NAPA except home town store.

 

Napa farm and fleet.

 

We don’t have all of those chains handy where I live. Also, I have found myself going across town to a no name shop because they have what I am looking for. And there is online.

 

Rock Auto.

 

I’ve worked for both Advance and O’Reilly.

Our O’Reilly is in small town, agricultural, heavy equipment, and timber farm country. The counter staff knows what they are doing.

Advance and Auto Zone both suck.
NAPA sells Chinese products just like every one else.

 

Whichever one that has the part I need in stock.

 

It really depends on the staff, if they know their stuff or not. If it's not an emergency I prefer to order online for the savings. Seems all the brick & mortar stores have excessive markup vs. online retailers (and even walmart for things like rtv silicone, loc tite, etc.). When I can get a pair of shocks shipped for $75 and the local parts stores want $130 each it's a no brainer.

 

Rock Auto. Not on your list but my go to when I can wait. If I must have it now, O Reilly's. The staff generally seems friendlier. None of brick and mortar shops have any real knowledge. If it isn't in the computer, it doesn't exist.

 

Hi/Lo. So I voted O'Reilly.

 

Napa, then O'Reilly.
I use Amazon and Ebay a lot, especially for price.

 

Napa, then O'Reilly.
I use Amazon and Ebay a lot, especially for price.

I buy a lot of parts on eBay, I have a couple of sellers that are local, I pick up my order at their shop or warehouse. For my old Ford, I ordered things like connecting rods and an electric fan kit, even saved compared to what Summit wanted for them.

I had a Napa by work, I could dart out at lunch and get things... a great place. That closed up and I used one closer to home. Terrible... I needed a clip for a Chevy truck clutch fork and the counter person was mystified. And I know he was not new to the store.

Pep Boys it seems like at least by me, is out of the parts business. I needed a simple emergency brake c-clip on a Friday evening. I gave them comparable Ford cars to use for a search, I drew a sketch of what it looked like. I may as well have been talking Swahili. Saturday morning, I went to the oldest parts store around and had one in about 15 seconds.

Counter people, if they cannot find it in that box on the counter, you will be SOL most of the time. Rock Auto is pretty good when you need some odd part that nobody else has.

 

Miss the old independent stores of long ago. I've told my Son about them . They pretty much knew there stuff.
You stand in line until your next then maybe there's a bar stool at the counter while they go get your parts.
If you stumble with what you really need from incompetence the whole line has a good laugh at your expense and you vow never to be that guy again. heh heh

Napa first for local but they generally cater to auto repair businesses and have shorter hours. O Reily would be next.
If we can wait it's ordered through Rock Auto.

Heh heh " Autozone and Advanced suck " I get it but they have free tool rental so the rare time I need a tool I don;t have, I'll suffer going there.

 

The old ones that smelled of oil and dust,big windows so they didn't need lights during the day, you told the guy at the counter make model and year( and maybe have the bad part with you) he would flip through the giant books like Gandalf then disappear in to the the rows of shelves lit by a single 60 watt bulb.
If they didn't have it they called the shops and junkyards till they found one.

NAPA then oriellys

 

Back in the day, when I asked for a set of points and condenser for a V-8 chevrolet, and he/she/it asked me........'do you want a separate condenser, or the made together set?
I knew I had a parts man that knew his stuff.

If I had one to ask.....'car, truck, year, size', I knew I had a newbie.

 

Still have a couple of good junkyards here, been having to use them more lately since there seems to be little interest in making parts for older vehicles. Guess we're all supposed to be driving late model toaster-mobiles...

Had a few V8 swapped S-10s over the years, used to play along with the "year, make, model" questions just to enjoy the blank stare when the computer didn't list the engine.

 

Rock Auto has good prices but I dislike the shipping, order two parts and one is shipped from A and the other from B and get two shipping charges. One part arrives on Monday and the second arrives on Friday or the following week, only saving grace is they do have lots of parts for classics and off brand vehicles. My #1 go to source is Summit racing (parts arrive within 48 hrs or less) for Hi-Po & Stock parts then NAPA and then Rock Auto.

 

We have a local parts store/ automotive machine shop- they are very good, then NAPA, mostly because of better help, and they can order Ag/ Heavy equipment parts- then O’Riley (best of the big box, non local)

 

The by far cheapest old independent auto parts was owned by Jewish guy and his Son along with some really rough looking characters behind the counter.
The old man was worth some money in that town and he pack a piece. He must of had some connections to do so in those times.
He didn't spend one penny on the building and it looked run down with the linoleum floor have gone. That's how he beat everyone else on prices.
When your a teenager trying to keep your heap running on very little money that's where I went.

So in comes a guy wanting something for his Volkswagens Thing.
If your old enough to remember them they looked like a German WW2 military car.

Not a wise thing to do back in the mid 70's at a jewish establishment with not to distant memory's of WW2.

Boy did he catch holy hell and was ran out of there. I never seen the owners so pissed. heh heh

 

I used to be a mechanic, 15 yrs. I worked at a couple of auto parts stores, commercial parts sales 13 yrs.

There really isn't a "best" auto parts. It's the parts guys that make it the "best".
I shop online for the best deals. Companies are all pretty much the same. Order online and pick up at store or if I have the time I use Amazon and maybe Rock Auto.
I know what I need and I order the correct parts. Cut out the middle guy.

I don't know about your area but, here in Las Vegas/Henderson NV, Pep Boy's are only service centers. They shut down the stores and no longer sell retail/commercial parts.
For "need now" part emergencies it's usually Autozone because it's the closest. The nearest Oreilly still has a performace section that has carb parts that I need.

 

O'Reilly as they are the only parts dept that's not incompetent around here.
Auto zone if you are looking for that once in a lifetime fartcan.

 

NAPA and O'Reilly for me with occasional orders with Rock Auto. I quit going to Autozone because of the (lack of) service. Advanced is overpriced. At least in my area.

 

 

Summit is my hands down go-to. I have placed orders in the morning and by early the next day have arrived. Great customer service and return policies.

 

I like advanced and oreilleys. Deep South area.

 

I liked the old independent parts stores,they had actual parts men/women not just parts look up people.
Now I go to O'Reilly's because it's closest,if what I need parts for is more then 25 years old I drive extra 5 miles to NAPA,there is still a old parts man that works there part time.

 

We use TPH, The Parts House for fast,need-it-now repairs, sometimes CarQuest too. Oil and other maint items not needed right away I get from a local independent store. I'd rather keep the biz and money local if I can help it.

 

No O'Reilly here. Auto Zone is most convenient, but you have to go in with the specific part number you want, because while they want to help, they are generally pretty clueless. NAPA guys are most informative, the gal there is especially knowledgeable and willing to help. For phone/online orders, I like Jegs over Summit. And when I get someone who actually knows what they are talking about (not "the computer says it won't fit") I get their name and ask for them when I call.

 

My go-to is Rock Auto if I need it sooner I use Amazon if I need it today I go with Auto Zone or Napa but I hate their prices, I'll pay $10 on Rock Auto, $30 at Auto Zone and $50 at Napa for the exact same item.

I have yet to have the "parts guy" be of any value at either parts store (unfortunately), normally they ask nonsensical questions.