Funny Story About Advanced Auto Parts

[1987stangman]

Have not visited the boards in some time so I thought I would share something that happened to me over this past weekend. The clutch in my 00' GT has been getting hard to push in and since I had not been driving it much over the past 6 months so I let it go until I got a new job that requires me to drive into Jacksonville from where I live which is about a 1 hr commute in the worst possible traffic. The car has 118k on it and the stock clutch it self is still good and has a new cable so it's time to figure out whats making so tough to push in and replace everything clutch related. Since the car just has basic bolt on's and a custom tune I decided to just get an OEM replacement from Advanced and get everything else from Summit.

I usually order my parts from Advanced website and use the pick it up in the store option because the website almost always offers deals if your buying something over 50.00 100.00. I ordered just the clutch kit Friday night and my wife and I stopped by the next day and picked it up. Now, I usually open the boxes and poke around to make sure nothing is missing but this time I just grabbed it and left. When I got home I opened the box and was shocked to find someones VERY used clutch in there and it was missing the alignment tool and the pilot bearing but someone took the time to repackage everything like new. I immediately got in my truck and went back up which is a five minute drive at best. From the time I picked up the kit from them to the time I went back up there maybe 20 minutes went by. The manager was a jerk about it and and tried to accuse me of bringing the old clutch from my car up to try and rip them off. I was actually sorta shocked they tried that because I have been buying stuff from them since I bought my house 14 years ago. Spent enough money there over time that if my wife knew a figure she would divorce me for sure. Most of the guy's that work there knew me by name and have been there as long as I have been using them. Never had an issue with anything. I know things happen and there was a reasonable explanation for this but it was their fault. They wanted to give me another one but they were out of stock and wanted me to drive 12 miles up the road to get it from another store. I finally got my money back and I'm not sure I will shop them anymore.

 

[Mattstang04]

That is the paranoid state of our retail world. These places have been screwed around so much they wouldn't trust their own mothers. They are quite vulnerable to any lame brained scam.

Still, I wouldn't blame you for not going back.

 

[Three50won]

I understand your relationship with them because I have a similar relationship with Auto Zone here in Neptune. I've been a frequent shopper there for about 9 years. I always go to them when I need parts for my car. I know all the sales people and managers. In fact, not one of their employees has worked there as long as I have been shopping there. So I would be frustrated too if that happened to me.

All I can suggest is to go there and ask the manager for a few minutes of his time. Look him right in his eye and explain to him that he insulted and offended you and tell him that you are seriously considering never coming there again. And while you're at it, tell him that his mistreatment of you is unacceptable and that you have half a mind to make a formal complaint about him. If he is reasonable then he will listen to you and either apologize or offer a logical explanation for his behavior. If he fails to listen to reason then I would call their customer service number and speak with someone who is higher up. These days, companies do not like losing loyal customers. I am sure that someone at the customer service number will hear you out. They may even intervene on your behalf or offer some sort of recompense for your mistreatment. If you explain to them that you would rather inconvenience yourself by going to a different store than be disrespected by their manager again then I am sure they will take affirmative steps.

 

[1987stangman]

After I got my money back and got home I went about my business around the house and cooled off. I'm generally a calm and collective person and most of the time with stuff like this I will just let it go as long as I didn't loose money or a part on my dime but this time I decided to call the 800 number on the receipt and explained what happened. Monday I got a call from their district manager that just apologized about it and offered a gift card that if I do actually get I will give to my 21 year old son. Over the years Advanced has made some changes and from my point of view not for the better. Weekends at the store I go to are generally pretty busy with people coming in to get parts or stuff to change their oil and there are only 2 employees working so you know your gonna stand in line just to get a tube of RTV or whatever simple item you came in to get. One problem is that they test for codes, change wiper blades and change batteries so that takes up one persons time that would normally be spent helping customers inside the store. So if they only have 2 people running the place then customer service will suffer and that's funny because their new Motto is "Service is our best part".

On a brighter note I ended up buying all the stuff I needed from Summit. Went with a better clutch kit and got a new FRPP clutch fork, new fork pivot ball and I will get a OEM clutch cable because there is no telling if the heavy clutch jacked up the new one I put in not to long back when I first noticed the clutch getting heavy hoping it was just the stock cable being the issue. The bearing retainer sleeves cannot be replaced on the 99-up T45's unless you buy a new bell housing as they are cast into the bell, unlike the 96-98 T45's so I hope it's in good shape. I have been told that they are not as much of a problem like the old T5 retainer sleeves were.

 

[Three50won]

Ok I'm glad they listened to you and tried to make it better. Any company with good business sense will do that. And regardless of how busy they are, they should not take their frustrations out on the customer. If anything, they should be glad they're busy with loyal customers. If they aren't, then that means the customers are giving someone else they're business. Anyway, glad it all worked out for you.

 

[sneaky98gt]

Weekends at the store I go to are generally pretty busy with people coming in to get parts or stuff to change their oil and there are only 2 employees working so you know your gonna stand in line just to get a tube of RTV or whatever simple item you came in to get. One problem is that they test for codes, change wiper blades and change batteries so that takes up one persons time that would normally be spent helping customers inside the store. So if they only have 2 people running the place then customer service will suffer and that's funny because their new Motto is "Service is our best part".

That is the exact reason I quit using Advance and Auto Zone and now always use O'Reilly. It is very rare that happens to me at O'Reilly, while it happens almost every time I walk into an Advance or Autozone. I like Napa/Walker, too, but they never are open the hours I usually need to go to a parts store. I definitely feel like Napa would pick up a ton of business if they were open in the evenings and on weekends.

 

[1987stangman]

I use Napa too sometimes but your right about their hours. Their prices are a tad higher as well.