Why is Autozone the best?

[HUMBLER]

Napa and Advanced Auto are both really close to my house. Autozone is a bit further. Why is it that everytime I'm in a jam and need something quick neither Napa or Advanced have what I need? 2 or 3 times I've made the mistake of hitting these places first to save time but end up wasting time because they don't have what I need. What is Autozone's edge? Is the company more in tune with the hobby? Not to mention, I've never had a guy at Autozone ask me what make is a GTO! Geez, I about fell over when the guy at Advanced asked me that, and he wasn't just some 16 year old summer jobber either!

Just curious...

[HUMBLER]

Napa and Advanced Auto are both really close to my house. Autozone is a bit further. Why is it that everytime I'm in a jam and need something quick neither Napa or Advanced have what I need? 2 or 3 times I've made the mistake of hitting these places first to save time but end up wasting time because they don't have what I need. What is Autozone's edge? Is the company more in tune with the hobby? Not to mention, I've never had a guy at Autozone ask me what make is a GTO! Geez, I about fell over when the guy at Advanced asked me that, and he wasn't just some 16 year old summer jobber either!

Just curious...

[Scott Misus]

Autozone?

Heehee!

Got me some Mercedes diesel glow plugs for about half of what everybody else wanted.

;)

[tripower]

Noticed the same thing in my area Humbler. One reason could be that AutoZones computer part number database goes back to the 50's while other stores only go back to early 70's. They seems to have a good inventory to work from.

[HUMBLER]

Scott, thanks for the reply. A post is not a post without your presence! :D

['ol Pinion head]

Autozone, the best? :confused:

The only positive experience I can relate from Autozone is consistently buying their Coastal PowerClean for a whole lot less than SuperClean (same thing) from Wallyworld. Parts wise, our Autozone parts counter "people" are in their own little zone :rolleyes: totally lost.

[Rob B]

I love the life time warranties.
I get a (free) new alternator every 3-5 yrs...
and this week I'll get a new waterpump! :D

[Rick Lightfoot]

Lousy quality parts, but good guarantees, and seem to stock more than other chains. Good in a pinch, but otherwise forgetaboutit...

[beerwolf66tc]

Originally posted by Rick Lightfoot:
Lousy quality parts, but good guarantees, and seem to stock more than other chains. Good in a pinch, but otherwise forgetaboutit...<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">That pretty much sums it up.

In my town, AutoZone is the dominant chain, and they do stock a good selection of motor oil, plus AC/Delco filters, but when it comes to reman parts-forget it. As far as chain stores go, O'Reilly or Carquest has been a better bet for me. Sadly, there are fewer and fewer of the independents out here-the big boys are running them out. :(

[Blackcat]

Auto zone?
Buwahahahaha!
Rofolol!
The place is seriously lacking in the warranty dept and Talent! Most cannot even look up stuff on the computers! tongue.gif

[Txbobcat]

A lot of my old compadres work at Autozone. Dont have to carry in receipts for warranties and if you are fairly knowledgeable on parts and know what interchanges if you already bought one from them your next cars parts can be under warranty also. I just carried in a starter that died on me. Looked at the computer and I thought I had already bought one. Thinking back later it was for a different car that I bought in 92. They gave me a new one no questions. Also nationwide warranty. Advance pays their help real cheap young kids that dont know a Bonneville from a GTO. Is that GTO a 4 cylinder or a V6 mister?????

[Kurt Zimmerman]

I have an old independant parts supplier nearby, so I try to give him all my business, and his counter guys know more about Pontiacs than the dealership nearby.

Plus the owner recognizes me when I walk in.

(That's a good thing, right?)

Kurt

[Tim642957]

Autozone????

My dad was a engine machinist for 35 years at the local NAPA. He swore by their products and for good reason - good quality and they last. The franchise has changed hands now and all those old countermen (as well as Dad) are running that big NAPA store in the sky. Although the faces are new, they still get my business.

No kids either. Adults that understand cars and know that their computer does not go back to 1964, so they reach for the parts book and locate what is needed, like Balkamp headlight adjusters for a 1964 Grand Prix. Advance, Autozone and Car Quest all told me they carried no such thing. 5 minutes after going in the local NAPA, I'm walking out with the EXACT replacement.

Rob has a point....after my wife's Firebird lunched the 3rd warranty Advance alternator 350 miles from home, I found a local NAPA jobber in Gettysburg, PA and bought a real alternator. No more problems.

You roll the dice with Autozone/Advance batteries, alternators, electrical parts, reman, etc. The only thing I by from them now is car cleaning supplies if the local Wal-Mart is out.

[HUMBLER]

I'll have to look around for an independent in the area. I'll also give napa another shot, as I've only had problems with "over the counter" stuff, not parts.

Not to be a stocker but I almost feel like I need to get the work schedule of some of the guys / girls so I don't have to deal with the morons! No matter what store.

[walsh1]

Heres a good one, I went to Advanced to get some vacuum line fittings and stuff. I went to the counter to pay and the guy says to me, "is this for the Goat?" WHOA! I said "how in the hell did you know that?" Turns out hes a buddy of my sons and my car is already somewhat of a local legend. And it hasnt even been out of the garage yet!
Advanced has burned me many times on alt,starters, etc. I finally decided not to buy anything electrical from them again. Their counter help is a joke.
Autozone so far has been painless and the counter guys seem to be sharp, not a bunch of kids.

[Rob B]

I thought I would be getting a free water pump tonight (autozone) but instead My 3-5 yrs are up on my alternator. :D :D

I knew it was a bearing!!! it just wasn't the pumps turn yet. ;)
Gotta love them lifetime warranties!

[sscherin]

In my old neighborhood the National Auto parts store was the place to go..
Prices were ok but somehow they always had what I needed..
If they didn't the napa around the corner did..
Schucks was always a blank look or the wrong part..

The Napa by the new house has been good.. It helps that there's a cute gal behind the counter that knows her stuff.. smile.gif

[Larry Navarro]

i gotta give "Twilight Zone" a thumbs up.
ten years ago i was on the road outta town in my '79 when i had a spring fly loose from the clutch disc. it wedged itself in the fingers of the pressure plate and would not allow the clutch to engage. well to make a long story short, the local ZONE gave me a total clutch assembly free of charge and i didn't even have the reciept.
all my previous business information was in their database.
i continue to use the ZONE for their lifetime warrantee products(waterpumps, alternators) as they far outlast the OEM units from the factory.
on another note, there is also the NAPA warehouse store close by when i need those parts for the ol' birds.

[fasteddy]

I would use the Zone more if the counter people could speak English as well as Spanish. I go to NAPA for parts-good quality and the main man at the counter is a Pontiac Fanatic. I buy my oil and parts cleaners at the Zone because it is only 4 blocks from my house. Sometimes I use Checker S/K for parts if NAPA is closed.

[SuperPhil]

I like AutoZone because they have the stuff I need more often than Checker or NAPA. Plus, the AutoZone by my house is open 24 hours a day!!!

[71 T/A]

In South Florida, they have a chain of stores called Discount Auto. They have lifetime warranties too but one day I walk in and the 35ish guy behind the counter says Mustang? when I say I have a GTO.

Mustang GT - 2/3 as good as a GTO!

[KEVGTO]

Yeh, I quit dealing with Advanced a couple of years ago.. When I had to put on 3 blackstone fuel pumps in a months time in my cousins 89 Iroc.
I generally go to Carter's a local parts store, or if not I go to Autozone. But, that is the truth the warranties are good, but remanufactured part's suck.. I buy all my elec. parts at Carter's and I have a charge account with them also, that don't accrue interest and send's me a Christmas card and a new calender every year. Autozone don't do that. But, I do know a couple of the guy's that work there, I used to go to school with them about 10yrs. ago.. ;) :D

[wholio]

Went to autozone once and asked for an intake gasket for a small block chev. they insisted that thay had to have the make and engine size. Told them 383 in a 32 ford, never got the gasket. Got a starter for my truck put it on in the snow, worked a week, got another one, put it on again worked 2 weeks, got the third one that lasted. Great warrenty no fun.

[Givindabird]

In my area it's a search mission every time I need a part.I have all the local part store #'s right by the phone.There are certain parts I would buy from one store but wouldn't trust from another.At our Auto Zone,the only person I'll even talk to is a female,she's the only one there that knows what she's doing.Plus she's more pleazin' to the eye too! ;)

[T/A 70]

No prob's with Autozone. They had the cast impeller water pump in stock for my 70 and the quality was excellent on the heater core. The $55 one from Ames was flimsy and a leaker! No cute counter girl though.....

[mike nixon]

every autozone / advance i've been in has been a joke. the overall quality sucks, the knowlege is nonexistant, and if it's not in the computer it was never made.

in my business it doesn't pay to put on cheap parts no matter what the warranty length is.

our local napa store used to be terrible about warranty repairs but it's changed hands and is better than it used to be.

my favorite parts store was a private chain that was recently bought out by carquest. the selection isn't as good as what it used to be but i've not had any quality problems yet.

summit racing is also a good source for my personal cars if i can wait a day or two on the parts. normally if i call it in by 10 am the order will be here the next day.

if you need carb parts buy them from carbking [ the carburetor shop ] his prices are reasonable and the quality is excellent. if the carb is pre '74 he's the place to shop.

my experiences, mike

[retrojoe]

I have to give kudos to our local Napa stores. They seem to have the parts and have had no problems with them. I can't believe that my local Kragan had a heater core for my 66' Lemans!

My other life has meaning....

[T/A 70]

Hey Joe, isn't Summit close to you? Reno, Sparks? I forget.

T/A 70
http://kurtspontiac.homestead.com/files/united_states_of_america_fi_md_clr.gif

[retrojoe]

Yeah, I forgot about those guys for HiPo stuff. They have a nice return area as well, and if your lucky you'll find some great bargains there!

My other life has meaning....

[Lemans1]

I dont think I will ever buy a part from Autozone again. 3 weeks ago I had a problem with my van. I had the guys there scan it and they told me plugs and wires were causing the misfire. I asked about the coil pack and they told me that wasnt possible, just plugs and wires. So I spend $75 on new plugs and wires. Install them and the problem was still there. So I go at it like an older car(like I should have in the first place and not trusted the computer) and find the coil pack is bad! Spend the $70 for the coil(only guys that were open and had it on a Sunday). Problem is fixed......until the new coil went bad 2 WEEKS LATER /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif /infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif Never again.

[RAM YAK II]

That's the great part about the auto hobby and business and America. The options you have today give you all the best parts at the best values and the worst parts at the worst value. And you have a great opportunity to bitch about it later if you want. We've all experienced good and bad happenings at the Autozones and the NAPA's of this country and we have the choice of buying from whoever we want. The same can't be said for some other people in this world.

[Glenn]

Is this horse beat to death yet...show mercy and let it die.

[Motornoggin]

My local NAPA store sucks! NAPA= No Auto Parts Available!

I have had the best luck with a Checker (Checker, Shucks, Kragen) in a town 35 miles away. I have a pro-shop account with them and they will deliver to me the same day! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Brakes?! We don't need no stinking brakes!

[hoffman7476]

I think Pep Boys has the biggest computer database. I checked AZ, Discount, NAPA, Advance and Carquest for 1LE rotors. I think AZ had it in the computer under "not available", Pep Boys had them in stock.

http://images.andale.com/f2/129/111/8188590/1032668461894_license_20020921210827_39172.jpg
http://motorhead.iwarp.com
In a big operation you have to expect a few screw ups.

[retrojoe]

I just scored big time at Summit Racing here in Reno! I went in to get a set of lug nuts for a set of 14x6 Torque Thrust wheels I just picked up and low and behold guess whats sitting in the clearance area....a complete set of 15x7 Torque Thrust wheels that were floor demos for the lovely price of $100.00 set...not each!! I now have two sets of wheels for my car! Heck yeah! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

My other life has meaning....

[JimFB400HO]

When the Autozone computer told them Firebird did not have a 400 in 1968, I realized they were a good place to buy engine cleaner and windshield washer fluid.

[goatseeker]

Hey Retro Joe,

How would you like to make some money on those Torque Thrust 15X7's? I'll give 'ya $150.00 for 'em and I'll pay shipping /infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif.
50% return on your initial investment isn't bad!
Tim

http://kurtspontiac.homestead.com/TimSimpson66GTO.html

[bonneville Joe]

All the chain stores around here suck. If you don't speak spanish you are screwed. I only deal with one independant shop on the other side of town. He knows what cars I have, what motors I have in them, and he dosen't charge me for cores.
No one has beat his prices either. I have been buying from him for 7 years.

Give me a thumbs up, tell me "Nice Car!", but for god's sake, don't call it an Impala.

[retrojoe]

Goatseeker, not to rub it in, but I just stopped by Summit to return an item and picked up a new returned Edelbrock carb for $160. It had the eletric choke on it as well, and never ran! I guess some guy bought two of em for a tunnel ram then returned them to do something else with his setup. And No, I won't sell the wheels at this point! I can't believe the deal I got on those! /infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

My other life has meaning....