Which is the best auto parts store? (vehicle, versus, liability)
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An often-overlooked fact is that if you take a part number from the NAPA (or OReillys or Autozone) website, and paste it into the google search bar, you'll find that quite a few parts stores carry the same parts with the same part numbers. That ought to tell us something.
The best parts stores are the smaller independent shops. I go in shoot the s**t get a cup of coffee get the RIGHT part the FIRST time. For emergency whatever is close
Lately, I have been going to a Federated Auto Parts store that is locally owned and operated. Good quality for less $. I purchased 2 brand new fuel tanks from them for the same money a junkyard wanted for the tanks used and beat up! There are some parts I go to either CARQUEST or NAPA for, and some performance parts I have done well with from O'Reillys, especially with gauges and small dress up but good quality parts. My Studebaker now has a Autometer Quad gauge, 160mph speedo, and tach from O'Reilly's because they had the best price on the version I picked. Too bad I don't like them in the truck as much as I thought I would. I'll be changing them again in the spring!
From an insiders point-of-view, let me break it down for you. Advance Auto, O'Reilly's, AutoZone and Pep Boys are no doubt a "Retail Chain," this is a fact and it is exactly what they intend to be. CarQuest I know is 90% wholesale and 10% retail. Napa is somewhere in the middle of both. Looking at the numbers which I have done so, CarQuest and Napa have the fewest warranty issues, which in turn, means better parts; fact.
What source do you have showing that their parts have fewer warranty issues? Just wondering.
And since Carquest and NAPA get's a higher percentage of their business from commercial, how much of those warranty return #s can be attributed to that?
I used to work at Pep Boys in the service department, and we were terrible with our returns to Carquest for defective parts, on the ones we did return. I say "ones we did return" because sometimes we just warrantied them against our own parts, if they came back. Also terrible on us.
Also, how many warranty returns are there for just mis-diagnosed parts by DIY customers? Again, not questioning you, just wondering where you're getting the numbers from.
In general, I agree on the parts quality issue.
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However! with the very recent purchase Advance Auto has made of General Parts International aka CarQuest, WorldPak, and others. Advance Auto Parts will crush North America in parts suppliers. It is no doubt going to give the others a run for their money, or should I say the consumers. LOL.
AutoZone if I need to stay local, and only if I'm desperate. Otherwise, I go online...I can wait a day or two. I usually go with CarPartKings.com or Rock.
The one that stands behind their warranty plus doesn't have a lot of turn around !!!
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