Parts - Dealership vs Autozone

For "generic" parts - I go with the parts dealer(Autozone, Checker, etc).

For "specific" parts - check with the dealer and compare prices.

generic - things that are not particular to a make/model of vehicle(ie, plugs, filters, wires, hoses, brakes)

specific - anything that is specific to a make/model. (ie oil cooler gasket for an 1988 VW GLI 16v, very specific. Ask me how I learned that.) Parts stores could get it but 3 day wait and $10. Dealer had it on hand $2.50.

JW

I didn't really answer your question.

Use the "generic" wires from the parts store. They might not be "fitted", but that won't really matter. They just might be a little longer than they need to be. It's a Lumina, not a 1953 Corvette. Who cares if it doesn't look quite right?

JW

Depends on the parts and the car. I don't know the Lumina.

I'll say that I owned a Chrysler Laser which _had_ to take the OEM rotor and cap. Anything else would burn up in fairly short order. It was fine with cheap aftermarket parts for most things, but not that.

--scott

you normally pay more at a dealership for parts, some will give you 25% off retail if you ask for it, they expect it.

spark plugs and spark plug wires are two items that should be replaced with oem parts, and can usually be bought at chain-store parts houses for less.

for spark plug wires, buy a name brand that is s o certified and marked,

and some spark plug cartons will have champion / mopar on them, if they are for a chrysler product, the same should hold true for gm cars, like a c / gm, or ford / autolite.

If the plugs in the car are original, then the same number plug should be used as a replacement . get the number, go to a parts house and match it up, don't take no for an answer.

The car's electrical system has been *tuned* to that particular plug.

I wouldn't fall for all this hype surrounding auto plug sales. use the original type, you'll be glad you did.

Don't just read the number on the plugs and assume that they are correct. Look it up, get the number and purchase. There's nothing wrong with parts from autozone. Some people say the alternators, and starters are sub-par, but I haven't really noticed a difference.

A lot of what autozone sells is crap.

Go to checker or napa if you want to get reasonable parts.

NAPA I'll agree with, but Checker? I didn't know they had a particularly good reputation, there's not many of them here but I kind of thought they were more like one step above Pep Boys. I do like CarQuest however, although there's few of those as well around here. Best of all is my local independent store...

AutoZone is useful in that they carry some stuff you just can't get anywhere else for older cars, like the Gabriel "Classic Gas" line of shock absorbers.

Name brand type stuff like oil, coolant or spark plugs I will buy at the cheapass store just because the good stores want too much $$ for them. I realize that that is perpetuating the problem of too many shitty stores and not enough good ones, but on the flip side I'm not independently wealthy enough that I could afford to pay the good store's prices on everything. And sadly, Wal-Mart is the ONLY place that carries Rotella synthetic. that REALLY makes me cringe when I buy it...

nate

Compared to autozone, even checker is stelar.

Autozone is the walmart of autoparts.

I've had good luck with aftermarket lifetime-warranted wire sets. None fit perfectly, but all were close enough, and it seems that many are made by the same companies that supply the auto manufacturers, such as Carol or Belden. And at least with wire sets you don't have to spend hours to remove the original part, making your car undrivable, and only then discovering that the replacement part doesn't fit.

OTOH I'd be reluctant to buy rebuilt parts from AutoZone, Checker/Shuck's/Kragen, Pep Boys or any other discount chain because a lot of them haven't worked out from me.

I'm no expert, but I've found AutoZone, Checker, and Pep Boys to be about equal when it comes to new parts (good) and rebuilts (risky). CarQuest and BAP have been better and CarQuest usually cheaper as well.

F W I W

It depends entirely on the individual part. Which is the problem.

--scott

I'd stick with AC Delco Wires and plugs, more expensive but best quality and no comebacks. Advance/ Parts America carries AC Delco parts. Make sure you route the wires correctly. Number one reason I see customer installed wire sets fail is they don't get them back in the factory looms. Almost every Lumina I see needs the air intake cleaned and the idle air count set. Usually they benefit from a pressure cleaning of the injectors (requires specialized equipment and not to be confused with a can of additive in the gas tank). Once again GM Top Engine Cleaner (a dealer supplied item) works very well. If all this sounds 'greek' take it to a professional repair shop. Visit IATN net and use the 'shop finder' feature. Good luck and best regards

"*" wrote in news:01c67509$84573120$8d90c3d8@race:

UHHH not to stick up for him, but did you READ the sudjested URL. KB

"*" wrote in news:01c6753f$c6bcf6e0$ae90c3d8@race:

Ha Ha silly me!!!!! It wouldn`t come up for me and I thought it was a made up name site, as in some bs site.com KB

"*" wrote in news:01c6760f$e698d300$5091c3d8@race:

at the rate we are going eventually, armed internal conflict. Or hopefully a return to "constitutional" law. KB