NAPA vs Other parts stores.

[rjmeuer]

Being an owner of a NAPA Auto Parts store, I'm just looking for input, and this seems like the perfect place to get it as people on here are located all over the country and of all ages.

I'm just wondering why people shop at other parts stores. In so many of the posts I read on this site, I see that people continually go to all of the other parts stores available to them before going to NAPA and getting what they need. Why not just go to NAPA first? I know we have the most parts, 9 times out of 10 we have the most knowledgeable counter people, and when comparing apples to apples our price is very competitive.

So I would like to hear from you and know why you shop at another place before you go to NAPA. I hope to use this input to better serve our area as the #1 parts dealer around.

Thanks!

[surfnuke9]

That is my reason,....NAPA is not the #1 parts store around when it comes to # of stores.

[rjmeuer]

Thanks for the input.

NAPA Auto Parts - about 6000 stores (http://www.napaautojobs.com/aboutus.php)

Autozone - about 4000 stores (http://www.autozoneinc.com/about_us/our ... index.html) (and not sure how their able to put #1 parts store in America as NAPA is always higher in sales than they are)

Oreilly - 3415 stores (http://corporate.oreillyauto.com/corpor ... ws_107.pdf)

CSK (Checker, Schuck’s, Kragen) - 1350 stores (http://www.cskauto.com/Download/oreilly ... sition.pdf)

Perhaps just not in your area (though there are about 10 within 25 miles of you). Thanks again.

[Hewy]

Ryan. For one thing what you just did ,ask,is one reason I go to my local Napa store. The staff is knowledgeable and very helpful. When I walk in I receive a greeting .
One counter guy is a certified mechanic and former fabricator, but got injured and had to take an easier (read that easier physical ) job. So he can figure things out if I don't always have the right description .
For example: My starter went out. The Napa part number listed for the 64 poly did not match the old starter, that I brought in It was grouped in with newer 318 engines. Another counter guy over heard my conversation and asked if he could help.
He said lets look at some different numbers and recalled an old Plymouth Fury he owned and did a search. Called their warehouse said he could have it for me in an hour. I went back in two hours and there it was sitting on the counter next to my old one.
I could never get that kind of service from brand O'Reilly or Autozone. These stores seem to get people that might know what a Honda is, but an old Dodge truck........ huh????
I'm not in your area, but I'm sure some Napa stores are better than others. I recommend you keep the best people and inventory you possibly can in your market. Word gets around.

[wally426ci]

I think that he means that you can find Autozone and Advance within a mile or 2 of eachother but if you look in our state (Maryland) Napa and Fisher are usually about 20miles apart.

I always assume that Napa/Fisher is much more expensive for parts. I do appreciate NAPA, it is usually more quality parts and the guys know a thing or 2. However, my local NAPA is horrible at calling me when i order something. I ordered a drag link for my 68, 6 weeks ago, I call every week and its still not here. The excuse is that its a valid part # but hasn't been located. Kooky. I try another NAPA and instead of $85 its $115 - which brings me to my next tangent: How can prices very so much and why the heck should I pay more for a part just b/c I am not buddies with my NAPA guy yet. I always hear that you can get "cost" prices somehow.....

Anyway, I do like NAPA, but I will for sure go to Advance and get a Purolator Oil Filter and 5 qts of oil for $14.99 before I spend $15 on a WIX filter.

I basically pick and choose what I buy from each store, Im going to own this truck for a LOOOOOONG time so I buy all of my parts at NAPA when I can and fluids and bulbs, etc elsewhere.

I hope that was an OK rant.

[rjmeuer]

I'm not in your area, but I'm sure some Napa stores are better than others. I recommend you keep the best people and inventory you possibly can in your market. Word gets around.

Thank you. We try pretty hard, and we definitely have the best parts people in our area. 4 different guys with over 25 years experience each. 1 was a previous ASE master Tech with his own shop

[HellBelly]

The NAPA stores are by far more knowledgeable than the other stores IMO.

My main reason for always running over to to AutoZone is location.

AutoZone is 1 mile from my house and .5 miles from my work
NAPA is 13 miles from my house and 3 miles from work and not easy to get too.

I do shop online at NAPA for some parts that i order for customers.

Scott

[runcharger]

I like to patronize little parts stores. If there is an independant store and the Parts guys are decent I will go there. If I go to a chain it will depend entirely on the Partsman if I come back. If the Partsman isn't knowledgeable but does listen to what I have to say and has a good attitude I will likely come back. I don't expect to ask for parts for a 40 year old truck and have the 20 year old behind the counter know exactly where to find it, but I like a decent attitude.

Sheldon

[digdoug]

Since you are looking for input... I shop at Napa frequently but not exclusively,mostly when I need something and Napa isn't open,I shop elsewhere.
Here is an issue that you,being a store owner, may be able to cure. I went in a couple months ago to get some wix(or napa gold) air filters for my 67 dodge trucks with 318s( I have a D300 and two W200s that all use the same filter) .I was sold a 2020 air filter. Can you tell me where NAPA went wrong?

Doug

[EGroscup]

I don't know where you guys are but the napa stores near me suck terribly. The one near work is a small one, I have been told after waiting a long time on hold that they don't have the part. I was able to look it up online and call them back with the part # and find out that they have two in stock in less time. This is becoming a regular occurance. Your rebuilt stuff is garbage also. I went through several Tomco carbs before one would smog properly. Wilson rebuilt truck alternators, don't waste my time. I don't know how many times they changed rebuilders for the car stuff. It has never been too great either. To top it off they will not warranty hand tools that were purchased there because a different company now supplies them. Why should I go there? The large store where I live has countermen that barely speak or read english. They are more than worthless if any thought or reasoning is required. I have nothing but bad experiences there, I will not go back. What is the deal with the prices? Why is the oil so stinkin expensive? Why is wix opening a plant in China? Is your price going to drop for those? I was told once at another store nearby that I couldn't get a carb kit for a zenith carb on a Gravely tractor. The counterman held up the book and said "see it goes from GMC to Honda" He would not listen when told that the industrial section is in the back of the book. Why should I use napa? Sorry but I spend a lot of money at my local Carquest. Rockauto.com is also a viable option if I am not in a hurry. Sorry to be so bitter, but you asked. Erik

[mopardwh]

I could almost (literally) hit Auto Zone with a rock from my house. And I would have to drive past quite a few part stores (including more A Z's) to get to Napa. I'm not doubting your statistics, but Auto Zone is like Wal-Mart; They are just way more available. As far as quality, I don't really see much of a difference. But you are defenitely right about the service though. Napa has more knowledgeable people, and the other stores just have clerks.

I typically go where it's convenient, usually on the way home from work. Most of the time I pick O'Rielly.

[712edf]

I live in Wichita Falls, Texas. A city of over 100,000 people. Back in the 80's the big player in auto parts here was Chief's. There was a good NAPA (Naylor's) and a few independants. Big A & Whites had a store here, and along came CarQuest.
Autozone showed up, then O'Reilly's, AdvanceAuto, and Parts Plus. Chief's disappeared first, followed by Big A, Whites, NAPA, Carquest, and Parts Plus. All the AdvanceAuto stores closed before reaching their 3rd birthday. While Autozone is closer, I prefer O'Reilly's because the counterstaff is more helpful & between the 3 or 4 local stores they usually find my part. Its a shame a city of this size, which has a large AFB, can't seem to get past bi-partisanship when it comes to parts.

BTW The local Big A always had what I needed back in the 80's. ALWAYS! but the owner (he worked the counter) was such an *#%^@!$ (R.I.P. Bob Jones)I only went there after exhausting all other posibilities.

Parts stores around here are just like new restaurants/grocery stores. They dump a ton of $$$ into a pretty new building, start out really well, then go broke within 2-3 years.

Bucky

[nfury8]

Number one reason for me is I have to drive past 2 Advances, 2 O'Reilly's, an Autozone and a CarQuest
to get to a NAPA. Then it has a small retail section, so the selection of self serve stuff is very, VERY
limited, a 1/4 of Advance & AutoZone, and half what the CarQuest and O'Reilly's offer. The NAPA
does have a large stock of parts behind the counter, they seem to do a lot of commercial business.
And that leads to the number 2 reason I rarely ever go there, they close at 6pm Mon-Fri and 5pm
on Sat-Sun!!! Advance closes at 9 every day, O'Reilly and AutoZone are 9 Mon-Sat, and CarQuest
is 7pm Mon-Sat. Going to NAPA is a special, planned trip. There is another CarQuest 12 miles
a direction I never go, that closes at 6pm, but has the best selection of anyone in KC! Prices
aren't great, and they close at 6 also, but they are awesome! Dynamite guys too, but really hard
for me to get down there when I am in a bind on a part. If they were closer and more convenient,
I would probably shop their exclusively.

My experience has been that the NAPA prices are usually MUCH higher. For example, a re manufactured
mini starter from NAPA for a 94 Ram and a Lifetime warranty is $20 higher and has a $15 higher
core. To be fair, this is a lot closer than the last time I checked. The NAPA has come down considerably,
and the Advance/O'Reilly prices have gone up about $10. It was over twice as expensive at NAPA
when I checked this summer. I also remember recently looking at the crimp electrical connectors and
brass tube fittings and about noticing they are WAY higher than the other guys on my last visit.
Granted some things are about the same, but I don't think I have ever encountered a time when
they were cheaper. Which seems like a crook at times, considering how many "NAPA" parts seem
to be just relabeled from someone else.

When I go on a serious parts quest, I will usually include NAPA in my online search, but they are
rarely close and I really don't like how their website works, although the new Advance site is
pretty horrible also. The new O'Reilly site is much better, Autozone isn't bad, and CarQuest is MIA.

The local counter guys at my NAPA aren't very experienced with Mopar or classic stuff. They really
don't seem like car guys at all, to be honest. If it isn't in the computer, they don't have a clue.
They are usually chatting about company business in their idle time, and rarely engage in car chat.
They will NOT let me behind the counter to rummage for an odd ball part, while the guys at my normal
Advance and O'Reilly pretty much let me help myself if I want. Advance even has a terminal setup
customers can access and the Assistant Manager showed my how to lock stuff up and check inventory
at other stores and warehouses. This is awesome! I can dig to my hearts content for the odd ball
match for something that most counter guys give me blank stares on.

I am not trying to bash NAPA, but offer constructive criticism based on the one NAPA store I periodically
visit and is 15 minutes from me, the next closest 2 are 20 and 25 minutes away. I have visited them each
once in the last 5 yrs. My visits to NAPA are usually because I can't find the item anywhere else and they
do have it or can get it. The most recent account was the 13" wiper refills. Only NAPA had an acceptable
type, but still not "Correct". O'Reilly had some, but they wouldn't fit our stock holders. Autozone had
complete blades, but not refills. However, if it weren't for Roger posting the part number, I still wouldn't
have them, because they couldn't find them on their own. And then, they still had to be ordered.

There used to be a small, Mom & Pop shop pretty close, their prices were average, and I loved them!
They knew their stuff, could find anything and seemed to now everything! I never had to tell them
what color my car was to get parts! Too bad they are no long gone. Closest independent store
is now 20 miles away.

[Hobcobble]

Ryan,
From what I know, there are a few different "tiers" of pricing.
Around here, NAPA's "Preferred Cash Customer" pricing is
prohibitive. Can you suggest a way for all those interested
to get to a "Preferred Racing Custom" price structure or
something comparable?

I dig my NAPA. A hometown pal of mine started working at
NAPA while he was in high school. Thirty years later, he's
still there.
John

[Oldguy]

There are a couple of NAPA's in my area. I almost always use the one closest to me but on occasion, if I am in the area, I use the other one. There is a Kragen store a lot closer but they are idiots. And rude to boot! I'd rather drive 50 miles than go there! I can't talk about other stores but my local NAPA has knowlegable , older people and they always give me a great price. Like I'm a shop or something and they are always friendly and ready for a little banter. If they don't have a part (about half the time since I have old stuff) they will check and either get it from the other store or will order it in from California. I've never had to wait more than 2 days to get a part. If a part is ordered they call immediately when it comes in. Not only that but I don't even have to pay up front. I'm happy with my Napa. I understand that I'm luckier than most and am grateful. Hope this helps. Mike

[EGroscup]

I forgot something in my earlier rant, bring back the parts pups! Erik

[Cageman]

Napa close early, has crappy locations, employ stupid people, and they charge shipping on most stuff I need. They waste their sponsorship money on that retard mikey too. That there is the best reason not to go there.
I would never buy a starter or alt from them, and they charge almost double for oil compared to most places. I am surprised they are even still in business now that Oreilly is here. I was a mananger at a gas station that had a shop. Napa never had anything that I needed, carquest was actually the best.

[712edf]

They waste their sponsorship money on that retard mikey too. That there is the best reason not to go there.

LMAO

Of course using that logic I shouldn't go to Lowe's/Home Depot....I don't like JJ or smoke, nor any of the others of NASCAR's "chosen", the chevy posterboys. Nascar has been pro GM since FOMOCO & Chryco shot them the finger in 71.

I notice nobody has mentioned going to the dealership for anything. Since Chrysler sells out or reinvents itself every 5 yrs, I don't either.

When getting counterhelp at any of the previously mentioned chains, best bet is finding the oldest employee there. Also take a look at what the employees drive. If its a bunch of ricers with ground effects,million dollar wheels and $2k stereo maybe just move on.

Bucky

[hemithekid]

I go to napa here because the carquest my dad ran closed and they moved him 2 hours away. And my best friend who knows more about cars than anyone i know works there. So i usually get a discount on whatever im buying depending on what it is.

[PatS]

My choice of a parts store is based on the parts people behind the counter. Knowledgeable, friendly and efficient.
Second is quality of product. I refuse to buy Chinese anything so I need a choice...no choice, no sale.
Third is price. The first two are most important but if the store has those but they are very expensive, I'll be looking around.

I've been dealing with the same local Ma and Pa parts store for 40 yrs, and drive all the way to the other side of the city for my parts. They get it right every time, so it's worth it.
I'll go closer for some things but I'm usually disappointed in the service I get.