NAPA / Question for Ltngdrvr

[TWR2003]

I live in eastern MA / Boston metro area. There is a small independent auto repair shop near me that has been in business for almost 30 years (good reputation). Ive noted that for about the last 2-3 years they get all their auto parts from a CARQUEST parts store that is just down the street from them. I see the little Ford Ranger CARQUEST truck delivering parts there all the time.

About 3 months ago I noticed that the shop had put up one of those 'NAPA AutoCare' signs on the front of their shop under their original sign. However I still see them getting deliveries of parts from CARQUEST. How can you be a NAPA AutoCare place but get you parts from non-NAPA sources?

[Ltngdrvr]

NAPA Auto Care is a program for shops to be interlinked to other shops and directly to their local NAPA store for ordering parts and for the nation-wide warranty. The shops are still independent and can purchase their parts where they please. But a shop that does buy most of their parts elsewhere than at NAPA isn't taking full advantage of the program. Sometimes maybe a shop needs something that the local NAPA is out of or can't get quickly enough to satisfy the shops customer and may be buying it somewhere else just for certain instances.

I can't tell you anything specific about a shop that is outside my selling area though.

Now, is this a legit concern of yours or are you just trying to give me a dig on NAPA?

[TWR2003]

Now, is this a legit concern of yours or are you just trying to give me a dig on NAPA?

First and formost - no 'dig' intended. I just wanted your opinion as a NAPA 'insider'. To this day I still buy most of my hard parts at my local NAPA stores. Ive been giving my busines to two NAPA stores (about equally) for over 20 years. Both stores are family run business and the folks are good folks (Im pretty sure one owner/co-owner is a retired Vietnam veteran). Im a little saddened to see more and more 'made in china' stuff there but I cant really blame them as NAPA lives and breathes in the same global economy as all the other auto parts retailers.

Im just genuinly curious because I know the guy that owns this shop (which shall remain nameless) and he is a good guy (even if he is a Chevy guy - has a championship winning 68 Camaro big bad bowtie block engine dragster). The shop is ASE certified which many shops are not. I was just surprised more than anything else when I noticed the NAPA AutoCare sign and the fact that they still got their parts from the Carquest guys.

Again, no dis intended.
Thanks for the input.

T

[Ltngdrvr]

Okay, no dis intended, no dis taken.

NAPA does source globally, there just isn't much choice in many cases.

NAPA does make their suppliers, no matter what country they are in, meet its minimum requirements. And NAPA has the juice to make that happen. And NAPA's minimum requirements for its value line parts are to at least meet the original OEM specs and for the premium parts they must exceed the OEM specs.