Advance Auto Parts
reviews and complaints

I don't understand how you can be frustrated with AAP. They seem to have provided you with excellent customer service. Clearly it is Cardone the manufacturer of the motor who is to blame. That motor you bought at AAP had a limited lifetime warranty on it. This means the are allowed to exchange it for you ONCE for manufacturer defect. You exchanged it multiple times and in addition to that got your money refunded with the return of the product. All of which is against AAP policy. So it seems you got treated quite well.

Most parts stores get their parts from the same people. Most parts stores carry the same brands. If I was working I would have given you the courtesy of notifying you that you had a problem not related to the part as well. I think that AAP did a very good job to please you as a customer because since the part did not fix your problem and you returned it and got money back... that is way out of company policy, but they gave you the benefit of the doubt and did everything they could to help you INCLUDING letting you know that it wasn't your problem. I find it hard to believe that the Napa part is the real solution only because 1 bad part off the shelf is rare, but three in a row is next to impossible unless there was a problem with the manufacturer in that cycle... in which case you would have received a notice in the mail. If you got a bad part that many times, then chances are every person in your town would have had the same problem if they bought that part around the same time you did. I am actually glad AAP was there to help you and extend every offer of help to you, including returning an item they were not obligated to return after the first exchange. I wish you would reconsider the amount of red tape those people cut through to get you where you needed to be, even if it was more of a hassle than you intended. Remember, we don't make the parts, but we did do our very best at service... On a side note, customers in my store who have had complaints have been answered by end of business day. I don't know why it has become so difficult to you, but I also do not know what you expect from the complaint. I can tell you this, complaints like yours are emailed to each store of the region quite often, and we take every necessary steps to make sure you experience is never duplicated. Even if you did not receive an answer, I promise your problem is and has been handled.

Most all auto parts store use the same Manufacturer for their Parts. And as for Ford they don't make all their parts either. Most every product you get from a dealer is outsourced through another manufacturer. IE: motorcraft plugs are autolite and motorcraft filters are made by purolater. Just because it says Motocraft, Mopar, or delco on it does not make it any better. And you are paying more for the same part when you go to the dealer.. You are getting a lesser warranty for the same part. It is unfortunate that you received this type of experience from a Advance Auto Parts. If you would have been one of my customers I would have done all that I could to help you through this situation. I hope in the future you decide to return shopping at a Advance Auto Parts...not all of us treat our customers in such a manner. Best of Luck.

QUOTE "Advance Auto Parts (AAP) denied a coupon to be used on a sale priced item. Coupon clearly did not say "not acceptable" on sale priced items. Called Home Office. Talked to two CSR's and they said the store was wrong, they should have accepted, and the store manager would call. Nothing happened so I filed a complaint with the NC Attorney General."

its not Advance Autos coupon, it is Peaks coupon. the call to home office thing is a full blown lie. and you can cry to your AG all you want but that is not going to change things.

Exactly...no one ever reads the whole thing. The reason why they would not give it to you is because corporate is telling them not to and then turning around and kissing your butt blaming the store

Every coupon printed by APP clearly states "on regularly priced merchandise" This means that if the item is already ON sale (not to be confused with FOR sale) then they have already done you a favor so stop trying to get something for free.

Hi I went to advance auto parts in hialeah 10 ave and 49st looking for a relay and the store magnager telling me rude things and trying to be a mechanic showing some id that he is a certified mechanic and all of that I just went to get my relay and he start all bla bla bla bla I don't care who is he i just went there toget my relay
If I want to buy an engine because the spark plug are bad they don't even have to care I want what ever I need
I won't recomend that store to anyone I know
They should fire that guy

When you buy an A/C compressor there is a ton of paperwork you must read and sign before they can sell it to you. I always offer the related items, we are required to and we make no money off of not selling you the complete project. All we are required to do is replace the product we sold... what else should be expected, if we do not do the work we should not be held liable for your mechanics faults. Any mechanic who accepts 'customer provided parts' can not guarantee the part, its a two way street. You should probably look to your mechanic and make sure he/she knew what they were doing, and not off of ASE certs made more than 2-3 years ago. A/C systems HAVE to be flushed, related parts MUST be purchased, this is in your warranty contract agreement... you don't buy the parts, you don't get an agreement. It really is that simple.

I'm also having a problem with my warranty on my A/C compressor. When I bought the compressor no one told me I needed to buy all the related parts right then and there or keep my receipts. I bought all the parts after I found out I needed them for the compressor and now that it has gone out, they told me I need all my receipts and etc. I am so sick and tired of all of this. I will never do business with them again. I blame the store employees for not providing me with information on the warranty. Like seriously who in their right mind wouldn't buy the related parts for their warranty to be valid. That's book money for school.

They should fire Lisa

Tried to buy a remanned pump they tried to sell me a used one, also tried to sell me a used puller with stripped bolts & also bought a brand new timing tensioner and it collapsed and fried to whole engine!Tried to tell them about it got the run around! also brake pads failed after 4 months! dont be [censor]ed start going to napa, autozone, china, hong kong, anywhere but advance they will screw you the best they can! dont listen to me try it for yourself! good luck now!
I will be posting this throughout the internet at least 15 times each day until their business is wiped out!

tried to buy a remanned pump they tried to sell me a used one, also tried to sell me a used puller with stripped bolts & also bought a brand new timing tensioner and it collapsed and fried to whole engine! also brake pads failed after 4 months! dont be [censor]ed start going to napa, autozone, china, hong kong, anywhere but advance they will screw you the best they can! dont listen to me try it for yourself! good luck now!

First of all, it simply sounds like you were having a dick measuring contest and are crying cause you lost, secondly, the options on the window do not include 'didn't like it' and most often than not we just hit the enter key because you want to get in and out and it is useless for us to ask why... get over yourself, not everything has to do with you. Also, very nice story, but lying here to get a response to your 'really cool rice burner' is not how to get laid, or whatever it is you are trying to accomplish. The guy was simply trying to create a rapport with you based on your interest, he was trying to pay you a compliment and gift you a little friendship to make your shopping experience more pleasant. You never intended on buying the part, that is why you returned it... and if you worked on cars since you were ...14 (doesn't actually count) you should have a 10 mm handy... that is the most common size for your vehicle. So, in short... I call [censor].

QUOTE "Duhh.. the camera is 99.98 and was on sale for 69.98 and then you get a $10 mail in rebate from peak."

very true, I remember selling them.

besides, this is a problem with "Peak" not advance auto!

Duhh.. the camera is 99.98 and was on sale for 69.98 and then you get a $10 mail in rebate from peak.

advance auto part store #5455 located in three rivers michigan has a sexual predator working for them. his name is christopher ingersoll date of birth 6/26/1971.he sexually assulted another fellow employee, and was only transferred to another advance auto location in sturgis michigan.he has since been harassing other people but he is a volunteer fireman at fabius/lockport township(michigan);and has a badge and carries a gun.police are protecting him due to this.great job advance auto!

did you actually flush it? if you don't, it will all go to ###

You were reimbursed for the part. AAP did exactly what they were supposed to do. You need to worry about the person who installed it, there work should have been warrantied. You took your vehicle to a mechanic who accepted 'customer provided parts' No real shop can guarantee work done if they do not provide the parts... your problem is more likely the cause of a skinny pocket book and cutting corners than an actual parts store. If you returned the parts like you stated, you got your money back, so you didn't 'purchase the parts again' you used your warranty refund to replace the part as agreed upon in your contract you signed when making your purchase. Chances are, if the part busted that quickly after you bought it the pressure from the perfectly working part probably blew the condenser and the person who fixed it did not test it before 'fixing' your vehicle. More likely than not, the Comp wasn't your actual problem to begin with, your condenser. Even if it was... AAP did exactly what they were supposed to and it was fair to both parties.

A/C systems sold by most auto part stores have to be sold with other A/C components or the parts will not warrantied.
Most stores use the "disappearing ink" receipts. Here is a thought... I think you own a computer so you might have a scanner... scan info in to the computer, back it up and if you need it print it out.

you sound like a professional anyways, i dont blame them. take it somewhere next time and you wont have that problem...

QUOTE "Advance Auto Parts purchases old car parts, replaces a very minimal amount of whats needed, paints and resells alternators, distributors, starters, carburetors "

FULL BLOWN LIE, ALL THE WAY AROUND!

QUOTE" They really cheat consumers. Ive returned used parts such as sensors, ball joint, and brake pads that looked dirty in the box. "

good for you, go cry to the manufacturer about them getting a little dirt on the parts, not advance auto.

car parts wear out, you didnt make the same complaint against the company that manufactured the car? their part wore out first and under your logic they should have fixed it in the first place? when your shoes wear out do you expect nike to replace them aswell?

Amazing, simply Amazing.
It shows how consumers have spoiled themselves over the years. Everyone feels they are entitled to something.
If you treat the employees respectful, you fill find all of them will go out of their way to help you. Dont take your anger and agression out on them because your car broke down. No one is out to get you clowns.

I am assuming you bought an ATV/Cycle battery and are pissed off about the warranty. A 90 day warranty on a piece of plastic you pour acid into seems fair. With this being said, my assignment for you is to grab your iphone, call the competition, and ask about their warranties on similar batteries. Also keep in mind that an educated consumer would either 1). Question the seller about the warranty before making the decision to purchase. 2). Simply read the warranty terms on the receipt.

In addition, I would argue that if you are concerned with the "mighty dollar" and how it applies to routine maintenence on your ATV/Cycle, you are probably living outside your means, and should think about saving that dollar. I have a feeling that deep down inside you will agree.

you can't base a company's reputation on one person's actions. yes i work for advance and some of these posts have open up my eyes to some peoples ignorance. an eye for an eye and the whole world goes blind you can't just get mad as hell over something petty in a place of business and expect people to treat you with respect and actually feel like they want to make your situation better. most of you people don't even pay attention to the warranties and then when something goes wrong you get pissed when somethings not covered. if you had such a problem with something when it broke i don't see why you didn't ask more questions before you bought the product. and something isn't covered if we see something failed do to other issues with the car. for example a battery isnt bad if its dead but holds a charge, the alternator isnt charging it or you have some sort of electrical drain. some people just don't get this. ive seen this time and time again. it makes me sick.

Manwithcommansense, what is the point of your post? Who gives a damn what the name of the battery was, i'm sure if Advance didn't sell it, they would have told her that when she brought the battery in right? But, obviously you have no life and enjoy getting on here and personally bashing people with your pointless comments. Hmmm, do you work for Advance? Oh wait, I highly doubt you work.

BTW, did you mean to make your name 'ManWithNoCommonSense'? Someone needs spell check!

Kim is a ###, advance doesn't sell anything called a platinum grade battery. If i were Kim, I'd ask my husband to divorce me because i am such a dip ###

My battery was dead in my camaro. I went in and bought another one. When I returned the old one, I realized it was still under warranty. It was a 3yr platinum. The same as the one I had just bought. The guy wasn't going to tell me, but I asked him! He said he could check it overnight and if it was bad, I was entitled to a new battery. I had to go out of town the next day (work related), so my husband went up there to check on it. SURPRISE! They couldn't find the battery. When they finally did, they said it was bad, but since I had already bought another one, they had credited my ATM card for the core charge. So I was SOL on the old battery. I emailed the company and told them how dissatisfied I was with this. They NEVER returned my email. I WILL NEVER SHOP AT ADVANCE AUTO STORES AGAIN! OH, and by the way, make sure you write down what you bought and when on the back of your receipt, because they also have the disappearing ink on their receipts. They can guarantee when this new POS battery goes bad that I just bought, that I WILL get my moneys' worth. If you want my advice, you would be better off going to NAPA or the dealer. ADVANCE IS ALL ABOUT ADVANCE!

The question is was it a small engine battery, for a motorcycle or atv, etc.? If so, then you should only of got a 90 warranty with no prorate. Also, some store will not give warranties on economy batteries if they're not spcified for that vehicle. I agree with the first poster about the differences in warranties between stores. It also depends upon if the district manager governs on spending and warranties. But I would say that you can trust the Assistant also since they are the "right hand man" of the manager, and usually there when the manager is not. Something else is that if the manager is unwilling, you can also try to contact customer support at the corporate office for help.

Wow! I completely agree with you there. And Not just the batteries, pretty much anything to do with warranties. I also agree with you on the only caring about the money part also. For what AAP want's it's employees to do the pay totally sucks. Employees are expected to do everything at once with low pay. AAP expects its employees to wait on EVERY customer regardless if he/she is already helping one. Also expects them to sell them stuff they don't really need. AAP calls this 'Attachment Selling'. I call it, 'Screw the customer and take as much of their money as you can'.

Actually, different Advance Auto Parts stores have different policies which are determined by that particular store's manager. The store I worked in gave no questions asked replacements on batteries as long as it still had the date code or proof of purchase was in our computer. (Had to be from OUR store or verified by the actual store of purchase.) The battery must not be capable of holding a charge.
The batteries we sold were regular(1 year warranty), Silver (2 year warranty) and Gold (3 year warranty). During the initial warranty period you are entitled to ONE free replacement battery, the same as turned in. AFTER that, the warranty is pro-rated towards the price of the new battery. The battery check machine issues a "code" which is typed into the computer during checkout. The proram automatically figures the pro-rate amount.

Additionally, SOME AAP stores offer a 10% military discount while others do not. It's manager's descretion since it lowers the profit of the store. Brakes: Some store give a "lifetime replacement" on the Gold brakes while others do not. Again, manager's descretion.
Anytime you have a problem, ALWAYS insist, politely, to speak to THE manager of the store, not an assistant or shift manager. It may require you returning when the manager is there, but usually they will do whatever they can to accomodate you, WITHIN REASON! (And NO, I don't work at AAP anymore.)

Advance does not sale motorcycles buddy!

About 12 -14 weeks ago I I bought a rebuilt engine for my 1994 Ford Ranger pickup from Advance Auto Parts. After I had it installed, before I even picked it up the garage told me it smoked when they started it and that and that the rings more than likely needed to seat. Before I even got it home it started missing. I called the guy that installed it and he told me that he wouldn't stand behind it and I would have to have someone other than him to check it out.He told me to take it to Gater Towing, which I did. Gater Towing checked it out and told me that they would have to replace the motor after checking out everything Advance wanted them to check. After about three weeks Advance sent another rebuilt motor. Gater installed the motor, they did a super job. They charged me almost $1300 witch was suppose to be paid under the warrenity. This has been about three months and I have still haven't seen any of the warrenity money yet.