Buying auto parts on Amazon

[Donald]

I use to look up a vehicle on RockAuto get part numbers and find them on Amazon with free shipping (Prime). Now either I cannot find the brand I want or the price is significantly higher than RockAuto. Also Amazon seems to have more combos with respect to a brake pad & rotor.

RockAuto is still listing Raybestos. For now I guess.

Anyone else noticed this?

 

[mrsilv04]

I always expect to have to pay a little more for heavy or bulky parts from Amazon, due to the built in free shipping. It beats having to play the RockAuto shipping game across multiple items. Yes, Amazon might not have the brand you want. I've seen that before.

About 5 years back, I found that the place to get the best overall price on bulky items, such as a radiator support or a radiator, was eBay. Of course, it is likely that you'll have to wait an extra couple of days. Not a good option if it is needed relatively quickly. But when you're rebuilding the whole front end of a car, and are only working on it during the weekends, it works.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I've had really bad luck with Amazon auto parts. Multiple times I have received used parts from Amazon.

 

[repairman54]

RA is my go to. I don't worry about shipping cost, in the big picture look how much money I'm saving DIY even though I have Prime. Less issues of used, counterfeit, etc. parts also. Same with Ebay, but I've used them on a NLA rear camera in the past as a last resort successfully. I want quality parts for a one and done, time is also money and I'm not screwing around to save a few rubles.

 

[Arc]

Last year Amazon had an unbelievable price on Gabriel Struts something like $13 a piece and it showed lots of them in stock. I never did get them and it took months to get them to cancel the order. I think they were holding all the orders until they got to a certain amount and it never did. Either that or they fell off the boat at the port. That seems to be an issue with shipping containers. This was Amazon warehouse not a private seller.

 

[DCDG]

I use to look up a vehicle on RockAuto get part numbers and find them on Amazon with free shipping (Prime). Now either I cannot find the brand I want or the price is significantly higher than RockAuto. Also Amazon seems to have more combos with respect to a brake pad & rotor.

RockAuto is still listing Raybestos. For now I guess.

Anyone else noticed this?

Not sure about the shipping but looking this morning at brake pads & rotors set TRQ through 1aauto was less than going through Amazon.

 

[BC1]

Home Depot is another free shipping source to check. I think they use the same suppliers as RA. You will need the part number beforehand.

 

[Volvo_Expert_Tech]

I bought my EBC red stuff pads from Amazon for far cheaper than I can find anywhere else especially since I require shipping to APO. Just make sure the part number matches what you need.

 

[KrisZ]

I look at the total price, not just “free” shipping. Yes it requires more steps, but RA was cheaper multiple times than Amazon and had faster shipping because many auto parts sold on Amazon are sold by third parties and not from an Amazon warehouse.

Another good source is Walmart online store.

 

[nwjones18]

I use to look up a vehicle on RockAuto get part numbers and find them on Amazon with free shipping (Prime). Now either I cannot find the brand I want or the price is significantly higher than RockAuto. Also Amazon seems to have more combos with respect to a brake pad & rotor.

RockAuto is still listing Raybestos. For now I guess.

Anyone else noticed this?

I've been noticing the same thing and have been making more orders from RA.

 

[bdc101]

Amazon is full of counterfeit parts (since they try hard to hide who is selling the parts from you) and like others posted, they do a very bad job of keeping faulty and used parts from being returned and then selling them again. I have even bought brand new OEM Mazda parts off amazon and found used parts in the box! That means that the dealer who created an Amazon seller account sold a part, the buyer swapped out a used part and returned it, and the dealership didn't even check before they resold it! I would rather go to Ebay because it's usually the same parts and Ebay makes it much easier to return things that are fake or faulty. Ebay will actually go after counterfeit sellers, but Amazon seems to protect them.

Anyways, I am also pretty fed up with RockAuto after receiving faulty parts from them which cost me days of my life and hundreds of dollars trying to troubleshoot -- and then having to argue with them to give me a refund! And pay shipping back to them! I was so infuriated by this experience that I have decided not to do business with them except in a few certain instances such as name-brand spark plugs, which they seem to be the only safe place to buy from (i.e. safe from counterfeits) that doesn't charge $19/plug.

 

[Urshurak776]

Only time I buy any auto parts from amazon is if I can't find it anywhwere else. I got my sons rear window cable doohicky thing there. It was a third party junk yard I believe, but it was the only place I could find it without going OEM. BEater car, so wasn't going to pay $700 for OEM. Paid $85 shipped and it worked like a champ. I have also bought oil filters on sale. Not too often though.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Rock Auto is usually cheaper than Amazon even without "free" shipping

The last exception was wheel cylinders, which were $10 each with free shipping, while Rock Auto's were almost that much before shipping.

They're still listing Raybestos because the warehouses they use still have them in stock.

 

[Hall]

RockAuto is still listing Raybestos. For now I guess.

Why wouldn't they ? You can be certain there are hundreds of thousands of Raybestos brake parts in warehouses across the US.

 

[nobb]

Never use Amazon, unless you are getting cheap generic parts. Amazon's supply chain system makes it incredibly easy for counterfeit or used returned parts to get mixed in and sold as genuine new.

The reason is they've basically automated the entire process. From a seller's standpoint, once they've "uploaded" their inventory to the Amazon FBA system, all they see are metrics. If there are defective parts and whatnot, most of the time it's uneconomical for the seller to deal with the return where they can inspect the part and decide what to do. Amazon basically always grants the customer the right to return items which is often times exploited. Amazon does do some basic gate keeping to not allow just anyone to sell automotive parts, but it's easily circumvented. A guy could have a sketchy parts supply company registered and then easily be allowed to sell OE parts.

 

[Selmorides]

Two weeks ago, I got a great deal on a brake rotor but I could only get one. Got the other at Rock $46 more. That’s how good the deal was. Auto Specialty which is Powerstop solid rotors instead of drilled & slotted rotors. I’m in north central Illinois. Amazon shipped from Illinois to New Jersey to me. Took 6 days. Rock shipped from Illinois about 60 miles from me in 2 days. FYI, It looks like Rock lowered prices on Powerstop product since I got my rotor.

 

[TnT_M]

I will often compare RA and Amazon. If I need it sooner, I usually pay the small upcharge on Amazon. Sometimes Amazon is cheaper though.

 

[Donald]

I look at the total price, not just “free” shipping. Yes it requires more steps, but RA was cheaper multiple times than Amazon and had faster shipping because many auto parts sold on Amazon are sold by third parties and not from an Amazon warehouse.

Another good source is Walmart online store.

I looked at Walmart. Many brands I have never heard of. AutoShack reminds me of RadioShack. I looked for Akebono brake pads and only found rear.

 

[KrisZ]

I looked at Walmart. Many brands I have never heard of. AutoShack reminds me of RadioShack. I looked for Akebono brake pads and only found rear.

Yes, they're like amazon with plenty of third party re-sellers and weird brands. It's best to already know what you're buying and search by manufacturer's part number IMO.
If you want to browse what fits your vehicle, RA is probably the best.

 

[The_Jeff]

I looked at Walmart. Many brands I have never heard of. AutoShack reminds me of RadioShack. I looked for Akebono brake pads and only found rear.

Ironically Autozone used to be branded as AutoShack but RS shut them down. Surprised they gave up on their intellectual property that easily.

I've bought AutoShack branded brakes on ebay. Also gotten "Detroit/Dearborn Axle" stuff like wheel bearings. Decent quality for cheap beater parts.

Gave up on Amazon around Covid. They were great before, with legit 2 day shipping and great prices, but decided to start taking profits. I got some premium rear brake shoes from a warehouse deal, in a shop worn box but brand new, advertised as "used-good cond" for four bucks, shipped, once.