I followed a recommendation I saw on this site about the online orders of Advance auto parts.

 

You go online to do the order then on checkout, you enter a bunch of discount codes and reduce say a cv joint cost from $64 to $44 each.  I don't know why Auto Zone, Pep Boys or Napa don't offer comparable deals or do they?

I have found ONLY Advance Auto Parts to offer continuing on line discount coupons 365 days a year. The other parts store you mention don't have any on line discount codes that I have ever found. Add a discount coupon code to an on line Advance order, and the discount amount is automatically deducted from the order. If possible, I order on line from Advance; upon check out I look to see if any of their near by Advance stores have the product in stock. If so, it works out great to buy on line, then simply pick up the product at the store. If not store available, and delivery must be made to your home, it is still nice to know that if the product is the wrong part, you can very easily return to an Advance store for complete refund. That return is a lot easier, then having to mail the product back to an on line parts house, that is likely many hundreds of miles away.

 

Once you order on line, you give them your e-mail address. Advance will send you coupon codes good for in store use only. That comes in handy. I just received an in store coupon good for $10 off, next $20 purchase.

Sometimes the Advance Auto discounts are really nice. Autozone might from time to time offer good sales. Napa seems a bit different to me, maybe because they have some amount of independently owned stores or different lines of parts maybe. Pep Boys over the years to me seemed to turn into more of a flea market/dollar store/harbor freight type place than an auto parts store.

 

Are you getting just one of the cv joints, or the whole axle/half shaft?

The whole shaft.  Was also at the local junkyard and picked up a brake caliper with hardware for $35; and there were two rotors in the junked vehicle for $15 each, so that is the least some will pay.  And on the cv joint, nothing beats Southend auto in Lyndonville, Vt that installed cv axles for $90 or less part included, and had 6 month warrantees on used Subarus they sold for $2200 each.

Anytime I get anything from Advance Auto parts, I just google Advance Auto coupon codes. Usually can find $40 of of order of $100 or more and discounts like that. I just order online, then go down to the store and pick it up.