amishman
Well-known member
I used to always see Duralast tools at my local Autozone. I no longer see them at all. Is Duralast tools still being made and sold or did they go down the tubes?
tj
tj
Duralast tools at Autozone anymore?
- Thread starter amishman
- Start date
stroked93
Well-known member
um not going away and they are part of the new tool display. maybe your store has them in the back because of theft?
goodfellow
Well-known member
I was there this weekend, not a lot of Duralast on the shelves. Might be the economy --
The Autozone near my house has alot of Duralast tools; I was in there last Friday looking around; didn't buy anything. I wanted some Rain-X additive for the windshield wash and they didn't have it ..
A new Autozone opened up near me about a month ago. It has Duralast as their high end Taiwan made tools and Great Neck as they cheap china tools.
As a side note, I'm pretty sure that Duralast is just an Autozone private label brand. Considering they are not a really a manufactured, they can't go down the tubes. Autozone can only stop putting their name on tools someone else manufactures.
As a side note, I'm pretty sure that Duralast is just an Autozone private label brand. Considering they are not a really a manufactured, they can't go down the tubes. Autozone can only stop putting their name on tools someone else manufactures.
Rigmaster
Well-known member
Yep. Duralast is, and has always been, Autozone's brand.
From what I've seen, some of the tools looked pretty fair, but not great.
Yeah, I would agree with that. They did look a lot better when you put them next to the Great Neck stuff from China.
I was just in an Autozone on Monday and Duralast tools are alive and kicking. I haven't used any of them, but I really like the fit and finish when I mess around with them. Actually, I have a 1/2 drive ratchet somewhere that looks like a knockoff SO comfort grip ratchet. It feels great in your hand and feels like pretty good quality IIRC. As far as performance though, I'm not sure. If the price were lower I might actually buy a few Duralast tools. 
I have the deep and short metric sockets. Seem nicely made to me. Only problem is the numbers are hard to read sometimes but i can usually tell what they are by size.
I have these in my junkyard bag in case i lose some. I save my laser etched Craftsman for the garage. The funny thing is that I spent more on the set of Duralast than I did for the C-man as I got my whole sets of c-man one by one for $5 off $5, Ha ha.
I have these in my junkyard bag in case i lose some. I save my laser etched Craftsman for the garage. The funny thing is that I spent more on the set of Duralast than I did for the C-man as I got my whole sets of c-man one by one for $5 off $5, Ha ha.
kartracer55
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2005
- Messages
- 5,317
they are crazy expensive for a tool made in taiwain like that. I think you pay a lot for the convenience
I'm not into Duralast, but they are a lot better than Great Neck. It seems like most of the wrenches and sockets at O'reilly's, Advance, Auto Zone, and Pep Boys are Asian. Even the local Napa has more Asian than US made tools. I have seen KD tools at one of the stores, but not as many as in the past, and they sort of hide them in the back so you can't see them. It amazes me that they complain that nobody wants to buy the US tools (that don't cost but about 10-15% more than the Asian), when they have them hidden in back with no advertising that they exist.
jerk_chicken
Banned
In that case, it would be best to keep them in the front, away from the employees.
LMAO.........no doubt... we got a few clowns that got canned because of "borrowing" some tools so they could help their punk *** buddies work on their ricer at home.
They are still going strong with no plans to change brands in the near future.
It seems they change the displays every other month.
Rigmaster
Well-known member
Coleman makes tools????????
Like I said, Duralast is Autozone's store brand for anything- parts, tools, antifreeze, etc. Not sure why you would have a problem with the name just because of the name........
sammerdog
Banned
Used to buy quite a lot of parts from the local AutoZone. Over the last two years, they stopped hiring english speaking counter help. I can't talk mexican. Unless the one heavy set older white guy is there, I turn around and walk right back out, drive down to NAPA. A few bucks more, but the whole staff speaks english.
Rigmaster
Well-known member
Nice.
Not sure how you blame Autozone for hiring people who are qualified and want to work for what they are willing to pay- which I'm sure is pretty close to minimum wage.
Autozone gets alot of SPANISH-speaking customers, so why not hire some folks who speak spanish so they can serve their customers?
I'm glad you found a solution to your "problem"......
sammerdog
Banned
Nice.
Not sure how you blame Autozone for hiring people who are qualified and want to work for what they are willing to pay- which I'm sure is pretty close to minimum wage.
Autozone gets alot of SPANISH-speaking customers, so why not hire some folks who speak spanish so they can serve their customers?
I'm glad you found a solution to your "problem"......
Not blaming AutoZone - it's my fault that I can't speak a foreign language. It is unfortunate that I can no longer use them consistently as a parts source due to the language barrier - I did like their pricing & value mix. But I do think they are alienating themselves from a large english speaking community we still have up here in the mid-west.
jerk_chicken
Banned
The choices between getting **** service and treated like an illegal at Pep Boys and going to AZ, where at first they're cold, then actually go through great lengths to find the right parts is tough. That's been my experience, anyhow.
Rigmaster
Well-known member
OK, maybe I totally misunderstood you.
Do these guys really not speak english at all, or do they just have a heavy accent that makes them hard to understand or what?
I often find myself "helping" the folks behind the counter to help me find what I'm looking for. I think I probably know their computer system as well as most of their counter people (and I really don't know it all that well). But if you go in with a chip on your shoulder, or expect it to be a PITA if that "damn mexican guy is there again" then guess what........
On the other hand, if you just try to be as nice and as patient as possible, you'll get through it, trust me.
sammerdog
Banned
I don't think I have a chip on my shoulder... ...either the guys don't speak english or are pretending they can't... for some of the stuff, they'll turn the screen half way, and I can help get year, make, model, engine code etc up and on their screen. I've been able to get brake pads and rotors that way. The last couple of times, I've needed electronic parts (ie - the rpm sensor on the front of a 3.8 gm), and couldn't find it on their screen. Another customer was bi-lingual and helped translate one time. Another time, I needed a pair of ignition coil / boots for a Ford (yeah - blew a plug out of the block). Between the two guys behind the counter and myself we couldn't figure out how to make the translation from a spark plug wire to the boot thingy for a Ford. We had a good laugh about it, but yeah - I wound up down at NAPA paying twice the amount what AutoZone had charged in the past.
jerk_chicken
Banned
There was a study in about 2006 that revealed Autozone is the nation's #1 employer of ex-cons.
If the employees of an auto parts store in Michigan can't speak English, that's just not right. It's still the official language of the country.
I have to laugh as I think of similar scenarios, but ones that would never be accepted. Like, if the employees of the local AZ only spoke Polish.
I have to laugh as I think of similar scenarios, but ones that would never be accepted. Like, if the employees of the local AZ only spoke Polish.
sammerdog
Banned
Co jest nieprawidłowy z co żeby?
I wish that I could speak Polish, or Lithuanian, both of which are the languages of my ancestors. But, being the silly folks that they were, they learned English when they came here so that they could assimilate, and their native languages died out!
jerk_chicken
Banned
Go to any Walmart in Des Moines. I wonder if the situation is the same as I experienced about 5 years ago. The two Walmarts in town was nearly completely staffed by Russians, and when I had a question, no one was able to speak English. They looked like everyone else, which is probably why no one bitched, but only a couple spoke English, and that's it.
I expect to see this around the border towns, but not in Michigan. Yeah, it just doesn't seem to make sense.
I haven't figured out whether these retailers try to hire Spanish speakers, and the only ones who speak Spanish don't speak English, or if the Spanish only speakers are the only ones who apply. My guess is that, at least in Michigan, the Spanish speakers who are willing to work for peanuts at Autozone just don't happen to speak English very well. Just a guess though....
BTW sammerdog, saying that they "talk mexican" is not even close to proper, and is actually a little offensive IMO. I suspect you know this though.
jerk_chicken
Banned
I felt the same about that comment as well. Tell it like it is. Topics like this have no need for embellishment because they are powerful enough on their own.
I don't have a philosophical problem with groups wanting to maintain their native languages. I wish my languages had been preserved. But, it seems out of place for languages other than the official language of the nation to be the only one spoken in places of business that serve the general public. Language is a unifier.
As a historian, I think of the Austrian empire, which used quite a few official languages, to ill effect.
As a historian, I think of the Austrian empire, which used quite a few official languages, to ill effect.
sammerdog
Banned
Mexican, Spanish, Hispanic, Latino, etc....
After awhile, my head gets ready to explode with what they want to be called or not called. Got my head bit off the other week for using the term Latino... I guess that's a big-time degrading term going back to the Spaniards forcing the indigenous peoples of Central and South America to speak "Latin" while being converted to Catholicism. But yet there is a show on TV for the Latin Grammy's..... chicken egg, egg chicken.
....from the looks of the graffitti around here, maybe the correct term is "Latin Kings" or else "Miss 13"...
Scary stuff, if that is around you.
There isn't any need to start a **** storm about that here. For your info they DO a backround check on ever new hire. If its questionable.....they don't get the job.
I agree with you on this, but I think part of the problem is that many times an employer cannot be super picky when they don't pay very well. I guess, in their eyes, if they are a good worker and only speak Spanish, then so be it.
Coleman makes tools????????
Saw them at costco before. Same chinese look as dura and crapsman. Heard other people talking about them here a while back too. Probably all made in the same shop, different day they slap a different sticker on it. Sort of like Knipex stamping Mac and Snap On on their pliers for them.(but knipex makes good stuff, or I mean the best pliers...)
paramudduck
Well-known member
So the counter argument is that if I move to Sonora the town will be required to speak USA American. (I refuse to say English. Since some of those ****** Brits, Aussies, and Scott's are impossible to understand.)
Also last time I was in Spain the folks from the Southwest could only catch a few words of what the true Spanish speakers were saying. Dialect shifts make broad sweeping names a joke.
Also last time I was in Spain the folks from the Southwest could only catch a few words of what the true Spanish speakers were saying. Dialect shifts make broad sweeping names a joke.
Rigmaster
Well-known member
OK look, I know what you're saying about it being frustrating to not be able to communicate with the folks if they don't speak english. And I think your solution to go to Napa and pay a little more is probably a good idea. I might also mention this problem to the MANAGER the next time I went to Autozone, otherwise how the heck do they know that there's really a problem?
Based on some of the replies to this thread
maybe we should just send all these immigrants back to where they came from....maybe whoever has parents or grandparents or great-grandparents who were not US-born??? Or should we go back a bit farther????
Oh, and Bull- the US does not have an "Official Language".
Based on some of the replies to this thread
maybe we should just send all these immigrants back to where they came from....maybe whoever has parents or grandparents or great-grandparents who were not US-born??? Or should we go back a bit farther????
Oh, and Bull- the US does not have an "Official Language".
wantedabiggergarage
Member Emeritus
Can you show me where and what law specifically, makes English the national language?
Last I knew German was almost voted the national language, but that was a long time ago.
sammerdog
Banned
It's tempting to say something, but I'm not a very confrontational guy and don't want to create any waves for the guys & gals working there. Plus, it's not my place to tell them how to run a business. But it is frustrating that I have essentially lost a parts source on my end of town.
I guess by going to NAPA, I've spoken with my wallet.