Carquest is H I S T O R Y

[IMSA_Racing_Fan]

Advance bought out Carquest years ago but now the name itself is being put to bed.

In my experience Carquest was the mechanic's choice for difficult to find parts and counter people who knew their business, the equivalent of a neighborhood hardware store, whereas Advance was a auto WalMart.

Time marches on I guess.

 

[jmsjags]

Looks like Carquest still has a monthly sales flyer showing on their website. Doesn't look like anything is changing that hasn't already. Advance Auto actually sells a lot of Carquest branded auto parts now.

 

[bdcardinal]

It is still CarQuest here in California. We never had Advance Auto Parts here. They were my preferred parts place before I worked at Ford.

 

[Timmastertech]

Advance is the brand for the company owned stores, Carquest is the brand for the independently owned stores. Pro services are either under the Carquest logo like Carquest Technical Institute for training or as powered by Carquest, such as wholesale geared stores that are Advance Pro powered by carquest

 

[GMguy84]

Yaaa.........ummmmmmm that Carquest new ownership pic is old !!!!!!!!!


Carquest still gonna be around in some form. Like bdcardinal said ONLY Carquest in California, No AAP stores. Heck the AAP stores here in Dallas STILL using Olddddd Carquest "explorer" system while most other AAP stores using the APEX system


Dave

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Apparently they also bought Autopart international too

API is listed on their recruitment site

 

[Timmastertech]

That happened about 15 years ago

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted by bdcardinal
It is still CarQuest here in California. We never had Advance Auto Parts here. They were my preferred parts place before I worked at Ford.



When I lived in Chula Vista I actually preferred shopping at CarQuest. This was prior to the Advanced acquisition.

 

[Jimzz]

Originally Posted by jmsjags
Looks like Carquest still has a monthly sales flyer showing on their website. Doesn't look like anything is changing that hasn't already. Advance Auto actually sells a lot of Carquest branded auto parts now.



Same parts different box. I remember when I was young and worked at a advance auto. They bought out Parts america I believe, sears parts stores, and used their name for a while.

 

[dwcopple]

Hmmm, I doubt our local Carquest will close. They do paint mixing for body shops at one and machine shop service at the other.

 

[grampi]

I never gave them any business...the strong survive and the weak disappear...

 

[ripcord]

The small Carquest store in our town closed in December of last year. I was sad to see them go as that store was like an old school NAPA with old timers behind the counter and a full machine shop in the back.

 

[IMSA_Racing_Fan]

☹ï¸

 

[Dave9]

There are some in my region, but an hour drive so if I'm buying local I'd go to the dozen+ others within 5 miles. If not for that, local KOI and NAPA have the best quality parts in stock, Autozone the most parts with lifetime warranty, and Advance Auto the best discount coupons (though not as good in the last ~4 years as previously).

I hardly ever go to O'Reilly, just rubs me the wrong way that their loaner tool program has a mere 48 hour return window, then you own it... not that I usually need the tool longer and I do try to return them ASAP, but they shouldn't be THAT short compared to their competition. At least now, on the loaner tool pages they have that info quote "To Receive A Refund Product Must Be Returned Within 48 Hours". Used to be, that info was hidden away on a linked page.

 

[JTK]

All the small towns by me have is a CarQuest, Napa or if you're lucky, both.

The CQ by me has been in the same building for probably 40yrs. They have had AA labeled merch for some years now. I've always had good products and great service from them but get annoyed shopping there now do to the AA thing being added to the mix. Need your email for this.. Need your phone number for that.. Online order price is different than just grabbing it off the shelf. Do you have reward points? Ugh.. I hate having to worry about a coupon or points to get a fair price.

 

[01rangerxl]

What's changing now? The image describes a changeover from years ago. I worked at Advance over six years ago, when the CarQuest takeover was ramping up. Just bought a CarQuest branded reman starter from an Advance store I used to work at a week or so ago because they had it in stock on Sunday for my 94 Ranger, which likes to break on Sundays. Online reviews were awful, so my expectations are low, but we'll see...it has been working fine.

I remember going to the CarQuest in my hometown in high school a couple times 16-18 years ago because Advance and Auto Zone were 20 miles away at that time... pretty much useless.

 

[bdcardinal]

The only reason I don't use CarQuest more at my current job is I don't have time to be calling 8 different places for a part. I have online access to OReillys and the Zone, as well as our FADs and can order from them and have the parts not long after. CarQuest wants us to call which just does not work on a busy back counter.