I ordered some parts online last night and went to pick them up today and got to stand at the counter for awhile. I had 5 online orders due to using the coupon codes and maxing my savings. The counter guy asked me why i did 5 orders why not just one..I gave up on explaining a long time ago and just went with "I will try to do better next time".
So while standing there I got to see a real 'expert' in action on the next register...this was only a span of about 30 mins or so. First lady puts up a bottle of Techron Complete Fuel System Treatment. He asks "what do you need that for"..she goes on to tell him that her gas mileage isnt so good..so he goes and gets a can of Seafoam. He goes on to explain that this is the best stuff that they have and that her gas mileage will go up if she pours this in the tank. She doesnt go for it..so he puts it on a shelf behind the counter and tells her that it will be there waiting on her when the techron doesnt work...wow. Next customer another woman puts 5 quarts of 5w30 pennzoil and a Fram filter on the counter..He then asks her what vehicle she is doing the oil change in..she tells him a chevy cobalt..he then asks how many miles and she says over 100000. He then goes to explain that she needs 10w30 because its over 100000 miles and she should also use lucas and he then advised to use purolator because thats the same as the manufacturer uses..so he wins on this one...they go and get 10w30..a bottle of lucas additive and a purolator filter.
From what i could tell the company made maybe a few dollars extra on his wisdom..but lost some time for his wage and he didnt answer the phone at all..my guy did. My guy landed 4 calls in my 45 minute pick time. I got to hear him dang near fix 2 of the cars he was on the phone with telling them what to do and what not.
I normally shop at NAPA...its no frills there cut and dry and the guys are friendly but not pushy.. the phone calls are usually limited to how much the part is, and if they have it or not.. Why do advance and autozone guys need to go the extra mile and fix the cars on the phone or pass on their high school shop class knowledge?? Why isnt my order ever picked when i buy something online?
Oh i forgot one more thing.. I ordered a water pump at 10PM last night online and they sold it at 11PM today..it was the only one they had. He explained that customers coming in the door have priority over the online guys. So i had to drive about 10 miles to get the pump at another store. yay.
Well i wrote this out of humor.. I saved about $200 with my 5 $40 off coupons. So i cant really complain except that its a hassle to do everything online because technically i may as well have walked into the store because my order wasnt picked and its honestly harder for them to do the processing.
I want a card like a Kroger Card or Sams Club where I get my parts..swipe my card and get $40 off $100.. but im no "Expert"..
Advance Auto Parts 'Experts' Rant
- Thread starter krismoriah72
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That one part you ordered that is the only one in stock is yours, and not the customer coming in the door. When I buy parts from Advance Auto for my Volvo and Oldsmobile, there are four Advance Auto stores in my county I can choose from. One store is the designated warehouse, and this is the one that will have the only one part in stock for my Volvo or Oldsmobile. Once I place an order, and that part is indeed the last one it will show up at all the stores out of stock. Have done it numerous times.
Anyway, I asked the manager if they would sell it before I got down there to pick it up. He said no they could not because it will show up for them as out of stock, and it would show up online for me as out of stock too.
My biggest complaint about them is the individual stores need to have access to the online orders for warranty purposes. The online and store stock is already in sync, but providing warranty from an online purchase will not show them any information in store if it was bought online. It will if it's purchased in store.
The other thing is to just place your order at the store and have the parts picked out, but if you're doing 5 orders, that's trickier. I've done it before on my phone. Some of the managers are pretty good though. I once bought a part and then didn't get around to installing it for a few months and then it turned out the part was bad and didn't fit right, bad manufacturer, she still managed to refund my money.
I would drop a note to the company proper about your part being sold to the stores prefered walkin. Espescially if they charged your card.
I have been told before "sorry we sold that item to online customer" but can have another by X time.
My Expert told me the serpentine belt I wanted to buy for my Saturn was poor quality. He had a better quality one. I should have know. He had nothing good to say about Saturn cars. Said the head gasket blew often, etc.
After struggling to put the belt on I realized it was too short. Sure enough. The belt I wanted to buy was the correct size. I returned the short belt and the co-workers at Advance commented they had problems with the other guy.
I agree with Napa. The one I use mostly sells to commercial accounts. I get the correct parts first time.
You want good service go to the place you know you'll get good service. Want 200 coupons, go to the place that pays high school wages. That's where you coupon money comes from.
There's one Advance by me that is kinda preachy, but the others have been great so far. One by me does a great job of asking questions, and actually listening to the customer....that is rare, but very nice...
Like any store, it depends on the people.....
I don't pay any attention to what the 'experts' are talking about in the parts store or the Walmart aisle. I don't really care, and I'm not that opinionated. What I do find amusing is when people come on here and post about what the guy behind the counter (who was trying to do his job) said about this, or that guy at Walmart who was buying 10w-30 for his new Silverado... Haha what a fool he is. What you're telling me is that you consider yourself to be an 'expert' and you wanted to come here and tell us about it. At least you didn't tell us how you stood there listening and just shook your head in disgust...
Turnover is so high in retail don't expect a knowledgeable person.
I wonder how those "experts" deal with all repair questions customers have. Clueless customers come in and say - can you help me replace all the timing tensioners in my engine, the shop wants $1500. Then they get frustrated when the salesguy whose last job was Burger King looks at them like a space alien.
My NAPA always tries up upsell [censored]. WD40 and overpriced flashlights. Got a few cans of WD40 free when they didn't ask me to buy it. There is a sign that said to ask!
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....Well i wrote this out of humor.. I saved about $200 with my 5 $40 off coupons. So i cant really complain...
Never really had any real issues at the 2 AA I go to with online orders. Place order, wait 30 minutes or so, go get order. There have been a few times the order was not pulled yet, but always got what I ordered. Seems any stuff behind the counter will be pulled, but stuff in the isles is not (ordered some bearings and diff fluid, bearings pulled and ready, gear oil was still on the shelf in the isle).
I have done the multiple order thing to save more ($110 on one order to save $40, $80 on another to save $25) and never had an issue with that, even had one guy that said he never knew you could save so much, it was better than his employee discount on some things.
I find AA to be rather hit and miss. The one in my old neighborhood was awesome with knowledgeable ex-mechanics behind the counter. In my new neighborhood they struggle to use the cash register. I bought a battery a few months ago and returned the core. They refunded me the cost of the battery and not the core charge. When I brought it to their attention they said not to worry about it and it was just how the computer system worked. 
Rarely go into an Advance Auto or Auto Zone. Generally poor quality parts. My local NAPA i do frequent more often if a part is needed ASAP. Rock Auto online is my go to of choice if it is something that can wait a few days. No patience or tolerance for the first 2 mentioned for the reason's stated previously.
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