autozone SUCKS.

the autozone in my small burg is decent enough and the dudes are pretty helpful over the years i have had bad parts from them that needed swapped out and they never once gave me grief or shit over it ..

 

I run a NAPA store here in Jacksonville Arkansas, most hot rodders know what the parts came off of and can tell you that info. The biggest problem I have with the younger guys that work for me is they don't try to remember anything. They ask a question, get the answer, help the customer, then hit the delete button in their head. They don't want to retain any info, Autozone and Advance are retail stores that employee younger guys that function that way. They may have one or two people in each store that has good automotive knowledge, that person is usually the store manager or the commercial account manager and is beat down daily with the duties of running the store and can't be on the counter to help. As far as NAPA parts we are the company that remans our starters and alternators, we do have a higher standard than most.

 

PARTSMAN "I run a NAPA store here in Jacksonville Arkansas, most hot rodders know what the parts came off of and can tell you that info. The biggest problem I have with the younger guys that work for me is they don't try to remember anything. They ask a question, get the answer, help the customer, then hit the delete button in their head. They don't want to retain any info, Autozone and Advance are retail stores that employee younger guys that function that way. They may have one or two people in each store that has good automotive knowledge, that person is usually the store manager or the commercial account manager and is beat down daily with the duties of running the store and can't be on the counter to help. As far as NAPA parts we are the company that remans our starters and alternators, we do have a higher standard than most."

Okay, these are two far to reasonable responses to all the idiot yelling that started this thread. Ryan should just make these a Sticky and ban any more of these rants-they're all the same and use up too much space. Anyone who doesn't know that Chinese parts are not reliable and that chain auto stores cater to the 99% of the population who drive cars that are listed in their computers hasn't been on the HAMB for more than 20 minutes. Stop wasting our time and pushing the meaningful threads down to the bottom.

 

I use autozone a lot, of the parts stores around here they have some of the best parts guys and gals. I also used to work there.

Rule #1 when dealing with the big box type stores:
If it has more than 3 moving parts,,,,, get it somewhere else!

Starters and alternators go to the local battery shop where thay can and will rebuild your starter that came off your car.

 

We have a NAPA, Car Quest, Auto Zone and an O'Reilly's. NAPA and Car Quest are way over priced and usually don't have the parts I need on hand or can't have them there the next day. Auto Zone, I usually have to go into a full explanation of what I need only to find out they don't have it, but can have it in three to four days. O'Reilly's I walk in they know me, they know my cars and trucks.
Since I've had this Belvedere I have pretty much dealt with O'Reilly's only. Any parts I need I can walk in and say I need this or that. I'm told I don't have it here but I can have it here at 7:30 tomorrow morning.
If I send one of my daughters to NAPA or the other parts stores to get parts for me, they will tell me how the counter person treated them like they knew absolutely nothing. I always make sure they know what the parts are called, what they look like and where they go on the vehicle.
My girls are very schooled on automotive.
One of them walks into O'Reilly's and they are treated with the dignity and respect of knowing that when they say something about an auto, they are speaking with knowledge about the parts needed
Not only do they know about the parts, but they know how to install them.

 

all i use autozone or murrays for is oil products, filters, and cleaning supplies..
maybe brake pads, and those types of things..

Ive got a good parts house that was a mom and pop shop until about 4 years ago Carquest bought them. But because the original owners son now runs the place it is still like the parts houses of the old days..and they are car/boat people..

and I have known them for over 26+ years.
if they dont have it..they can find it..if not they will try their best, or direct me as to where to go.

the great thing is..they know me..and they know the right questions to ask if they have to.
usually i have my stuff figured out before i go to them.

 

i didnt even read the thread except for the title and had to say this: YEP!

 

You wanted a starter quick (haste makes waste) so you went to the Autozone and picked one up.Did you buy the cheapest one,because usually they offer a few different brands with different prices.You didn't measure or shim it.Now you want to bash Autozone because you failed to do the work completely.Hey somebody needs to take responsibility, sounds like its not gonna be you.

 

I agree, always expect to get two or THREE different parts there after the first ones are not working or defective. The upside is the first time the install took and hour, the second time half hour, third time in like 15 minutes....I am real good at installing fuel pumps on Chevy Blazers now.

Go to NAPA.

 

I use an old original and get them rebuilt by a local shop. And get one of the supports that bolts the end to the oil pan area. they work.

The nose cones on chinese starters will NEVER line up the first try. I once used an angle grinder on one, then started shimming it back until it lined up close enough to live with. Then the solenoid died.

 

My sister worked @ A.Z. for a while. The 1 year starters will die just after 1 year fairly consistantly. Get the lifetime warranty on any AZ product.

 

Well, thats what happens when the mega stores move in and move out the smaller independent shops, that had a guy behind the counter that really did know his ass from a hole in the ground. Support your local independently owned parts store....If you can find one!

 

autozone starters are crap, it only took me once to figure that out.

i use napa .

 

I always keep my old one or a few old ones. Then if i buy a cheap one take it apart to see what they mesed up or left out. usually felt washers, shim washers or flip top oilers and such. tighten up everything oil and grease it replase the nose if it is different then I get a good starter. sad to say but that is how it is.

 

Hot and cold .People want cheap they give us cheap.

 

LMAO......I work for AutoZoo..I'm the old guy that drives the delivery truck. I also work in the commercial division (repair shop sales ). I stay off the front counter at all costs because of the guys I have to work with do NOT know shit. They are all the time dragging me out front to bail their ass out when a hot rodder comes in wanting something that ain't in the computer. They are hired for their bi-lingual ability and not the automotive knowledge they have (or not). I worked a parts counter in the old days..before computers and can usually find damn near anything in the catalogs. It's is a sad situation these days in the big box stores with the quality of counterhelp. As for me....I like driving the truck....LOL.

 

Its happend to me before as well.
Can be very frustrating.

 

O'Reilley's just ain't the same since your buddy Freddie isn't there anymore!

~Jason

 

Well, there rewards card is cool. What is it ? $20.00 bux spend or more, you get Some points after the 4th or 5th one you get like $20.00 store credit.

 

Did they ask you how many doors the car had so they could get you the right starter for your car?

 

Why this is still open is beyond me...

I always, ALWAYS, go to the parts store with part numbers to give them. If I want to know something about which tire shine they like, then I might ask their opinion.

NAPA (normally) is the only place to actually ask a question related to installation or whatever since there is sometimes a crusty old retired wrench spinner who actually knows what he is talking about behind the counter.

This has saved me much aggravation and probably saved some pimply faced kid's lives.

 

I have built so much wierd shit over the years by using this motor and that tranny in this car that when I go into buy a part I just have to make up what it's for and they punch it in and I get the right part. That is unless I screw up. You got to know how the system works then work with it if your gonna deal with the AZone, ORiellys, or Pep boys.

On the other hand, I dont buy rebuilt starters, alternators, or carbs, I rebuild them. If you have the right one on your car and its gone bad, then fix it and it will still have the right one on it.

 

See now up here we have a couple bad Napas, I don't know how they're still open since the one guy who knew anything moved to North Carolina. You really have to know your stores and figure out what works best.

 

That's weird. I also had a starter issue on my Suburban. After a bunch of checking, I finally decided it was the starter. I took it down to Autozone, because it was late at night and my regular store was closed, and they threw the starter on their test machine. It checked out fine.
I brought another starter with me that was rebuilt, just to double check it. That one tested bad. I couldn't use it in my truck though, because the snout was the wrong style.
Because the starter that WAS in the truck tested good, I went back to running wires, etc. to determine the problem.
I kept coming back to it being the starter. Went to the good shop in town (Car Quest, where they know me by name) and got a new starter. Installed it with no shims, and it fired right off.

Looks like the Autozone starter testers are all defective. Their equipment might be too.

-Brad

 

You pay your money and make your choices. I usually use OEM parts for starters..on my car it's difficult to change out. OEM's are designed for thousands of starts..years before failure.
I have never had a failure in my built cars..only one failure in my trucks..and that after 100,000 miles.
The cost savings are $50 or so for aftermarket rebuilt..but the hassle is well worth the money.
Brake cleaner..polish...box store.
Engine parts..Big names (Dart..Headman..etc) or OEM..

I DO NOT like doing the same job twice..and paying for parts twice..
No guarentees..but

Just my take..works for me..

 

Hey Guys, It could be worse, Wal-Mart could start carrying a full parts department. Oh, the horror....

 

Autozones here sell crap. Learned the lesson too many times.

 

My starter tester is a pair of jumper cables hooked to the battery on one end, grounded to the starter on the other and touch the positive whereever it has to go to make it work. You don't get a load test that way but at least you know if it spins.

 

rebuild the stuff yourself. you'll do a better job

 

I've found over the years that Napa folks are much sharper than Autozone folks.

I have an Autozone and a Murray's by me, I do hit both but I only buy simple stuff there. Rest I buy online.