Well, I had a post last week about Focus-central's outrageous shipping prices for brake drums, and I decided not to go with them. I was in Advanced Auto Parts today and asked if they sold brake drums. So, the guy looked up my car and said yeah we sell them, but we dont have any in stock, however I could order them and have them here the next day. They were $35 a piece. I asked if they would fit like OEM and he said yeah. So, would you trust them for brakes, or should I bite the bullet and just them from a Ford dealer?

advanced auto, pep boys, autozone...they are all great places to order parts.

Most, if not all of the parts they sell are backed by warranties.

Generally speaking, the parts sold by reputable parts houses, like Advanced and NAPA, are just fine. I find the parts from the more "consumer oriented" parts places, such as Pep Boys, Autozone, etc. to sometimes be of lower quality than the traditional parts house that most Mechanics use; however, still acceptable.

If you are willing to order and wait, sometimes places like Pep Boys have a choice of brands/prices for some replacement parts.

Some very specific/low volume parts are only available from the dealer (like oil dipstick tubes, seat brackets), and some parts fit better if ordered from the dealer, e.g., spark plug wires, etc. But for parts such as brake drums, water pumps, alternators, drive belts, etc., the parts houses are just fine.

one thing i have found is advance has started down the path of being able to order manufacturer direct for parts and will order almost anything you want if you ask. best way is to have the manufacturer and part number to take with you.
for instance, fidenza flywheels can be ordered as well as various brands of clutches (saves a hell of a lot on shipping).
they have been able to get most anything I've wanted. except for dealer specific items.

Originally posted by goinloco1
one thing i have found is advance has started down the path of being able to order manufacturer direct for parts and will order almost anything you want if you ask. best way is to have the manufacturer and part number to take with you.
for instance, fidenza flywheels can be ordered as well as various brands of clutches (saves a hell of a lot on shipping).
they have been able to get most anything I've wanted. except for dealer specific items.
nice. I don't know if they are exact OEMs but I shall see tomorrow when I pick them up. [;)]

They are ok, but I noticed they are more expensive than Napa and AutoZone.