Anyone else done with Oriley Auto parts?

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by joe231

That hasn't been my experience. I have seen plenty of bad starters from Napa though....

x2.

Might as well get a lifetime warranty so when your headers cook it to death you can get another one for free.

[michael bustamante]

I love my o riellies, They actually know what theyre talking about and dont rely soley on their computer. of course prices and name brands are a factor at times but its like that at any parts store if you think about it. for example Ill never get house electrical items from o riellies cuz I like napa electrical stuff better, but I will NEVER again get brake pads from autozone!!!

[leddzepp]

I wouldn't buy a starter or alternator at any chain parts store. I had both of mine rebuilt at a local shop on site. They converted my alt. to a 1-wire and wound it to 100 amps. Four years later, zero problems. If you have problems with headers cooking a starter, a mini starter solves the problem.

[michael bustamante]

not tom ention that modding or rebuilding an alternator is wayyy less expensive with the same lifetime warranty

[77gmcjoe]

I know I'm digging up an old subject here, but I had to share an experience I had at Autozone today.
I went in to get an antenna for a '91 Suburban I just bought, and the guy behind the counter (whom I've known for many years, but had never seen him working in Autozone before) gets on his computer (Half or three quarter ton? Engine size? 2WD or 4WD? You guys know the drill) and tells me which one I need. I noticed that the plug that goes into the radio is tiny, much smaller than I was used to seeing, but he assured me it was the right one.
I mount the thing all up, string the wire through the firewall and under the dash, and guess what? The plug is wrong for the radio.
I go back to Autozone and tell him he gave me the wrong one, so he gets back on the computer. "Here's the problem", he says. "I gave you an antenna for a 350 instead of a 454."

[Indian113]

Whenever I go to any chain parts store other than the the local Napa,I take the offending part with me so I can compare it to the "NEW ONE". saves me some time. I also keep a log of what I used to build my car so I can tell them what I need.

[77gmcjoe]

Originally Posted by Indian113

Whenever I go to any chain parts store other than the the local Napa,I take the offending part with me so I can compare it to the "NEW ONE". saves me some time. I also keep a log of what I used to build my car so I can tell them what I need.

I usually take stuff with me too Indian, or at least know exactly what I want when I go in there. This just caught me off guard because I didn't know there were more than one style of plugs on antennas like that. I want to say too that the guy who helped me is a good guy, and he was trying to do the right thing.

It's not like I'll stop going there or anything, I do appreciate their warranty on a lot of parts, and I've had pretty good luck with their things like starters and water pumps lasting a long time. I just get a little annoyed with their reliance on their computers and sometimes lack of common sense with things.

[Joemomma1]

Every store is going to be different. I have had no probs over here w/ them. AZ really sucks it big time out here, bunch of slackers who play grab ass w/ each other. The parts have went down in quality across the board but the the prices have also went down. Sort of just got to deal with it.

[Reinovator]

Hay again most dealer parts don't cross reference to aftermarket unless there was a program added. They are very proprietary. now from year to year the will usually list the applications they fit by part number, Ford will in some parts, although they many not cross between brands ie chevy to pontiac.
there is an on line GM alternative parts catalog.
http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/catalog...TOKEN=81083575
I have not researched this very well give it a try.
May be it's what you need.
NAPA had one of the best cross reference catalogs.
But the way vendors are changing hands about every 9 months it's hard to keep up.
I think TRW has changed hands 5 time in the last 15 years, including mergers and departments being sold and added.
One of the best actions is find a partsman willing to get in to that section of their catalogs and programs.
another thing I have done on line is register with a large chain, autozone online, look up one year of car truck, like a 1977gmc C15 then change vehicles to a 87 chevy C10.
in some cases it will show it will not fit like a alternator. it will if you squeeze down a bracket, or change a bracket but that's another story. I could go on and on but I think you get the idea.
Most stores cross reference for two reasons Grade checking, comparing quality by vendor. and price checking, some times at AZ you were told to check a price and avalibility ,to check against a price checking customer. and just in case the delivery was late to the store for a shop customer.

[Reinovator]

Here's Rebestos' brakes interchange page
http://www.raybestos.com/wps/portal/...bestos+history

Gates belts and hoses interchange page
http://www.gatespowerpro.com/Comerge...TOKEN=65928954

[Reinovator]

here is Wix filters part# look up and interchange page
http://www.wixfilters.com/filterlookup/index.asp

[mbgmike]

If you need any help we sell everything all the Big Automotive chains sell and usually for less. We can X-ref just about anything. just ask. We can actually do more than the big chains as we have OEM access

[spudz]

I look up and find what I need online mostly, if I go aftermarket I usually use orileys simply because I dont like the people who currently run the local advance and auto zone. its all the same parts.. Car quest parts are usually a better quality but there isnt one local and a lil more expensive, the napa is maybe a little better then car quest. BUT for all electrical, plugs, wires, sensors etc, whatever. IF its something I care about I get OEM. If its something I am trying to sell I use the cheap stuff.

[joebuick]

Dang,,, reinovator,,,, you are just plumb full of good info ain't you? many thanks, Guy.
Now,, If I could just one more thing,,,,,,, what are the chances of getting access to GM's shop manuals. I just purchased a low milage 06 HHR and had to work on a little problem with the shifter lockout. Wasn't no biggie, but took three times longer cause it took me forever to figure out where the "pinch points" were to release the different pieces of plastic to get to the danged shifter assy. Most of all cars built now a days are put together by snapping them together. When I went to the local Chevy dealer to ask if I could look at their shop manual,, the sob had the nerve to ask me if I had bought the car from him. I told him I "HAD" planned to let him work on the car but at that point in time,,,,he had just changed my mind,,!! Then I left as gracefully as I could.

[Reinovator]

Shop manuals are a very interesting thing some can be down loaded via online connections I have not found a reliable source for that yet that's under $100
but in most cases if you look at the back of your owners manual it will have a address for the shop manual or get to know you local GM partsman and he my have a connection for a "discarded" printed manual or CD that needs polishing, etc.
good luck and keep me up dated I need a couple too. my nearest GM dealer is 100 miles away.
Mitchell used to have a great set of cd's that were very good and had on line up dates for a $100 dollars a year, I think it was? After the $ 500 dollar up front expense, if I still had a retail shop I would invest.
I'm sure that some one here can enlighten us on that subject.

[fryer1979]

I go to one "mom and pop" kind of auto parts store in town (actually it is a really small chain in northern California) and deal with one guy there. He is the one guy at any of the parts stores with more auto experience than me (not THAT hard to do, I've only been doing it for 15 years or so), and is a good personal friend and fellow gearhead. If they don't have it, or can't get it and I really need it I will go to the O'reily's (formerly Kragen). I worked there for a couple years about 8 years ago, the store manager is still the same, knows I know my way around that store and computer system better than anyone working there currently, so he lets me behind the counter to look up my own parts. Basically I am a self serve customer when I go in (except for the cash part), no waiting in line for the "parts guys" ever. Kinda fun having other customers try to ask me for stuff though . I never have to worry about getting the wrong part either.

I will not under any circumstance set foot inside my local NAPA store, I have a very personal issue with one of the managers there. Also in the past before that guy was hired as a manager I found that parts for my cars (mostly standard Chevy stuff) were never in stock, so I started calling then No Auto Parts Available.

[Justins76]

Well I found a good Checkers(O'realy now) by me. Too bad the city put in a photocop right in front lol. I always buy online except if i need something with a lifetime warranty or right away, and even then I come armed with the part number and the part i'm replacing. Once the autozone here wouldn't take my part number and insisted to look it up in their computer, and after 15 min, came up with the same # i originally asked for. Thanks for wasting my time dude.

I find that online is way cheaper then any instore price, and that's for quality parts like moog and raybestos that the stores dont carry and have to order anyways because they are pushing their store brands. Plus I dont have to pay nearly 10% sales tax.

[junkyardjohn]

THERE ARE 8 AUTO PARTS STORES IN THIS LITTLE TOWN. I'VE HAD TO GO TO ALL OF THEM IN ONE DAY LOOKING FOR 1/2-20 LUGNUTS. TWO OF THEM ARE NAPAS, & I TAKE BACK EVERYTHING GOOD I'VE EVER SAID ABOUT THEM TOO. LATELY I HAD A SET OF ROTORS FOR MY 84 BLAZER TURNED AT O-RIELYS.(THE ONLY ONE OF THE 8 THAT HAS A BRAKE LATHE) I GOT THEM BACK HOME & PUT THEM ON THE SPINDLES WITHOUT GREASE IN THE BEARINGS, JUST TO CHECK THE RUNOUT. THEY RAN OUT 18 & 24 THOUSANDS & ONE WAS .030. & THE OTHER WAS .015 UNDER THE LOW LIMIT OF WITH WAS CAST INTO THEM. THEY HAD TAKEN .065 OFF ONE &.075 OFF THE OTHER. BACK TO TOWN. (A 30 MILE ROUND TRIP) I TOOK MY DIAL INDICATOR WITH ME. THIS STORE DIDN'T HAVE A DIAL INDICATOR OR A SIMPLE DIAL CALIPER TO CHECK THE THICKNESS, YET THE MANAGER (I THINK THEY'RE ALL MANAGERS OR MANAGERS IN TRAINING) CLAIMED THEY TURNED OVER 200 PAIRS A MONTH. AFTER WASTING TWO DAYS OF MY TIME THEY FINALLY REFUNDED MY $24 TO HAVE THEM TURNED (READ THAT RUINED) & GAVE ME A SET OF CHINEEZ ROTORS. I WAS STILL OUT THE $50 I PAID A MACHINE SHOP TO MILL THE BOSSES ON THE BACKSIDE TO GO TO 1/2" STUDS INSTEAD OF THE WIMPY 7/16" STUDS THAT CAME FACTORY. NEVER AGAIN I'LL ONLY GO IN ANY OF THEM IF I NEED SOMETHING LIKE A QUART OF OIL & WALLY WORLD DOESN'T HAVE IT. I'VE BEEN REDUCED TO EITHER CALLING THE NAPA STORE IN CARSON CITY NEVADA & HAVING THEM UPS ANY PARTS I NEED 2430 MILES TO ME OR SHOPPING ONLINE. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO SHORTAGE OF NO-NOTHING PIMPLE FACED IDIOTS THAT CAN'T FIND MY APPLICATION IN THE COMPUTER,(SO THEREFORE I MUST NOT KNOW WHAT I OWN) AROUND HERE. EVEN ANY PARTS THAT I HAD THE NAPA HERE ORDER HAD MADE IN CHINA ON THEM. IT SEEMS NOTHING IS MANUFACTURED IN THIS COUNTRY ANYMORE. THE STORES JUST PUT THEM IN THEY'RE OWN BOX. WHODA THUNK IT?? JOHN

[62 Longbed]

Yeah I'm threw with them and many others ... Its hard when I also worked for several different chains and dealerships in the parts section .. Everytime I to am tired of all the questions 2wd , 4wd , v/6 , v/8 , etc. What bothers me the most is the fact that most aren't familiar with the books or are actual gear heads that know what fits other models . Similar to what you may be working on , or know what has worked in the past ... Do they know how to set points with a match book , a ball point pen emptyed out to go between that split fuel line , temp. fix ... I'm not McGuyver but alot can be figured out with common sense .. Sorry that alot of my books got destroyed , but slowly replacing them ... If we had a honda or some import .. granted maybe we would feel different .. But we don't we have AMEERICAN MADE , FULL BODIED TRUCKS ... Some of the hardest most reliable and sought after multi purpose made vehicles ... OOPS !!!! Sorry , I need to get off my soap box ... AAAHHHH .. yes done with some of the different parts houses ...

[Reinovator]

Hay, I hate to agree, but any more most hard parts will have a made in china on them, tie rods, brake disc's springs etc.
It's a matter of finding the best part 'Made in china'.
Here is some thing else that bugs me some times made in 'The USA' is a worse part than 'Made in China'. A good example in the tool industry those great 'Gear Wrenches'? well even the ones with Snap-on ,Craftsman, Kolbalt ,etc, on one side are 'Made in China'. Go figure.
I've found, (this is my experience some may differ), if the manufactures in china are given a spec they usually meet it.
Your best bet is make sure of your specs, and check your parts your self. I've had some GM replacement fenders, on one year old cars and trucks that wont fit. Without modification.
I gave up on finding made in the USA, I do look for it but I know I wont find it on all my parts, I just look for the best. and I have been surprised.
Good luck finding all your parts made in the USA and Post them with the part # and suppler when you do.
I would rather feed my good USA neighbors than the ones over Seas.

[Hubscrub]

the chain stores are on my second thought list, i usually go to the local parts store were people know what your talking about

[Reinovator]

here's a good one for ya. I was working on 2002 Chevy pick up, it needed a left fender bumper core support and bumper w/ brackets called the chev dealer it all came in the next day (I live 300 miles from the best supplier but get most parts over night) installed every thing except the fender. The painter needed to jam it before installation, this was in late 2002, as I remember. it wouldn't fit. bolt holes not even close, called the dealer and asked whats up, next day he called back and asked for the vin# again then we could here swearing in the back ground. apparently some models, the avalanche I think were made in Mexico and even though they looked Identical for some reason all the mounting is different. Go figure.
I am in no way trying to say that GMCs or Chevys are inferior because the my be assembled or produced in Canada or Mexico. Just beware that some cases the are not American made. Dang it.
What I hate is that I'm made to believe that they are!!! this is what frellin makes me mad.
Either it is or it's not, DON'T MISSLEAD ME!!!
I want American Made!!!
Not American Boxed!!!
When it's in an American company's box, why can't it be an American made part,for cryin' out loud.
Feed America through production here not over seas.

[BlazinC5]

I pretty much stick to Napa almost all the time. The last time I entered a Schmuck's. I raised holy livin hell with them all the way out the doors back in 2002. And I ain't been back to any of them since. Yes I said Schmucks .. Since the Oriley name is now listed with schmuck's it's no wonder the business satisfaction has gone down.
I had a few issues with the chain before that but the straw that broke the camels back was when I had an alternator go out on me New Years day in my 94 GMC. They were the only place open. I got the alt. installed and 2 days later it was making funny sound. found the nut was working off the pully shaft. No biggy I tightend it up real good. 50ish miles the next day funny noise was back. so I took alt back and said,, I tightend it but still came loose and it looks like it is to worn to stay together. OK, we have to order one from another store in the next town over. (wtf its a 94 gmc, you should have a few on the shelf, but whatever).. part was there next day. put it on and drove it 50ish miles again. I got home and a real bad noise comeing from under the hood as I put it in park and oped the hood just in time to see the belt try to slap me for looking at it funny. they gave me back the same Alt. back... I immediatly got on the phone and spoke to the manager about my problem with the store and told him I wanted my money back and a core or the core money also.. he didn't fuss about it. so I sent my wife in since I had to work and she needed our one running vehicle. They gave her some flack about me not knowing what i am doing I guess gave her the Alt. price back but then refused to give a core or the core money back. When I found out bout that I went in the next day after I got a NAPA Alt. installed and chewed the manager out when he wouldn't own up to what he agreed to on the phone, putting me at risk and basicaly calling me a lier for claiming that they gave me back the same alt. Needless to say we din't come to an understanding and so I chewed him out with a store full of people. I lost $40 bucks and he lost a customer for life. I wouldn't buy a cup of water from that set of chain stores even if my ass was on fire.. Rant over

[irishman999]

Here is a shocking story, Last summer I did a brake job on my K15 and purchased some brake pads for 10 bucks from Autozone. Three months later and less than 3k miles they are already bad and chattering so bad I had to change them.

I got the part number and walked into my nearest autozone here in Reno, Told the guy at the counter the part number and he said " Ohh you need brake pads" then walked around the corner and came back with my stuff. Amazing!