RockAuto Parts Lately...

Just got an order yesterday. All new and in order. Much cheaper than buying them locally or even Amazon. Here's my order list for the last couple of years.
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Usually arrive within a couple of days and, except for a single rear wiper that didn't fit, all good. Here's an example:
Amazon:
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Rockauto:

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I manage the parts dept of a small CT.
People inquire about parts, and about half the time they say stuff is cheaper online.
I don’t even fight anymore; I admit it is…I just gently say you have to get it shipped and hope there isn’t a problem with it.
About 3/4 of them end up buying the parts from me…
 
Well, I am about to order some NGK DILFR5A11 spark plugs - for my other problem

O'reilly and Autozone are both $26.99 each.

RA is $13.58

times 6. Shipping is $10.

I know the shipping / warehouse games are annoying, but if someone knows a cheaper place let me know.

Yes, the games are annoying. You can have good, fast or cheap. You usually get one of the 3, if your get 2 its your lucky day.
Yes, I love a challenge. You are looking at $91.48 from RA. Parts Container on eBay is $66.15
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3521250959...M6GCKM&hash=item51fc4a901c:g:uP4AAOSwhwpkA6Ys

Parts Container is a vetted eBay seller I have used for over 15 years. The are an authorized reseller of NGK, Bosch, Denso, Mann, Motul, Hitachi, KYB, Bilstein, Sachs, Lemforder, etc.
Their price is $12.97 each when ordering 4 each or more, plus they have a 15% discount coupon, just click on the link in their listing. Your net is $66.15 plus tax, free shipping.

Parts Container does not have the absolute lowest prices on eBay, but at least you are guaranteed to get authentic products. They ship from either their warehouse in California, or they often drop ship from Worldpac or one of the other nationwide auto parts wholesalers.

I bought a set of 8 NGK Iridium plugs from them last month and decided to double check their authenticity on the NGK/NTK website after they arrived, and of course no problem, they were legit.

https://www.ngkntk.com/newsroom/blog/emea/fake-or-not/
 
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Yes, I love a challenge. You are looking at $91.48 from RA. Parts Container on eBay is $66.15
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3521250959...M6GCKM&hash=item51fc4a901c:g:uP4AAOSwhwpkA6Ys

Parts Container is a vetted eBay seller I have used for over 15 years. The are an authorized reseller of NGK, Bosch, Denso, Mann, Motul, Hitachi, KYB, Bilstein, Sachs, Lemforder, etc.
Their price is $12.97 each when ordering 4 each or more, plus they have a 15% discount coupon, just click on the link in their listing. Your net is $66.15 plus tax, free shipping.

Parts Container does not have the absolute lowest prices on eBay, but at least you are guaranteed to get authentic products. They ship from either their warehouse in California, or they often drop ship from Worldpac or one of the other nationwide auto parts wholesalers.

I bought a set of 8 NGK Iridium plugs from them last month and decided to double check their authenticity on the NGK/NTK website after they arrived, and of course no problem, they were legit.

https://www.ngkntk.com/newsroom/blog/emea/fake-or-not/
Well, I believe you but still not buying spark plugs on e-bay. :ROFLMAO:

Your link is $77.82 shipped.

RA is 13.58 x 6 less 5% code = $77.41. So the price difference is shipping, which if this was all I am buying would be $10. But I am buying coils too - and for sure oil filters because this is BITOG.

Sincerely thanks for the link. Maybe it helps me out in the future.

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Well, I believe you but still not buying spark plugs on e-bay. :ROFLMAO:

Your link is $77.82 shipped.

RA is 13.58 x 6 less 5% code = $77.41. So the price difference is shipping, which if this was all I am buying would be $10. But I am buying coils too - and for sure oil filters because this is BITOG.

Sincerely thanks for the link. Maybe it helps me out in the future.

View attachment 272866
You have to click the 15% coupon, then click the "go to checkout" to see the 15% discount applied. You stopped one step before the final discount is applied. I just did it, and the total before tax is $66.15.
Like anything, the choice is yours to buy or not to buy on eBay, but this vendor has been vetted by me over the past 15 years of purchases, and I just ordered last month and verified the NGK plugs are authentic on the NGK website. Clearly I cannot convince you, and that is fine. Its a free country...well mostly still is. :)

But you are welcome to pay more where you are more comfortable and get the warm and fuzzies...I get it.

You can probably order most of your items you get from RA from Parts Container and save even more. You can search off their eBay store front: https://www.ebay.com/str/partscontainer?_trkparms=folent:partscontainer|folenttp:1&_trksid=p3542580.m47492.l74602
I see they currently have over 270,000 parts listed.

j.webp
 
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I haven't used RA in many years now. With shipping the savings are questionable now, and then hearing all this sort of thing with used and junk parts. Naaa, at least local parts I can check them on the spot, and way easier to return with out driving to an UPS store to stand in line there for who knows how long.
 
I guess I have been one of the lucky ones. No issues with Rock Auto (over 10 years) for me. I buy for 3 different vehicles. Also good luck with certain Ebay sellers. Bought some brake pads recently off Amazon from Bendix store. Hopefully that store is legitimate. Not endorsing just sharing my experiences.
 
You have to click the 15% coupon, then click the "go to checkout" to see the 15% discount applied. You stopped one step before the final discount is applied. I just did it, and the total before tax is $66.15.
Like anything, the choice is yours to buy or not to buy on eBay, but this vendor has been vetted by me over the past 15 years of purchases, and I just ordered last month and verified the NGK plugs are authentic on the NGK website. Clearly I cannot convince you, and that is fine. Its a free country...well mostly still is. :)

But you are welcome to pay more where you are more comfortable and get the warm and fuzzies...I get it.

You can probably order most of your items you get from RA from Parts Container and save even more. You can search off their eBay store front: https://www.ebay.com/str/partscontainer?_trkparms=folent:partscontainer|folenttp:1&_trksid=p3542580.m47492.l74602
I see they currently have over 270,000 parts listed.

View attachment 272871
Checked out their EBay store. Not easy to shop by MMY of vehicle. One of the things I like about RA.
 
You have to click the 15% coupon, then click the "go to checkout" to see the 15% discount applied. You stopped one step before the final discount is applied. I just did it, and the total before tax is $66.15.
Like anything, the choice is yours to buy or not to buy on eBay, but this vendor has been vetted by me over the past 15 years of purchases, and I just ordered last month and verified the NGK plugs are authentic on the NGK website. Clearly I cannot convince you, and that is fine. Its a free country...well mostly still is. :)

But you are welcome to pay more where you are more comfortable and get the warm and fuzzies...I get it.

You can probably order most of your items you get from RA from Parts Container and save even more. You can search off their eBay store front: https://www.ebay.com/str/partscontainer?_trkparms=folent:partscontainer|folenttp:1&_trksid=p3542580.m47492.l74602
I see they currently have over 270,000 parts listed.

View attachment 272871
I will try them on something that is less of a troubleshooting problem than spark plugs, especially given my current issues. When you actually said World Pac that was a sort of turn off actually - last thing they shipped me was a used Ball-Joint, obviosly installed, with no retaining ring :ROFLMAO:

I will keep trying though - I like saving money.

I did search for a Bilstein shock - I need 2 - bilstein 24187152. There $115.76 less 15% plus free delivery.

RA is 91.89 less 5% plus shipping. So happens they would ship with my spark plugs and coils, but assuming they didn't it would be $10 likely, so in that case its less even by themselves.

I assume I will find something to buy from them at some point.

 
2 orders with them in the last two weeks. Both arrived a day earlier than promised. Both exactly what was ordered, new, and undamaged Motorcraft parts. One was 1/2 the price of what the dealer wanted, and the other was 1/3rd the price of the dealer. Used to have a decent option with Autonation Ford (Formerly White Bear Lake Ford) but that's no longer cheap since they sold to another dealership chain...

Through the years, lots of orders and had one defective part return. No different than what I've gotten via other avenues.

I still shop other sources, but Rockauto still wins many times.
 
I will try them on something that is less of a troubleshooting problem than spark plugs, especially given my current issues. When you actually said World Pac that was a sort of turn off actually - last thing they shipped me was a used Ball-Joint, obviosly installed, with no retaining ring :ROFLMAO:

I will keep trying though - I like saving money.

I did search for a Bilstein shock - I need 2 - bilstein 24187152. There $115.76 less 15% plus free delivery.

RA is 91.89 less 5% plus shipping. So happens they would ship with my spark plugs and coils, but assuming they didn't it would be $10 likely, so in that case its less even by themselves.

I assume I will find something to buy from them at some point.

They beauty of eBay is the buyer is king. You always have full return and refund privileges. As a long time eBay seller, I can tell you the buyer always prevails... to the point where I have been scammed a few times. Even when the listing says "no returns"...you can always get a refund through eBay customer service if the part is defective or damaged or not received as promised.
 
Another RA bashing thread? Someone has one bad experience and vows “never again”? Do you have one bad day at work and decide “never again”, never to go back?

Just received my latest RA order yesterday. $400 worth of parts came in two moderately sized boxes. Mechanical parts and lots of liquids. All parts received. No leaking bottles. No used parts. Shipping cost was very reasonable (< $30) coming from two warehouses. Somehow, when i added a part that was not on the list of warehouses already being shipped from, the shipping cost dropped! Have I had a couple instances of wrong parts or other issues?: yes. But those instances are rare. I order from RA a lot! Still a good resource.
 
Yes, March 2020, just as pandemic started, OE GM rotor had greasy hand prints.

I get it. Not used, but likely tried to install and wrong part, returned. But I think that maybe should be sold as used for slightly less. I requested a new one.

Again I understand these parts aren’t going to be thrown away. Just that at the consumer level we prefer new/sealed. A shop likely would simply install customer is never going to know
 
Another RA bashing thread? Someone has one bad experience and vows “never again”? Do you have one bad day at work and decide “never again”, never to go back?

Just received my latest RA order yesterday. $400 worth of parts came in two moderately sized boxes. Mechanical parts and lots of liquids. All parts received. No leaking bottles. No used parts. Shipping cost was very reasonable (< $30) coming from two warehouses. Somehow, when i added a part that was not on the list of warehouses already being shipped from, the shipping cost dropped! Have I had a couple instances of wrong parts or other issues?: yes. But those instances are rare. I order from RA a lot! Still a good resource.
I don't think thats fair. The OP had two bad orders in a row, and was asking if others had seen the same. I did not see any bashing.

I have had more good than bad RA orders, but I do think its a place for wholesalers to attempt to pawn off used parts. It seems to be more and more common. I assume they hope you have no choice but to accept it and slap it in, and hope for the best. Or you just delay return past the deadline. Since most people blame RA not the wholesaler - who is really the one everyone should - then they don't care about their name reputation.
 
I don't think thats fair. The OP had two bad orders in a row, and was asking if others had seen the same. I did not see any bashing.

I have had more good than bad RA orders, but I do think its a place for wholesalers to attempt to pawn off used parts. It seems to be more and more common. I assume they hope you have no choice but to accept it and slap it in, and hope for the best. Or you just delay return past the deadline. Since most people blame RA not the wholesaler - who is really the one everyone should - then they don't care about their name reputation.
I noticed my Japanese indie uses Worldpac. I don't know but I would not expect top notch garages to order from RA for the reasons the OP experienced. If they've got a vehicle taken apart and on a lift and the part comes in unusable, it's going to cost the shop. But for us shade trees, say 95% of RA transactions are fine, we're going to save a lot of money. I did in fact get 2 warranty exchanges on brand new AC Delco starters, and until I noticed the defect on the field wire, I would have had 3,4,5 etc. etc. At the time it was lifetime warranty and RA handled--all I did was to pay about $6 for their FedEx label, and of course I ate my labor. It was a 1998 Maxima so a fairly easy job....

Another thing with RA are the prices and shipping do change almost day to day, and I assume it depends on who has the said part....

edit p.s.--very satisfied with a Davico 18390 (y pipe LS430). Ordered from RA in Feb., and delivered right to shop, $327 (it went up since I first looked, about $10). Today, it's gone. Davico is a MA co., but I noticed on the part itself it said Made in Canada. Maybe that's why it's gone. Why I am so pleased...it was the only mandrel bent y-pipe, the rest were crimped. So RA came through on that one. People on a forum said this was a good part about 7-9 years ago when they failed on their cars...

Don't ask me why but I have my eye on a CAT for another car made by Davico....$180 which is almost 1/10 of GM. Plus GM has a $400 core....almost positive made in USA so no worries on price....
 
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I noticed my Japanese indie uses Worldpac. I don't know but I would not expect top notch garages to order from RA for the reasons the OP experienced. If they've got a vehicle taken apart and on a lift and the part comes in unusable, it's going to cost the shop. But for us shade trees, say 95% of RA transactions are fine, we're going to save a lot of money. I did in fact get 2 warranty exchanges on brand new AC Delco starters, and until I noticed the defect on the field wire, I would have had 3,4,5 etc. etc. At the time it was lifetime warranty and RA handled--all I did was to pay about $6 for their FedEx label, and of course I ate my labor. It was a 1998 Maxima so a fairly easy job....

Another thing with RA are the prices and shipping do change almost day to day, and I assume it depends on who has the said part....
Yes, I agree, for planned maintenance RA is awesome.

If you need the part NOW, it likely is not.
 
I look at rock auto and find the shipping a bit much. I buy from Amazon mostly Quick ship free and returns free. Only 1 issue with amazon in the last 12 years that I lost money. Unknown name timing set. Belt broke (Not my best decision). Parts geek has been fine for the 4 things purchased. I have asked local suppliers if they will price match. OEM Dealers normally will. But call them first. when you are in front of them they won't. I've tried. Dealers all pay the same price for stuff and normally common items they have. When you say yes to a repair, they want you to get it fixed now before you find out its not needed. 3 times out of 5 for me.
 
I don't think thats fair. The OP had two bad orders in a row, and was asking if others had seen the same. I did not see any bashing.

I have had more good than bad RA orders, but I do think its a place for wholesalers to attempt to pawn off used parts. It seems to be more and more common. I assume they hope you have no choice but to accept it and slap it in, and hope for the best. Or you just delay return past the deadline. Since most people blame RA not the wholesaler - who is really the one everyone should - then they don't care about their name reputation.
OK, OK. Substitute “one bad experience” with “two bad experiences in a row”. ;) It is certainly upsetting. I understand the frustration. Mistakes happen. It is not so much a RA issue, as it is an issue with the fulfilling warehouses, whoever those were.

I just went thru two EBay goof-ups in a row on autoparts (and I rarely use EBay for anything). One was the dual mufflers for the ‘08 Volvo XC70 in my sig. The price for low grade stainless steel mufflers and pipes was amazing. The included clamps were a bonus (sleeve clamps), except both clamps were the wrong size. The seller did review the design and sent the correct clamps several days later. The next goof-up was an input pinion shaft seal for the steering rack. Wrong part sent to me by EBay seller. Sent it back. Awaiting refund from EBay. Emailed the seller several times before mailing the part back. Still haven’t received a response. At least with RA, i can play their automated return system game and get some positive response!

Despite the EBay issues, I’ll still buy from EBay.
 
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