I have no experience using Napa brand parts. What's the general concensus? Example parts... Ball joints: Moog vs Napa.. Thanks
Like most parts places, they offer cheap "white box" parts, their own premium house brand, and OEM name brand. Stay away from "white box". I have found the Echlin brand at Napa to be a good alternative to OEM.
Napa is next to the top of the food chain. Factory Ford replacement parts are on the top of the list.
I agree with those who recommend NAPA, and here's another reason; I don't know about where you live but the NAPA store near me has real parts guys behind the counter who know their stuff. And to me that's as important as the quality of the parts. Go to your local Autozone or O'Reilly's and ask the kid behind the counter for a part for your Maverick or Comet and notice the blank stare you get.
It depends on who's working. My local Advance Auto Parts (7 mi up the road) has some very experienced gearheads who work with me very well when I'm looking for old Ford parts. Another Advance just opened here in town and they are clueless. It's not the chain, it is the people who work there.
Most of the "premium" parts are just the best part you can get in a napa box. For example the high end napa brand ball joint is a reboxed moog ball joint, sometimes they even put the brand logo on it. The cheap napa parts are just chinese junk.
I bought some pinion bearings for my 9 inch from Napa. I was surprised to see they were Chinese bearings. I have always had pretty good luck with their stuff, and dont mind paying a little more for quality parts. Guess the bottom line is that you have to watch what you buy. All of the stores seem to have varying quality. You just have to ask for the good stuff if that is what you want. I used to think of Napa as the U.S. made quality brand that you bought when you wanted the good stuff. I would say that is no longer the case. Boy how times have changed......
