Amazon & Rockauo Price Comparison

[HTSS_TR]

Thinking about buying 2005-2008 Volvo V50 2.4L engine. Price some maintenance parts to see how expensive/cheap they are from Amazon and Rockauto. The first price is Amazon, the second is Rockauto.

Bosch Spark Plug FGR6NQE0 - $6.53 - $4.81
Mann-Filter Air Filter C-24137/1 - $16.91 - $12.39
Mann-Filter Oil Filter HU-719/8X - $7.12 -$5.41
MAHLE Cabin Air Filter LA-220 - $16.88 - $10.80

The total price with 5 plugs and 4 oil filters came to $102.50 with Amazon after 8% tax with free shipping, it is $76.26 with Rockauto with $7.38 Priority Mail and no tax.

The difference is $26.24, Amazon is about 34% more than Rockauto. The problem with Rockauto is you need to choose parts stocked in the same warehouse to minimize shipping cost.

Few years ago Amazon usually had lower total price than Rockauto, because of no sale tax to CA and most items have a little lower selling price too. But lately that is not the case anymore, unless you are buying some heavy items like Brake Rotors ... then high shipping cost from Rockauto and other online retailers will make total cost higher than Amazon. Also, when you are buying somethings from Rockauto you need to buy in higher quantity and several difference items at once(stocked at the same warehouse) to reduce shipping cost per item.

PS The prices of Amazon above is new parts with Amazon as seller, not used parts from Amazon Warehouse nor from Amazon market place.

PPS The price comparison above is for those parts, may not be true with other parts for other vehicles.

It pays to price shopping !!!

 

[panthermike]

That's quite a difference! I don't use Rockauto as much anymore for the bundle shipping reason. Most of the time, it wants to ship from 2+ separate facilities. If shipped from one, I'll usually buy from them though.

 

[Nyati]

No tax on Amazon if you don't live in the Peoples Republik of Kalifornia.

 

[Azeem]

Always found spark plugs/wires and filters to be cheaper and more convenient from AAP with codes.

Amazon,no taxes here, has better prices than RA.

 

[eljefino]

I got a great deal on stuff for my mercedes 240d from amazon: incredibly complex oil filters that are half paper, half cotton bypass, for $2.79 or so. Everything else was at least half price as well. I went back a week later and it was all GONE!!! This was two years back.

Amazon messes with you more, I must have gotten in on a secret sale. If you find a price that's too good to be true, STOCK UP!!!

OP is right about brake rotors, but remember "free" shipping isn't magical. Amazon claimed the AC delco rotors for a 2000 Lesabre, at $25 each, "normally cost for shipping but it was my lucky day and it was free that day." I bit.

If you mess with amazon, clear your cookies, use different browsers, try it from work, etc to see if that gets you an advantage.

 

[HTSS_TR]

I agree. Selecting parts from Rockauto is tricky, you like to select all parts that are stocked in the same location to minimize shipping cost.

If I replace MAHLE Cabin Air Filter with MANN Cabin Filter CU2440 then Rockauto will ship spark plugs from difference location and shipping cost jumps to $12.68 and the cabin filter is about $2 more makes the total $83.57. If I select all these parts from a seller on Amazon Market Place (TiTan Direct) then the total is $88.80 with free shipping and no tax, only $5 more.

 

[HTSS_TR]

The problem with AAP is they don't have any stores in Republik of Kalifornia but they charge sale tax(because they have office here), free shipping with $75 or more for some items (no oil, no ATF, no battery ...) otherwise shipping cost is very high.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
The problem with AAP is they don't have any stores in Republik of Kalifornia but they charge sale tax(because they have office here), free shipping with $75 or more for some items (no oil, no ATF, no battery ...) otherwise shipping cost is very high.


Having an office there is asinine but their business model sometimes leaves me wondering how they keep the lights on.

AA is a great source for mail order trailer hitches, BTW.

 

[tenderloin]

Amazon made a deal with California..They were "allowed" not to have to pay sales tax for an extra year+. Then they would build more warehouse sites. They seem to still be expanding..

Amazon

Amazon

Amazon..Jobs

 

[cat843]

The real deal breaker is heavy items like rotors where you can get free shipping from Amazon but pay shipping with RockAuto.

 

[stephen9666]

Originally Posted By: Nyati
No tax on Amazon if you don't live in the Peoples Republik of Kalifornia.


Actually, it's not just a California thing. Essentially, it's because Amazon has to charge sales tax on orders shipped to any state where Amazon has a physical location.

My state now has an Amazon facility, so I have to pay more than 8% tax on orders.

Quote:
Items sold by Amazon.com LLC, or its subsidiaries, and shipped to destinations in the following states are subject to tax:

Arizona
California
Kansas
Kentucky
New Jersey
New York
North Dakota
Pennsylvania
Texas
Washington

 

[oilboy123]

I use them both. Rockauto plays a shell game when you change items around with the A, B, C, D etc item prices.

Amazon charges tax for us lucky Washingtonians....

 

[stephen9666]

And like the OP, I have found Rock Auto to be more competitive then in past years. They're not always the cheapest, but for me they often are, even when you don't consider the sales tax.

Also, Amazon's free shipping can be pretty slow sometimes. Rock Auto's distributors seem to ship all my items quickly.

 

[demarpaint]

I always shop. I used to like Amazon but I noticed they play a lot of games, as already mentioned, which is a big turnoff.

 

[zzyzzx]

I often find eBay to be cheaper. Of course there it is often difficult to find information on an auto part since often stuff is advertized on eBay using a major supplier part number but is an off brand.

 

[JANDSZIRKLE]

I have found rockauto too be $30.00 cheaper than anywhere else for a clutch kit for one of my beaters. Thats still after taking shipping cost into account. Hard too complain imo.

 

[HTSS_TR]

I bought many items from Amazon and some from Rockauto, 2-3 years ago Amazon had lower total price than anyone else Rockauto included. But lately Amazon seems to raise their prices, and since we pay sale tax now the total price after free shipping for orders $25 or more is not as good as before.