I don't see how these places stay in business with imbeciles running the show. Is the street walk-in traffic that good? I'd figure parts places would be better off catering to the dealers and repair shops. I only go to AZ for non-fu**upable items like air fresheners and paint for my model car projects. Bob
For the consumer anyway, when Sears bought in to Western Auto and the Craftsman tools showed up, it was heaven on earth! I really, REALLY miss Western Auto. It was kind of shitty how they were Parts America one year, then Advance the next. After the Advance buyout, it just wasn't the same. ~Jason
You know, the RockAuto guys have it good - it's ALL drop ship, and the customer looks up EXACTLY what they want, with NO counter BS. A GREAT idea these parts stores could implement would be to actually OPEN their system to the public. Put a terminal RIGHT THERE in the store, or lay an easy to use website interface over the top of it. Folks could browse, find their part, and bring a printout to the counter for the part they need to be pulled or to be rang up. Shit, make it simpler, and put a credit card slider on the terminal and let folks ring themselves up, and bring the printout to the guys at the counter. They pick the part, zap a bar code on the printout you handed them to take it out of inventory (and to prove they handed it to you), and hand it off. People wouldn't bother you. Folks would be happy, and hell, they could do the entire process, even pay for it at home and bring a printout to the store. Best of all, folks that want to do it the old way would still have the ability to play 20 questions with the counter jockeys. YES, it can work. NO, it's NOT that hard to implement. Will they? Probably not. Either way, this would help the stores and free up the counter guys to actually help people instead of do the stupid song and dance. They could read up a little on various parts, etc, and gain a little knowledge. But best of all, they could work on the one thing we all want - respect, and kick-ass customer service. The kind where folks respect each other, and if the guy doesn't know something, he meets it with a "Hey, let's find out" attitude. ~Jason
I find it amusing how you guys cry about bad customer service from the crap stores in one breath then with the next talk about buying oil from them cause they are cheaper or closer than napa. How about buying your oil at napa where the guy behind the counter helped you find the right bearing for your homemade trailer or knew the part # from memory for your motor and reminded you to replace another part that fails when you were at the store and saved you a second trip plus the frustration at the counter. If you want better service you shouldn't mind paying a few extra bucks for filters, oil or air fresheners in trade for the knowledge these guys have. Reap what you sew fellas.
Same here, across the street from a Car Quest and a few doors down from an Auto Zone... just sitting there... excellent... very well put...
Years ago, the LGS of California had these auto parts warehouses called AUTO GIANT. These were great, since you only went to the counter when you absolutely could not find the part listed in the catalog out on the aisles. Prices were fantastic, remember looking for halfshaft for a tempo ( the Goodyear goons were charging $400 for the part) for $119. Told the old lady to have them get it from AG and install it. Saved her almost $300. Think they went under too, and not to Australia! All the good things in life must end. Thanks HAL GORE!
Oreilly stores that are setting empty will open , here is what I see going on with Oreilly, Oreilly has bought land schedule the builds, Then came the CSK buy out and put the new stores on hold due to the store set up crews, store design getting the csk's going it takes a ton of people to do a transaction of this size, also with the buy out they would meet there new store goals for 08 and and push off the new store builds for the first of 09, Oreilly is not hurting in any form in my eyes the future of autoparts is Oreilly, And They do have CATALOGS in every store.
There you have it!!!!!! Exactly why I got out of the business.... Sucks but true!!!!!!!! Think about it the next time you buy oil from "cheapoil.com" Well said Fred!
I have found some good parts at Pep Boys. Is no where near the store it used to be. One of the few auto parts stores that (barely) does repairs too. Out here in Cali Kragens Auot Parts, which took over Grand Auto years ago, is now O'Reilly's. Have not changed logo on all stores, but they are on the move. Sears was in trouble when it took on K Mart. Now both slip sliding in many markets. Just think, the "experts" say things will get worse than they are now. Forget '09, maybe '11 will be better. If ya got a job don't take it for granted.
If Detroit is selling fewer cars, but Americans are buyin plenty of gas, where are all the parts coming from to keep these cars on the road? If new car sales don't pick up, surely things will pick up for the quality parts house?
about 26 or 27 years ago(pre internet) the only reason i was aware that pep boys even existed was from a punk rock song(the dickies). back then we had trak auto and napa. about 15 years ago we got a pep boys. of course i checked it out, but i rarely go there unless i need something generic. for you guys raggin' on parts guys....here's a good story. i went into my local napa and there was a new kid at the counter. i wanted a sleave for a harmonic balencer for the 350 in my '57 chevy. he asked me what car it was for. i told him it didnt matter. he said he nneded to know to find the part, so i thought i'd fuck w/ him. i told him the car and he looked itu p. he asked what motor. i told him a 350. he said that didnt exist. by than the older guy taht owns/runs the place came over and asked what i needed. i said a sleeve for SBC harmonic balancer. he walked over to a shelf(w/o lookin' up a part#) and grabed a box w/ the rite part. and when i had my '52 chevy they had brakes and wheel bearing parts in stock. they had to look 'em up, but they had them. whenever i walk into their store the counter guys usually roll their eyes, because they know they'lle have to look up somthing odd. i'll allways go back to napa.
Ok, Here's my .02 cents.... I've been selling Auto Parts for over 20 yrs. I've worked at NAPA, Pep Boys, Ma&Pa shops you name it. Problem is with so many Auto Parts Store Chains Out there, Profit in low (compared to carpet sales, hardware stores, etc...) Back in 1986 the store I managed had a profit margin around 43%... in 2006 when I quit the Auto Parts Retail world profits were around 18% - 24%... So, what I'm getting at is... In order for these stores to sell parts at the price you/me/us is expecting to pay for these parts, they can't afford to pay a guy (such as me, with experience) what he/she is worth to stand there waiting for the few people like us, that know what we want to come in. It's easier to pay $$$$$ for software to install on the corporate wide computer system, that walks a 9th grader through the sale. NAPA is the best place I ever worked when it comes to "How it should be" because they are Ma & Pa type indepently owned (for the most part) places, hooked into the NAPA franchise. And..... Yes, I'm that parts guy that was behind the counter that would rather use a book than a computer... and I could find you that rear axle bearing for your Ford 9" in your '69 camaro.... But, you better know a shaft size and/or O.D. of that bearing or exactly what that rearend was in originally or if they are aftermarket housing ends, 'cuz no not all 9" Ford's are the same. And if you need a top hose for a 327 in your model "A", you better come see me, 'cus I hate seeing flex hoses on any Hot Rod... it tells me your lazy... AND.... no, no parts stores wanna "PAY ME" what that experience is worth. 'Cuz what I'm worth to them & what I'm worth to you are 2 totally different figures. OK OK Ok... Sorry, Im done....
I hear you and agree. But how about the bottom hose on a 350 in a model A where it makes two turns and slides left to right in about 5 inches? I looked for hours at every parts place that would let me stare at their ceiling full of hoses before I went to a Cool -flex hose that fit perfectly with 10 minutes work. Sometimes the answer just isn't old school. But I do miss the old way of doing business.
Pep Boys near me is seems to be doing OK. They have auto repair etc. but they do have a lot of Chinese trinkets for the tuner crowd. Whatever you have to do to survive I guess.
They closed one of the two stores around here last year,I did not mind dealing with them but the location had issues with getting in and out quickly as it was too close to a major intersection and the other store was too far away to even think about going there.
If I can't buy the stuff online, I will go to Napa, Autozone, ..., ..., and eventually Pep Boys. I haven't been to Pep Boys for about five years.
One of the ways I judge auto parts stores is. "am I pissed off when I leave?" Autozone is at the bottom of the list, I don't even go there anymore. The new O'Rieley up the street has a bunch of hot rodders behind the counter, so I'm a happy camper. Eventually tho, these guys will get better offers and I'll be dealing with "you want fries with that?". I agree with the idea that if you find a counter guy that knows his stuff, you give him ALL your business. Develop a relationship. When I ran a Jack's Auto here in the Dallas area I knew the mechanics, their families, their customers. It was fun. I never made any money, but it was fun..........Thanks, Mike
LOL, they just came by to try and set me up with an account. I said thanks, but no thanks. I'm happy with my present parts suppliers. Of course telling them that I don't work on anything newer than '72 got the guy to tell me that they went back to '47. I kinda laughed it off... I guess they're opening finally...
All of the above is true about chains, mom & pop stores, the oldest saying in the parts buisness is " People buy from people!" If you treat people fairly and teach the counter people to treat the customer fair and the store fair we all can eat and sleep for another day! The bulk of our buisness is industrial with a mix of late car and early car. We fill NOS, make custom battery cables, hydraulic hoses, crimp wire rope, stock a huge selection of bolts, have an extensive stock of brake line and adapters, turn drums and rotors, sockets up to 5 1/4", wrenches up to 2 1/2", and our guys are ASE certified, all have hot rods; 47 Chevy pu, 55 TLB Chevy,62 Galaxie 390, 51 Bel Air 400cid, 92 Impala SS, 48 Chevy pu, several V-8 S10 daily drivers. We attend the HAMB drags, Okie Twist Off, etc. We speak old cars Waterloo Auto Parts, NAPA jobber
The Jalopy Journal
