Advance Auto Parts — Local services in Red Wing

Let me start by saying I see a lot of negative reviews by customers demanding the store perform services they're not equipped for or don't even perform. I also see multiple reviews of the store not honoring returns to customers who failed to retain their proof of purchase or tried to return damaged products. This isn't one of those reviews.

I've attempted to work with this store over multiple occasions now. When they answer their phones (hit or miss here) they're generally friendly and professional. However their staff are seemingly lacking training in key areas, particularly when cross referencing vehicles parts. I've tried multiple times to cross reference a vehicle with their workers, providing them all necessary information from year, make and model to the manufacturer OEM numbers from their own website. Despite this they seem to be unable to find even the most basic parts I need. And no I don't drive rare models, I own a Chevy and a Toyota. Okay, fine. Maybe their inventory system is just that poorly designed that if you don't have the exact part number matching their system it can't pull it up. However...

One of the rare instances they managed to pull up my vehicle information they were able to set me up with a pair of rotors, bearing assembly kits, and matching break calipers and pads (one for each side of my truck). They quoted me $120 and change for both bearing assemblies as a set, which I thought was great since everybody else wanted to charge me $160 for the pair. Well when I go to pick up the parts the guy at the counter told me that not only did they only order in a single assembly for the wrong end of the vehicle, but that the quoted $120 was only for a single unit and to get the parts I now needed to wait an additional week because the parts had to ship from the manufacturer. And just to add insult to injury they also demanded I now pay in advance since it was such a large order. Okay, that's understandable but why then did they place the order over the phone in the first place? The guy had no answer for this. Well seeing as I couldn't wait a week I took my business elsewhere and paid the extra $40 I thought I was saving here.

There have been other instances where the service with this place was lacking, but looking back this obvious bait and switch is the single most glaring and the one interaction that I remember every time I consider whether or not it's worth the risk dealing with them. If they have the item I need in stock I'll buy it, but if I need to order something in I'll go through more trustworthy...

I had called about my car battery needing to be replaced. I was quoted a price, which I would gladly have paid. Then I asked about the free installation.

I was told, "That looks to be a 30 minute job, I am not going to do that today."

"Would you be willing to do so tomorrow if I dropped my car off early?"

"If it is raining tomorrow, I won't because I don't have a shop here."

After that, I said thank you very much.

What I am thankful for is knowing I do not need to take my...

I had a vehicle issue while out running errands and tried to get help from another nearby car company and got no help. Walked over to the store and was really impressed with the help from two male workers I can’t remember there names but one was short heavy set man and a slim fellas they went above and beyond to help me and my family with our car issue. I just wanna say thank you to them both still nice people out here working in mn willing to lend a hand it’s nice...