[cobalt327]

I decided to take advantage of an offer running through the 6th of this month, at a Advance auto parts. They have 20% off everything bought online.

I never chose to do a purchase like this before, having always called ahead to see that what I needed was in stock and then just drove down and picked it up. But nothing that I hadn’t done many other times on many other sites.

I’m just going to cut to the chase and say that I have never dealt w/a more inefficient site format in my life! There were problems from the very point of logging on, through the very last click of the mouse. I would say to anyone who may consider doing an online purchase from Adavance that you had better plan on camping out while this POS site dawdles its way along. Plan on freeze-ups of indeterminate lengths, parts being unavailable but you don’t know this because the prompt is to “select a delivery option”, when in fact you already did this, but it keeps prompting you to do so- while the REAL issue is the part is unavailable from the store you have chosen as "your store".

They will not allow a store pick-up of a part that’s not at that store at the time you place your order- you can ONLY opt for the part to be shipped to your home address- they will not simply ship the part to the store where you plan on picking up everything else. This lags the part that is to be delivered to your address 4 days behind everything else. OR you can pick up the part if it’s available, from another store. Makes no sense to me.

All in all, I spent over 4 hours over two days (in for a dime- in for a dollar) trying to wade through all this BS. I ended up calling their customer service number for help. Wrong move. While he did take my order (that was COMPLETELY lost/deleted from the online ordering site ), he made a mistake which required him to cancel that order then place the order over again- which tied up $109 of my checking account (used a debit card) for 3-5 business days before the money will be replaced into my checking account.

This could go on for another ten thousand words, easily. Just suffice to say I WAS not- and AM not- a happy camper. And this isn't over yet- the P/S pump I got is missing the valve that the instructions says to compare to my original to be sure it's the same- but the previously opened box (totally soaked inside with P/S fluid from a previous attempt to install the part, that resulted in it being returned to the store- full of fluid) is minus the valve.

And of course this is the only P/S pump like I need that they have- so am I going to be told I have to drive to another store to pick another pump up? Or are they going to insist that I have it shipped to my home address? Or?

I can't wait.

[SSedan64]

I feel your Pain Cobalt, since they revamped their site it's slooow as molasses. I was on their last night just trying to look for Rearend parts, what a nightmare. I quickly went to other sites.
Unfortunately I think the same Moron that redesigned AZ's site did Advance's also. It's now sloooow too. I think the last time I ordered from AV it had all the same shipping restrictions as AZ's also.
Todd

[cobalt327]

Originally Posted by SSedan64

I feel your Pain Cobalt, since they revamped their site it's slooow as molasses. I was on their last night just trying to look for Rearend parts, what a nightmare. I quickly went to other sites.
Unfortunately I think the same Moron that redesigned AZ's site did Advance's also. It's now sloooow too. I think the last time I ordered from AV it had all the same shipping restrictions as AZ's also.
Todd

Oh My God!!! I WAS talking about ADVANCE Auto Parts!!! Not AutoZone!

Now, I need to get a mod to change the title to my post, it has been longer than 1/2 hour- which is now all the time there is available to edit a post.

But thanks for rattling my memory for me! I feel bad for bad-mouthing AZ- they are slow, but not as bad as Advance and Advance was the one who ran me through all the hoops (which I'm nowhere near done with- I just found the brake pads they sold me are "rear" disc brake pads- for a '80 Malibu(??)). I started a different thread asking if anyone knows if there was even an option available for rear discs on a '80 Malibu- if there is, I never heard of it.

Thanks again. Now to send a message to the moderators...

[LATECH]

I agree. Both sites are terrible. With advanced half the stuff you look up a part number for (so you can call the store with it and get the right part) are product lines they dont have. You end up giving info to the
Mc Counter guy so he can look it up to tell you that they have it in an inferior brand you probably dont want. Case in point : spectra fuel system parts. Advanced sells them. I looked up the part number for a fuel line assembly for an S 10.You know the pressure and return hose under the back of the intake for a vortec. I gave the guy the spectra number and he said they cant get it...but yet it is on there web site. I ended up looking up a service bulletin for the fuel lines as alldata did not list it either and there was a gm number.I gave it to parts guy and he said OH YEAH I CAN GET IT. When it came in it was dorman (good part brand) but what ever happened to spectra.The spectra site shows pictures of the part and they are usually correct. Look at all the time and money wasted putting that stuff on the webpage.

[cobalt327]

Thanks for the input, I almost wish mine was an isolated case. But after talking to the yahoo at "customer service" (1-877-ADVANCE) he said, "yeah, we get a lot of calls about the site." So I'm thinking, then why in hell don't you all do something about it? For every call that's actually placed, there are a thousand that just hang up, say "screw it!", and call the next store. Around these parts, the major players are AutoZone, Advance and O'Reilly. Next town over has a Pep Boys.

BTW, O'Reilly has the best site, IMHO, AFA how it works, speed of page loading, photos, etc. Unfortunately, while O'Reilly will match other advertised prices, you still have to go to the other places to see what their prices are- or call them on the phone and take the risk of being put on hold for who knows how long.

I sent a PM advising one this forums moderators (poncho62, in this case) that I screwed up and asked for a deletion or correction to my post above.

[poncho62]

Done....although by the discussuion, it doesnt seem to matter which one we say...they are both the same......

[LATECH]

Originally Posted by poncho62

Done....although by the discussuion, it doesnt seem to matter which one we say...they are both the same......

When you do find a good parts guy you need to put him on your christmas card and gift list.

[DoubleVision]

This kinda reminds me of big 10 tires. The one in my town first popped up in the 80`s, it went out of business by the early 90`s. When the late 90`s came around they reopened, I heard on the radio they were having a tire sale, so I stopped by to see about getting some new rubber for my car. I walk in and get ignored and that always chaps my tail, so after standing there with nobody saying nothing about 5 minutes I say to the guy "Are you too busy to help?" and he seems to snap out of a trance or something, and he says in a smart tone "can I help you?" and I said "I`m looking for a tire in such and such size in a BFGoodrich radial T/A line" he don`t even look in the book and just says "Ain`t got it" so I said "Okay, how about such and such size in the cooper cobra line" and right away "Ain`t got it" so I`m starting to get irritated, so I say "How about such and such in the Uniroyal line?" right away "Ain`t got it" so I said "The advertisement on the radio says you carry all three of these brands and the sizes I listed are very common and you don`t have any of them, what good is that doing you? it also says right here on this flyer you have them, what`s the deal? Or are you just trying to get rid of me? If you want me gone just say so" and he says "Oh no sir, we uh, just don`t have them" so I said "Sure you don`t, if you don`t want my business fine I`ll take it elsewhere, If you treat all your customers that way you`ll put yourself out of business" and I walked out the door. 2 years later I stop in there again looking for a tire nobody else carried. Thinking they may have gotten better but I should have known better I walk in to find the same clown behind the counter only now he`s the manager, typical, lazy smart a** moron and they make him the manager, and once again, he ignores me. So I say outloud "I`m looking for a tire in this size" and he says "Ain`t got it" and I said "Yeah that`s what you say everytime I walk in here, do you have any tires at all or do you carry just one size?" and I walk out the door. They closed 2 years ago now, and it`s little wonder why.
I sure would like to figure out what it is with this country, at the company I used to work for, the sorrier you were the more they liked you and protected you, we had 1 guy, comes in late everyday, nobody says nothing, doesn`t even bother to turn on the CNC machine until it`s noon, then runs half of one order, falsifies his paper work then leaves for the day. After the lay off took place did they get rid of him? nope. Now he`s a supervisor, amazing how that works. The man who comes in on time and works hard all day making the company money you lay off, yet the man costing you money you promote,, so I`m trying to figure out, is stupidity contaigous? All the parts stores around here are the same way. They make someone who knows nothing about cars or parts the manager. I hear many people who got laid off from many other jobs complain of the exact same problem and it just makes me wonder how it got this way. To me it`s nothing more than a sign of the intelligence of the college educated morons in management. Education don`t mean wisdom, there is no substitute for experience. So I can relate to what you mean Cobalt, I`ve seen in many cases where they list they have a part and don`t have it. But to put someone in a management position who flat don`t care makes absolutely no sense. Right now it`s a fight just to get a job, yet these clowns seem to not care if they make the business close it`s doors putting them out of a job as they know a week later, another business will pick them up.

[cobalt327]

All that working at a parts store around here means, is that you can somehow pass a piss test. Period.

I'd (in a 'perfect' world) prefer a dope-less knowledgeable guy, but I'll take a pot smoker who knows his stuff over a drug free dumb arse w/an attitude problem.

The old saying was "It's not what you know, it's who you blow." Innuendos aside, the way corporate America now works has little to do w/knowledge, dedication and work ethics- it has EVERYTHING to do w/popularity and perceived "cool-ness".

A little blackmail never hurts, either.

[Dirty Biker]

Originally Posted by cobalt327

All that working at a parts store around here means, is that you can somehow pass a piss test. Period.

I'd (in a 'perfect' world) prefer a dope-less knowledgeable guy, but I'll take a pot smoker who knows his stuff over a drug free dumb arse w/an attitude problem.

+1

[T-bucket23]

I am generally not a fan of Advanced Auto but they bailed me out big time today. We has a 66 Mustang towed in off the highway today, Labor day, with a blown water pump,it was wobbling so bad it hit and destroyed the radiator. They managed to locate a water pump and a radiator for me today so we could get the customer on his way.
I could not believe they were able to get them today.

[boatbob2]

HI,ive been to ALL of the different part stores. the guys at NAPA know a heck of a lot more about parts,than any of those other stores clowns.i know a parts guy at NAPA in Ft Lauderdale,that can quote you a part # without looking in the book.

[Mojo56]

I never buy regular repair parts on-line... any one of three of my local stores can get me almost anything the same day or overnight. I can even call them from the road and they will deliver to my shop when I'm not there and let me pay for the stuff when I get back home... sometimes that two weeks later.

No reason to go anywhere else.

[cobalt327]

Originally Posted by Mojo56

I never buy regular repair parts on-line... any one of three of my local stores can get me almost anything the same day or overnight.

Ordinarily, that would be what I do. This case involved taking "advantage" (ha-ha) of the online 20% discount- that has cost me way more than I saved.

I will NEVER do this again, and would also caution anyone to think twice before they get tempted by the savings- which would have been sweet, if not for the total FUBAR situation I find myself in:

• Preopened parts, w/O-rings missing. Was told, "If you really need them, I'll get another PS pump and take the O-rings from that box." I guess it's called screw the next guy, on and on- instead of getting to the root of the problem and just replace MY O-rings.

• Parts that had to be picked up from two different stores, no way to have all the parts shipped to just one store.

• Charged twice for the parts, refunding the first charge will take up to a week.

• Parts being both picked up AND the same part also being shipped to my address- even though the original order (that tied up my money) was cancelled and replaced by a second order. I have to return the shipped part to receive a refund, so I didn't even make out there.

• Now over 5 hours invested, w/about a half dozen calls made- and still no return call from management at the "main headquarters".

• Et cetera.

[PontiacPhil]

Originally Posted by boatbob2

HI,ive been to ALL of the different part stores. the guys at NAPA know a heck of a lot more about parts,than any of those other stores clowns.i know a parts guy at NAPA in Ft Lauderdale,that can quote you a part # without looking in the book.

+1 on Napa. I live within walking distance of one, owned by the same guy for 30 years and he works the counter every day. I would gladly pay Napa's premium pricing to give him my business, and have before, as opposed to going to what is essentially the Walmart of auto parts stores, AZ and AAP. Inevitably I end up going to AZ and AAP because I rarely get home before Napa closes (6pm weekdays, noon saturdays, closed sundays). But I do believe Napa's parts are generally of higher quality.