Jim. when i was in parts, there were so many mistakes in those catalogs, especially when we had to do updates I'm not sure if there are any proof readers at all, i have to wonder if there were ever any. Especially with Napa. I'm going to come right out and say this to you guys. Many of you would disagree, but i'm sorry i used to work for them. Napa isn't what they make themselves out to be. Autozone, oRiley and Advance 's parts are superior in everyway and cheaper. During my time at Napa is where i found many mistakes in there " state of the art " parts look up system called TAMS. We also were a Napa service center as well and our Vic fell victim. and so did many other's. I've done many many returns and exchanges in particular from high line to low line stuff. Many recalls that customers have no clue about.
Our 95 crown vic only has 90 miles on it, and it has been with us since it was new. It was Nicks moms car and we ended up with it when his parents were called to heaven. When we got the car, it had 30k on it, so we are talking about 60k miles we put on it. when we got it, we put about 10 k on it and it was time for a new set of tires, and the ball joints were in pretty bad shape and needing to be replaced. We replaced them with napa top of the line ball joints and got some new tires. some time went buy and we put about another 15k miles on the car. Well, It's a ford car with that good handling and all the good stuff that dosen't hold up, but again, its a Ford, the front end can be falling out and it will still drive good. The car began to squeak again and started to wander. So the car goes up on the rack, and yes it needed the ball joints replaced again along with upper and lower control arm bushings, sway bar link and another set of front tires. We also had the belt tensioner changed, new front and back brakes and rotors. Once we got it back, it was about a year or so after i left Napa, wewere driving to baton rouge to pick up my glasses and the belt tensioner busted ont he interstate and we ended up having to get the car towed home. a little more time went by and the car began to wonder again and squeak. We got under there and sure enough, it needs ball joints again, the upper and lower control arms are busted and the front brakes are grinding metal on metal. This is the way the vic sits right now and is most of the reason why there is a sense of urgency to get Brutus back on the road. The vic is at the point where it is not worth putting the work into so it is going to be parked for now. It will get fixed, but at this time the car is only worth about 800 bucks to the insurence company, but is quickly gaining in value on the classic market, already at 5k. We have a 95, and the 96 was the very last year of the gear box rear wheel drive full size car. People are beginning to want them, that and it has very big sentimental meaning to Nick, so we will end doing a total restore once the ranchero is done. Hopefully i will have a rack at that time so i can just do the work myself.
I can tell you horror stories about Napa, i just told you one
My advice to all of you that buy from Napa. Dont buy any steering, suspension or brake parts, but if you have to, buy the low line stuff. Napa has usually 3 lines, cheap, middle and best. the cheap stuff is better although it dosent have a good warranty. They will try to talk you out of it, they made us do that.
Here's another example of how good there state of the art TAMS system is. I am the Ford guy and everybody would come to me with Ford problems. We had many employees that did not know what they were doing, they would just look up the parts and give the customer the parts ( there's nothing wrong with that) but the system would give mis information.
The 80's model crown vics, when you would look up brakes, it would only give you the info for cop car brakes, yet it wouldnot say cop car. Customers would bring the brakes back and say they dont fit. Same thing with exhaust, everything crown vic gave info for a dual exhaust. I've contacted the head office many times about this but was never remedied. It may have been by now, i havent worked for them in about 8 years. These people really didnt like me. What i ended up having to do was to tell the people that work there if a crown vic comes in to look up the parts for the same year Grand Marquis and everything would be correct, just bypass the vic and look up grand marquis.
Nick and George
1986 1/2 F150 XLT Lariat 4X2 300 Six - C6 - 3:08 in a 8.8 - Fully Loaded - 8 Foot Box
Owned since new
Locked
