When you buy something at home with a warranty....and it breaks 2 states over and they warranty it out. Other than that....I couldn't tell you.

 

Auto zone warranty is good but after them waurranting the same clutch 4 times at no cost I decided it was cheaper to go buy the one that has been in there the last 10 years.
Another thing is if an individual buys it it has a lifetime warranty if it is bought under a shops name it has a 90 day warranty unless they have changed their policy.

 

Starmilt, never heard of that, we've returned items under the business account and they always warrantied them. The local Advance Auto boys, not so much, complete idiots with a know-it-all attitude to boot!

 

They may have changed their policy. It has been over 10 years since I have used them.
When I was running my shop I also was a parts house of sorts because of the distance to get parts. Auto zone wanted me to buy parts in the customers name for the lifetime warranty. My luck with their parts was comparable to napas cheap line and I didn't like returns so my dealing with them was short lived, but like I said that was over 10 years ago.

 

In VT we always went to small business private owned parts stores. Those don't exist here. Tonight I saw a Carquest Auto Parts store. Never heard of them before.

 

There has been a carquest in boise for several years, we used to have a big A that sold out to car quest around 10 years ago. The guy that owned the big A stayed and managed the car quest and was a good parts man, I had good luck with them, but with all chains the employees make the place.

 

All of the independant auto parts stores here are gone.

We have NAPA, Autozone, Advance Auto and Fisher Auto Supply.

Depending on exactly what I need my first two choices are NAPA and Advance Auto.
Advance is withing walking distance if i really need something and have several great parts people, but they also have a couple less than perfect counter people to.
Plus almost any part is one day out at worst.
NAPA is a bit farther away, but also has a warehouse about 10 miles from my house, so most parts are within 10 miles if I go there instead of one of the several stores.
Autozone is almost worthless.
Fisher has good parts, but the selection is not that big, and the warehouse is over in Virginia, so winter is not a good time to expect fast service on parts not in stock.

And just like Starmilt said, the people do make the parts store, for better or for worse.

 

agreed Dave. while our Napa store is corporate, it is also privately owned, and the owner and 2 counter men have been in the auto parts business for over 30 years. they stock most parts for anything under 10 years old, and if it is not in stock the warehouse is 15 miles away and parts will be in store within 2 hours.
special order parts are usually a 1 day deal.
the next closest auto parts store is autozoo, 20 miles away, and they only stock foreign parts for jap cars.

 

I got a deal on ebay for a kit, that is definately a crazy price. With coupon I got one for $23 shipped. It has been installed for a few weeks now, and all seems well.

 

Here in Vancouver we have a parts store called Cost Less Auto Parts, now some of the stuff they have is china made, but if you ask for the good stuff they will sell it for a good price, and if you know people there you will get a better price, and they will search the book and the computer.
I've always had good luck there.

 

I was checking out McMaster-Carr and am trying to figure out which of the viton "O" rings I need to order. There are so many choices, soft, hard to extra hard. Mil standard, that would be my guess. Would that be what I need to order?

 

Try these, its what I got and they seem to be working so far.
McMaster-Carr

 

[quote=Dave Sponaugle;8300320]All of the independant auto parts stores here are gone.

That sux Dave! I couldnt imagine being stuck with a chain store only!

I am lucky here, I still shop at the same locally owned independent store that my dad shopped at back in the 70's when he owned a shop. Some of the guys I have known in there since I was just a kid, going in that store is like a trip down memory lane for me.

The problem with going to an autozone or napa is every time you walk in that chain store you are taking business away from the local guy, eventually they just cannot make enough money to stay in business. As customers who want a real parts house with guys that know parts and how to read the books then we have to shop at them and make sure to tell all our friends that's were we shop and why we go there. Yes sometimes we will pay a bit more for the parts but I just look at that as insurance to keep that store open for when I really am stuck and need them! Like someone else said if you get to know the guy behind the counter they will usually bend over backwards to help you find that rare part you are looking for and to save you a buck or two when possible.

 

I bought a return line kit at schucks(soon to be O'reilly's) for $47 at the beginning of summer, it was leaking 2 months later. I checked the price and it had gone up to $97. Same old worthless kit, just a lot more expensive. I got the viton rings from Mcmaster Carr and have been leak free since october.

 

Is schucks being bought out by O'reillys or is this a one store thing.