Carquest is my fav too. O Reilly's is good too.
Your favorite auto parts stores
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Originally Posted By: cascivic
I used advanced and buy online to pick up... There coupon codes are just too good to go anywhere else local for me
same here
I used advanced and buy online to pick up... There coupon codes are just too good to go anywhere else local for me
same here
There's a NAPA around here (Payne Rd Scarborough ME to name names) who'll charge $22 for something (e-brake cable) that has a full cash MSRP of $16. Never met the owner, bet he's a real shyster. Floor level clerks know their stuff very well however.
I like Advance purely for figuring out the web/brick & mortar convergence. I can order something in my wife's name, forward her the email, and she'll pick it up and get the right part without the counter-monkeys upselling or confusing the issue. (Is your saturn a 1.9 or a 1.9, why does my computer say this? Aaaaugh!)
I like Advance purely for figuring out the web/brick & mortar convergence. I can order something in my wife's name, forward her the email, and she'll pick it up and get the right part without the counter-monkeys upselling or confusing the issue. (Is your saturn a 1.9 or a 1.9, why does my computer say this? Aaaaugh!)
Advance Auto by a mile. I like the savings that I get on-line w/ discount codes and they generally have what I need. I have two within 10 minutes of my house and one of their major distribution warehouses is less than 15 minutes from my house.
Originally Posted By: bruckus
Advance Auto Parts. Like shopping on line and using those good coupon codes.
+1 Saved a bunch using online codes and thier rebates on things like NextGen Oil and Autocraft batteries. A search will reveal some less than stellar reports about individual stores, but there has also been some positive ones too. Shopping online and knowing the specific part I want minimizes any store issues. Good parts selection, using online codes most often makes them tops in price even compared to Rock Auto and Amazon.
A distant second would be my local Napa store. Convenient, has a good selection of parts in store or that can be obtained overnight. Occasional sale of some interest.
Then AZ for a very specific part or very rare oil/filter promo. Generally Wally jug price and Classic OF equals or beats their promos.
O'R distant last. Poor stock on many oils, parts prices can't touch AAP online code prices. I've found little or no reason to shop there since they came to the area.
Advance Auto Parts. Like shopping on line and using those good coupon codes.
+1 Saved a bunch using online codes and thier rebates on things like NextGen Oil and Autocraft batteries. A search will reveal some less than stellar reports about individual stores, but there has also been some positive ones too. Shopping online and knowing the specific part I want minimizes any store issues. Good parts selection, using online codes most often makes them tops in price even compared to Rock Auto and Amazon.
A distant second would be my local Napa store. Convenient, has a good selection of parts in store or that can be obtained overnight. Occasional sale of some interest.
Then AZ for a very specific part or very rare oil/filter promo. Generally Wally jug price and Classic OF equals or beats their promos.
O'R distant last. Poor stock on many oils, parts prices can't touch AAP online code prices. I've found little or no reason to shop there since they came to the area.
Amazon.com. I can get exactly what I want at a great price, and shipping is almost always free!
For brick and mortar stores, Napa. I've had better luck with their parts than anyone else, even dealer parts. They have a MUCH better selection of oil and antifreeze than any Advance I've ever been to.
I'll only go to my local Auto Zone as a last resort. The last time I went there, I browsed for about twenty minutes before I got what I came to get and saw not a single employee. I had to yell for someone to come out from the back and ring me out, and he disappeared into the back again as soon as he plopped my change on the counter. Had I been so inclined, I could have loaded up a buggy with as much stuff as it would carry and gone straight out the door with it.
Pep Boys and O'Reilly's are just too expensive. I can get the same filters and oils for much less at Napa or Advance, for example.
For brick and mortar stores, Napa. I've had better luck with their parts than anyone else, even dealer parts. They have a MUCH better selection of oil and antifreeze than any Advance I've ever been to.
I'll only go to my local Auto Zone as a last resort. The last time I went there, I browsed for about twenty minutes before I got what I came to get and saw not a single employee. I had to yell for someone to come out from the back and ring me out, and he disappeared into the back again as soon as he plopped my change on the counter. Had I been so inclined, I could have loaded up a buggy with as much stuff as it would carry and gone straight out the door with it.
Pep Boys and O'Reilly's are just too expensive. I can get the same filters and oils for much less at Napa or Advance, for example.
Originally Posted By: eljefino
(Is your saturn a 1.9 or a 1.9, why does my computer say this? Aaaaugh!)
Well to be fair... you can't expect anyone to know everything about every car ever made. But I do get your point.
Oddly enough, Ford actually made a 3.0L OHV V6 and a 3.0L DOHC V6 and either one could be found in the Taurus. Usually you can just reference the size difference but you can't on that one. You have to specific about DOHC or not. I messed up and ordered the wrong alternator by mistake once overlooking the fact that it said it was for the DOHC.
(Is your saturn a 1.9 or a 1.9, why does my computer say this? Aaaaugh!)
Well to be fair... you can't expect anyone to know everything about every car ever made. But I do get your point.
Oddly enough, Ford actually made a 3.0L OHV V6 and a 3.0L DOHC V6 and either one could be found in the Taurus. Usually you can just reference the size difference but you can't on that one. You have to specific about DOHC or not. I messed up and ordered the wrong alternator by mistake once overlooking the fact that it said it was for the DOHC.
Rock Auto used to be my first choice, but their shipping is often an absolute mess. Part A comes from a different warehouse than parts B, C, and D. Part E comes from yet another warehouse. Shipping costs 3x as much as it should.
Amazon is now my first choice. Get the part numbers from Rock Auto, cross reference them to Amazon. Amazon is usually a few bucks higher, but with Amazon Prime, 2-day shipping is free, negating any difference in price.
Oil comes from Wal Mart and if I absolutely must step into a store, it's usually an Advance. There is a local independent store that I trust to do mechanical work, like swapping struts or refinishing rotors/drums.
I also tend to frequent speciality on-line retailers, like shockwarehouse.com (an awesome outfit BTW), or even Summit and Jegs.
Frankly, I hate the counter people at brick and mortar stores. No, you're not a technician; I don't need your behind-the-counter diagnosis. No, you're not an oil expert; I don't need your recommendations.
Amazon is now my first choice. Get the part numbers from Rock Auto, cross reference them to Amazon. Amazon is usually a few bucks higher, but with Amazon Prime, 2-day shipping is free, negating any difference in price.
Oil comes from Wal Mart and if I absolutely must step into a store, it's usually an Advance. There is a local independent store that I trust to do mechanical work, like swapping struts or refinishing rotors/drums.
I also tend to frequent speciality on-line retailers, like shockwarehouse.com (an awesome outfit BTW), or even Summit and Jegs.
Frankly, I hate the counter people at brick and mortar stores. No, you're not a technician; I don't need your behind-the-counter diagnosis. No, you're not an oil expert; I don't need your recommendations.
Originally Posted By: MrHorspwer
Frankly, I hate the counter people at brick and mortar stores. No, you're not a technician; I don't need your behind-the-counter diagnosis. No, you're not an oil expert; I don't need your recommendations.
Normally, I would be offended by that, but I was one of the first countermen to ever take the ASE Parts Specialist Test. It was more of a merchandising, inventory management and sales test than I expected. A retail sales test. The Western Auto Master Parts Specialist Test was more comprehensive on vehicle component systems and part identification than the ASE test was.
Frankly, I hate the counter people at brick and mortar stores. No, you're not a technician; I don't need your behind-the-counter diagnosis. No, you're not an oil expert; I don't need your recommendations.
Normally, I would be offended by that, but I was one of the first countermen to ever take the ASE Parts Specialist Test. It was more of a merchandising, inventory management and sales test than I expected. A retail sales test. The Western Auto Master Parts Specialist Test was more comprehensive on vehicle component systems and part identification than the ASE test was.
I did have a problem with RockAuto a couple times... but I guess the blame is more Moog's problem.
I had ordered a ton of new, high quality front end parts. When I did so, I messed up and only ordered one idler arm when I needed two.
At first I went on ebay and ordered one since I found someone selling them cheaper with shipping than RA. The seller was putting garbage parts in Moog boxes. The one on the left is the real Moog part from RA, the one on the right is the cheap garbage they tried to pass off as Moog:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/illiop/2012-02-04101810.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/illiop/2012-02-04101831.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/illiop/2012-02-04101905.jpg
So after I got that garbage part from that ebay seller (which I filed a complaint over and sent back) I went back to RA and ordered a second one from them.
When the second one came, it was considerably different. It looked like it might have fit on but it looked cheaper made and had a slight bend in it. So I called up RA and emailed them a photo. They promptly sent a replacement. It was another funky one but in a newer (cheaper made) box. This time, the guy at RA had stated that it was going to be the right thing like in the photo. It was not. I called them up again and I think they ended up sending a third which was also wrong.
Here is the photo I took when the second one funky one came:
So I finally just told RA I didn't want them and I sent the odd ones back. I had O'Reilly order one to see what their stock was like. I checked it before I left the store... it was the better style like the first one I got from RA so I got it.
I guess Moog changed the design to that lousy one.
Later on when ordering Moog ball joints, RA sent one that was the right box but it had the wrong ball joint inside (similar but wrong). It was a threaded style (upper) when the box should have contained a press in (lower) ball joint. They promptly sent a replacement that had the right thing inside and they didn't ask for the wrong one back.. it's still sitting around here in the box brand new.
I can't really sell it not knowing 100% for sure what part # it is.. too bad. But it appears to be the K778 which is an upper ball joint (which I did order 2 of at that same time). Despite having new ball joints on the van already, I guess I will keep it and write K778 on the box and scratch out K7025. It's a $30-45 ball joint (Moog Problem Solver) depending where you buy it.
Anyhow... Moog was more to blame than RA I suppose. RA's phone support is very good and seems to be US based.. or was last year when I placed a lot of orders anyway.
I had ordered a ton of new, high quality front end parts. When I did so, I messed up and only ordered one idler arm when I needed two.
At first I went on ebay and ordered one since I found someone selling them cheaper with shipping than RA. The seller was putting garbage parts in Moog boxes. The one on the left is the real Moog part from RA, the one on the right is the cheap garbage they tried to pass off as Moog:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/illiop/2012-02-04101810.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/illiop/2012-02-04101831.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v222/illiop/2012-02-04101905.jpg
So after I got that garbage part from that ebay seller (which I filed a complaint over and sent back) I went back to RA and ordered a second one from them.
When the second one came, it was considerably different. It looked like it might have fit on but it looked cheaper made and had a slight bend in it. So I called up RA and emailed them a photo. They promptly sent a replacement. It was another funky one but in a newer (cheaper made) box. This time, the guy at RA had stated that it was going to be the right thing like in the photo. It was not. I called them up again and I think they ended up sending a third which was also wrong.
Here is the photo I took when the second one funky one came:
So I finally just told RA I didn't want them and I sent the odd ones back. I had O'Reilly order one to see what their stock was like. I checked it before I left the store... it was the better style like the first one I got from RA so I got it.
I guess Moog changed the design to that lousy one.
Later on when ordering Moog ball joints, RA sent one that was the right box but it had the wrong ball joint inside (similar but wrong). It was a threaded style (upper) when the box should have contained a press in (lower) ball joint. They promptly sent a replacement that had the right thing inside and they didn't ask for the wrong one back.. it's still sitting around here in the box brand new.
I can't really sell it not knowing 100% for sure what part # it is.. too bad. But it appears to be the K778 which is an upper ball joint (which I did order 2 of at that same time). Despite having new ball joints on the van already, I guess I will keep it and write K778 on the box and scratch out K7025. It's a $30-45 ball joint (Moog Problem Solver) depending where you buy it.
Anyhow... Moog was more to blame than RA I suppose. RA's phone support is very good and seems to be US based.. or was last year when I placed a lot of orders anyway.
I buy almost everything from Rockauto when I can wait. The other stuff I have a great Autozone that takes care of me. I will never step foot in an O'rielly again because the refused to warranty a battery without a reciept and "could not find me" in the computer which was complete [censored].
Originally Posted By: MrHorspwer
Frankly, I hate the counter people at brick and mortar stores. No, you're not a technician; I don't need your behind-the-counter diagnosis. No, you're not an oil expert; I don't need your recommendations.
Wal-Mart is worst of all. One of the last times I stepped into a Wal-Mart I was picking up a site to store tire I bought (a 5th one for spare, identical to 4 I had already bought at Sears).
They charged me for mounting since it didn't get put on an axle where the tire touches the ground, but instead on a spare rim on a rear carrier.
First they tried to claim it had to be bought from Wal-Mart. WELL DUH! They knew I had just went to Site to Store to pick it up... I had went to the TLE counter first and they told me I had to go fetch it!
Then they changed their story about how it had to be one that touches the ground, not a spare. I guess I should have then told them to mount that spare rim/tire combo on the van in place of one of the other new tires/rim combos. It would have made MORE work for them in order to give me free mounting. Idiots.
They also didn't ring up road hazard when I said I wanted it. I didn't realize they charged mounting and not for road hazard until after I paid.
Some buttinskee WM worker who just walked up, chimed in loudly that I can't get road hazard on the tire because you have to buy LT for a 1 ton. I quickly put him in his place indicating that it *IS* an LT tire. He responded in a sheepish, softer tone "oh.. I didn't know." Yeah. that's right... mind your own business if you don't know squat about the situation.
They rang up road hazard, I paid it.. and they gave me no printed proof. The woman hand wrote it on the previously printed receipt showing cost of mounting.
I buy NOTHING from Wal-Mart anymore. I have to pay more elsewhere.. oh well. Wal-Mart is garbage.
Frankly, I hate the counter people at brick and mortar stores. No, you're not a technician; I don't need your behind-the-counter diagnosis. No, you're not an oil expert; I don't need your recommendations.
Wal-Mart is worst of all. One of the last times I stepped into a Wal-Mart I was picking up a site to store tire I bought (a 5th one for spare, identical to 4 I had already bought at Sears).
They charged me for mounting since it didn't get put on an axle where the tire touches the ground, but instead on a spare rim on a rear carrier.
First they tried to claim it had to be bought from Wal-Mart. WELL DUH! They knew I had just went to Site to Store to pick it up... I had went to the TLE counter first and they told me I had to go fetch it!
Then they changed their story about how it had to be one that touches the ground, not a spare. I guess I should have then told them to mount that spare rim/tire combo on the van in place of one of the other new tires/rim combos. It would have made MORE work for them in order to give me free mounting. Idiots.
They also didn't ring up road hazard when I said I wanted it. I didn't realize they charged mounting and not for road hazard until after I paid.
Some buttinskee WM worker who just walked up, chimed in loudly that I can't get road hazard on the tire because you have to buy LT for a 1 ton. I quickly put him in his place indicating that it *IS* an LT tire. He responded in a sheepish, softer tone "oh.. I didn't know." Yeah. that's right... mind your own business if you don't know squat about the situation.
They rang up road hazard, I paid it.. and they gave me no printed proof. The woman hand wrote it on the previously printed receipt showing cost of mounting.
I buy NOTHING from Wal-Mart anymore. I have to pay more elsewhere.. oh well. Wal-Mart is garbage.
Originally Posted By: GMBoy
I buy almost everything from Rockauto when I can wait. The other stuff I have a great Autozone that takes care of me. I will never step foot in an O'rielly again because the refused to warranty a battery without a reciept and "could not find me" in the computer which was complete [censored].
I can do you one better.
There are 2 O'Reillys here and I know the manager at one of them. (He's my friend's mom's boyfriend). He had been working at one but switched to the other. I had gone into the one he used to work at to return some items I didn't need after all for a job. Nothing was used or open, just not needed.
Well the guy doing the return messed up and forgot to ring up and refund me on a $6 bottle of differential oil. Yeah, mistakes happen... I understand. I didn't realize it unil I got home. Being over 15 miles from the store, I called the store and the guy who did it answered.
After I began explaining, he put me on hold... 5 or so minutes pass. I hang up and call back. He promptly answers and I tell him "I don't appreciate you putting me on hold like that" and he seemingly puts me on hold but then I get the "hung up" tone. So I call back a third time.. angry at this point. He picked it up and promptly hung it right back up without even answering. Needless to say, I was beyond angry at that point.
I called up the other O'Reilly and the manager I know answered. He stated that the workers at the other store are very poor and that he couldn't do anything about them (which I figured). He told me the name of the manager at the other store and to speak to him directly and tell him what that other guy did. So the next day I went in and did just that. I made it very clear that the guy was hanging up on my calls to avoid speaking to me about the mistake he made and that it was inexcusable.
The manager remembered me being in there returning the items since he was the one who picked up the differential fluid and checked to see if the seal was still intact, which it was.
I had to go fetch a bottle of oil from the shelf like I had returned (I had 2 different weights on he precept but only returned one... both same price though) and the manager gave me a refund no problem.
I buy almost everything from Rockauto when I can wait. The other stuff I have a great Autozone that takes care of me. I will never step foot in an O'rielly again because the refused to warranty a battery without a reciept and "could not find me" in the computer which was complete [censored].
I can do you one better.
There are 2 O'Reillys here and I know the manager at one of them. (He's my friend's mom's boyfriend). He had been working at one but switched to the other. I had gone into the one he used to work at to return some items I didn't need after all for a job. Nothing was used or open, just not needed.
Well the guy doing the return messed up and forgot to ring up and refund me on a $6 bottle of differential oil. Yeah, mistakes happen... I understand. I didn't realize it unil I got home. Being over 15 miles from the store, I called the store and the guy who did it answered.
After I began explaining, he put me on hold... 5 or so minutes pass. I hang up and call back. He promptly answers and I tell him "I don't appreciate you putting me on hold like that" and he seemingly puts me on hold but then I get the "hung up" tone. So I call back a third time.. angry at this point. He picked it up and promptly hung it right back up without even answering. Needless to say, I was beyond angry at that point.
I called up the other O'Reilly and the manager I know answered. He stated that the workers at the other store are very poor and that he couldn't do anything about them (which I figured). He told me the name of the manager at the other store and to speak to him directly and tell him what that other guy did. So the next day I went in and did just that. I made it very clear that the guy was hanging up on my calls to avoid speaking to me about the mistake he made and that it was inexcusable.
The manager remembered me being in there returning the items since he was the one who picked up the differential fluid and checked to see if the seal was still intact, which it was.
I had to go fetch a bottle of oil from the shelf like I had returned (I had 2 different weights on he precept but only returned one... both same price though) and the manager gave me a refund no problem.
I like using online shopping with Advance discount coupons. Usually gives me the best prices and still easy to return if part is wrong. They all have pretty large margins and still make a killing on discounted items. Markup is about what jewelry stores have in the 50-400% markup range.
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I hate all of them. Ridiculous prices,ancient stock,leaky beat-up oil bottles,and unacceptable customer service. Everything I buy comes from Walmart,and if I need a part,I buy from the Nissan dealership or a Nissan online parts store.
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