I’m thankful my local advance and Orielly’s isn’t too bad. I normally go in with part numbers and they grab them and I’m on my way. One time they told me they didn’t have a part I needed, sent me to another store 30 minutes away only to find out that the second store didn’t have it, but the first one did. I was kind of ticked after that. They’ve also been decent about knocking off some costs when I make purchases.
I also go to a local dealer that I have a good relationship with and buy OEM when I can. They give me a good discount and even toss in somethings dirt cheap if they have it on the shelf and just want it gone. If I spend a lot on service they’ll work with me on parts as well. Don’t have a lift or the right tools for some jobs, so I take it to them.
When I lived in the suburbs of Chicago, it was impossible to go to a parts store and get good service. This is when I started figuring out everything that I needed prior to going in and buying parts.