Advance Auto Parts, Inc. : Advance Auto Parts Introduces Exclusive Wearever Platinum™ Premium Brake Pads

Market's best-performing ceramic brake pad means fewer comebacks - less noise, superior stopping

Advance Auto Parts (NYSE: AAP), a leading automotive aftermarket retailer and provider to commercial garages of parts, accessories, batteries and maintenance items, recently debuted Wearever Platinum, an exclusive line of premium ceramic brake pads, proven in independent third-party tests to deliver a quieter stop and better stopping power than other leading brands.

"We know that noise and stopping power are the key causes for customer comebacks," said Advance Senior Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing Charles Tyson. "Wearever Platinum is specifically engineered to address those issues. As with all our products, Wearever Platinum brake pads underwent strenuous testing, in this case, from the largest independent friction-testing lab in the world, and performed extremely well."

Wearever Platinum features SoundLock Plus^TM technology. Exclusive to Advance, SoundLock Plus™ uses a four-layer shim, designed specifically for silent braking. SoundLock Plus's diamond-patterned outer rubber layer locks in sound, premium-grade inner steel adds rigidity, a second inner rubber layer further suppresses noise and an acrylic adhesive layer absorbs vibration.

"SoundLock Plus™ and CleanestWheelTechnology™ are major innovations in the ceramic brake pad category," said Greg Steadman, former crew chief of Petty Enterprises, general manager of Petty Garages, and personal mechanic to racing star Richard Petty. "Advance's Wearever Platinum brakes provide everything a professional is looking for in one simple solution - silent braking, superior stopping power and clean wheels."

Independent third-party testing has shown that Wearever Platinum pads' commercial grade ceramic friction formula allows for faster stopping power than other leading brands. The Platinum pads also feature a new formula for significant dust reduction, CleanestWheelTechnology^TM. Wearever Platinum™ is available exclusively at Advance Auto Parts. Visit www.advancepro2pro.com to learn more about Advance Auto Parts Professional.

About Advance Auto Parts

Headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia, Advance Auto Parts, Inc., a leading automotive aftermarket retailer of parts, accessories, batteries and maintenance items in the United States, serves both the do-it-yourself and professional installer markets. As of December 31, 2011, the Company operated 3,662 stores in 39 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Additional information, employment opportunities, customer services and online shopping for parts and accessories can be found on the Company's website, www.AdvanceAutoParts.com.

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Shelly Whitaker, APR, 540-561-8452
Manager, Public Communications
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