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Parts America no more?


Guest Mike_s

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Guest Mike_s

FWIW Last night I tried to access the PA web site last night with no success, today I get a email from CSK /O'Reily

"Previously, CSK Auto had a partnership with Advance Auto. Effective March 1, 2009, this relationship has been dissolved as a result of O’Reilly Auto Parts acquiring CSK"

Checker, Schuck’s, Kragen, and Murray’s Discount Auto Parts are part of CSK Auto, Inc. CSK Auto Inc. is now a subsidiary of O’Reilly Auto Parts. O’Reilly Auto Parts acquired CSK auto, Inc. in July 2008 and is currently working to merge the two companies into one seamless solution for all your auto parts needs. Eventually all of the Checker, Schuck’s, Kragen and Murray’s Auto Parts stores will take the O’Reilly Auto Parts name "

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So who owns Advance ? They bought out Discount here in Florida some time ago. Advance, Autozone, and Pep Boys are the mass market chains here, we do not have CSK.

BTW Advance seems to have their own web page - http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/home___ now and not partsamerica which is not responding.

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Guest Mike_s

Thanks for the link, the parts options seem to be a bit sparce for now though.

The same mass market chains here in Maryland, Advance, autozone, pep boys, and napa, no csk

Well, it looks like Advance Auto Parts is traded on the NYSE as AAP. I think consider themselves the second largest Diy supplier, and business appears to be doing well as folks are keeping cars longer and are doing more repairs themselves because of the current economy.

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Here is a link to information about Advanced Auto Parts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Auto

O'Reilly came to our area only within the last 2-3 years and they have come through on parts when I could not get them at Advanced, and Auto Zone. When the others had the part, O'Reilly was cheaper....and so far the parts have held up.

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Advance spread into Florida in 2001 when it bought out Discount Auto Parts. It appears to be completely seperate from O'Reilly. Perhaps CSK and Advance just used the same parts catalog hosted by PartsAmerica since I can find no connection between O'Reilly and Advance.

Interesting, the O'Reilly store locator cannot find any stores near Austin or Dallas and there are none in Florida.

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In Massachusetts we have Advance, NAPA, and AutoZone but no O'Reilly. A very limited number of PEP Boys and ADAP stores can also be found. Twenty five + years ago ADAP was the biggie auto store around here, but they've been hit hard by competition. I've never been in the PEP Boy stores. I actually worked for Advance for 1.5 days as a parts delivery driver Feb/08 because I was "winter-bored" until they told me to police the parking lot of trash. My wife said that people I know would think I was on some sort of prison work release program, so I quit. Back to relying on just my pension and her work check...just 2 more yrs till social security...get it while you can!

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O'Reillys is Missouri based and is growing. Its on the NYSC and I believe it is doing great. I brought in one of their alternators which tested bad and they just took another off the shelf and gave it to me without question. A great place.

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Guest jamhudson

I have found prices not much better and not as good a quality of parts in some case's And slower to get non stock parts.

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Pep Boyz has online search also. Trouble is that few stores seem to have inventory that matches what the computer says and often what the computer lists is the wrong part. (and if the computer cannot find it, the counter people generally have not a clue where it is).

Bottom line: if they say they have it, ask that they verify physically that one is there. Most will.

OTOH Autozone/Advance/Pep are within 5 miles of my house and real parts stores are 10.

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Guest jamhudson

I lost confidence in AutoZone when I bought a wheel cylinder cast off shore and had to take a grinder to it to get it to fit the backing plate. Saturday evening trying to get my son back on the road to go home. Autozone was 2 cents cheaper on it. Advance will match prices with same part as Autozone. Advance sells Delco Remy last time I checked. Both of them have several grades of parts and the cheap ones are not for my car.

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Autozone = 20" chrome spinners, neon ground effects, and 12" bazooka tube subwoofers. Oh, and everything on the "employees only" side of the counter is junk.

I stopped wasting my time and money in that pit when I stopped wasting my time and money on a 1984 Ford Escort (my first car).

My list of complaints: Their belts are NEVER the correct size. Always magically 3/8" too small in diameter, couldn't get them over a pulley with a 4 foot crow bar and a tub of crisco. Reman'd starters - don't get me started (pun fully intended). Reman'd alternators - a waste of energy. Power window motors; a real let down, despite the fact that they wouldn't move the window down.

About the only thing they offer that they can't screw up are light bulbs, replacement trim screws and clips, and case packs of oil. I can get a better deal on the oil 6 other places and avoid the goofs dumping their old anti-freeze in the handicap spot at the front door while thumping out 1500W of bass under 45hz and keeping their trunk lid closed with a bungee cord.

Ok, you get the idea. Did I mention I hate the place? Just checking.

So, O'Reilly is OK as far as chain suppliers go, but I prefer to stick to small semi-independent parts shops. I have one near home that is affiliated with the "Parts Plus" franchise.

I know a few of the counter guys there, all knowledgeable and willing to humor me when I am hunting for a special order part. They also give me the good guys discount because I am a repeat customer. Most important, they know their business.

Places like AutoZone have high school kids and other retail flunkies (I used to be a high-school retail flunkie myself, so I can spot one a mile away) doing a job that requires some specialized knowledge if they are to be truly helpful. I've gotten too many blank stares and "uh, I dunno" situations there in years past because if it isn't in the computer, they have no idea.

Funny that here in STL we used to have Western Auto (later Advanced Auto) and lots of CarQuest stores. All Western Auto and their successors of different names are gone, many CarQuests have closed or merged multiple locations into one. We have a few NAPA and PartsPlus outlets, and a boatload of O'Reilly and AutoZone. Zero PEP Boys here, within at least 100 miles that I know of.

I would liken the O'Reilly/AutoZone rivalry here as being much like the Walgreens/CVS battle currently playing out in many cities. Each is trying for market dominance in a big way, but from what I see O'Reilly is spanking them squarely with a pressure treated 4X4.

It is interesting that there is so much consolidation going on in the parts business right now. I guess it is inevitable, but with more people keeping older cars and doing their own repairs out of necessity, it seems like these places should all be positioned to do well financially.

KDirk

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Guest CL_Reatta

^

I jut made a post about the duracrap brake pads... I hate autozone also... will only go there for stuff they cant mess up on.... I would say 90% of whatever I have bought there has broke, or it was the wrong part. I once was on the phone once and when I said I had a buck reatta, was very rudely asked "a buick what?" and dont even try asking for parts without putting buick on there first cuz they will never know what your talking about.... Once got a 3 plug 12 volt adapter from there once, thing broke on its own after plugging it in... There was a new guy at the counter when I took it back, and he himself said that it was a piece of you know what... he isnt there anymore????I have many many autozone stories I can tell if you want

Just dont go to autozone as Kevin has said.

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Really, it is like any other chain store designed for volume. There are some things I will buy there mainly because it is in the same parking lot as Big Lots (same-same), others I will go the extra distance to a jobber (or buy through the Internet) or go to the UPullIt, just depends on what it is.

That said, Autozone carries mostly sensors and such from Wells - if there is an issue I go to them directly and they have been receptive when the catalog is wrong - they have to eat the returns and listen to me.

That said, usually there is a choice in brands and I go for ones I recognize (like TimKen bearings)even if the price is a couple of bucks more. Have really had little problem and those have been learning experiences.

I agree, takling to a FLAPS is like talking to K-Mart, they just do not care. Talking to the supplier is worth while particularly when a part is superceeded by one that does not work. They need to know. They still may not care but at least try.

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Guest jamhudson

Auto Zone and Advance both have a commerical accounts manager besides the store manager. I have a diffrent phone number when I call them and they know me. They know as much as the local NAPA guys here know, some of them use to work for NAPA and changed for the insurance. They also deliver to me free. And put batteries in on consignment. When I go to the store I go behind the retail counter to the commerical accounts counter and by pass the high school kids. Both stores can get parts not shown on the computer up front. Both sell economy and very good parts. Even NAPA sells a Value Craft part in most everything they sell. My store won't stock the Value Craft plug wires. They know they are junk. I'm 70 and my NAPA man who calls on me every week is also 70. He can find my part some times. He could not find front wheel speed sensors but I found 165 in stock here in NC. Raybesto's brand. Have not looked for ceramic pads for a Reatta yet but I will bet they are not available. They would be my choice.

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Guest CL_Reatta

Also gotta watch out for the "Assembled in USA" tags with the American flag, then you read the fine print below, "assembled with parts made in China"

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1) Obama cranks up the printing presses to supprt the banks and "stimulus"

2) Dollar sinks totally agains foreign currencies & outsourcing becomes uneconomical

3) "Made in USA" becomes common again

Win-Win.

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Guest jamhudson

Lots of GM parts are made off shore. I ordered a starter end housing from my GM dealer and it was made off shore and cost as much as the cheap starter at Advancd or Autozone. I refused it and counter guy said they had very few American made parts.

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Guest CL_Reatta

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: handmedownreatta</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i talked to the cashier at advance auto today.shes heard nothing about o rileys </div></div>

Do you really think that asking the high school minimum wage cashier at a store is really the best source??? laugh.gif

I'll bet 60% of the cashiers at wal-mart probably have never heard of Sam Walton

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