Advance Auto Parts 09164 of Largo Fla Sucks!

What a day..

It was about time for a new battery for my old 1988 Chrysler LeBaron.

It had an Interstate Megatron Battery in it when i bought it, and in close to 3 years it was showing signs of old age. I had to charge it frequently unless i drove it every few days.

Since it was in the car when i bought it, and probably at least a year old at that time, i figured it was about time for a replacement.

There in absolutely nothing worse than a car with a dead battery, and AAA has cut the number of service calls down to 3 in a calendar year, and raised the price!

I started my search online and found Advance Auto Parts to be the lowest priced for their Autocraft Gold Series at $108.99. I would really rather have an Interstate battery, but they didn’t list their Megatron for my car. All they had was the Green Top Interstate, and wanted $129.99 for it. No thanks.

I drove up to the Advance Auto Parts store on East Bay Drive, in Largo Fla. The guy behind the counter seemed to stutter a bit when i asked him who made that Autocraft battery, to which he replied we do, implying that Advance Auto Parts manufactured their own batteries.  I questioned him are you sure? I said i heard that Exide made Autocraft and Diehard too, all they do is slap different labels on the battery for whoever was selling it. He stuck with his story and swore Advance Auto Parts manufactures it’s own batteries.

I decided to just go ahead and purchase it. Since Advance is a large chain of stores, there should never be a problem if it needed warranty replacement. Plus they install their battery’s FREE with purchase, and I’m still not able to do it myself since my hip replacement is not 100% healed up.

We headed out the door with my new battery on a cart he was pushing, i popped the hood release and the counter guy started disconnecting my old Interstate when the front door swung open and some little guy (said Eric on his shirt) hollered, leave that for later, get inside and on the register, customers are waiting. I’m thinking WTF? To holler at that counter guy like he did was not really professional at all.

Meanwhile I’m sitting in my car fiddling with my G2 installing the Pandora App. My car radio don’t work so Pandora is a decent substitute for the time being. I guess about 15 or so minutes went by and i went back into the store and complained about the service. Eric replied “We install battery’s as a FREE service when we have time to do it.” “We have to wait on customers at the counter first.” Hmmmmm!

I just said i changed my mind, I don’t want your battery, whipped out my credit card and receipt, and said give my my money back. Eric processed my refund and then went outside to reinstall my battery terminals. He couldn’t find the hold down, it might have not had one, I honestly don’t know.

Maybe I’m old fashioned, but i believe that Good Customer Service  is the most important part of doing business. Advance already had my money, so apparently getting more from other customers is more important that servicing the customer that paid and was expecting to get his battery installed.

Eric said that Advance Corporate has cut his help down a lot, there were 3 counter people in that store around 4:00 PM. And judging from the number of customers coming and going, it must be a pretty high volume store.

Eric did say that Johnson Controls makes Advance’s batteries. According to this Google search query he is correct.

I’d realy rather have an Interstate Battery Anyway!

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