by Scott Sun Jun 21, 2009 8:46 amWhen posting part sources on here I always wonder what store I should be posting part numbers from. I’m sure we all don’t have the same places, but I want others to be able to just go to the store and ask for the specific part number. It got me to thinking about what others like and dislike about the different chain Auto Part Places, local or online.
Locally I have three to choose from, NAPA, Oreilly, and Autozone.
NAPA
Positives: Only 15 miles away, they know their stuff, and they keep a much larger varitety of parts at the store
Negitives: Hard to find open, and they usually cost more.
Autozone
Positives: Only 15 miles away, their hours are great, and they are cheap
Negitives: They don’t know anything about cars, most of what I ask for they don’t know what I’m talking about. If they can’t find it in their computer they can’t help. They remind me of a place we used to have all around here call ‘Chief Auto’, I once went in looking for 16 pushrods, after digging around on the computer they went back and came out with an armload of cams. Needless to say I quit shopping there. One thing that makes me cring at Autozone is when I’m checking out and they push their Knuckle Buster tool they have on sale, or telling me about the 'Fantastic Fuel Injector Cleaner' they have on sale. That alone makes me want to just walk out without buying anything.
Oreilly Auto
Positives: Great hours, know what I’m talking about when I ask for something, their cheap, and what they don’t have they can get by the end of the day.
Negitives: 30 miles away, and not a great inventory kept at the store.
Locally I have three to choose from, NAPA, Oreilly, and Autozone.
NAPA
Positives: Only 15 miles away, they know their stuff, and they keep a much larger varitety of parts at the store
Negitives: Hard to find open, and they usually cost more.
Autozone
Positives: Only 15 miles away, their hours are great, and they are cheap
Negitives: They don’t know anything about cars, most of what I ask for they don’t know what I’m talking about. If they can’t find it in their computer they can’t help. They remind me of a place we used to have all around here call ‘Chief Auto’, I once went in looking for 16 pushrods, after digging around on the computer they went back and came out with an armload of cams. Needless to say I quit shopping there. One thing that makes me cring at Autozone is when I’m checking out and they push their Knuckle Buster tool they have on sale, or telling me about the 'Fantastic Fuel Injector Cleaner' they have on sale. That alone makes me want to just walk out without buying anything.
Oreilly Auto
Positives: Great hours, know what I’m talking about when I ask for something, their cheap, and what they don’t have they can get by the end of the day.
Negitives: 30 miles away, and not a great inventory kept at the store.
! I have a large folder of nothing but part numbers and what store napa-carquest ect... usually I make a list of things I need for the week and go to napa armed with part numbers and expecting to pick up my parts in a few days. Lets face it I dont expect any auto part store to have a large inventory of 40+ year old van and truck parts, in a perfect world it would be diffrent though,.... There was a mom n pop parts store next town over they knew their stuff. The old guy who ran it got furious with the town after a chain parts store moved next door, oh forgot to add the town gave the store chain a tax break?!!! He was telling me every time he wanted to add on the town was wanting their cut. Good bye 3 generation parts store you will be missed 
