Damn You NAPA

Applejack

Explorer
Well I must say that while the old codgers behind the counter weren't the friendliest, come to think of it I guess it did seem like I was a nuisance to them, I'm digressing here.
My issue was the part not fitting properly. Now today when I go and try and return it, then we may have a personnel issue. I have a feeling they wont want to take this cheap Chinese piece of crap back.
 

Antichrist

Expedition Leader
I've not had any issues with NAPA Gold filters, though I usually buy them in their original "Wix" box/wrapping.
 

keezer37

Explorer
OEM aside, where else is there to go? O'Riley's is just coming around in my area. CarQuest-suck. Autozone-suck unless you need a loaner tool. AdvanceAuto-suck. They all seem to be the place to go if you want a chrome license plate frame with skulls on them.
San Diego had a couple good NAPA stores , Miramar or the warehouse on Ruffin is okay too.

Let your voice be heard. Email the company and tell them to exert some authority over their stores for the sake of their brand name. I just did this with New Balance due to differences in return policies between their online/actual stores. Also with Vasque, had to turn my back on them altogether.

I hate to see an established American brand fade away.

customersupport@napaonline.com

Parent company may be Kirk's Automotive or they appear to be the sole manufacturer of NAPA brand parts.
 

Terrainist

Explorer
Some people are big on Napa. And as mentioned, the personell running the place is about 100% of wether or not the store is any good. My experience with them has been nothing but garbage.

Indifference. If they could shut the doors and just keep their parts trucks running to garages all day they would. Wrong parts. If you don't have the part with you when you go in, you'll get the wrong one. Refund hassles. I've had to call the coorporate office and get the district manager to come down on a store to get a simple refund on a wrong part they gave me. Talk about a creating a major problem out of something as simple as fixing a truck. It was ridiculous. Subpar personell. See 'indifference' as mentioned. And the manager at my local store was hired from Autozone. No biggie necessarily, but he was a flippen pizza shop manager before that. Dude was incredulous when he had to give me a refund after getting the call. He still didn't get it, dense as a brick. Just give me my refund and shut up tard, I have to fix my truck.

If you have problems with them regarding your fuel filter, call coorporate. I had the regional/district manager on the phone within an hour, and he was on it. Google, you can get the numbers if you have to. Napa sucks.
 

Antichrist

Expedition Leader
It must really be store to store. I've had nothing but good experience with them. I've even returned things, hassle free, with just a, "I didn't need it after all."
I was in there the other day, admittedly it was slow, and said, "I'm not going to buy one, but I'm trying to see what you carry for heavy duty battery cable ends. I;m just checking for a buddy." The guy spent at least 15 minutes with me looking for a $7 part, knowing ahead of time he wasn't going to get a sale from it. And he was cheerful the whole time.
 
So as I mentioned earlier, I have a Napa gold fuel filter sitting on the counter waiting to go in my truck. I stopped at the Totota dealer after work, and they had one on the shelf so I picked it up. I also asked.... and they said they will price match another Toyota dealership :wings:Woohoo! I'll print off something from one of the online dealers and bring that in. So I crawl under my truck to replace the filter and after all that fear about the Napa gold filter not fitting....the one I took off was a Napa gold filter. :rolleyes:
 

Applejack

Explorer
Actually the one I took off my truck was a Napa gold as well. Some may have misunderstood the point of my original post. It was done as a rant in a moment of frustration. I'm certain that most of their filters fit as normal, mine did not and it was very irritating. I don't think that it is necessary to avoid Napa altogether. But I have a sneaking suspicion that whoever Napa has make their filters might not have the quality control that the makers of Toyota's filters have. Who knows, tomorrow I may have equal difficulty with the Toyota filter.:ylsmoke:
 

Antichrist

Expedition Leader
Unless NAPA has recently changed suppliers it's a Wix. Wix has been making filters since '39. I imagine if they didn't have decent quality control they'd have been out of business long ago, rather than being the filter of choice, along with Hastings/Baldwin, of people and companies whose livelihood depend on their trucks.
As for "cheap Chinese piece of crap", every Wix filter I've ever bought has been made in the USA.
Getting one filter that is defective is like saying Toyota's are pieces of crap because of recent recalls.
 

Applejack

Explorer
As for "cheap Chinese piece of crap", every Wix filter I've ever bought has been made in the USA.
Getting one filter that is defective is like saying Toyota's are pieces of crap because of recent recalls.

Then this Napa gold filter is not a Wix because it says right on the filter "made in CHINA"

Actually I just checked and it is a Wix. It says "Affinia Wix filtration corp. Contents made in CHINA"

But let's get real here. It's no surprise. But as for me I'm done talking about my filter problem (at least this particular one), it's not the end of the world and Napa nor Wix is criminal or anything. Just a simple manufacturing error that happens with ANYONE who manufactures mass amounts of products.
NBD. And as I stated in a previous post, I posted a "rant" out of frustration, but I'm calm now and more deliberate.
 
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Antichrist

Expedition Leader
Then this Napa gold filter is not a Wix because it says right on the filter "made in CHINA"

Actually I just checked and it is a Wix. It says "Affinia Wix filtration corp. Contents made in CHINA"
Hmmm, interesting. Perhaps Wix is doing what some others do and for the stuff they relabel they off-shore the production. Though that's usually done to make the rebadged stuff cheaper, but for a Land Rover the Wix box fuel filter is the same price as the NAPA.

Thanks for the info, I'll be more attentive if I get one from NAPA.
 

BKCowGod

Automotive ADHD is fun!
I imagine if they didn't have decent quality control they'd have been out of business long ago...

See also K&N, Fram, Land Rover, Oneida, Red Wing Shoes, Levi's...

Sadly, many companies these days can limp along for decades on the slowly diminishing shine of their once proud heritage.
 

irish_11

Explorer
The Napa thing being from store to store is very true. There are two in the area around me and they are OK, but I would gladly drive the extra 5 miles to the far one for the customer service than go tot he one less than a mile from my house.

As far as parts online I had good luck with Rockauto. I got my OEM 02 sensors there last year for very good prices (half the local dealer). Came in a OEM box and have been flawless.
 

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