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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars!

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Glenn FitzGeral

06-01-2007 09:44:40

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Just a little rant here....My son and I are doing a complete brake job on his '95 Saturn. I call the auto parts store (Advance Auto Parts), they have the replacement brake pads, rotors and drums. I ask the fellow if he has a calliper to measure/determine whether my rear drums are satisfactory. He had no idea what I was talking about. After a brief explanation of what a calliper is, he said, "No, we don't have one of those." "We don't do cars, we just sell parts."

I know this is generally the state of affairs at these "Wal Mart" type auto parts stores but it's still annoying!

Glenn F.

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Bob - MI

06-04-2007 05:41:26

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 06-01-2007 09:44:40

I think we have to be flexible with these parts stores. You want things that are simple shelf items like plugs, wires, and other items that they can just look up in the computers, then you can shop Advance and/or AutoZone. You need someone to actually think about a part and try give you technical asistance, then you need to stay out of those joints and talk to NAPA or someone else.

I"ll give you a great barometer of what our auto parts stores have evolved into: have you tried finding wiper blade REFILLS????? Everything is disposable now and people can"t be bothered thinking about how to FIX something, they just replace it now. Where"s the fun in that?

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Doug in Illinois

06-03-2007 14:21:18

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 06-01-2007 09:44:40

I have bought parts at Autozone, no longer as all they hire now are minority college students and the older supervisors have all been fired because they cost too much. Prefer NAPA now, as all their help has been there forever. Also have a Carquest in town, but this one has most priced at list plus some percent for consumer purchases. A friend of mine who works there that used to own the parts store where I used to buy the majority of my parts has shown me the real pricing, but I just don't do enough volume. NAPA closes too early, so if I need something after 6pm, which is common as if something went wrong on the mail route, it takes a while to tear down to see what is needed. That leaves my with O Reilly. I know every one of the staff there, and know one of them is somewhat dyslexic, but know which one it is so always have him double check the number. He is aware of this and has no problem. Just my 2 cents worth.

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azharry

06-02-2007 19:21:03

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 06-01-2007 09:44:40

Arguing with a parts guy is like trying to put a tuxedo on a pig, the pig gets irritated, and you'll get dirty.
Always remember that the kid behind the counter gets close to minimum wage and you get what you pay for. Alot of parts clerks are trained only to enter values in a computer and then to retreive the part from where the computer says it is in the store. That's about it. Alot of them know very little about automotive repair. NAPA and Carquest probably cater more to local indepenent repair shops than the DIY market. Their level of service reflects this.
I chock the decline of quality auto parts, and service at some parts stores as just another example of the decline of the world as a whole.
My hat is off to the shop that still relines brake shoes. I didn't think anyone still did that in this country.

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Buzzman72

06-03-2007 09:37:15

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to azharry, 06-02-2007 19:21:03

The AutoZoo and Advance stores are doing to auto parts what the Midas and Meineke stores have done to auto service; they're snagging the high-volume, "gravy" parts, and leaving the low-profit, hard-to-find, slow-to-turn inventory to the "real" parts people.

About 10 years ago, I asked a friend who was the owner of an old-school, longtime auto parts store, how these guys had affected his business. "Back in the '50's and 60's, I could pay my help out of just what we made off filters and spark plugs. Nowadays, if I didn't have my machine shop, I'd have to close my doors." A few months later, he shot himself.

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oldrustycars

06-02-2007 18:28:28

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 06-01-2007 09:44:40

This is one of my many pet peeves. I go to my local, independant auto parts store only. I dont care if a rotor is 25 cents more. if we dont patronize our local shops who know what they are doing, soon all we will have left is autozone, murrays and advance.

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boda

06-02-2007 07:55:49

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 06-01-2007 09:44:40

I have gone to autozone for years, had nothing but good luck with them, other than the lack of knowledge on the part of the employees. And the annoying policy that everyone seems to have these days of making a paying customer stand there and wait while they talk to customers on the phone. That really yanks my chain. But this winter when my water pump went out, they looked it up on the computer and they gave me a new one. I had replaced it back in 2000 and had long since lost the receipt, but it was no problem. I do find the local Car Quest guys to be much more knowledgable, but its not in the town I work in, so I usually use autozone.
boda

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Randyr

06-01-2007 20:33:41

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 06-01-2007 09:44:40

Here's a couple of stories.
Was putting new rocker cover gaskets on the Ford 302 in my old 47 pick up street rod. Ask the counter kid for Ford 302 rocker cover gaskets. He goes to his computer and wants to know year, and model of vehicle. I told him it didn't matter since it's in a street rod and they've been the same for many years. He didn't understand so I told him my everyday car.
Another time I replaced the thermostat in my '90 Bronco (302). Got the stat ok but he says they don't have any gaskets. I asked if he had any at all and he said he had them for other years, so I got one for a '74. Perfect fit.

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Hobo,NC

06-02-2007 08:28:54

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Randyr, 06-01-2007 20:33:41

If you are use'n aluminum covers Ford has and i would think the aftermarket has a stamped steal rubber coated gasket that will not leak. I have even seen'em used on a tin cover. Ford also has a cork gasket that has a steal shim made into the bolt holes on the gasket, they also werk quite well. they are priced high'er the H!!L but money well spent. Their are quite a few differences in the types of gasket, he has been trained to look up parts on the putter. We all had to start sumwere.

Their are 2 Advance auto parts stores here, one i will not deal wif the counter help izz dummer than dirt. The other will go out of their way to help ya, course you have to know who to talk to. I have never dealt wif a parts store that had the tools to check a rear brake drum nor do I expect them to have'em.

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Jiles

06-01-2007 20:03:27

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 06-01-2007 09:44:40

I asked my local Carquest manager, why his parts were a little higher then the competition and he said his employees had benefits. Insurance, retirement, and other benefits. I don't know if this is true with all Carquest stores but this is another reason I always check Carquest first. His three employees know car parts and when I tell them what I want, half the time they just walk back, get the part and then look up the price.

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Gerald J.

06-01-2007 17:45:24

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 06-01-2007 09:44:40

For $12.50 you could go buy a dial caliper made of fiberglass reinforced plastic. Probably not the quality a tool maker would use but good enough for brake work. And then you wouldn't have to remove the rotors.

Gerald J.

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Darin in Nebraska

06-02-2007 08:12:21

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Gerald J., 06-01-2007 17:45:24

Hello, I have a question. In order to measure your brake rotor correctly, don't you have to have a caliper that has points on the ends to measure the deepest grove on your rotor? That way you'll have an idea on how thick your rotor will be after it is machined?

Thanks Darin

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Buzzman72

06-02-2007 11:24:24

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Darin in Nebraska, 06-02-2007 08:12:21

Yup...Snap-On and some other tool companies sell an attachment for standard calipers to adapt them for brake usage.

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Jim T. in Nevada

06-01-2007 17:36:37

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 06-01-2007 09:44:40

advance = cheesy schitt
autozone = cheesier schitt

car quest = satisfactory
NAPA = little more than satisfactory

Auto manufacturer parts dept = perfect but expensive as crap!

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Richard H.

06-01-2007 14:04:49

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 06-01-2007 09:44:40

Actually Glenn, Mrs Wally owns 51% of Autozone stores. True story.

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LenND

06-01-2007 13:16:42

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 06-01-2007 09:44:40

We have a locally owned brake shop in our area. They will sell you new ones or reline your old ones. I took the hand brake from my old Chev to them and they redid like new for about the same price as new. Any type linings that are obsolete they can make.

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Dave in GA

06-01-2007 12:45:49

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 06-01-2007 09:44:40

I'll only shop at NAPA because of several bad experiences at Pep Boys, Auto Zone, and Advance. I feel that I don't really belong in the last 3 stores I mentioned because I'm not Latino and don't speak Spanish like everyone in the store, including the workers. Unfortunately, even many of the newer NAPA counter people wouldn't know what a caliper is. And don't you love it when you go into a discount parts store for a headlight or a set of spark plugs, and as they're trying to pull up your vehicle on the computer, they're prompted by the computer to ask something stupid and irrelevant such as "Does your vehicle have A/C?" What difference does it make if my vehicle has A/C? All I want is a headlight or a set of plugs!

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James in North Carolina

06-01-2007 12:07:40

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 06-01-2007 09:44:40

I think the kid was right. Last year I was doing the brakes on my 1990 Dakota. I took the rotors and drums to Advance and Autozone both and asked them to measure them.

The folks at both places told me they don't have a caliper for that and no longer turn drums or rotors as the car makers now recommend new rotors and drums each time pads/shoes are replaced.

I bought a caliper and measured them myself. Since they needed replaced, I went to Autozone and couldn't get the guy and girl behind the counter to stop playing with each other long enough to help me so I left.

At Advance, I asked for Raybestos parts and was told they don't carry them. When I told them that Raybestos is on their website, they told me their site carries the inventory of Advance, Parts America and Western Auto.

I then asked for Bendix. They brought out the bendix parts, I opened them up and the shoes and pads were all rusty. Then they told me that those were the only sets they had!

I ended up going to NAPA and getting my stuff there. I hate Advance and Autozone is even worse.

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Brian in NY

06-01-2007 09:58:23

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Re: Advance Auto Parts...Don't Do Cars! in reply to Glenn FitzGerald, 06-01-2007 09:44:40

Boy, I'd almost bet that if you take those drums down there with you, they should have the tool there. The kid on the phone probably started Tuesday and doesn't know his job yet.

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