At the discount auto parts store.....

SidecarFlip

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Maybe I'm too observant but have you ever noticed that the customer parking at every discount auto parts store, the parking spots are always coated with oil drippings?

Guess people who shop at discount auto parts stores all own leakers....:D
 

CaveCreekRay

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I guess all those "Drip Stop" tonics don't work...
 

dlsmith

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They have to go there to get oil to replace what leaks out on the way to the auto parts store.
Check to gas and fill the oil!
 

CaveCreekRay

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My AutoZone is next to the Tractor Supply. Guess I better watch for nails too.
 

SidecarFlip

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Interesting, so is mine. I wonder if they are thinking...If you don't get a flat, you can slip and fall in the oil on the ground....:eek:
 

lugbolt

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Dunno about other places but the local town (about 5000 population) has all 3 major parts chain stores within 5 blocks of each other. AZ, Oreilly and Advance, if you're standing at Oreilly and throw a rock, you can easily hit one of the other two depending on which direction you throwed.

Now to me, that's not good business. How does one or the other stay in business if the same exact brands and prices are all right there together? Perhaps they're just all tax write-off's for the company, or parent company? I don't know.

I don't use any one of them specifically, just whichever is easier to get to at the time. Sometimes one might be sold out of a filter so I'll have to go to another. If I'm riding the "hog" (scooter) into town, Oreilly is usually the go-to, easier to get to without hitting much of the main highway (scooter only runs about 60mph). You better be able to run 85+ if you get on the major highway, better to be able to make 100. People are idiots (speed limit 45 most run 55 and more than a few are 70+). In a hurry to drop the kids off at soccer practice after school, and in a BIG hurry in the mornings to drop them off at school before work, or wal-mart shopping.

Anyway there is also a local store that is indpendent and I sometimes go there as well. They've got more big truck stuff so if I need exhaust tubing or clamps or whatever, they are the only game in town.

The big "3" all have asphault drives that are destroyed by the leaking chevy's that are commonly parked there. An occasional dodge as well but they're usually getting transmission fluid, ball joints, or brake rotors. There's a local guy who is there every single day buying something for his Cummins powered dog truck, but he thinks it's gold. Good for him. It's ok to be proud of what you drive. Just saying. Mine are all wore out junk, by the way. 2003 is the newest, the others are way older and way more miles (and a LOT less paint!).

The big 3 have a "performance" section, where they keep one carburetor, some header gaskets and AZ has a couple K&N filters. If I go in any of them looking for a small block ford anything, they laugh me out the door. That's fine. I have a computer and will continue to order as needed. But if I had a small block Chevy, they'd likely have it in stock; although likely to be chinese garbage that is grossly overpriced.
 

SidecarFlip

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Kind of the same scenario here all 3 in a small town, all on the main drag and all within sight of each other, I don'r see how they stay in business, they all carry the same thing and they all have the oily, greasy parking spots. Don't ride any of my 4 bikes there because I don't want to park on oil and grease and risk a slip[ and fall and have a bike fall on top of me to boot.

Also of interest is there is the old, established NAPA store at the opposite end of town that always seems to be doing a good business, I go there because they will have what I need, in stock 95% of the time and they actually have an automotive machine shop on the site as well. No parking lot, just on street parking or you double park in the firehouse lot next door (which everyone does).

The store owner at the NAPA store refers to O'Riely's as 'Oh Really'. I find that humorous.

The discount places all have lots of motor oil, many brands, and all sorts of potions but not much of what I really need and certainly no specialty stuff. They can order it, but in stock, nope.

I needed an illuminated license plate bracket for my quad trailer last fall. Went to the discount places (on my side of town). All 3 had the same cheap plastic non illuminated bracket and all were just about the same price. Finally went to NAPA (farthest) and the had, in stock, a genuine Grote all metal frame with LED illumination. a Bit more but exactly what I was looking for. No oily, greasy parking spot either....:D
 

skeets

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I wonder if they are all owned by he same company:confused:
 

CaveCreekRay

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I know Auto Zone is independent. Last year they came highlighted by my investment advisor as one of the top US companies in regards to limited debt with huge and growing sales numbers. I don't know why. I find all their stuff overpriced and I only donate oil and old batteries to them.
 

GeoHorn

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Marketing studies often demonstrate that increased business activity results from closely-located competitors. It's simple: Competetion is good for business.

There's an old saying:
In a small town a lawyer will go broke.
But two lawyers will make good livings!
 

SidecarFlip

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Maybe, but maybe not. How many auto parts stores can survive in a town with less than 10K people that is remotely located and most of the residents don't DIY their own vehicles.

I never see the greasy parking spots full of vehicles. On the contrary, most times when I go buy, the lots are empty.

One thing I will say for the discount places, you can order parts online and have them delivered to the store with no ship cost. NAPA don't do that.

Having said that, candidly I use either 1A Auto or Rock Auto online (!A is less than Rock and 1A ships free) and both are substantially less than all the discount places anyway.

AZ and O'Really will price match and I've done that before but I don't think they will price match with an online retailer, just a brick and mortar retailer. I know NAPA won't. Menards everyday price on Rotella T6 is 21 bucks. I snapped a picture on my cell phone of the T6 and the price and went to O'Really and they balked until I showed them the picture, then they matched which was even better for me because the Menards is in Ohio, south of me and the tax rate there is 7.25%. Up here it's 6. Cell phone camera's are handy...lol
 

lugbolt

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south of me and the tax rate there is 7.25%. Up here it's 6. Cell phone camera's are handy...lol
Must be nice. Ours just went up again, 10.125% now. But there's more....if one chooses to buy prepared foods (mcdonalds, etc), add another 2.125%. It's a dry county but I call it "damp"...restaurants can buy a private club membership that allows them to sell booze. Add FIVE percent for "beer tax".

So you sit down at a restaurant, have a glass of wine and then you go to pay the bill....and about poop your britches when you see the amount of TAX that's tacked onto it. That's one major reason I prepare my own food and eat in most of the time. Very rare do I go out to eat anywhere. And I don't drink a drop of alcohol. I guess I'm just cheap.

I get my tax statement today (personal property) and the majority of it goes to the local school district. I don't have kids yet I still am forced to pay for everyone else's kids. Ought to be illegal if you ask me, but that's another subject for a different forum. Normally I wouldn't gripe about it much but here lately I've often wondered why our taxes keep skyrocketing yet infrastructure keeps getting worse and worse. Are employee's wages going up? ....and on that note I'll quit because I know too much already. One instance was the director of a certain department had some money left over at the end of the year and sent certain favored employees to South Florida for 2 weeks....either use up the money or don't get it next year. All on taxpayers' dime.

/rant
 

SidecarFlip

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I don't consume alcohol so that is a non expense for me. Here dine in food is taxed at the regional rate, carryout isn't, so if you go to a fast food place that has dine in, you carry out and eat in your car and stink it up (I dislike the smell of burgers in my car), oh well.

We pay the school tax here too and it's the bulk of out RE taxes and like you, no kids in school. I think when you hit 65 you should be exempt from paying it. Not gonna happen either.

The big expense here is auto insurance. This stet is no fault and you have to pay what is called the MCCA surcharge. It's 220 bucks per vehicle per year plus the insurance rates are about 1.5 times the national average. We pay for the truck, the Suburban, my car and my wife's van, about 6 grand a year.

Have toi support the government machine and that too is another subject for another forum, not here.

Was at Autozone today for some carwash solution and it was raining. Got out of the car and stepped in the oil slick and almost fell on my butt....:eek:
 

skeets

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Well now it all comes to light,, You don't drink you don't smoke and you don't listen to rock n roll music,, no wonder your so cranky,,LOL :D
 

bearbait

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Well now it all comes to light,, You don't drink you don't smoke and you don't listen to rock n roll music,, no wonder your so cranky,,LOL :D
And the oil stains on the pavement are probably from flip carrying his burger and fries to the car to eat.;)
 

GeoHorn

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,,,We pay the school tax here too and it's the bulk of out RE taxes and like you, no kids in school. I think when you hit 65 you should be exempt from paying it. Not gonna happen either.
,,,

You have a fire dept, police dept, nat'l defense, ,,, yet would you think you should be exempt from paying the necessary taxes because you haven't caught fire, been robbed, or don't agree with or believe in war?

Public Education benefits ALL of us including those who do not have children. It's a cornerstone of American success and should be supported by everyone. Taxes to support education are fair and proper, IMO.

Public Education benefits everyone in society. You have a choice,,, Either educate them when they're children,,, or educate them when they're in prison so that when released they can earn a respectable/legal living.

(And, BTW, at least here in Texas, when you reach 65 your property tax appraisal on your homestead is frozen. If you're rich enough to own other property then you should be willing (and sufficiently grateful) to pay your fair share to support the general community. IMO)
 
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SidecarFlip

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Don't even get me going on RE taxes for education. One of the main reasons this country is where it is today (and I don't mean that as positive) is the education system, bleeding heart liberal teachers and their mega strong union.

Far as I'm concerned, teachers should not be unionized. for one.

I don't believe that anyone who don't have a kid or kids enrolled in school shuld pay school tax.

In this state, renters (I have a couple), don't pay a lick in RE taxes but most have multiple kids in school.

Tell me how that works?

Public education is a disaster, you know that and so do I and th deny that is having your head in the sand.
 

dirtydeed

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I'm with Flip on this one. Mid 50's and no children. My wife and I make very good money but we also pay more in taxes than many folks make. Our school taxes are getting absurd with a vote to increase again this year (for the 11th time in 12 years). Once, so that the SD could put in a new astro-turf field :eek:

Incidentally, I was at a local convenience store on Monday and the cashier asked if I wished to donate a dollar to help teach kids to read. I told him that I just mailed another check to the IRS earlier the same day for an additional $6500. I have no children and yet I pay school taxes. So, my answer to his question is a resounding "NO". :mad:

While getting into my vehicle in the parking lot, they guy behind me in line rolled down his window and gave me a thumbs up...He yelled to me "that was the best friggin' answer he has ever heard". So, we're getting fed up and we're not alone...

One of my best friends is a teacher (he teaches construction technology at a local, high income area school district). He always tells me that me (and my wife) are like crack for the school district...We have no children to use resources and pay the most in taxes because of it. The school district loves that.
 

bearbait

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I'm with Flip on this one. Mid 50's and no children. My wife and I make very good money but we also pay more in taxes than many folks make. Our school taxes are getting absurd with a vote to increase again this year (for the 11th time in 12 years). Once, so that the SD could put in a new astro-turf field :eek:

Incidentally, I was at a local convenience store on Monday and the cashier asked if I wished to donate a dollar to help teach kids to read. I told him that I just mailed another check to the IRS earlier the same day for an additional $6500. I have no children and yet I pay school taxes. So, my answer to his question is a resounding "NO". :mad:

While getting into my vehicle in the parking lot, they guy behind me in line rolled down his window and gave me a thumbs up...He yelled to me "that was the best friggin' answer he has ever heard". So, we're getting fed up and we're not alone...

One of my best friends is a teacher (he teaches construction technology at a local, high income area school district). He always tells me that me (and my wife) are like crack for the school district...We have no children to use resources and pay the most in taxes because of it. The school district loves that.
Wife and I are in the same boat, no kids but I do understand both sides of the argument. It just would be a little more fair if the middle class with no depends could get some kind of tax break or kick back like everyone else.