Autozone can die for all I care... I went to order a off the shelf item that was not instock. The guy wanted me to pay for shipping. I looked at him with a: uhm your susposed to have that item on the shelf. (I think it was a set of Silverstar light bulbs). After I made a scene infront of the mananger telling me that I needed to pay shipping when I would have to go to the store to pick it up. The line of 10 people that was behind me left also. I could understand paying for the shipping and having it delivered to my house... but not at there store which is 20-30 mins away.
2nd time I had a problem with them was: here's the Convo.
Me: I need front hubs gaskets for a Toyota 4Runner.
PM: ok, yr, make model....
ME: 1994 Toyota 4Runner 3.0 4wd...
PM: Wait Toyota doesn't make any 4X4 vehicles, they were all All Wheel Drive.
ME: (looked at him and was like OK sure if you say so) Then he asks
PM: Whats trans mission is in it?
ME: 5 Speed Manual, R150...
PM: Are you sure... you have a manual
ME: Yeah I am sure... I drive the ĊĊĊĊing 4Runnner everyday... I am not a rick ˟˟˟˟˟ boy that doesn't know how to work a car.

I had to go off on the guy... he was being a ˟˟˟˟ing tard.

I now go to Advance Auto, they used to be Track Auto here in Southern MD. If they can't get the part in.. 99% of the time its a dealer item. If the part is not on their shelf, they call the 2 other stores and see if they have them... if not, they order them, then I go pick them up and pay for them once I see the part.

There is an Aftermarket Parts places that I would like to try out, its called Street Trendz (http://www.streettrendzmd.com/). Prices are competive as Summit and Jegs but you don't have to pay for shipping. But from what I talked to the guy about... as long as your not in a rush we can get almost anything in.

 

My thoughts (local auto stores)
Autozone: People are idiots, some products are poor quality, people are idiots and they are slow, big selection of oil, cleaner, wire, etc.

Checker: People are idiots, smaller selection of stuff. Poor quality products

Napa: Higher quality than AZ and Checker, always understaffed, usually can "get" the parts within 1-2 days. Small selection

I buy most of my parts from the dealership (with the exception of oil and cleaning products). I have made friends with the parts manager and he always hooks me up. He will overnight any products that he doesn't have. I get genuine Toyota parts at a good price.

 

did you make friends by going there so many times?

the people at my parts counter are for the most part inconsistently there (new person each time) or are too bored to want to make friends with anyone and just want to go home.

 

Yep, I bought a ton of stuff from him for my Celica last year. I was there 2-3 times a week. One day, was asking him about the price for the center console shell and he quoted me $40 more than an online dealer. I showed him the printout and he said, ok from here on out, you have a dealer account (10% over cost), just don't tell anyone else here. I guess he was afraid of losing my business.

I get everything there now; oil filters, keys, TRD stickers, engine parts, interior parts.

 

Those old V6's are actually pretty impressive engines. Nothing like them nowadays which is sort of a shame.

 

Don't flame me for saying this, but I would vote for toyota! I have a crappy dealer near me and they are still better than the area parts stores. (napa, autozone, pepboys, discount, bennett, others)

 

ever seen a 478 GMC V6? i think they were last available in the late 60s in pickups...

 

i would say kragens or allied auto... kragens mostly becuase i work in hte same building at wheel works.. so the kragens staff knows me.... when i go in to buy stuff, they do a company cash purchase, so i get the stuff at wholesale distributor price versus the regular retailp price... way below list........

 

i go to schucks a lot, and also G.I.Joe's for brake pads because they have them cheaper, there is a small mom and pop parts store in town called Clackamas Auto Parts, they have been here since 1934. my mom and uncle went to school with the owner, so we get good deals there, and we used to have a pep boys here about 4 years ago but for some reason they only lasted about a year.

 

Wow I thought that only happened to me. Must be the MD water.
Went to Autozone on a Sat. because my friend was on vacation. Needed the donought gaskets for the exhaust manifold to downpipe. I had the reminants of the old one with me.

Me-need exhaust gasket for the downpipe 92 pickup 22RE 4wd 5spd, guy brings out the part. To small, lets look at the ones for the auto (different part #). Part is the right one.
PM- Are you sure its stick?
ME- yeah been driving it for 8yrs now, you mean to tell me I've been shifting for nothing?
PM- How about I take a look just to make sure?
Me- Are you F'ing serious? Do you try to make your customers look like idiots on purpose, or does it just come natural? I tell you what how about you just ring those up, and if they don't fit the part in my hand I'll just return them.
PM- Once you open them you can't return them. Rings them up. $5.50 please.
Me- You know now that I think about it, Advanced Auto never tried to make me feel stupid. I think I'll go there and give them my buisness. And walked out.
Should have seen the look on his face

 

LOL. I usually tell people to be nice to people at stores even if they're stupid. But that guy had it coming - check to make sure its a stick? That's an insult!

I like Advance quite a bit. They seem to be reasonably intelligent, carry good stuff and have it in stock. I go to Checker more because they're three blocks away but they're not too smart, the store is a mess and they're always out of stuff. On the plus side they're so lax that they let customers go into the back and rummage through everything to find that 1 quart (5 cases they're too lazy to stock on the shelves) of Mobil 1 they are "out of".

 

I think it depends more on the area that the store is in. Before I moved here to Arkansas I lived in Washington D.C. and the people there were completel jerks and not willing to help anybody out except for themselves.

When I moved here I IMMEDIATELY noticed that all the people were nicer, much more calm, and not in such a big hurry and just overall nicer.

I've never run into anybody around here that has been like that...the guys that work at all the local places around here, except for AutoZone, are older guys that have lived here all their lives and love their job and really do know what they're talking about. I guess in the South you just get people like that...who knows

Fink

 

I have Napa, Carquest, autozone, checker and the dealer up here. None of them really "get it". Anymore when I walk in the door and they ask... "Can I help you?", I just reply "I doubt it". And the Dealership? What a joke... High prices (at least to my way of thinking) and ˟˟˟˟˟ty customer service. I think the parts guy there suffers from a severe case of nephatism.

 

Just for your information, there are actually 2 Napas here in Sonora. One is up next to Sears and the other is downtown near the pawn shop. As far as my favorite auto parts stores, I usually go to Autozone because it is the most convenient to get to from where I live. I go to Kragen or Napa if Autozone does not have what I am looking for. Kragen seems to have a larger selection than the other stores. Kragen also seem to have the best deals when things go on sale.

 

When we were fixing my friends Ford (Go figure) called up my budy and he said we should go to Nationals but it was a lil bit of a drive, and Autozone down the street had what we needed. So im assuming they is at least on one in the general vacinity of Sacramento, CA.