Are Auto Zone "Duralast" parts any good?

Discussion in 'Cars and Parts For Sale Leads' started by eagleguy, Nov 24, 2007.

  1. eagleguy

    eagleguy 1971 Skylark Custom

    Been buying Napa parts for years when I lived in NY. Here in Fla. everyone seems to go to Auto Zone saying the quality of their top of the line parts (Duralast) are just as good if not better than Napa. Any opinions??
     
  2. sailbrd

    sailbrd Well-Known Member

    I like the batteries.
     
  3. nailheadina67

    nailheadina67 Official Nailheader

    I have commercial accounts with the big 3......Advance, Auto Zone, and NAPA. I've been buying nearly all of my parts from the Zone lately and have not had any problems so far. Their people are more friendly and their delivery time is much faster. Imho.....NAPA's warranty SUCKS and the quality of their parts has gone down the tubes considerably over the past few years. And at the same time, their prices are not in line with other places who offer better warranties. The only time I even bother with NAPA is when the other guys don't have what I need.

    Advance made me mad last week.....they quoted me a price on a battery, and when I ordered it the next day, suddenly the price became $10 more. So I said forget it........then about 15 minutes later, the counter guy called me back and told me they quoted me on a battery they didn't normally stock but found one "hidden at the end of the shelf" :puzzled: if I still wanted it. Too late.....Auto Zone was already on the way with their battery for the same price.
     
  4. carmantx

    carmantx Never Surrender

    I have used some duralast products without any trouble. Just a bunch of small brained people that work there. They let me go in the back to find what I am looking for since the computer doesn't exactly tell them what I have or need.
     
  5. alec296

    alec296 i need another buick

    you get waht you pay for .
    cheap is just that ,the parts are ok but not great
    i have a lifetime replacement starter and i do change it regualrly
     
  6. Michael Evans

    Michael Evans a new project

    I went though three alternators (at three different stores) before I found one that would last more than three months.

    Their lifetime warranty is very good.

    Like said before "you get what you pay for".
     
  7. They've always been top on my list between the local NAPA, Advance, and themselves.

    As long as you keep the receipt, you'll never have a warranty problem. They claim the computer keeps up with all that, but I had a three year old battery needing proration and they couldn't find a thing in the computer.
     
  8. avc1966

    avc1966 Well-Known Member

    Stay away from alternators, regulators, and starters through them. I have been happy with most of their other stuff.
     
  9. I bought the cheapest Alternator they sold. It was $19.
    It's been doing fine for five years now. :idea2:
     
  10. PaulGS

    PaulGS Well-Known Member

    I use small specialty rebuilders for my starters, alternators, and other rebuildables.

    I also refurbish original GM parts , rather than buy cheap Chineseum knock offs.

    This process has a smaller impact on my blood pressure and general outlook on life when I get what I expected......:TU:
     
  11. Truzi

    Truzi Perpetual Student

    I got an alternator there for my '88 88. The original lasted 19 years. I'll be lucky if this one lasts five.
     
  12. buickgsman

    buickgsman Well-Known Member

    I agree with staying away from major electrical components. I did a starter in my father in laws minvan twice because of the crap alternator they sold me. I've had problems with other electricl stuff there in the past too. Around here their people are a bunch of morons. My thing is if they look dumb, they usually are.
     
  13. Bergy

    Bergy Well-Known Member

    Hmmmmmm...interesting. Then why wouldn't you find an AC Delco parts house, buy the OEM re-man unit and enjoy another 19 years?
     
  14. nailheadina67

    nailheadina67 Official Nailheader

    I have always had a problem with what they call "re-manufactured". When you MANUFACTURE something, it is made from ALL new materials, not just some. It's either REBUILT or it's NEW. No inbetweens here. That being said.......

    The real problem with re-"manufactured" parts is the quality of the materials they use when they are re-BUILT. The rebuilders are cutting corners just like everyone else lately, and for the most part, the internals that get replaced with parts that come from... (you guessed it)... CHINA! :af:

    The rebuilt starter I got for our Ford Tempo 2 years ago from THE ZONE is still going strong, although I had my doubts from day 1 and still do.

    The rebuilt alternator I have in the Riv is from NAPA. (newer internal regulator type). It has a lifetime warranty. It is their BEST quality professional RE-"MANUFACTURED":rolleyes: unit. It is lifetime warranty, up until last year I have had it in there for well over 8 years. I paint my alt, so exchanging it can be a hassle. After my ammeter began fluctuating, I exchanged it for another one. That one went dead after only a few months. I just blamed it on my old battery that had a bad cell.

    When the next one crapped out, I opened it up to see for myself, and my suspicions were confirmed. Inside there was an cheap lesser quality generic electronic regulator, stamped "made in the Philippines". :moonu: I couldn't see going through the hassles of replacing it once more only to have the crappy regulator go out again........so I replaced it with a NOS AC/Delco regulator and haven't had a problem since. :)
     
  15. Staged 1

    Staged 1 GS restoration in progress(Finally)

    Auto Zone is fine if you want a bag of chips or a sticker:bla: . Maybe some chrome wiper blades. Seems they don't care about the parts we really need. Ours here in town is more like a 7/11 than a parts store. I have all but stopped going there. Its pretty sad when you need a part and they tell you they don't carry it... to try Napa:Dou: - so I go to Napa first now:TU:
     
  16. OhioState

    OhioState Deuce & a quarter

    We are the same with you, our shop has accounts with all three also. It's funny with shops sometimes stores just don't have good sales people. Advance is definetely the best and quickest delivery in our area, we don't use much from Auto Zone, they suck at customer service and are bad at delivering when they say they will. I like Advance and NAPA over Auto Zone, and we have used them enough to make a fair assement. Interesting story with Advance, I order 90% of our parts and it really gets annoying when that happens and you will get it anywhere and everywhere. I deal with a great Commercial accounts parts man and he is excellent but when he leaves to go home I don't deal with them. I found you just have to find that parts guy who will go above and beyond for you and stick with him. Anywho back to Duralast, we haven't had many problem with their parts, but have had enough to stick with AAP, or NAPA. I will say the Auto Zone had a tiny store near us and they do have a lot of things you wouldn't think they do, you can get bad parts from anyone, it comes down to who/what you want to use. You like Duralast, use Duralast.
     
  17. 65specialconver

    65specialconver kennedy-bell MIA

    i couldnt agree more! a few years back i worked for an outfit that supplied the large chain stores(blue chip,chief,etc)every unit we built was nothing but salvaged parts.we even repacked the $1.19 bearings by hand,using the old seals!starters were the same,the owner wouldnt even let me replace starter drives or bushings.the only new parts used were brushes,only if they were worn more than half.we would tear down say,100 core units,toss any bad parts,and assemble anything left over as a "rebuilt" and end up with 40-50 units.i lasted 8-9 months before one day i packed my tools,went to lunch & never came back,and i was the manager! i just couldnt build that crap anymore,i knew it was junk & couldnt do it anymore.the 8 man shop(which i started for the guy)shut down a month or so later,his main "factory"was in thailand so he didnt really care.i got my old job back next day with a $2 hr raise:TU: building quality units i wasnt ashamed to have my name attached to:laugh:
     
  18. ricoshay

    ricoshay Well-Known Member

    i gues that's the general concensus. I 've always been told to avoid Autozone ELECTRICAL parts by mechanics, family, etc. The warranty is great, but it would suck to pay labor costs after repeatedly replacing parts.
     
  19. Truzi

    Truzi Perpetual Student

    Good point. It probably wouldn't have cost much more (though how good is AC Delco anymore?). The problem is I was lazy, in a hurry, and the store is very close.
     
  20. alec296

    alec296 i need another buick

    whats the chance of a gm parts house having a 19 year old part on the shelf too.
    things change so much now they only stock whats going to move
     

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