Carlyle to buy Advance Auto?
- Thread starter lardy1
- Start date
neophyte
Well-known member
So Advance Auto Parts is being purchased by The Carlyle Group,
while NAPA has a brand of tools called “Carlyle”.
Nothing confusing about that.
while NAPA has a brand of tools called “Carlyle”.
Nothing confusing about that.
purplezr2
Well-known member
Yep,
My first thought was I didn't know Carlyle was a stand alone company from Napa and they were buying AA.
Appears Carlyle is a private equity firm, I sure this will make AA customer service better.
Year/Make/Model to buy brake cleaner coming to a store near you.
No, the worldpac business, which is not the retail counter stores, but wholesale distribution to other autoparts stores and to shops.
finn
Well-known member
This.
My interpretation exactly. AA is divesting of the parts wholesale portion of the business, but retaining the retail operations.
not exactly a portion of the business, but a separate entity. Worldpac employees are not Advance employees and have completely separate buildings. ordering and delivery systems are integrated, AA stores accept some returns for commercial customers who order WP parts. I'm just wondering how it's going to work out now.
finn
Well-known member
Still sounds like “part of the business”. Two parts of the same company, with different missions.
It’s pretty common to set up corporations that way. For example, at one time Honeywell owned Garret (AiResearch turbochargers). The employees were AiResearch / Garret employees until Honeywell sold the company. Honeywell is still in business, but that part is gone to a new owner, based in Switzerland.
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
If I understand it correctly, I think Advance Auto was like a kind of third party warehouse for WorldPac.
If an auto repair shop ordered something from WorldPac, and a local Advance Auto had the part, Advance would deliver the part, and deal with any warranty issues.
If an auto repair shop ordered something from WorldPac, and a local Advance Auto had the part, Advance would deliver the part, and deal with any warranty issues.
fourjeepin
Well-known member
Advance is circling the drain from what I hear. Worldpac is their cash cow and they are selling it off. AA stock has dropped to a quarter of what it was worth just in the last 2 years.
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
40 bucks for a single wiper blade, and 19 bucks for a small can of spray paint might be a problem.lol
They sell multiple products for 250 bucks that you can get online for 45 bucks. I know online will always be cheaper, but that’s one hell of a mark up.
They sell multiple products for 250 bucks that you can get online for 45 bucks. I know online will always be cheaper, but that’s one hell of a mark up.
rust in the eye
Well-known member
This Carlyle is a private equity firm. World pak is a mostly wholesale parts distributor that sells to other stores or pro shops.
World Pak is(or was, last time I dealt with 'em was in Car Quest days) "the warehouse" many parts stores relied on.
The employees at Advance will be in for a treat under this new bean counter ownership.
World Pak is(or was, last time I dealt with 'em was in Car Quest days) "the warehouse" many parts stores relied on.
The employees at Advance will be in for a treat under this new bean counter ownership.
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
As I understood it, it wasn’t Advance being sold? How would this effect the advance employees?
rust in the eye
Well-known member
Yup, you're right just WorldPak. Worldpaks employees can look forward to an adventure instead as private equity does what private equity does.
Odd-job
Well-known member
Retail isn't an easy business. Hopefully Advanced isn't turning into another Sears, etc.
I needed to replace a headlamp bulb in a car I'd borrowed a couple years ago. The only option the AA had was a $40 fancy one. That was not just the only thing they had in stock, it was the only thing they listed as available. This was just a 900x bulb, nothing exotic. The counter guy was not at all surprised when I told him I'd get one somwhere else. I got a regular one from the place down the street for less than $10.
fourjeepin
Well-known member
They are on a bad trajectory, but being compared to Sears Is about as bad as it gets.
Prices will rise & service will decline after any Private Equity or Venture Capital buyout.
ZRX61
Well-known member
AA took over the parts business side of my local Pepboys a while back. I've been buying oil there since WallyWorld decided to put theirs in a steel cage... then I drive around the corner to O'Reilly's to get Wix filters.
AA seemed to follow the goofy business model CVS Pharmacy went with (with success) of wherever there a Walgreens, they needed to open a store right across the street.
Ib the town near us built an AA right across from a long existing AutoZone, with an O'reilly's right around the corner. If floundered a few years before closing.
Seems I saw others close as well elsewhere.
Ib the town near us built an AA right across from a long existing AutoZone, with an O'reilly's right around the corner. If floundered a few years before closing.
Seems I saw others close as well elsewhere.
fourjeepin
Well-known member
Wix is another company I hear is slipping. They have been struggling to meet demand since COVID and quality has suffered.
lol wtf? I’ve bought oil at some Walmarts in bad areas and never encountered Motor oil under lock and key.
You must live amongst some bad hombres LOL
ON TOPIC: I’m no fan of private equity and I expect that this portends the downfall of Advance Auto. No tears shed here, though. Yeah, parts stores can serve an important role, but the markup is hard to overlook. I see them as preying on the desperate and the uninformed.
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
The “need it now” products are always gonna need a brick and mortar store. Well, until Amazon gets same day delivery dialed in a little better.lol
Advance used to be awesome. The nearest one to me is a 40 minute drive, and it was often worth the trip due to savings. When they absorbed CarQuest, it seemed both started a very rapid decline.
There used to be a CarQuest here in town, and he went under not too long after that. He told me that folks had figured out they could shop on the Advance site, buy it online, and have it shipped to his store for less than his cost. If that part was in his stock, he only received the online price from Advance, regardless of cost. A buddy of mine ended up buying the CarQuest franchise from him, and reopening the store a few years later. He lasted about a year and half, he said Advance made it impossible to make money, instead using him like a warehouse and distribution center.
There used to be a CarQuest here in town, and he went under not too long after that. He told me that folks had figured out they could shop on the Advance site, buy it online, and have it shipped to his store for less than his cost. If that part was in his stock, he only received the online price from Advance, regardless of cost. A buddy of mine ended up buying the CarQuest franchise from him, and reopening the store a few years later. He lasted about a year and half, he said Advance made it impossible to make money, instead using him like a warehouse and distribution center.
ZRX61
Well-known member
All the detailing stuff is also locked up in the auto aisles, tools too.
PopcornSutton
Well-known member
I was going to post the same thing. Advance took over CarQuest near me. Now they are being bought.
Theronswanson
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Our Advance Rep told us a few months ago that Worldpac was up for sale. He made it seem like it was a good thing. Hopefully Worldpac's CS and inventory gets better. It went downhill when Advance bought it. The brick and mortar store have taken a hit because of Rock Auto, Amazon, Ebay etc, but they will not be going anywhere soon. People want/need their cars fixed the same day.
sparky 1971
Well-known member
I don't know which was there first and I have never been to either, but we have an AA and and AutoZone that share a parking lot.
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Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
A Long time ago Advanced Auto Parts took over the old Western Auto Stores. We use Carquest as one of our parts suppliers at work. Advance bought out/took over Carquest. One of the first things we noticed after the change to Advance, was their oil filters. In the past, the CarQuest Blue or premium oil filter was a rebadged Wix filter. Not anymore. I'm not sure who's making their filters now but, it's not Wix. Same for air filters. The other thing that's odd is the packaging all still says Carquest. 
ZRX61
Well-known member
I have Autozone, Pepboys/Advanced & an O'Reilly's within about a mile. Now O'Reillys is moving to a larger location, but on a side street instead of a main drag.
We've had CVS/RiteAid/Walgreens close new stores here within a couple of years, we have literally dozens of them.
Recently, I’ve been able to get parts from Autozone to my porch faster than Amazon, and damned sure faster than RockAuto.
They almost always deliver next day, usually for free, and typically have a coupon or discount if some sort. What’s odd is that it comes next day, sometimes same day, but never from the store nearest me.
3baygarage
Well-known member
There Is a Napa I deliver to owned by Advance Auto. They bill to Advance. Don’t ask me how that works. I assume it would make less sense to have two of the same parts store just a stone’s throw away,lol.
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
Never knew that was a thing.
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
I just read something from 2018 that said Walmart and advance were affiliated. Never knew that.
I agree. I've been in the same part of Phoenix for decades and only remember them establishing shop a few years ago. I think the few locations here might have been Carquest branded locations before but they were not memorable enough to elicit a visit. I never recall even considering them for anything.
When you have an Autozone, NAPA, O'Reilly all selling the same stuff in a square mile the market is far too saturated.
A Long time ago Advanced Auto Parts took over the old Western Auto Stores. We use Carquest as one of our parts suppliers at work. Advance bought out/took over Carquest. One of the first things we noticed after the change to Advance, was their oil filters. In the past, the CarQuest Blue or premium oil filter was a rebadged Wix filter. Not anymore. I'm not sure who's making their filters now but, it's not Wix. Same for air filters. The other thing that's odd is the packaging all still says Carquest.
I was a big fan of the Carquest Blue filters when they were made here in the United States. The majority of them these days are now made by Premium Guard in China. Good filters still for the most part. Basically the same filter as the NAPA Gold now for the east coast of the United States. West coast NAPA Gold filters are still mostly made by Wix/M&H.
Too much mergers and acquisitions in the filter market for my liking (Premium Guard was making a lot of these in Vietnam for a year or two but it seems like that was too expensive for their liking). I just buy OE filters online now. Like all auto parts it seems like the penny pinching is getting stronger and stronger.
Theronswanson
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Pretty sure it's part of Walmart's drop ship program.
Theronswanson
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I've never ordered from them online.