|
|
Posted by Sherman in Idaho [24.32.202.166] on Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 23:50:48 :
In Reply to: Car Quest Auto parts posted by The Dodge Boys [64.121.152.7] on Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 23:19:23 :
I'm not sure how significant it really is. The regional auto parts chains have been consolidating for a decade or so now, and often the ownership changed long before the name on the sign changed. The parts themselves are made by very few companies these days. Most of the time there's no competition. What sounds like a lot of different brand names are only brand names.
It seems to me that what matters is an experienced guy at the counter who knows where to go to find what you want even if it's not "in the computer" or how to look it up by engine or axle model rather than "make, model, and year".
Even with NAPA there's a big difference between the old NAPA stores with the experienced counter guys and a serious amount of stock in the back, and the new NAPA stores that are apparently trying to be just like O'Reiley's and the like where nothing but car wax and wiper blades is in stock, but if you can give them a make, model, and year, they'll order it for you. Sorry, but when they have to order it for me, unless it's something really rare and the counter guy has done a lot of work to find it, I'll order it for myself on-line a lot cheaper. If I can wait a day to get it, I can probably wait a week to get it.
Follow Ups: