I went to AutoZone to buy some brake discs, pads and brake lines. When it came time to select the pads, the parts guy started to give me the $20 pads. I said, "No, I want the $13 pads!" He said, and I quote, "Thats a mistake."

So I laughed and got the more expensive ones, which actually came with a lifetime warranty vs. a 1 year warranty.

It is good to see that there are some people who can still be brutally honest. I did ask him if they sold the cheap pads, and yes they do, but mainly to people who are about to trade their vehicles in.

 

Advance auto and "the zone" are both hit or miss around here. I haven't found the pattern to know when the intelligent gear heads are working vs the slackers who are trying to get a paycheck.

I find that the difference in the $13 part vs the $20 part is only the warranty. Being that I always lose the warranty info or forget where I bought the parts, I don't bother. I only drive my truck about 3K miles a year though. When I bought my engine, I could have payed anywhere from $1100 to $1700 and still got the same lump of steel, just with different warranty packages.

 

Everything went sucessfully with the new front brake pads/rotors/brake line install yestereday. I was fortunate enough to have some help from a guy off one of the motorcycle forums I am on.

I used to work part time at an Advance years ago and will never forget the first "advice" question I was asked. It was concerning which was the best car wax to get! I just pointed him in the direction of the more expensive product. I feel over time that I gave better advice, but you have to be receptive to the fact that some customers obviously just care about price.

 

I was going to start a new topic but figured it went along with this thread:

I just got done replacing my alternator. I bought it at the Auto Zone in Kentucky in '99 and here I am now in Washington in '09. 10 years and 112,393 miles out of an alternator seems pretty good to me. I especially like that the original price was 69.99 and now they go for 129.99. No questions asked either, a couple quick scans and they handed me the new one.

They about **** a brick when I handed them my original receipt.

 

I have been researching new battery prices and I noticed the "mid grade" battery at Autozone and Advance was $90! I know for a fact the prices of batteries have jumped up in the last 5 or so years at least 50%. I guess the price of alternators has done the same.