why i always shop around..

I will only comment that ALL manufacturing that I have worked in over the years (as an engineer) their are always different levels of quality. Using Intel as an example, all of the parts were manufactured and looked exactly the same but would electrically test and perform at different levels.
The Military and ATT at the time were tested to much higher standards & under more extreme conditions. The parts that failed those tests were then retested as commercial parts under less stressful conditions and standards. They were then categorized as Bin 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 parts.
Bin 1's were higher priced of course and went to manufacturers that would pay for the higher quality (IBM, HP Etc)
Bin 2's A bit cheaper and may got to Dell
Bin 3's A step above radio shack
Bin 4's Radio shack
Bin 5's Rejects / scrap
So I often wonder if the same is still true today with all things.
We had 3 thread chasing sets, 1 Snap on @ $200+, 1 Mac tools @ $150.00 and a Craftsman set @ ~ $50.00
They appeared identical in every way including the box, instructions inside the lid, made in the USA etc. The only visible difference was the label on the outside of the box. Were they different quality? Only the unknown manufacturer would be able to answer that question.

NAPA is hit and miss here, twice a year they have "fleet pricing" on their filters so I usually stock up. As far as their people being better than the other chain stores, maybe, maybe not. A couple years ago I moved the vent on my 727 to the tail shaft housing and needed a vent. After thinking on it a bit I decided I wanted a vent like on differentials or some manual transmissions. It's a 1/8" NPT made from steel. So I called my closest NAPA and explained what I wanted, the lady told me they didn't have anything like that and didn't sell them. She paused and talked to a couple guys that work in the store, then told me I'd have to go to a junk yard to find one. I was in the shop so I cleaned my hands up and walked to the house to talk to my friend Google. The search was "1/8" NPT differential vent at NAPA", in about 1/2 second there was the p/n and a photo. Back on the phone, the same woman answers and after recognizing my voice says "oh we can get that vent". I replied yes, "it's amazing what you can find in 30 seconds on the computer", then gave her the p/n to order. So to me NAPA is no better than any other chain store, the parts are no better and the people aren't either.

I have a NAPA 200 yards from my full service shop and drive 2 hours to get my parts or order them online, they refuse to even get close on pricing, they have nothing in stock, I have to show them how to find the parts I need on the computer anyhow, it just ain't worth the headache. They always tell me they can get it tommorow for X price, well most of the time I can get it shipped overnight from spokane for 1/2 X anyhow. They also refused to give me a wholesale account because I wouldn't give them my bank account info, not a charge account just an account so I could get slightly better pricing and could look stuff up on pro-link without walking across the street...

My theory is that NAPA stays in business because of a loyal customer base who remembers the good old days when they hired smart car people and had all kinds of stuff in stock, they just keep buying there out of habit and loyalty, when those old guys all die they will have to fix their price issues or go the way of K-mart. They have tried to adopt the autozone way of paying crap for crappy employees to sell crappy parts at the same time keep their high prices.

My theory is you have a crappy NAPA owner there.

I go to my local NAPA for stuff I need with my 51 Plymouth. So far I have yet to see that they couldn't find the parts I need or need to order them. It' all been in stock, on the shelf. Now granted so far what I've needed was along the lines of routing maintenance stuff.

Interesting (to Me) this topic came up. I grew up buying NAPA parts and always got good parts and service when compared to teh other parts outlets. But I am over NAPA. over teh last several years every significant part (mostly suspension parts, two batteries and a Heater fan) I purchased from them has needed to be replaced all while under warranty. In my local case we had two good counter people but the store was sold and closed permanently. Soon after a suspension part well withing the warranty failed so I contacted NAPA directly and inquired about a replacement. Their reply was I needed to return it to the store I purchased it from, I had told them initially that "my" store had closed permanently and I again reminded them of that detail, they held their ground and repeated the only course of action I had was to return it to the store of purchase. At that point I am done with NAPA. It was bad enough I was installing the same part more than once but then to not stand behind their product (which was not any cheaper then the MOOG equivalent I replaced it with) No more NAPA for me.

There are 5 NAPA stores where I just moved from and the prices were barely if any any better, the attitude was the same at all but one( the whitefish store had one guy that was very helpful), warranty problems were the same as the guy above was saying even though 3 or 4 of those stores were owned by the same guy, they did have more stuff than the store here but nothing that was not at Autozone, Oreilly or anywhere else for cheaper.

"One of the things I do like is they have actual parts people that know how to use a catalog if needed."

Just try that idea with a set of unipoints. You get a deer in the headlight look, every time. "Where does it go?" "What part of the computer is is?" Etc, etc. I look up the parts, go to the appropriate place with brand and number. Sometimes, even that does not work/help!

NAPA parts used to be superior to OEM parts. Echlin ignition parts were first rate. Unfortunately time goes on and for them to compete I'm sure they changed to the same poor quality parts as their bigger competitors. In 1984 when "Autoworks" opened up in my town some would buy a starter from NAPA and a starter from Autoworks. (For the same vehicle) They would then put the Autoworks starter in the NAPA box and return it for refund to NAPA. Autoworks remanufactured starters and alternators were less $ than NAPA but lower quality.

As mentioned above I too order most if not all my parts online now (exceptions are oil and filters, but not always). To order online takes less time, I have a greater chance of getting the part I want, The quality I want and don't have to deal with the ignorant/arrogant "sales Associate" behind the counter. I too prefer to buy local and Made in USA but that is a two way street. Help me help you, if local businesses doesn't care about customer service why should I care about being a customer?

Except in the case of the stuff that's been off shored - that only comes in one level of quality which would be 6 on your scale. Would ya believe the same sort of thing goes on in food manufacturing? They get a glitch in the mixing process, don't catch until a couple tons of inedible but safe to ingest product comes out the other end. Gets sold to pet food companies. Dunno what happens to dog food that gets mixed wrong.

Been running AutoZone batteries for decades, always got great life out of them. Working on the 2nd Napa now, we'll see how it works out. East Penn Manufacturing is maybe 20 miles from me but about 90% sure they don't have a factory outlet store front. Gonna have to look in to that.

At one time I would depend on places like NAPA and RPS(now Federated) etc to get quality replacement parts. Now they all seem to be the same, mediocre to low quality.

It's interesting about your experience with NAPA warranty and quality. I don't know of anyone in my circle of car friends that will buy a reman alternator or starter from NAPA. Horror story after horror story about failures just out of warranty. Myself, I used to buy NAPA remans but after being burnt a couple times with alternators that required 3+ hours to install, no more. I'm down to rebuilding what I have. At least you can still get parts.

Well, you guys in USA are better off than we are up in Canada. Seems like anything for OLD cars, never in stock, and has to be ordered in. I used to have a small NAPA store 1 1/2 blocks from home, and manager there stocked a great amount of parts - seemed like no matter what I needed for the 74 Duster360, he had it in stock. Of course that was like 25years ago, that store and lot of the other smaller stores gone, so I deal with the warehouse location now (when need to) . . . but seems like prices are 2x what I can get from Rockauto, with it delivered from USA right to my doorstep !!! . . .

I find it interesting that up here (maybe it's the greenies have had a longer hold on us ??), old cars just aren't viewed the same as in USA. The banks and finance companies must love it, forcing people into "newer" cars that have to be financed. Where will this all end ? They won't be happy til our cars are buried and dead with us and everyone driving electric car (gee, where is that electricity produced ? Is it from polluting source ? - who cares, it isn't in my backyard !) . . .

So, back to NAPA, yup, I only use them now when I find they have part and I absolutely can't wait for Rockauto !! . . . oh, and yeah, up here too, they have 10% discount for AAA members.

Cheers,

NAPA has more of a focus on professionals and serious DIYs while Advance and the rest of those places are more DIY, Harry the Homeowner based. A look around the store when you go in confirms this. Parts and supplies in one, - air fresheners, steering wheel covers, single job packs of parts and supplies, accessories, stickers, junk radios and speakers, cheapo tools and crap for people who don't know the difference, etc.

Both have different price/quality points for most items. Sadly, most of it is made by foreign enemies, regardless the old line, quality name brand on the box.

When looking for top shelf, hopefully US or non-CCP made parts, I go to NAPA, even though I have a relationship with the other guys.

What has happened to NAPA is the same as what has happened with American aftermarket brands that have been around a loooong time and used to be excellent in quality. Standard, Moog, Dorman, Wells ect used to be better than OEM. Now they are just chinese junk.

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Moog is now falling out of my good graces... my 05 Magnum had an original ball joint fail at 125K miles. So not having time to focus on my stuff over and over again I bought all new MOOG suspension parts for the front (except one forward control arm - NAPA premium , see above posts) figured Id do it once and be done with it that was 25K ago. Since then, last fall I had to replace the NAPA component, then in April a lower MOOG joint was found loose, now I hear the dreaded squeak and clunk coming from the other side. Mind you this car gets treated and maintained well so this isnt a case of poor lubrication habits, just poor parts. Part of the issue is we keep bending over and taking it...but they have us over a barrel. very frustrating.
Taken today

PST offers a lifetime warranty although I've never used it. I suspect it's you buy another and send us your defective one and we'll refund the $$. Not sure on the shipping charges aspect etc. Might be worth a call
BTW: on your car

i just LOVE those magnums !
and yours with the five spoke wheels looks super !

My theory on a lot of this stuff with cheap aftermarket crap being the only affordable alternative is the factory stuff lasted 125,000 miles, where will your car be in another 125,000 miles and 15 years??? Just buy the factory stuff and basically never worry about it again. Mopar is good about making small changes to improve things as time goes on, look at the last 2 letters of part numbers, they go up alphabetically as they update stuff. An example is the lifters for the new hemis, the ones that go bad have tiny needle bearings in the roller, look at the updated ones and you can see much larger needle bearings in them.