Auto parts suppliers...opinions.

[Ebenezr]

Coming from someone that installs parts like these daily I disagree. MOST parts for MOST people, these stores are fine. Gaskets, brake pads, rotors, fluids and filters, alternators etc are all fine from places like these. Also consider that alot of the same name brand parts are available there. Now internal engine parts and the like I would not order from my local parts store but on my daily driver, I'd have no problem buying a lifetime warranty alternator from. Ok so it goes out in 3 years instead of 5-6 like the more expensive brand, it still costs me nothing to replace it where as the other brands I would have to buy a new one, same with brake pads etc on a daily driver. Get good lifetime pads and you never have to buy them again. So they won't make your 60-0 AS good as say a set of Hawks etc, but on 99% of the vehicles out there, they are fine and again, no cost to replace. Now for injectors and fuel pumps etc I wouldn't buy from the auto parts store, not worth the hassle. We get 6.0 Ford Diesel's in all the time with Oreilly's (or equivalent) injectors and they are horrible, we always have to replace with OEM or good aftermarket (Industrial Injection etc) parts to get the truck running right again. The only pump I would run from an autoparts store would be an in-line low-pressure pump. Less likely to be bad, and if they are, they are easy to replace.

Well its good to have a mechanic give a contrary opinion. His partner/boss did tell me always go OEM for sensors ie throttle position sensor. I actually replaced the TPS on my daughters dakota with a brand new bad one....and broke her truck. ha ha ha.

[RamAirZ]

Ya for alot of the sensors I agree oem is best. I dont know how many parts store MAFs ive gone through until I got one that worked.