ABC Discount Auto Parts/Autozone in East PA/South NJ
 

I just learned that AutoZone bought out ABC Discount Auto Parts in Eastern
PA and Southern NJ last year.

I have some parts with a lifetime warranty through ABC Discount Auto Parts
(brake calipers, muffler). So my question is what will happen to these
warranties now?

Here is the article:

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...14/ai_n6070459

AutoZone buys 12-store chain in Northeast
Aftermarket Business, May, 2004 by Michael Willins
The nation's largest auto parts chain, AutoZone, got a bit larger last month
by acquiring a dozen stores in the Northeast. But the true value of the sale
will come in the market share gains in areas where the purchased company,
ABC Discount Auto Stores, operates.

AutoZone of Memphis, Tenn., expects the purchase to help them gain ground in
markets where they currently have limited store penetration. "This is a
great opportunity for us to grow in the Philadelphia and New Jersey markets
with the addition of these stores," says AutoZone's Chief Financial Officer
Michael Archbold. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

As of Feb. 14, AutoZone had 3,299 stores in 48 states plus the District of
Columbia and 55 AutoZone stores in Mexico. AutoZone's Director of Government
Relations Ray Pohlman says there are 37 AutoZone stores in the greater
Philadelphia area, excluding any former ABC locations.

Conversions will take place over the next several months, and should be
completed by the end of this summer, says Pohlman. He did not know the
average size of the ABC outlets, but said the units were comparable to
AutoZone's 6,300-sq.-ft. model.

Owned by Lou and Carla Fishman, ABC Discount was a member of the RPM Group.
"I am pleased to transition my family's business to AutoZone, as well as
provide an employment opportunity to my staff," Lou Fishman states in a
prepared release. "Started in 1957, ABC has grown to be a leader in the
community, and we are excited to further that leadership with AutoZone."

At press time we attempted to contact Fishman for additional comment, but we
were unsuccessful in reaching him. As for RPM, Executive Director Mike
Mitchell told us, "On a personal level Lou and Carla Fishman were active
members in the RPM family and we always appreciated Lou's business insights.

"We firmly believe the independent chains serve local markets in ways
difficult for the national chains to match. We will continue to work for our
members and the hundreds of independent chains throughout the country." RPM
has 20 members, servicing 17 states. (For more details on the group, see
page 32 of our Program Distribution Report Directory.)

A question in legalese, but I would suspect that Autozone would honor those
parts warranties UNLESS ABC had gone bankrupt and its warranty provisions
were essentially no longer enforceable.

Doesn't appear that the latter was the case, so I would suspect Autozone to
continue the warranties. Let us know, when you talk to them.

On Fri, 25 Feb 2005, Julie P. wrote:

> I just learned that AutoZone bought out ABC Discount Auto Parts in
> Eastern PA and Southern NJ last year. I have some parts with a lifetime
> warranty through ABC Discount Auto Parts (brake calipers, muffler). So
> my question is what will happen to these warranties now?

Those "lifetime warranties" will continue to mean that you get to spend
your _lifetime_ swapping out crappy low-quality parts under _warranty_. In
other words, the "warranty" is just as useless as it always was; nothing
more than a sales gimmick.

I believe the new owners buy everything, including peoples warranties, so
they should still honor it.

"ed" > wrote in message
...
>I believe the new owners buy everything, including peoples warranties, so
> they should still honor it.
>
>

Thanks Daniel and HLS! I will check with them next time I go there. I guess
my worry is if I go to an AutoZone outside the area and they have never
heard of ABC, when I show them my ABC receipt, they are going to be
confused. :)

And yes, I realize their parts are cheaper, but sometimes I don't mind
swapping out parts if it is an easy repair, like for alternators. I have
started mostly buying quality parts now anyway, from NAPA usually.

"Julie P." > wrote in message
...

> And yes, I realize their parts are cheaper, but sometimes I don't mind
> swapping out parts if it is an easy repair, like for alternators. I have
> started mostly buying quality parts now anyway, from NAPA usually.
>

but for stuff like hoses and mufflers, I don't think it matters. And I have
had a radiator from AZ which has lasted three years so far with no leaks.
Why pay triple for the same part at the dealer?

Julie P. wrote:
> "Julie P." > wrote in message
> ...
>
> > And yes, I realize their parts are cheaper, but sometimes I don't
mind
> > swapping out parts if it is an easy repair, like for alternators. I
have
> > started mostly buying quality parts now anyway, from NAPA usually.
> >
>
> but for stuff like hoses and mufflers, I don't think it matters. And
I have
> had a radiator from AZ which has lasted three years so far with no
leaks.
> Why pay triple for the same part at the dealer?

There are a few people on this group who knock the chain stores because
it takes away business from their own "mom-and-pop" home business.
Remember too, that a lot of guys on this group give out advice even
though they never get their hands dirty.
Bottom line: If you see a name brand quality part at your discount
store, don't be afraid to buy it.

Kruse > wrote:

> Julie P. wrote:
> > "Julie P." > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> > > And yes, I realize their parts are cheaper, but sometimes I don't
> mind
> > > swapping out parts if it is an easy repair, like for alternators. I
> have
> > > started mostly buying quality parts now anyway, from NAPA usually.
> > >
> >
> > but for stuff like hoses and mufflers, I don't think it matters. And
> I have
> > had a radiator from AZ which has lasted three years so far with no
> leaks.
> > Why pay triple for the same part at the dealer?

> There are a few people on this group who knock the chain stores because
> it takes away business from their own "mom-and-pop" home business.
> Remember too, that a lot of guys on this group give out advice even
> though they never get their hands dirty.
> Bottom line: If you see a name brand quality part at your discount
> store, don't be afraid to buy it.


Yep, Some people seem to think that if they don't like it it's just
no damn good. Buy what you like as often as you like. Autozone has
a habit of being good on warranty issues as long as you can prove
you bought the item. You should not have a problem with your brakes.

Edward Strauss wrote:

> Kruse > wrote:
>
>
>>Julie P. wrote:
>>
>>>"Julie P." > wrote in message
...
>>>
>>>
>>>>And yes, I realize their parts are cheaper, but sometimes I don't
>>
>>mind
>>
>>>>swapping out parts if it is an easy repair, like for alternators. I
>>
>>have
>>
>>>>started mostly buying quality parts now anyway, from NAPA usually.
>>>>
>>>
>>>but for stuff like hoses and mufflers, I don't think it matters. And
>>
>>I have
>>
>>>had a radiator from AZ which has lasted three years so far with no
>>
>>leaks.
>>
>>>Why pay triple for the same part at the dealer?
>
>
>>There are a few people on this group who knock the chain stores because
>>it takes away business from their own "mom-and-pop" home business.
>>Remember too, that a lot of guys on this group give out advice even
>>though they never get their hands dirty.
>>Bottom line: If you see a name brand quality part at your discount
>>store, don't be afraid to buy it.
>
>
>
> Yep, Some people seem to think that if they don't like it it's just
> no damn good. Buy what you like as often as you like. Autozone has
> a habit of being good on warranty issues as long as you can prove
> you bought the item. You should not have a problem with your brakes.

AutoZone is actually pretty good as far as chain stores go, but
honestly, I prefer to shop at the independent place because they have
better service. If I find I need, say, a wheel cylinder kit for an
older car I can usually order it in the AM and pick it up after lunch.
They're more helpful than the chains as well with looking up obscure
older applications, as quite honestly they have better counter help.
Plus they finally changed from stocking Fram filters to WIX so I buy all
my filters there now too. Just MHO FWIW.

nate

--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

Nate Nagel wrote:


> AutoZone is actually pretty good as far as chain stores go

My experience is that Autozone is good at making you FEEL well-treated.
They honor warranties, they offer free testing of parts, etc. etc. etc.
On the other hand, their re-manufactured parts are among the worst I've
ever seen. If you want decent parts with the backing of a big-chain type
store, use Napa or Carquest.

> but
> honestly, I prefer to shop at the independent place because they have
> better service. If I find I need, say, a wheel cylinder kit for an
> older car I can usually order it in the AM and pick it up after lunch.
> They're more helpful than the chains as well with looking up obscure
> older applications, as quite honestly they have better counter help.

Yes on all counts. There are several local parts stores I use for all
those reasons. They also seem to be more careful in researching their
suppliers and coming up with quality parts, rather than "lowest-bidder"
grade parts. But I also use Napa and Carquest. I particularly like
Napa's on-line parts finding tool (napaonline.com).