Where to Buy Cheap Auto Parts
Cheapism.com surveyed four national auto parts retailers — Advance Auto Parts, AutoZone, Napa Auto Parts, and O'Reilly Auto Parts — to see which offers the best value for the money. We compared prices for a list of products a car owner is likely to need. These included items for basic maintenance (oil, antifreeze, batteries, wiper blades, and the like) as well as major repair components — (alternators, clutch sets, fuel pump modules, oxygen sensors, and more). Factors such as loyalty or rewards programs, as well as shipping, pickup, and return policies, were also taken into account.
What we discovered is that there's no clear all-around best choice. Based on price alone, O'Reilly Auto Parts looks like the top choice for the consumer looking to shop for everything on our list, with Advance Auto Parts bringing up the rear as the most expensive. But a closer look paints a much more complicated picture. We found lots of variations to compare up and down the line — and some of those variations are pretty significant, especially when it comes to replacement parts. Bottom line: You have to buy from more than one automotive retailer if you want the best price on every item, every time. But, if you're in the market for vehicle maintenance parts — such as windshield wiper blades or a new battery — rather than replacement parts, Napa Auto Parts nips the competition most of the time.
Price Comparison: Gas Cap, Wiper Blade, Headlight Bulb
Store | (low beam) | ||
| AutoZone | $9 | $15 | (65W) $14 |
| Advance Auto Parts | $12 | $16 | (65W) $15 |
| O'Reilly Auto Parts | $10 | $10 | (65W) $14 |
| Napa Auto Parts | $10 | Industries $9 | (55W) $15 |
Price Comparison: Cylinder Head Gasket, Spark Plug, O2 Sensor
Store | (iridium) | (exact fit) | |
| AutoZone | $55 | $10 | $66 |
| Advance Auto Parts | $57 | $9 | $51 |
| O'Reilly Auto Parts | $50 | $10 | $66 |
| Napa Auto Parts | $58 | $9 | $70 |
Price Comparison: Code Reader, Fuel Pump Module, Alternator
Store | (Calif. emissions) | (remanufactured, 95 amp) | |
| AutoZone | $63 | $453 | $165 (+ $62 core charge) |
| Advance Auto Parts | $63 | $453 | $187 (+ $18 core charge) |
| O'Reilly Auto Parts | $47 | $244 | $173 (+ $62 core charge) |
| Napa Auto Parts | $62 | $370 | Premium Plus $164 (+ $66 core charge) |
Price Comparison: Oil, Oil Filter, Antifreeze
Store | 0W-20, 1 qt.) | (pre-diluted, 1 gal.) | |
| AutoZone | $7 | $6 | $14 |
| Advance Auto Parts | $11 | $6 | $16 |
| O'Reilly Auto Parts | $7 | $6 | $13 |
| Napa Auto Parts | $9 | $6 | $13 |
Price Comparison: Brake Pads & Rotor, Clutch Set
Store | (front) | (front) | |
| AutoZone | $34 | $51 | $230 |
| Advance Auto Parts | $38 | $72 | $250 |
| O'Reilly Auto Parts | $38 | $53 | $253 |
| Napa Auto Parts | $27 | $56 | $229 |
Price Comparison: Car Battery, Jumper Cables, Jump Starter
Store | (500 CCA) | ||
| AutoZone | $200 (+ $22 core charge) | $37 | (700 amp) $40 |
| Advance Auto Parts | $200 (+ $22 core charge) | $30 | (600 amp) $94 |
| O'Reilly Auto Parts | $200 (+ $22 core charge) | $37 | (600 amp) $85 |
| Napa Auto Parts | $160 (+ $18 core charge) | $43 | Industries (700 amp) $80 |
Price Comparison: Normal & Cabin Air Filter
Store | Filter | |
| AutoZone | $16 | $20 |
| Advance Auto Parts | $20 | $21 |
| O'Reilly Auto Parts | $16 | $22 |
| Napa Auto Parts | $13 | $24 |
* Prices from retail locations in Ohio; expect some variation in other markets, and between franchise locations.
As our hypothetical vehicle, we selected a 2015 Honda Civic EX sedan, one of the most common cars on the road (prices may vary for another make or model). Our shopping list contained 20 stock items an owner may need to maintain such a vehicle driven under average circumstances. When available we included less expensive house brands such as Carquest, sold by Advance Auto Parts, and Duralast, the AutoZone equivalent, and tried to compare equivalent brands across stores. We didn't compare high-end performance parts, something most motorists don't need, and cheap, no-name products.
But for general-maintenance items (wiper blades, oil, antifreeze, batteries, etc.), prices across stores fell much more in line, with Napa Auto Parts eking out only a small price advantage, thanks to a store-brand car battery (500 CCA) that was $40 cheaper than batteries offered by competitors. We noticed some seemingly arbitrary differences in price when the same exact product was in stock in all or most of the stores. This was true for headlight bulbs, motor oil, cylinder heads, spark plugs, a code reader, and oxygen sensors.
Shipping and Pickup
Price isn't the only important factor in choosing an auto parts store. Convenience plays a big role. All the stores we surveyed let consumers buy online and have items in stock shipped to their home or business (with some exceptions for noncontiguous states and territories or APO/FPO addresses). Each retailer offers free shipping on online orders above a certain amount. AutoZone even ships online orders overnight (although not all items and ZIP codes qualify for next-day shipping), while Advance Auto Parts offers same day delivery in certain areas. With the others, free delivery is limited to standard ground shipping. All four retailers offer free shipping for a minimum of $35.
All the chains have policies that offer free shipping for items ordered online for pickup at a bricks-and-mortar store, so shop location may wind up being the deciding factor in choosing a retailer. With over 6,000 locations each in the United States, Napa Auto Parts and AutoZone are most likely to have a shop near you.
Keep in mind that many retailers do not ship antifreeze or batteries, because they contain hazardous materials. These items must be picked up at a local store.
Return Policies
Mistakes happen, and retailers' return policies range from fairly liberal to pretty restrictive. Napa Auto Parts is the most accommodating shop, allowing online buyers to return unopened or defective products within 30 days without incurring additional shipping charges. Parts purchased online can also be returned to participating Napa Auto Parts locations.
Some stock items that are recyclable or can be rebuilt carry what's known as a "core charge," a deposit to ensure that a consumer returns the old part when it's time for a replacement. Two items on our list, alternators and batteries, along with brake shoes and water pumps, are among the items that carry this charge. Core prices can vary widely and sometimes be quite substantial. For example, AutoZone levies a core charge of $62 on a Duralast remanufactured alternator. At the other end of the spectrum, Advance Auto Parts' Carquest alternator has a core price of just $18. Whether the amount is large or small, you'll definitely want to recoup that sum — and, of course, do your part to help the environment.
In most cases, a consumer has to return the used core to a retail store to avoid paying a shipping charge. Napa is the exception, allowing online customers who purchase a replacement to ship the old part free of charge, as long as they use box the replacement component came in and mail it back within 30 days of receiving the new one.
Perks and Loyalty Programs
All the retailers offer customer-loyalty programs, although they aren't all equally rewarding.
- Advance Speed Perks: $5 credit on next purchase of $20 or more after spending $30; $20 credit on next purchase of $50 or more after spending $100.
- AutoZone Rewards: $20 reward after 5 purchases of $20 or more.
- Napa Rewards: 1 point per dollar spent; $5 credit with 100 points.
- O'Reilly O'Rewards: 1 point per dollar spent; $5 credit with 150 points.
Each retailers' rewards program apply to both in-store and online purchases. Each retailer also provides bonuses to rewards program members, like exclusive discount coupons and invitations to special shop events, for example. Check their websites for details on reward redemption and exclusions, as well as additional perks.
Price Matching
Discounts
Each of these retailers offers some type of discount, usually around 10%, for members of the military. Other groups that enjoy discount programs include Uber drivers at Advance Auto Parts, for example, and AAA members get a discount at Napa Auto Parts.
Customer Service & Reviews
Cheapism read through reviews at Consumer Affairs to get an idea of how vehicle owners feel about each of the retailers’ customer service, stock, prices, online services, and more. Taking the averages as a whole, AutoZone comes out on top with the highest percentage of four- and five-star reviews while O’Reilly had the lowest percentage of above-average reviews. Anecdotally, in NAPA’s case, it seems even happy customers aren’t 100% pleased.
Advance Auto Parts: About 60% of reviewers award the automotive parts shop 4 or 5 stars, with an average of 4 stars. As with AutoZone, the majority of the top reviews from car owners praise employees’ willingness to help. The gripes addressed in negative reviews vary widely: some ding Advance for poorly stocked and poorly run stores, while others point to issues with the website—from basic functionality to receiving incorrect parts. More than a few reviews complain of warranties that were not honored.
NAPA Auto Parts: Inexplicably, the largest of the four retailers currently has only 30 Consumer Affairs reviews in total. But just under two-thirds of the posted reviews award the retailer 4 or 5 stars, for an average of about 3.5 stars overall. Top reviews give thumbs up to NAPA’s low prices; critical feedback cites poor customer service and rude employees. Several consumers who’d used the shop’s automotive repair services claim jobs were botched. Interestingly, even many of the top reviews are tempered with caveats along the lines of, “I like this store but ….”
O’Reilly Auto Parts: About 57% of the reviews that O’Reilly has received on Consumer Affairs give the retailer 4 or 5 stars. Again, top reviews credit knowledgeable employees willing to put extra time and effort into consultations regarding parts or repairs. Poor reviews run the gamut here, too: from an inability to return items for various reasons, not reimbursing labor after store employees sold or ordered incorrect parts, to general employee miscommunication.
Other Auto Parts Retailers
It can pay to compare prices at other stores, especially for non-vehicle-specific parts and gear. For example, an Actron CP9125C universal code reader (which allows do-it-yourself mechanics to access a car's diagnostic system) costs nearly $70 at Advance Auto Parts or Napa Auto Parts but can be purchased on Amazon for less than $60. Other stores to check: