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"Parts" store rant!

crustycurmudgeon

crustycurmudgeon

Well-Known Member
I'm fit to be tied right now. I'm trying to get the front of my engine put back together. I ordered a new timing set from Amazon last week and went to install it, but the cam sprocket didn't match the old one. I went to Napa, Autozone and O'Reilly to see about getting another one, but no one had it in stock! I decided to use the old sprocket. Fast forward to the water pump installation. I find out I have the wrong gasket for between the pump and backing plate. Off to O'Reilly and Autozone (Napa is closed by this time). You guessed it, not in stock! I've come to the conclusion that these stores don't really stock auto parts, just accessories, oil, coolant and batteries! Anything else and they need to order it. I need to try to find a local mom & pop store that actually stocks auto parts and not just bling!
 
As a friend who managed one for a couple years said....they stock what sells. The older car parts are not big sellers anymore. They need something on their shelves so you see what junk they have. O'Rielly's used to be ok for the old parts but I guess not now.
 
They keep very few parts for these old cars in stock. Napa seems to do a better job than the others, Autozone can order from their distribution center and may have it the next day. I try to plan ahead and order from Summit. Order tonight, on my door step the next morning.
 
One thing I found about O'Reilly's, there's usually a store in the area that serves as the local "warehouse". Anything I need I usually look up on the web to see if it's in stock. Then I check to see which store has it. With O'Reilly's I generally go to directly the "warehouse" store. If you use them I'd ask the store manager which area store serves that purpose.

With the box stores I only deal with Advanced, O' Reilly's and Napa. No AZ me! I've said it a number of times on here, but their stores in my area have the WORST customer service. It infuriates me even more because at one time I was a sales manger for them! The guys at Napa around here have been GREAT! They've saved my bacon a number of times!
 
Frank,
Did you go Napaonline to see if they can get it? I can give you the phone number of one of my local gearhead shops in Redwood City to see what they can do. The owner is a bigtime Mopar driver.
 
Get two or three more classic restoration projects going and they may start stocking the parts you need.......
 
I cannot tell you the last time I sold a timing set for a 289 or early 302 . I probably have one on the shelf at work , but they are slow moving items at most stores .
 
cmayna said:
Frank,
Did you go Napaonline to see if they can get it? I can give you the phone number of one of my local gearhead shops in Redwood City to see what they can do. The owner is a bigtime Mopar driver.
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Thanks, Craig. I ordered the gasket and they got it the next day. I reused the old sprocket since I couldn't find one in stock and didn't have time to wait for one.
 
I can usually get the part I need from O'Reillys same day or next morning just have to look up the part first to get the right one.
 
crustycurmudgeon said:
I'm fit to be tied right now. I'm trying to get the front of my engine put back together. I ordered a new timing set from Amazon last week and went to install it, but the cam sprocket didn't match the old one. I went to Napa, Autozone and O'Reilly to see about getting another one, but no one had it in stock! I decided to use the old sprocket. Fast forward to the water pump installation. I find out I have the wrong gasket for between the pump and backing plate. Off to O'Reilly and Autozone (Napa is closed by this time). You guessed it, not in stock! I've come to the conclusion that these stores don't really stock auto parts, just accessories, oil, coolant and batteries! Anything else and they need to order it. I need to try to find a local mom & pop store that actually stocks auto parts and not just bling!
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So you ordered parts online then when they arent correct the local parts stores are no good sob's because they dont have what you need? makes sense to me
 
I'm kind of curious about the new timing chain on one new sprocket and one old sprocket. Not exactly how I'd roll with that.
These days I often loudly express great surprise at the counter when a chain parts store has something I need actually on hand. Annoys the hell out of them.
 
I'm surprised by all the outrage over parts stores not having stuff on the shelf for our nearly 50 year old cars. I will grant you that the SBF had remained unchanged for decades but those decades are now, well, decades past. Has everyone forgotten going to a parts store back in the eighties and having to order in lots of your go fast goodies? Waiting up to a week or more for them to ship in from some far off distribution center? Today, any of the generic parts places can get you just about anything you need and have it in hand next day...if not same day if you roll in early enough that they haven't had their delivery in from the DC yet. I really don't see the issue.
Most of us work all week and tinker with the cars on the weekend. You can't think ahead a day?

And not to bash anyone but why in the world would you order a part like a timing set off Amazon? There are a LOT of auto parts places that would be able to deliver just as soon or even quicker that would be able to confirm the application and ship the correct part. I've had a local NAPA on more than one occasion have a couple versions of a part brought over from their local DC to insure they had the right part for me. Same day even. Luxury of living in an area close to the DC. I even stopped in an Autozone one evening looking for a steering rack for a 2002 Dodge pick-up. I had it in my hands the next morning at 10 a.m. Who could complain about that?
 
Horseplay said:
And not to bash anyone but why in the world would you order a part like a timing set off Amazon? There are a LOT of auto parts places that would be able to deliver just as soon or even quicker that would be able to confirm the application and ship the correct part. I've had a local NAPA on more than one occasion have a couple versions of a part brought over from their local DC to insure they had the right part for me. Same day even. Luxury of living in an area close to the DC. I even stopped in an Autozone one evening looking for a steering rack for a 2002 Dodge pick-up. I had it in my hands the next morning at 10 a.m. Who could complain about that?
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I ordered the same part that the parts stores listed as correct for my application. I ordered from Amazon because I could have it shipped to me at work, in two days. If I had had any inkling that the part may not be correct, I would have ordered through a local parts store so I could verify. Live and learn, I guess.
 
I've noticed that the local O'Reilly's and AutoZone both have extensive on hand stocks of air fresheners, plastic chrome accessories for your license plate frames and tire goop, however.

Years ago I had a fuel filter on my 83 Bronco get fouled while I was on that freeway that runs from 80 to I-5 and passes Woodland (I think it's Hwy 15). It was approaching 5pm on a Sunday and I was able to limp the truck into Woodland. The local Grand Auto (now O'Reilly's) actually had a replacement filter on hand and there was a gas station in Woodland that actually still had a lube room where they were able to swap the filter. I'd stopped at two other "service stations" next to the highway before I reached Woodland, but the only thing they had in stock was 5Hour Energy Drink and slushies.
 
I just had great service at my local O'riellys. Got all my brake parts there - went in the AM to get/order and they had them at the store that afternoon. Worked great for me as I had to disassemble and paint prior to putting in the new parts. I would never go back to the AutoZone located here - they have no idea what customer service means.
 
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