NAPA?pricing

[buck12]

Isn't that the truth! I find Checker, Autozone, Pep Boys about as worthless as **** on a log.

My local NAPA just moved into brand new digs; so I expect the prices will remain high to pay for the new space they are in.

Autozone and Orileys are the only option in our town on Sundays. A couple of weeks ago I needed a chainsaw sparkplug. Stopped in Autozone and the kid at the counter said he could order it. I am not sure it qualifies as a parts store when they don't stock sparkplugs.

 

[mjncad]

Autozone and Orileys are the only option in our town on Sundays. A couple of weeks ago I needed a chainsaw sparkplug. Stopped in Autozone and the kid at the counter said he could order it. I am not sure it qualifies as a parts store when they don't stock sparkplugs.

That's as bad as the time in 1989 a coworker and I stopped in an Arby's on a 1/2-hour lunch break, wait 15-minutes to get help from the counter monkey, only to be told they were out of roast beef.

 

[tlbuser]

I had worked in the auto parts business for fifteen years, seven at a NAPA store. I do agree that NAPA parts cost more, but I always felt that they had the best quality in the market. I don't want cheep imported junk. I do feel that if a store advertises a price to the gereral public they should honor it when you walk in the door without question.

Oh please. How do you know where that particular NAPA part came from? There are so many items that are repackaged and rebadged that the source of origin gets blurred quickly. Not honoring advertised prices is why threads like this start. What a horrible business practice for a franchisee to exhibit.
Our local NAPA has next to nothing in stock, tried 3 times, never again. In my area, Carquest beats the pants off the rest of them.

 

[tlbuser]

Bottom line is bottom line- don't mess it up by throwing a bunch of different numbers at the customer.
They should all stop playing games. Be up front about all costs associated with the sale.

Exactly, especially when shopping for things like furniture, appliances or big toys. Any business should know their operating costs, inventory (or lack thereof) and expected profit margin. The SO decided it was time for me to get new LR stuff. It was also decided that we would rather have 2 recliners and 2 love seats. Found what we liked at a local place (non stock) and the others in the area were priced similarly. Called a place in NC and they were 1/2 price plus a $200 shippimg charge. While some extra is due the local places for having a display room, do they really deserve that much extra??

 

[jmc]

The other part of this pricing game may be that the commercial users need a "legitimate" price to charge their own customers. That price being the List Price, of course.

 

[ray66v]

It's apples, and oranges, when you compare prices with discount places, with NAPA.

NAPA is not a discount parts store.

> Not every retailer is in business to offer the absolute lowest prices. <

Though sometimes it is the same part, NAPA generally offers better quality parts, and that usually comes with a higher price.

They have brought in cheaper lines, to compete with the discount places, but the apparently will not go head to head with them. Such a price war, inevitably leads to lower quality, so no one gains.

 

[The Haymaker]

It's apples, and oranges, when you compare prices with discount places, with NAPA.

NAPA is not a discount parts store.

> Not every retailer is in business to offer the absolute lowest prices. <

Though sometimes it is the same part, NAPA generally offers better quality parts, and that usually comes with a higher price.

They have brought in cheaper lines, to compete with the discount places, but the apparently will not go head to head with them. Such a price war, inevitably leads to lower quality, so no one gains.

A rebuilt caliper is a rebuilt caliper. If I am not desperate for the part and they aren't the only ones that have it, I will go for a cheaper price. 5 or 10 bucks and I'll buy wherever I find one first, but when it's 40 bucks more, no sale.

 

[wdchyd]

The interesting fact here is that NAPA's are a franchise.....unfortunately we as consumers go into these stores thinking we are getting "National Company" for price and quality (as the TV commercials elude us to), but instead we still are dealing with individual owned stores.....BUYER BEWARE!!!

 

[brain55]

I get a discount at the NAPA store and find their prices to be inline for most things. It helps to be a repeat customer I guess. they also have a better stock of the things I want.

I think the other stores may be better if you need some blue lights to install under your running boards.

I agree with this. For the last 8 years I was a fleet manager for a good sized landscape contractor. At the height of the housing boom in 2005 and 2006 I was spending $40K+ a month on parts to keep the fleet of trucks and equipment running. I got to establish some pretty good working relationships with many of of the local parts houses and dealerships for trucks and equipment. Volume and relationship does make a difference. Most of the time I was shopping for service and availability over price. Price might get get a suppliers foot in the door, but service and parts availability kept me coming back. Getting a truck or piece of equipment on the road was more important than saving a couple of bucks, and so was support after the sale. I had a local small chain auto parts store that I loved, and was spending $7K+ a month at. Unfortunately they started hiring the deer-in-the-headlight types that were unable to help with the one off issues I had. The Napa store was much better equipped to help me and got my business. I could go on and on with examples of companies that lost my business over support and not price. I had a company that I was getting Donaldson filters from, I was paying 40% less than the Napa master installer price. The problem was I could never count on getting them in any kind of timely fashion, at the time I was trying to stock enough filters to service the entire fleet without running out, and I was on a 2 month cycle, so there was no excuse when I did run out. My supplier dropped their contract with Donaldson for that reason. In my experience, the automotive dealer almost never beat the local parts houses prices. And I rarely noticed a real difference in quality or longevity.

Brian

 

[ray66v]

A rebuilt caliper is a rebuilt caliper. If I am not desperate for the part and they aren't the only ones that have it, I will go for a cheaper price. 5 or 10 bucks and I'll buy wherever I find one first, but when it's 40 bucks more, no sale.

I don't buy from NAPA. And, I don't really care if anyone buys NAPA or not. I am just explaining why there is a difference in price.

There is however, potentially a big difference in rebuilt parts. Not everyone has the same standards, and tolerances. A lot of rebuilders just put in what has failed, the rest gets put back in service, to fail later. Or, they use low quality Chinese bearings, O-rings, and seals, that have a fraction of the service life the OEM parts have.

It's not at all uncommon to see brand new budget Chinese Calipers, and wheel cylinders, which have all but replaced rebuilt, come out of the box without any threads cut in them. So you box it up, and go back, and find out, that was the only one they had, (of course).

After decades in the automotive business, I know from experience, a cheaper part is usually not as good. On the other hand, sometimes on an older vehicle, cheaper is fine, they will still outlast the vehicle.

 

[tlbuser]

Though sometimes it is the same part, NAPA generally offers better quality parts

Care to explain that logic? A true OEM spec. part is the same, no matter where you decide to purchase it from. Were yoou in the sales arena perhaps?

 

[jpm]

Care to explain that logic? A true OEM spec. part is the same, no matter where you decide to purchase it from. Were yoou in the sales arena perhaps?

just like tractors,they all have 4 wheels and a motor,transmission.every thing else is a extra ie;oem spec.so just buy the cheepest thing out on the market,
colors don't mean a thing

 

[ray66v]

Care to explain that logic? A true OEM spec. part is the same, no matter where you decide to purchase it from. Were yoou in the sales arena perhaps?

What the heck is a "true OEM spec. part"? Do you really think there is someone setting out standards, and checking all these parts, making sure they meet it? You don't live in the same word I do.

I was not looking to debate this matter. AGAIN, I was simply trying to explain why NAPA prices are higher.

I spent over 30 years fixing cars, and one thing I know for sure, is not all parts are the same. I can't count how many times I have had to remove aftermarket parts, and replace them with OEM, because they did not either perform properly, fit properly, or last. So much for standards.

 

[California]

What do you guys pay for a gallon jug of 85-140 gear oil? Is $30 to $38 a normal price?

I needed a little to top up the front axle before I started the last day of mowing. When I got to NAPA they started to ring it up at $38 and I didn't know of any alternative that wouldn't eat up the cool part of the day driving out of the local area for it.

I must have looked shocked, definitely reluctant, because the counterman said "Well how about $29.95 then?" even before I complained. Sold! -but I wasn't happy about it.

I later found the good-enough version at Autozone is $11.99. That comes from the same supplier as TSC's lubricants. Not good enough for the fanatics, but probably as good as what the factory initially put in the tractor 30 years ago.

 

[om21braz]

I spent over 30 years fixing cars, and one thing I know for sure, is not all parts are the same. I can't count how many times I have had to remove aftermarket parts, and replace them with OEM, because they did not either perform properly, fit properly, or last. So much for standards.

+1 For just one example, go to Napa, Advance, O'Reilly, etc. and get a EGR valve for let's say, a 2000 Crown Victoria. Chances are you'll wind up at a Ford Dealership to get a part that will work.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

That's as bad as the time in 1989 a coworker and I stopped in an Arby's on a 1/2-hour lunch break, wait 15-minutes to get help from the counter monkey, only to be told they were out of roast beef.

I went to pizza hut once and they were out of pizza.

I pretty much go to NAPA for parts anymore because they have what I need.

 

[tlbuser]

What the heck is a "true OEM spec. part"? Do you really think there is someone setting out standards, and checking all these parts, making sure they meet it? You don't live in the same word I do.

OEM spec. would be made according to the original design and material standards. You don't have to go to Chevrolet to buy an AC-Delco part, do you?
Not willing to debate.....then why put your opinion out for the rest of us to read? You've now made it safe to assume that NAPA is the only "jobber" facility in your area that gives you discounts, whose products you have generally been happy with. That, by and in itself, does not mean that NAPA carries better quality parts. But yet, you said you don't buy from NAPA so what are you basing your statement of better quality on?

 

[Bedlam]

I couldn't speak for the quality of the parts, I was just speaking to the quality of the operation of NAPA.
To me the message was clear , They have (or feel they do) enough customers .They don't have to try to attract them.This was plan and clear as I spoke to the sales person.
When he asserted the 'who's this for' that was a sure sign to me, that they weren't interested in me becoming a regular customer.

Usually when I need a part I'm in no mood to have to play games , no interest in the seller thinking he is playing a game either.
I guess this is just handed down from generation to generation,Do we negotiate for a gallon of milk?I don't think so. then why do we have to play this game and see at what level we are on when we buy a car part.Of course Id have no way of knowing the price if i don't shop around BUT this price comparison is the same "company"
Thats my concern
when I look up the part at the NAPA site and see a price, then I see find a store and make it mine,
I assume I'm linked to the store in some fashion. BUT I'm not I call the store and they say its 20 some dollars more.Thats just not right.And for the main company to respond and say thats how it is and they are going adjust their on line prices upward to merge with the local stores.
Well wrong, but will remain to be seen.Ill check back in a few months and see how they have done with that.
BTW is this any different than visiting the Ford website and choosing a car and then building and pricing it??
Truly when they link the website and their local store they are getting awfully close .....................

 

[ray66v]

OEM spec. would be made according to the original design and material standards. You don't have to go to Chevrolet to buy an AC-Delco part, do you?

:mur: The problem is This standard is a figment of your imagination. There is no standard, or legitimate sanctioned body to apply the non existent standard to OEM or aftermarket parts. The part it's self is not a standard. It could be defective, or out of tolerance. And manufacturing drawings, and secrets are not included with the part. The part could also have design flaws, which would cause it to be superseded by another part. Or, it could be superseded because of being discontinued.

Not willing to debate.....then why put your opinion out for the rest of us to read? You've now made it safe to assume that NAPA is the only "jobber" facility in your area that gives you discounts, whose products you have generally been happy with. That, by and in itself, does not mean that NAPA carries better quality parts. But yet, you said you don't buy from NAPA so what are you basing your statement of better quality on?

Your making a lot of assumptions in an effort to make it look like I have taken the position you need.

If you would read, and understand, my entire posts, instead of trying to cherry pick things you can use to make assumptions, you would have your answer.

Let me make a 4th attempt to make my point, and hopefully finally get it across.

1. NAPA is NOT a discount store.

2. NAPA parts are USUALLY , but not ALWAYS, of a better quality.
> I say this because, though I do not currently, I have used thousands and thousands of dollars worth of them, as well as from other places, over the last 30 years, including on my own vehicles. I have also attended training, and trade shows where NAPA, and their suppliers ACTUALLY show the differences, between some of their parts and parts made by others. <

3. Aftermarket/ rebuilt parts are OFTEN not as good as OEM.
> I say this, because of the losses I have uncured replacing them over the last 30 years. HOWEVER, They can be as good. You buy them, you put them on, and you find out. But, you need to have lots of them out there, to draw any real conclusions. They can also at times, be superior. But they are definitely NOT all the same. <

I will also add, that I am not, nor have I ever been, affiliated with NAPA. Or, been given any special considerations by them.

The fact that someone offers an opinion, does not automatically mean they want to spend time debating everyone who does not agree with it. If you don't want my advice, feel free to ignore it. I don't care if you agree with me, or not. Your welcome to shop at the Super Low Discount Budget auto parts store.

I again find myself sorry, I tried to help an OP with a question.

 

[6011Artist]

I do agree that better quality is usually found at NAPA but it is not guaranteed. I have a good local NAPA store here so it is good for me but I do realize they are independently owned so each store is run by their own standards, not by NAPA standards, they just handle NAPA parts.

Yesterday I needed 5 galloms of 80-90 wt gear oil. 2 yrs ago it was 40.00 a bucket from another local store but was a Big A. So I called that guy back, said it was 50.00 but he was out of it. 2 yrs ago I paid 49.00 per bucket on a Sunday at Advance Auto. Yesterday I called NAPA expecting it to be a lil higher but I need it NOW. 40.59 per 5 gal bucket and had 10 in stock.

The guy that posted 38.00 a gallon reduced to 26.00?, they saw you coming. Always buy your heavy lubricants in 5 gallon size. It may cost more for the big bucket but if you look at it by the gallon it is so much cheaper. I didn't even ask the price of 1 gallon, knew it would be high compared to 5 gallons.