[ba] auto parts stores

[urq]

IME Kragen can come through in a pinch on rebuilt parts ... I think I got a manufactured alternator for one of the V8s there ... and the part came with a lifetime warranty.

Down in the South Bay, I've gotta say I am very happy with Winchester Auto.  They opened up a store in Evergreen, and they've got connections to get Audi parts (WorldPac?).  I had the fuel pump in the V8 die and I ordered the wrong part from SJMautotechnik.  I went to Winchester with the pump and they found one for me the next day (Sunday!).  They said that they would get the part on Monday, but I guess the warehouse was open on Sunday and they made a point to call me to let me know the part was in.  

I haven't been to Carlsen in a month of Sundays, but I did have to get some Audi parts from Stevens Creek Audi.  The folks there were helpful on parts for a 15 year old car, but they dropped the ball a bit by not calling me when the part came in.  

Steve B
San Jose, CA (USA)

thejimrose <thejimrose at gmail.com> wrote:  i just need to rant for a minute about how profoundly lousy the service and
selection is at the large auto parts stores, kragen most notably. EVERY time
i go to the one around the corner from my house for pretty much anything.. a
bulb, oil, nevermind metric hardware or actual auto parts, they NEVER EVER
EVER have the part i need there. yesterday it was a spark plug socket for my
triumph. was that there? nope. i've been to better kragen's than the one on
geary in sf, but overall they are just miserable. to someone that does most
all his own work, and owning an audi is therefor almost always working on
something, it really makes diy-ing rather miserable. let alone that there
are NO good tool stores in the bay area. there's one in san pablo and then
sears. the san bruno sears isn't too bad actually. WAY better then the one
in san rafael [which is a total sh!thole]. we're really at a lack for good
auto parts stores and tool shops in the bay area.

i will say that by far and away the BEST f.l.a.p.s. is the napa in san
rafael on woodland. first they're open 7 days a week [amazing!]. and they
carry a guge selection of lubro moly and pentosin IN STOCK! ok so there's no
mann, mahle, or lorbo on the shelves but pentosin!? rad! when i didn't have
enough chf11s to refill my power steering after flushing it last week
[nitwit that i am], i drove up to san raf on sunday am and they had it. last
oil change i bought oil there and the manager asked if i needed a filter
[which i had just got at sonnen around the corner] and he offered to match
prices on oem audi oil filters. solid.

also gotta give props to sonnen's parts counter. those guys are really good.
they never mind scouring ekta for me and always seem to give me some little
price break.  royal in sf absolutley sucks @ss.

mmmmmk. rant off. back to work. happy wrenching !
-jim