm aware of that sets them apart from the others. Their prices are high on most everything, and they didn't have standard NGK V-Power plugs in stock (nor did any other location in the ~30 mile radius) for my moms Jeep, and their employees are VERY poorly trained.

I've yet to find a single store employee that knew anything about the Lots of Loot promo or anything about the coupons without me, the customer, having to educate THEM, the so-called 'professionals'. Their employee's seem to have very little knowledge of how to actually help a customer. Had a problem with one store when their employee blatantly told me flat-out that 'me & so-and-so bought all of the clearance oil' when I went in to pick up a few quarts of the $1.99 clearanced NextGen Maxlife 10W-40. Went to one tonight that had the front door locked ~20 minutes before the were supposed to close. All the lights on, including the open sign. Called and left a voicemail for the regional manager. At this point - why bother? The only parts store I can think of off the top of my head thats worse is PepBoys. After my coupons are gone, I have no plans to step foot into one ever again. And when I say that - I mean it. I haven't been even INSIDE a WestBuy since 2006, and haven't made a purchase in one since I worked there in 2001, and cannot wait until they're bankrupt. /rant

 

[Chris142]

We don't use them much either. But I must say that they are very good about getting parts that day if we order them.

I agree with the sky high prices on most everything we buy although ocasionally they do have a better price than anybody else in town.

One thing that they do not carry and it drives me batty is a thermostat housing gasket for a 4.0L jeep. This gasket fits about 40 yrs of AMC and jeeps up to 06 and they cant get me one.

 

[morepwr]

The 2 times I have been in my local O'reilly, the rap music was playing so loud I couldnt hardly talk to the counter guy. I didnt say anything but that has to drive people away.

 

[JavierG]

KenO, sorry to hear about the bad and lack of customer service in Georgia OR stores. I'm happy (and fortunate, I guess) to say that out of the 14 OR stores that I visited in the past month, I was given poor service at only 2 of them. Maybe its because I don't expect as much or have lower standards than most people, but I give them thumbs up. Plus I'm happy with my $50 Visa card they sent me as well as the 140 qts of oil that I got for around $15 (as well as all of the other stuff I got with my coupons). And I hope you completed those customer service surveys. I know I did.

 

[L_Sludger]

I hate O'Reilly. In Southern Cal they took over Kragen, a place that used to offer good deals on oil, and turned them into khrap.

 

[KenO]

Also posted this to their Facebook page. Lets see if it either gets answered, or deleted. My guess, probably deleted:

https://www.facebook.com/OreillyAutoParts/posts/10151704580533698?notif_t=like

 

[KD0AXS]

I've been to a few stores picking up the clearance Maxlife Nextgen. Most of them had no idea it was on clearance. One guy went back to check the price on the shelf when it rang up for $1.99 and then told me "I'll give it to you for that price, but I don't think that's right".

 

[johnachak]

I guess I am glad there aren't any O'rilleys within a few hundred miles of me.

 

[ram_man]

Oreillys is one of the best around me. You have to realize its all who runs them. Mine is almost always cheaper and when they aren't they price match.

 

[surfstar]

As with most things, I shop online where I get much better prices. Amazon and RockAuto usually can't be beat.

Only shop local for oil deals and the recent coupon deals unless I really need a part same day.

2 of the 4 O'rielly's I've been in for the coupon deal were good stores. The other are annoying to visit.

To be fair, all of the other local chain stores are just as bad. Like I said, I try to avoid them altogether.

 

[Azeem]

Since I knew about AAP discount codes ,thanks to BIOTG,I don't shop at OR because like you said their prices are high on mostly everything but I won't be so harsh and say "avoid" them though an employee asked me to put on a green t-shirt,as a smug joke, and stand behind their counter when I visited the same store on 2 consecutive days using coupons.

they sure come after AAP on my list of autoparts stores. AZ,NAPA,PB are not on my list period.

 

[Errtt]

Been in one once to get a set of plugs. After standing at the counter waiting & waiting while the fella was on the phone yappin to his girlfriend/wife for ever, the guy finally got off the phone and walked by to help another worker who was stocking misc. items. I finally had to raise my voice "does anyone work here!"
Then instead of getting what I asked for, he tried talking me into some other plugs I didn't want, repeatedly, so I walked. I thought I heard him swear to me as I was just a few steps from the exit door.
To bad because this O'Reilly's is really close to home.

 

[Merkava_4]

I only go there if an internet search leads me there. The last time I went there,
it was for a BWD CT502 Ignition Wire Terminal that I needed for my mower.

 

[dave1251]

I have to say since OR has bought out CSK my experience with OR has left me disappointed. Since the take over service has gone downhill and prices have gone up and the quality of parts has taken a very slight decline. OR needs to turn this around because Auto Zone is better than OR around here.

That is a bad thing because Auto Zone was not that great to begin with. I guess I will just shop at NAPA because OR is about the same price but in general the employee's a NAPA know what they are doing. Unlike OR.

 

[morris]

TO:morepwr on "music" in a place of business. i have stopped asking to have it turned down. i TELL them. iam 64 i can do that.

 

[panthermike]

My BIL recently had an issue with a part from them for the truck I gave him, it was a distributor. For a couple of weeks it was running very badly, then he decided to try and swap a different distributor from another store. Viola, the truck runs great now! BTW, this was the second distributor from O'reilly's.

I've also noticed lately that many of the parts people basically know nothing.

 

[bvance554]

Originally Posted By: panthermike
My BIL recently had an issue with a part from them for the truck I gave him, it was a distributor. For a couple of weeks it was running very badly, then he decided to try and swap a different distributor from another store. Viola, the truck runs great now! BTW, this was the second distributor from O'reilly's.

I've also noticed lately that many of the parts people basically know nothing.


Its hardly fair to denounce an entire corporation for one bad part. Maybe he had bad luck and got a bad part. Maybe it was operator error, who really knows. But the 'good' part from the other store probably came from the same manufacturer.

 

[daves87rs]

The ORs in my area are pretty good, and most stores, friendly too. You sure are right about the prices though! It's bad when NAPA, who is not known for being cheap, actually is!

 

[earlyre]

of the local outlets of the "big 3" parts chains(for the puroposes of this discussion anyway), I would have to say O'Reilly is the best up kept(also newest, open maybe 5 yrs, where AAP and AZ moved in maybe 20yrs ago), and i've of gotten the least "huckstery" vibe from the O'Reilly counter jockeys, vs getting a slight "Prey" feeling @ AAP & AZ

that being said, All i really use 'em for is to dump my used oil and filters. they are always happy to do it and have yet to give me the slightest attitude.

only "parts" I've bought were replacement license plate bulbs, and that was just because they were the closest store that sold them.

 

[armos]

The thing with major retail chains is that every location is different. It all depends who works there and how well that store is managed. In theory they should all meet the same standard, but they just don't.
But if I went to several different stores and hated all of them, I might turn against the whole chain at some point, so I don't blame the OP if that's what he's been experiencing with O'Reilly. Perhaps there's a problem at the district level.

Closing early, or chasing people away near closing time, is something that bugs me. All major chains do it though. The employees have no personal interest in making those sales, they're getting the same paycheck regardless.
A privately owned shop is the complete opposite, those places will reopen the store when they see you drive up. The money matters to them.

The O'Reilly (formerly Kragen) near here is okay, although they have one employee who is too high-strung for that line of work. He gets outwardly agitated with customers who don't follow his opinions or who are trying to return something. I've seen it a few times, he really needs to not take himself so seriously. But that's just one guy, the others are fine, usually.
I've found the people at the local NAPA stores to be generally more pleasant, but it varies. Maybe their management runs a tighter ship, I don't know. I don't have many encounters with the other chains.

Faulty parts can be bought anywhere, that's not really an O'Reilly problem. Once we had an oil pressure switch (under warranty) blow apart while driving - they not only replaced the switch but also gave us the oil free that we were buying to re-fill the car.