Rock Auto, scam on shipping?

HS108

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Ya gotta be careful on the shipping with them, but if you question it ya should reach out to them, ive contacted in the past and they were actually pretty helpful with a return for me. (this was years ago tho)

I bought 90% of all my parts on my recent project from RA, if I go local I only use Oreilly or Napa if I have too.
 

Cant Write

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I don’t have much experience so I’m asking sincerely.

Why do you use RA over your local Napa or Carquest? Is it a price or quality thing? Or both?

With RA, the not being able to talk to someone if I need to return a part scares me....

And scamazon, I will use them to find things im looking for and then go directly to the manufacturer’s website and order there.
 

Nero

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I personally prefer getting things in person, I have a very good relationship with the napa by my house. Rock auto parts are usually a little cheaper, but it offsets based off shipping cost in my experience.
 

u2slow

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I don’t have much experience so I’m asking sincerely.

Why do you use RA over your local Napa or Carquest? Is it a price or quality thing? Or both?

With RA, the not being able to talk to someone if I need to return a part scares me....

Price for me. Easily save 20-30% (after freight) over buying local. Sometimes more.

I don't bother with returns, but damaged orders, or missing parts - they have so far sent replacements every time.
 

Cubey

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I don’t have much experience so I’m asking sincerely.

Why do you use RA over your local Napa or Carquest? Is it a price or quality thing? Or both?

Price.

I bought the entire hydraulic brake system (except hard lines, I used the old existing) on RA for my 64 VW. They sell the same mostly Chinese parts that air-cooled VW specific online stores sell (IAP being big brand presence). People online warn that Chinese brake parts for old VWs are junk, but I had no issues at all. It's been 2 years. RockAuto was much cheaper than the likes of Jbugs, even with the shipping.

O'Reilly actually sells some parts for VW bugs. But no lifetime warranty on a lot, like wheel cylinders. https://www.oreillyauto.com/shop/b/...a/17315/automotive-car-1964-volkswagen-beetle

Otherwise they'd be the better deal, if keeping it long term. Napa's prices are usually higher than everyone else and I don't consider them any better at the corporate level than the other chains, especially after shipping me coolant test strips that were expired for a year already, and then dragged their feet about refunding after they had them back.

Only specific parts from certain companies like Wolfsburg West are actually different, or are guaranteed to be better quality.. like the rear torsion bushings I bought. It's somewhat dangerous job, so it's better to do it once every 20 years if possible by using good quality bushings.
 

Cant Write

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Since my nearest parts store is 17+ miles 1-way. I will definitely start considering RA.

I usually been using GM Parts Direct, or something like that for my big orders. The ones that buy up and resell the parts’ dept surplus.
 

u2slow

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I should point out... I'm in Canada where every parts store charges like they ordered it online, paid freight, and marked it up.

Usually before I pull the trigger on a rockauto order, i run part numbers on Amazon as a final price check.
 

IDIBRONCO

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Price for me. Easily save 20-30% (after freight) over buying local. Sometimes more.
Usually before I pull the trigger on a rockauto order, i run part numbers on Amazon as a final price check.
I seem to have the same luck on prices. Naturally, it isn't as much of a savings these days since shipping is so high. I need to remember checking Amazon.
 

Old Goat

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I usually google (click on Images) what I am looking for, and all
the pictures come up. Then poke around to see what is available.
Parts Geek will have the part on E-Bay, under their name, listed same price, or a bit cheaper some times. But on E-Bay, no shipping charge.
Napa is always higher in price than O`Really, so usually buy from them. Plus I get my Military discount.
I don`t worry about the lifetime warranty deal, but if a defective part etc... will take it back w/o (usually) a problem.

Only time I had a problem with them, I was replacing the front Calipers on my 80 Mercedes 240D. Mine were the German ATE brand. Gave them the old cores at the time.
Installed them and then could not turn the Rotor, installed the other one, same thing.??? took one off my parts car, turned ok.
Finally figured it out, they must get theirs from India or?? and the casting is a bit larger and was touching the Hat part of the Rotor.
Got the run around with the MGR etc... said they were ATE...
If they were would had the ATE in the raised letters in the casting.
He is No longer there, have a new one, but they seem to have a turn over there. But for the most part get to know some of the guys, and have had good results.

Finally went to NAPA, got the ATE`s, were painted up all pretty
and worked perfect.

Amazon always is higher in price from what I see and E-Bay is too for the most part, Just need to shop around.

For NOS Ford parts, Taska, Ford Parts Giant will still have some things for a fair price. Will get OEM if I can.


Goat
 

WrenchWhore

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i've had great luck with finding parts on Rockauto since they label parts pretty good. They also have those closeout deals that are ridiculously cheap sometimes. But I am impulsive and MUST HAVE IT NOW! So I go to the local Autozone, O'reillys, or Napa and see if I can decipher what will work with my project. I keep Rockauto on lock for larger orders of hard to find stuff. Yes, I have seen the shipping changes they do when you rake up a big list. I don't understand why they feel the need to do that but still it's cheaper IMO.
 

chillman88

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I look at it this way. These numbers are all completely made up to illustrate how I imagine it would work because it makes sense to me that way....

You have 5 items in your cart that weighs lets say 9.5#. You add one more that makes it 10.5# which jumps the order to the next shipping tier so your shipping that was $8.99 now would be $15.99 because you're over 10#. Alternatively, if I ship items 1&4 from warehouse "B" that will cost $3.99 and then your other order is $8.99 so combined it's cheaper.

I really don't know if that's how they do it, but it would make sense to me since everything is calculated by the computer. Just an idea.
 

franklin2

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Price for me. Easily save 20-30% (after freight) over buying local. Sometimes more.

I don't bother with returns, but damaged orders, or missing parts - they have so far sent replacements every time.
Yes, even after freight.

Used to be Advance had a coupon program. You could find the coupon, do the order online and apply the coupon, and get a very good price. BUT it had to be in stock at the store. After you got offline you hopped in the car and went down to the store to pick it up. This was when RA was losing out.

But it seems Advance stopped this program. I was talking to the commercial sales Advance Auto rep at our shop at work, she was mad because doing it this way I was getting the commercial price or lower on most products. It was a great while it lasted.
 

Cubey

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Here is an example of why Rockauto is STILL superior even when you factor in shipping.

Look how much a 2pk of 194 bulbs costs at oreilly. $8!!! $4 per bulb!! That should be illegal.


Why illegal? Look how much they are on RockAuto:
You must be registered for see images attach


Add $7 shipping (USPS) and tax, and it's $9-9.50 depending on your local sales tax for 10 bulbs.

If you want those exact ones O'Reilly sells, it's $2.90 for 10, plus $7 shipping. You'd pay $16+tax for 4 bulbs from O'Reilly, where are you pay about $10 for 10 from RockAuto.

And that's assuming you don't buy anything else, just bulbs.
 

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