This is a prime example of marketing at work. ValuCraft filters boxes dont have shiny colors or exploded diagrams or statements, they have a part number and that's it. They must be the worst oil filters of all time, when in fact the almost universally accepted 'worst filter of all time' award goes to the brand with bright orange packaging and excellent product placement that sells millions.
SuperTech vs. ValuCraft
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Originally Posted By: globey
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: kingrob
With tax the Proselect for my Caddy is almost four bucks.
Wow. Three dollars and some change for a filter going on a Cadillac, that's made by Wix.
Did you have to make a special trip to the ATM for that three dollars and change?
I don't think that was the point. Someone asked him a comparative price and he gave an example on his application. He's wasn't complaining.
You're right, I was just throwing out the fact that AZ's cheapest filter is less than two dollars and Napa's is almost four. I have no problem paying four dollars for a decent filter, which I think the budget Napa is a good one. My statement about Napa being a ghost town out here wasn't a swipe, it's just that everything is much higher than it is at AZ or Advance so no one goes there anymore. Compare that in 1990 there were eight or nine Napa's in town to the fact that now there's only two, with rumors that one is fixing to close down shop.
FWIW I usually run Advance Auto Total Grip on the Caddy, it too is a budget filter (Purolator) and it's about 2.50 at Advance.
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: kingrob
With tax the Proselect for my Caddy is almost four bucks.
Wow. Three dollars and some change for a filter going on a Cadillac, that's made by Wix.
Did you have to make a special trip to the ATM for that three dollars and change?
I don't think that was the point. Someone asked him a comparative price and he gave an example on his application. He's wasn't complaining.
You're right, I was just throwing out the fact that AZ's cheapest filter is less than two dollars and Napa's is almost four. I have no problem paying four dollars for a decent filter, which I think the budget Napa is a good one. My statement about Napa being a ghost town out here wasn't a swipe, it's just that everything is much higher than it is at AZ or Advance so no one goes there anymore. Compare that in 1990 there were eight or nine Napa's in town to the fact that now there's only two, with rumors that one is fixing to close down shop.
FWIW I usually run Advance Auto Total Grip on the Caddy, it too is a budget filter (Purolator) and it's about 2.50 at Advance.
I think what you pay for at NAPA is people behind the counter who really know their stuff. At least where I am the people at Auto Zone and Advanced are teenagers there to have a weekend job. Sure their manager probably cares, but if you have a question, the teenies have to go get him.
The guys at the Napa near me know their stuff. As a matter of fact they are also an Amsoil dealer and I had an intelligent and meaningful conversation about the products he carried and what he did not.
There are many different criteria for filters out there, I am just wondering about some of the most inexpensive, yet quality filters. I am planning to use them for an Auto RX run, and feel that these filters can make it 2000 miles on my Taurus.
Afterwards I plan on running Napa Gold. Currently I am running a Mobile 1 with 10w30 Maxlife. I had totally forgotten about Napa before finding this site and their filters save me a few bucks compared to a Mobile 1 yet the Napa Golds have argueably the same filteration.
The guys at the Napa near me know their stuff. As a matter of fact they are also an Amsoil dealer and I had an intelligent and meaningful conversation about the products he carried and what he did not.
There are many different criteria for filters out there, I am just wondering about some of the most inexpensive, yet quality filters. I am planning to use them for an Auto RX run, and feel that these filters can make it 2000 miles on my Taurus.
Afterwards I plan on running Napa Gold. Currently I am running a Mobile 1 with 10w30 Maxlife. I had totally forgotten about Napa before finding this site and their filters save me a few bucks compared to a Mobile 1 yet the Napa Golds have argueably the same filteration.
Originally Posted By: SuperDave456
I think what you pay for at NAPA is people behind the counter who really know their stuff. At least where I am the people at Auto Zone and Advanced are teenagers there to have a weekend job.
Hit the nail on the head. I only buy sales at AAP and AZ. I've had good luck with the guys at O'reilly's and Car Quest is on par with Napa as far as service goes IMO. Prices are higher there though. My local Napa is a LubroMoly dealer as well as a bunch of other stuff. Everybody there is professional, well grooomed, and very knowledgable. The manager is a great guy too. It's rare to go in an autoparts store and be able to talk about oil specifications and application beyond "synthetic makes your seals leak, 0W-anything will make your engine explode."
Funny thing, I finally found a store that has Amsoil on the shelf - it's a Chevron station down the street from my house owned by a bunch of russians. Weird.
Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
Originally Posted By: SuperDave456
I think what you pay for at NAPA is people behind the counter who really know their stuff. At least where I am the people at Auto Zone and Advanced are teenagers there to have a weekend job.
Hit the nail on the head. I only buy sales at AAP and AZ. I've had good luck with the guys at O'reilly's and Car Quest is on par with Napa as far as service goes IMO. Prices are higher there though. My local Napa is a LubroMoly dealer as well as a bunch of other stuff. Everybody there is professional, well grooomed, and very knowledgable. The manager is a great guy too. It's rare to go in an autoparts store and be able to talk about oil specifications and application beyond "synthetic makes your seals leak, 0W-anything will make your engine explode."
Funny thing, I finally found a store that has Amsoil on the shelf - it's a Chevron station down the street from my house owned by a bunch of russians. Weird.
Once again, not bashing Napa, but I can't say I've has the same experience as far as knowledgeable counter staff. Here the staffs are interchangeable, the same pimple faced teenagers that stock the shelves at AZ go to work for Napa for the same cruddy 6.00 an hour. Do you really thank that you're going to find an amateur tibologist for that kind of pay wage? I don't expect the parts guys at any of these stores to know more about the majority of what I shop for than I do. That may sound arrogant, but I tend to over analyze minute bits of arcane automotive trivia that I pick up off of this forum and others like it.
It may be different in other parts of the country, but I don't feel comfortable paying forty bucks for the same Mexican made waterpump that I can get for twenty dollars at Advance just to glean insight from the guys at the counter that tell me that there's only really one manufacturer in the US of oil filters and they make all the Purolators, Baldwins, Wixes and Champions and paint them differently. Or that Bendix brakes are made by GM and that I should flush my engine once a year and that diesel fuel makes the best engine detail you can get. No thanks ...
Originally Posted By: SuperDave456
I think what you pay for at NAPA is people behind the counter who really know their stuff. At least where I am the people at Auto Zone and Advanced are teenagers there to have a weekend job.
Hit the nail on the head. I only buy sales at AAP and AZ. I've had good luck with the guys at O'reilly's and Car Quest is on par with Napa as far as service goes IMO. Prices are higher there though. My local Napa is a LubroMoly dealer as well as a bunch of other stuff. Everybody there is professional, well grooomed, and very knowledgable. The manager is a great guy too. It's rare to go in an autoparts store and be able to talk about oil specifications and application beyond "synthetic makes your seals leak, 0W-anything will make your engine explode."
Funny thing, I finally found a store that has Amsoil on the shelf - it's a Chevron station down the street from my house owned by a bunch of russians. Weird.
Once again, not bashing Napa, but I can't say I've has the same experience as far as knowledgeable counter staff. Here the staffs are interchangeable, the same pimple faced teenagers that stock the shelves at AZ go to work for Napa for the same cruddy 6.00 an hour. Do you really thank that you're going to find an amateur tibologist for that kind of pay wage? I don't expect the parts guys at any of these stores to know more about the majority of what I shop for than I do. That may sound arrogant, but I tend to over analyze minute bits of arcane automotive trivia that I pick up off of this forum and others like it.
It may be different in other parts of the country, but I don't feel comfortable paying forty bucks for the same Mexican made waterpump that I can get for twenty dollars at Advance just to glean insight from the guys at the counter that tell me that there's only really one manufacturer in the US of oil filters and they make all the Purolators, Baldwins, Wixes and Champions and paint them differently. Or that Bendix brakes are made by GM and that I should flush my engine once a year and that diesel fuel makes the best engine detail you can get. No thanks ...
Yeah, things must be different over there in NC...
Living in the same town as kingrob, and shopping at the very same stores that he does, I pretty much have to agree. I think NAPA's hard parts quality is generally better. For example, my minivan has sway bar bushings that are notorious for wearing out prematurely. I've already replaced them once, but hopefully for the last time. That's because I used the NAPA bushings that are polyurethane, unlike the virgin rubber stuff that Advance/AZ/Pep Boys sells. I paid more for the NAPA bushings, but that's because I know they're better bushings.
Now, will I go to NAPA and may more for the same bottle of oil, or the same jug of car wash? No. Did I go there to replace the battery in my Dakota a few weeks ago? No. Do I ever go there unless I feel like they have a superior product? No. NAPA appears to have a very steady customer base in commercial business and I think that's where they specialize. Their sales are pretty slack, but that's because they don't tend to sell to the weekend car-washer that most of those loss-leader sales appeal to. Most NAPAs are also not open on Sundays...another key tip-off that they'd rather sell a reman'd alternator to a garage than a bottle of Armor-All to the kid down the street.
The things for which I shop at NAPA:
- Suspension pieces (mentioned above)
- ExactFit wiper refills (Adv/AZ have quit selling refills)
...And that's about it.
kingrob, which NAPA do you hear is closing?
Now, will I go to NAPA and may more for the same bottle of oil, or the same jug of car wash? No. Did I go there to replace the battery in my Dakota a few weeks ago? No. Do I ever go there unless I feel like they have a superior product? No. NAPA appears to have a very steady customer base in commercial business and I think that's where they specialize. Their sales are pretty slack, but that's because they don't tend to sell to the weekend car-washer that most of those loss-leader sales appeal to. Most NAPAs are also not open on Sundays...another key tip-off that they'd rather sell a reman'd alternator to a garage than a bottle of Armor-All to the kid down the street.
The things for which I shop at NAPA:
- Suspension pieces (mentioned above)
- ExactFit wiper refills (Adv/AZ have quit selling refills)
...And that's about it.
kingrob, which NAPA do you hear is closing?
The one on Pamalee/Murchison Rd. I believe the one in Hope Mills is still doing pretty good, but the Pamalee store has been limping along for years. One of the managers there left to come to AZ in Spring Lake, he says that corporate pretty much told them all to start looking around for something else...
A while back I cut open several filters. Here is the ST and the VC side by side. These were pre ecore. They are the same.
I'll chime in here. The Napa in my town does very well, in fact they just opened up a really nice much larger brand new store a mile from their old one. The old one had been there for years. The guys working there are very knowledgeable and willing to help and answer questions. Only once have I had an experience where they had rather help a commercial account than me. This is a real small town and they can't afford to give bad service. Word travels fast and they'd be out of business if they did.
I agree the quality of Napa hard parts is better than other stores. I use the ProSelect oil and air filters on my truck. Not because they are sold by Napa, but because they are top quality filters made by Wix. If AZ or AAP or even Walmart sold ProSelects, I'd buy them there.
If there is a part made by another manufacturer, say a set of valve cover gaskets made by FelPro, I will buy where it is cheapest if I can. Recently I found an 8 dollar difference in price for the exact same set of FelPro valve cover gaskets, between AAP and Napa. I got the gaskets at AAP.
Another reason I like Napa for hard parts is they very often carry and have in stock parts that other parts stores either don't carry or they have to special order and have shipped in.
Bottom line is I buy where I get the best quality parts and good service. That usually happens for me at Napa.
I agree the quality of Napa hard parts is better than other stores. I use the ProSelect oil and air filters on my truck. Not because they are sold by Napa, but because they are top quality filters made by Wix. If AZ or AAP or even Walmart sold ProSelects, I'd buy them there.
If there is a part made by another manufacturer, say a set of valve cover gaskets made by FelPro, I will buy where it is cheapest if I can. Recently I found an 8 dollar difference in price for the exact same set of FelPro valve cover gaskets, between AAP and Napa. I got the gaskets at AAP.
Another reason I like Napa for hard parts is they very often carry and have in stock parts that other parts stores either don't carry or they have to special order and have shipped in.
Bottom line is I buy where I get the best quality parts and good service. That usually happens for me at Napa.
Originally Posted By: globey
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: kingrob
With tax the Proselect for my Caddy is almost four bucks.
Wow. Three dollars and some change for a filter going on a Cadillac, that's made by Wix.
Did you have to make a special trip to the ATM for that three dollars and change?
I don't think that was the point. Someone asked him a comparative price and he gave an example on his application. He's wasn't complaining.
I know that certain filters are more expensive at Napa than other places, but I think it just has to do with the application. The Fram PH3593A size (typical Honda filter) and the Fram PH3387A size (typical GM/Daewoo filter) are typically very inexpensive and cost the same in terms of their cross references (i.e. Napa ProSelect 1040, Quaker State QS3387A, ProLine, Supertech ST3387A, etc.), under $3. But when you compare it to a different application like the Fram PH6607 (typical Nissan/Kia filter), the Napa filter costs around $4-5, while the SuperTech ST6607 only costs $2.42. So, I guess it just depends on your application.
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: kingrob
With tax the Proselect for my Caddy is almost four bucks.
Wow. Three dollars and some change for a filter going on a Cadillac, that's made by Wix.
Did you have to make a special trip to the ATM for that three dollars and change?
I don't think that was the point. Someone asked him a comparative price and he gave an example on his application. He's wasn't complaining.
I know that certain filters are more expensive at Napa than other places, but I think it just has to do with the application. The Fram PH3593A size (typical Honda filter) and the Fram PH3387A size (typical GM/Daewoo filter) are typically very inexpensive and cost the same in terms of their cross references (i.e. Napa ProSelect 1040, Quaker State QS3387A, ProLine, Supertech ST3387A, etc.), under $3. But when you compare it to a different application like the Fram PH6607 (typical Nissan/Kia filter), the Napa filter costs around $4-5, while the SuperTech ST6607 only costs $2.42. So, I guess it just depends on your application.
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: kingrob
With tax the Proselect for my Caddy is almost four bucks.
Wow. Three dollars and some change for a filter going on a Cadillac, that's made by Wix.
Did you have to make a special trip to the ATM for that three dollars and change?
Remember a Cadillac is just an overpriced G.M. car!!
Originally Posted By: kingrob
With tax the Proselect for my Caddy is almost four bucks.
Wow. Three dollars and some change for a filter going on a Cadillac, that's made by Wix.
Did you have to make a special trip to the ATM for that three dollars and change?
Remember a Cadillac is just an overpriced G.M. car!!
I've had good luck with the Supertech's for our Corolla application.
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