# Rock auto



## Grinderman (Dec 11, 2020)

Have you ever noticed there is no phone number anywhere on Rock Auto's site? Don't ever order from them if you anticipate ever having to talk to a real person on the phone. There is a phone number on the web for the corporate office but they "don't do customer service on the phone" according the recorded message. More accurate would be "they don't do customer service". They do have good prices though.


----------



## NCjeeper (Dec 11, 2020)

I have never had an issues with the parts I have ordered so I guess that is a good thing.


----------



## RJSakowski (Dec 11, 2020)

I have been buying from them for around fifteen years.  My first encounter was purchasing a catalytic converter.  I ordered it on a Friday afternoon anfd was very surprised to find it on my doorstep at 10:AM the next day.  At the time, I was under the misconception that they were located somewhere in the Southeast; come to find out that they are 20 miles from me in Madison, WI.   Over the years, I have used them many times for auto parts.  Only on one occasion was a delivery more than two days.

They have arguably the most complete inventory of auto parts in the US.  When purchasing auto parts, I often do a price check from competitors and they invariably come out lowest.  I have no complaints with their service.  * A local number for Rock Auto is  (608) 661-1376.*


----------



## mattthemuppet2 (Dec 11, 2020)

yeah, that's just the cost of cheap prices and fast shipping. If you have a problem with an order the only options are to send it back, on their dime if it's their fault or on yours if it's yours. If it's your fault (like some bulbs I ordered but didn't fit before my car got totalled) the items have to be in their original sealed packaging. In that regard, their CS isn't as good as what we've come to expect from Amazon, but I've never had any issues with them that wasn't sorted out with either a replacement (they sent the wrong valve cover gasket) or refund (those bulbs).

I tend to order from Rockauto, Tirerack and Amazon, depending on price and brand. They've all been good in my experience and the free tire insurance from Tirerack paid for itself several times over!


----------



## Gaffer (Dec 11, 2020)

I've ordered a fair amount of parts from them and they have been excellent. I screwed up by ordering the wrong window regulator once and the return process went fine, and fortunately, I didn't need to call anyone. Their site says they are able to keep their prices low by not having staff for these things. It works for me.


----------



## Superburban (Dec 11, 2020)

Maybe its my location, but nost of the time I look at things, and add in the shipping, it comes to crazy high prices.  Consequently, I have only ordered a handfull of times over the last ten years. Just the other day, I looked at a pack of 10 wiper bushings, parrts total was like $51.0, and shipping was like $11. For something that would likely get shipped in a padded envelope. I can get a pack of 4 (same brand dorman), at the local  store for under $4.


----------



## chip maker (Dec 11, 2020)

I did a tune up on my wifes Taho and looked up the parts from Rock Auto ,prices were good but shipping was pretty high. Ended up going to O Reily only thing was had to wait 1 day for them to get a few items and the price was $24.00 less with the shipping from Rock Auto


----------



## sdelivery (Dec 11, 2020)

I love ROCKAUTO.  I have spent thousands with them.
In the last year or two,  it seems like the shipping has gone up.
I now buy more from Summit Racing than anywhere else.


----------



## FOMOGO (Dec 11, 2020)

Have used them a few times, but as said above when you add in the freight it ends up being more than local purchase. Mike


----------



## Ulma Doctor (Dec 11, 2020)

I'll give a shout out for Summit Racing and Jeggs
both have been excellent
i spent several thousand with both


----------



## martik777 (Dec 11, 2020)

Being in Canada I save a fortune, I am able to pickup in a border town 15 mins away so shipping is cheap.  Brake pads here are $60-70, Rockauto < $20. Frequent clearance specials reduce prices to pennies on the dollar.


----------



## Grinderman (Dec 11, 2020)

My experience with them was not good. Back in Oct of 19 I ordered a water pump for my classic Pontiac. The first one they sent had the wrong impeller(stamped steel vs cast iron I ordered). Sent that one back. The replacement was correct but the gasket was cut in half from the sharp cast iron edges. Sent that one back. Third one they sent was correct but again the gasket was cut in half. I requested a new gasket from the manufacturer or them from another pump in stock. Couldn't do that they said. I contacted Gates myself and they were great as they sent me two new gaskets no charge. There are aftermarket gaskets available but they don't fit the contours of the pump surface as well as the factory gasket.
I decided to keep the pump now that I had a useable gasket. So I got and paid for one pump and sent two back.

Fast forward to yesterday. I ordered an air filter for another car and they said my account was frozen because I owe them ether a pump or $45 because I never returned one of the pumps. This is from over a year ago mind you.Total BS, I am so done with this horrible company. If you could talk to an actual person I'm sure it could be fixed but that won't happen because of their policies. Rant over


----------



## Buffalo21 (Dec 11, 2020)

I tried 4 or 5 times to deal with Rock Auto, it was so frustrating, I gave up. they sent me the same wrong part 3 times.


----------



## The Shootist (Dec 14, 2020)

Rock Auto actually does not have any locations other than their home office. RA is a broker not and actual dealer. Knowing that you can sometimes save on shipping by ordering another of the items you are looking for from the list online. it may be a couple of bucks higher in base price but shipping may be less.

I have also found that if they send you the wrong thing twice it's because the vendor has it mis-stocked. Order another from the the list below what you ordered before and most likely it will be correct.

I've only had to return items twice, and the savings is well worth the effort.

In my area a few years ago we had mandatory emissions test jammed down our throats. almost instantly parts prices, especially tune up parts tripled in price. I can't hardly buy spark plugs for less an $5 each yet from RA I can get the same plugs for half that even after shipping.

Unless I am buying a maintenance item like brakes, shocks or rebuilt electrical part that I want a forever replacement warranty on, I get it from RA.


----------



## pontiac428 (Dec 14, 2020)

I've had good experience with Rock Auto.  I built an engine just before I moved back overseas the last time, and I called in with an order question on valve guides.  I wanted to know if there was a valid interchange for bronze guides.  Old boy went through his catalogs with me until he found a match.  Too bad they don't have a public telephone number anymore.  That said, has anyone ever tried calling Home Depot?


----------



## Packard V8 (Dec 14, 2020)

Summit, Jegs and Rock Auto are evil, in that they pay the great-queen-whore-of-evil Google to put their sites at the top of any auto part search, even if it's for a product they've never, ever had. 

They figure even if they never had the part, if they can get your eyeballs on their site, you might buy something else.

Am I bitter about this?  They've wasted many hours of my time when I'm searching for specific parts for obsolete cars, so yes.

( “Don’t be evil” was part of the company’s corporate code of conduct beginning in 2000. When Google was reorganized under a new parent company, Alphabet, in 2015, Alphabet assumed a slightly adjusted version of the motto.  They discovered there was so many billion dollars to be made being evil, they went to the dark side.) 

jack vines


----------



## 7milesup (Dec 14, 2020)

^^^A little bitter are we?^^^


----------

