I always find NAPA here locally more expensive than the other parts stores not sure if quality is better though. I have bought stuff from them though that I couldn’t get at the other stores. We even have a NAPA outlet that sells nothing but paint products.
NAPA used to be the place to go. NAPA used to have knowlegable people who knew cars and car parts. Who could tell you how to build a car and exactly which parts to build your engine. The past 20 years or so, they have gone down hill with the typical clueless counter people who don't know a car part when they see one. I went in to the NAPA by my house and they had no idea of what a flathead is. They didn't know how to order the water pumps and didn't believe me when I told them that there are two. O'Reilly's can can them. There won't be any difference.
My NAPA moved to a different location. Then a Carquest took it over and NAPA went back. A few towns over NAPAa moved out and a carquest took over. I only mention it because I’d have thought Carquest would have bought them. I’m not much of an Orilleys guy.
Really you expect a parts store employee in 2026 to have knowledge of a motor that was last produced 73 years ago? Some of you guys need to give your heads a shake. Do you go to the computer store and try and get stuff for your Vic 20 as well?
For probably 50 yrs. NAPA has been my go to store for cars, trucks and tractors. I always liked that they had real mechanical people at the counter. One of the real benefits was things like people, parts and ability to make stuff. I used them a lot to fabricate battery cables.....especially 00 stuff for 6volt tractors, Jeeps and old stuff. One store I used for the last 15yrs could make just about anything. Sadly.....that privately owned store has now sold out to a chain owner. I have actually been a very, very small shareholder of GPC Genuine Parts Co. parent off and on over the last 5yrs....you know....buy the dips....sell the rips etc. Sound like they are selling the automotive parts unit, but keeping the industrial parts unit. I will be watching. Have fun
I got parts for my 75 year old ride by giving the counter lady part numbers. the cool part is with those numbers she found parts not in their system. Stocking 50-80 year old car parts at the store is not expected I don’t expect my parts lady to know what the 50-80 year old part is. Much less memorize a number and find it patiently waiting on a shelf for the millions of parts produced. having numbers simplifies the entire process. The best part about not being an a-hole through the process is I get to look through the inventory. No radiator hose in the system? Go dig thru the stock and find something that works. Plumbing brakes? Grab all the **** I need myself. you get a lot more flies with sugar
My local NAPA is pretty good to me, and I think they are doing a pretty good job pleasing their customers as they recently moved into a larger building. Large storage area behind the counter. If they have any trouble finding certain parts for me, they let me go out back and browse until I can find something that will work. I love that place, plus they can mix paint for me too!
From Yahoo: O'Reilly Automotive submitted a reported $10 billion cash bid to acquire the automotive division of Genuine Parts Company (GPC), the parent company of NAPA Auto Parts. This preempts GPC's previously announced plan to spin off its automotive and industrial businesses into independent en***ies. [1, 2] A potential merger between these industry giants faces significant an***rust scrutiny. Financial and retail data indicates there are roughly 1,800 O'Reilly stores within a 1-mile radius of a NAPA. In about 600 of these overlapping markets, there are no other major auto parts compe***ors (like AutoZone or Advance Auto Parts), which could force the Federal Trade Commission to demand aggressive store dives***ures. [1, 2] There is also a significant operational hurdle. O'Reilly relies on a completely company-owned retail model, whereas NAPA relies on a hybrid model that heavily features independently owned franchise locations and repair shops.
I'm 84 and have been at it a long time and, unfortunately, auto parts stores have increasingly gone the way of the wrecking yard. If the car wasn't manufactured in the last 10 years neither one is likely to have the part you need or a counter person who knows what you are talking about. All three NAPA stores in my area closed down their machine shops some time ago. Plus, as noted above, most of the knowledgeable counter guys retired. I don't think this proposed sale will have much effect for most of us hot rodders. Both now mostly cater to sales and not help. Not much we can do about it.
Although, I can appreciate your post, Here's the thing. There are still parts books available. When you get a simp who pretends to know about internal combustion engines but knows nothing about how spark works, you have today's simp behind the parts counter. Yes, I do expect someone to know what I need for my flathead. I do expect the simp to ask and learn. That's what they're there for. How stupid do you have to be to ask, {not you} "What size motor and transmission do you have", when all that is needed is a set of wiper blades? Hey, kid, stop picking your zits and get me the blades that I need. It's not hard to learn about the real cars that were made in the day. For your comment about computer parts and age, yes, some of us have the skill to work on old computers. Why? Because we learned to do it. We learned by doing and reading. Something that is lacking today.
I have found that going online and getting as much information ahead of time helps everyone. NAPA has a pretty extensive site. The parts counter guy is a very busy person. So help yourself as best you can.
My local NAPA store is head and shoulders above Oreilly's or Autozone. The guys are very helpful, and far more knowledgeable, especially when helping me with parts for my hotrods. I hope this offer falls dead.
We have 4 box stores autozone, napa, advanced, and o'reilly you can almost bank they will have your part in a day or two. I always supported a local store, but they have changed to a auto plus store and now have to order you parts. Gotta find me another store foresure.
There's a old timer at my Napa he is very good at what he does especially on ford tell what you need for your early ford and goes right to the back to get it the young guys and gals at O'Reilly can't do that I have to look it up then hope they still can figure it out. Parts stores are basically oil and filter stores now and to be fair its not just them I was in my local Macs hardware and asked the gal we're the matches we're she didn't know what a match was it floored me.
Being in the Industrial Distribution (mirrors automotive) business for 50 years retiring December 31st last year, I worked for 2 smaller private companies in the late 70's / 80's ( first 15 years), the last 35 years with a Multi Billion Dollar Corporation, it comes down to Market Share. I can tell you Corporations review and look at opportunities to gain market share with buying additional smaller companies / or larger similar compe***ive Corporate companies to achieve that goal. While most do it for offense to gain market share, some will buy for a flat net to retain market share. There is a saying for the last 25-30 years, you are going to buy someone to gain your Market Share or someone is going to buy you to gain their Market Share. Oh yea - everyday there are rumors out there on who is buying who. And YES - there are some larger ones coming that may make you say woaaa. But the government set up approvals have to be made so companies don't get so big there is no compe***ion. (Anti-Trust) Remember the little company called MA Bell 40 years ago. Had to break it up to smaller companies. I see it everyday and anyone leaks any insider trading information to gain $ WILL go to prison. They are two publicly traded companies so Stock Holders have to approve or reject the sale. Executive level notification to the FCC of another company / Corporate purchase offers there is a lock on Executive stock transactions until either completed or rejected.
Yes! Not long before I retired from my job running the parts department of a Chevrolet dealership (end of 2025), a guy threw a fit because I told him that I could no longer get parts for his 1968 C10 pickup. I told him that would be like expecting a Ford dealership to be able to order parts for a 1918 model T in the mid 1970s.
And that unfortunately is the future. As a group, we're a tiny part of the auto parts customer base, basically a bunch of Luddites living in the past. With our self-imposed '65 cutoff, you're talking about 60+ year old parts. And while the Feds will still wave the 'an***rust' stick around sometimes, they don't seem to have the enthusiasm they once had. For evidence of that, just remember the SCOTUS 'Citizen United' decision.
We had a good local chain called Salvo Auto Parts. They were recently purchased by O'Reilly, but at least at the one local to me they kept all the Salvo staff, which I thought was cool. Not that it was a 100% crack team, but there were a handful of them who were good, old school counter guys that knew what they were talking about. If O'Reilly does buy NAPA, hopefully they'll do the same thing...at least with the knowledgable staff that's left. The one in Hunt Valley is the hub for all the NAPA stores in this area, so many times they have the parts I'm looking for in stock. Plus the folks there actually know cars, so you don't get the "Autozone Stare" when you ask questions.
1. No, the main office actively removes parts manuals from stores. I have seen it. They know their own site has gaps. They have whitelisted website listings on some terminals to go direct to the parts source. 2. Go back and read the link I posted on the first page. The companies are paying peanuts. Expect monkeys. Especially when the public expects the store to be open longer than a 40 hour week. That requires part-time staff, which lowers those pay numbers quoted in the link. 3. How it works isn't as important as the naming structure and group types. They have to interact with a computer in front of them to find the right part, access your choices by brand, quality, price and location. It also is the order point and often the point of sale too. That is the talent required, not ****, squeeze... They are Parts Spe******ts, not theory and operation spe******ts. 4. If YOU don't know how long your wipers are before entering and if the standard replacements will work, don't blame anyone but yourself. Every rack I've seen for decades has them laid out by length. Almost all have a catalog zip tied right there. You are the reason there is a sign in Public Bathrooms reminding you to wash your hands. 5. Your take is "I have experience with old stuff. Therefore everyone can and should learn old stuff." I suppose that you have learned the language of every tourist that you have run across in So Cal, so you can communicate with them. I try to treat others as I wish to be treated. On some occasions, I will sink to the level of the speaker.
We need various sources for everything, not just auto parts. If the combined company collapses it leaves a gaping hole in the supply chain.
Your story is similar to mine. I worked parts for several years before going to work at a privately owned NAPA . I did well but eventually left for a more lucrative career. Years later, the owners health declined and the new owner is nothing like the other guy. I went in 3 times after he took over and all three times I felt ripped off. The final straw was when he tried to gig me on a battery warranty. I haven't been back in years. The local O'reilly gets my business when needed, but usually I just order online. I just can't justify the prices when I can get it for a third of what they charge. O'reilly wanted $30 for a single brake hose for my old truck. I bought all three for that, including shipping. Name brand stuff, not that it matters much. It's all from overseas, anyway.
When I moved to my present location 10 years ago, I went to NAPA out of habit. They weren't doing too great, but they were better than Advance. I needed something that neither of them had, so I tried the local Carquest and scored right away. They became my go-to parts house, until they went under a couple of years later. A couple of the Carquest countermen went to NAPA and were told that they couldn't bring their books with them, they could only use the computers. I'm literally to the point that if I really need something, I'll order it and eliminate the middleman who wants to order it for me, and in some cases, charge me shipping.
AZ lost my business when I was in the store, ordered a part not in stock, paid cash and they REQUIRED a phone # to complete the order. Sure the excuse was so they could call. But it was really because just like every other company, they want the personal info. They could have thrown the part in the trash if I didn't pick it up and still made money, but corporate set up the sale so you must give them info. How did that work out for Radio Shack?
Funny story. Old a-hole came into the parts store. One of those guys that said they was never coming back and makes FB post abut it. Anywho, parts guy asks him the normal questions, customer gets upset ….again. So the parts guy asks more questions. Like, “does ot have a locking diff, leather or cloth interior”, does it have Z-87 suspension” ……….. all sorts of questions. Guy get upset even more and leaves ……again saying he’s not coming back. On break, employees look up his FB page and the guy is venting again. So the employees get friends to like the post. Even shared it. Dude thinks he’s fighting the power all while getting trolled by the parts store. even the manager was hoping the guy never comes back. Funny part was the store had the guys part. good times
Well, look at you. All huffed up because I think parts people should know something about the industry that they work in. What I said, was that for the most part, they don't know what they're doing. The "kids", who are not spe******ts, but work in these places are too lazy to learn or try to look something up. Isn't that what computers are good for? . Ever hear of a "metaphor"? Something like the wiper comment? Reading comprehension is good to have. Now, take your own advice and read the restroom signs, Einstein. You're not supposed to wash your hands in your toilet and try not to keep walking into walls. I'm not looking for an argument but give at***ude and you'll get one.
We only have 3 auto parts stores in Battle Ground; Oreillys, Napa and a Car Quest. Redundancy would prescribe they would close one of the corner mentioned stores since they are within a mile of each other, leaving us with 2 choices; **** and ****ier. Ah progress.
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