Advance Auto Parts

Fantastic experience at Advance Auto Parts on East Ridge this morning. I had purchased a car battery on-​line and stopped in to have it installed. Worked with Keith, who was friendly and professional in installing the battery, and when I asked if they had any colored tape for a hole in my taillight housing, he gave me a free roll of tape, a towel with cleaner on it to prep the area, and a scissors to open the package. It’s called excellent customer service folks, and THAT is exactly how it’s done.

For those who work on their own car, may it be oil change, brake pads, or any self d’Or, this store is the best. When youre online, there codes for discounts ranging from $ 5 up to $ 50. Just picked up a $ 60 order for $ 40. And if you need the part, return your item (s) for a refund.

This place has all the basics you may need when you don’t want to spend an arm and a leg at the dealership. They usually have rotating specials on oil, so if you time it right, you can get the oil you prefer at a great price.
Mostly I like the staff here (and at most AAP stores in genereal) as they are always friendly and willing to help you find what you need. Being a girl in an auto part store, it means a lot to have people treat me like anyone else walking in — unlike at some AutoZone stores where I get almost no service. I find this location to be busier than most so there can be a wait if you need assistance, but the staff is always courteous and patient. Lots of times they will be helping customers in the parking lot with their cars (changing batteries, wipers, headlight bulbs)
They tend to have your regular maintenance parts on hand — brakes, rotors, and luckily calipers which happened to be reconditioned OEM parts for half the price the dealership could offer. The only downside I’ve run into — which seems typical for more of these stores is that they may only have one side (passabger or driver) of a part (ie brake line) which sends you on a trek across town to get the matching part at another location if you don’t want to wait a few days. If you can plan ahead, it works, but it seems like until you have the car apart you don’t always know if something needs to be replaced and you want the fix then — not a few days later.

They were very understaffed and the customers acted very rude as a response. However, the staff that was there maintained a very professional attitude and were extremely patient and helpful to every customers’ needs. They were not only knowledgeable, but expressed a caring concern that didn’t seem pressured but genuine.
They also aren’t hesitant to go outside and help you with your car needs and do basic things like install wiper blades, give you advice, etc.
In saying that, it’s always nice to tip your bartender…

This store typically has the usual things I need (windshield wipers, oil, filter, hydraulic jack (okay, I needed this once), etc). They have handy error code readers you can borrow — good starting point to figure out why the dreaded «Check Engine» light came on.
I appreciate that they install the windshield wipers for you (5 extra minutes for which I don’t have to stand outside during the winter!). They are always helpful and friendly.

Okay.
So I need a new tail blinker and new windshield wipers. I go by this place on my way home from work, so I figure I’ll check it out, get my stuff in a bag, and go. There’s free installation on windshield wipers, so I pick up a couple, the (almost obnoxiously flirtatious) dude installs them, I take the blinker light to install myself and I’m on my way.
Fast forward two weeks. It’s dark and sad and pouring rain. My new little wipers are wiping their tails off, when KATHUNK!!! my driver’s side wiper falls off the hook and starts thrashing wildly around on the windshield. I pull over the car and put on my flashers while I fix it. Three blocks more and KATHUNK!!! This happens twice more. By the time I get home, I’m shivering and soaked.
So I go back a week or so later, wiper blade and receipt in hand, to see what can be done. The same guy is there, and remembers my car. He goes out to see if the wiper can be fixed while I stay in the store– comes back and grabs another wiper blade for me and (oops!) it’s the next better one. That means I owe a couple bucks for it. He says that the blade probably broke because it was the cheapo one anyway. He goes and installs it while somebody else rings me up. But, when I go out to my car, the wiper itself (not the blade) has been severely bent… I can only assume while trying to get the defective blade to work.
So assuming five stars until proven guilty, here is the star breakdown:
+1 for being personable.
+1 for installing the wiper blades for free with a good attitude.
–1 for not believing me that the wiper was broken and going to test it out.
–1 for upselling me (that’s a pet peeve).
–1 for intimating that it was my fault that the wiper broke because I bought the cheapo one.
–1 for suggesting that you sell wiper blades so cheap that they break the first time you use them.
–1 for bending my wiper.
I mean, lesson learned: next time I’ll be with whomever every second they’re working on my car. But all things being equal, I think I’ll try out another parts shop next time.