Don't buy the cheap *** brands. I have a advantage, I managed a parts store back in the late 70's. I know the quality brands even if they have switched to MIC parts. One thing nice about RA, you have a choice of what brands you buy.
Rock Auto crap parts
- Thread starter Jeff Skibenes
- Start date
Frazzlesnap
New Member
I was super excited to see the correct Budd calipers for my 67 at RA. I ordered both. Well, that isn't what I received. I got some kind of AMC-specific calipers, and had a hell of a time convincing them that they weren't the right ones for my car. They finally took them back and sent me the correct passenger-side caliper, but they couldn't supply or find the driver's side, and ended up refunding me. So, now I've got a really nice hard coated passenger-side Budd caliper with stainless steel pistons, and... I'm stuck running the single piston stuff from a 74 Newport. Yay. Rock Auto has otherwise been fine, but I prefer buying locally when possible, unless it's the same part at RA for less. As always, caveat emptor.
Promiscuitto
Member
After comparison shopping for shocks, I ended up getting the best price at Rockauto. Even saved $2 to $3 on shipping by using a commercial address for delivery. Big deal.
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I've spent thousands with rockauto, the only people who complain about them put themselves in the situation.
They either buy crap parts or don't pay attention to warehouse codes and price themselves out with shipping.
I've only had one problem with a rockauto order, and it wasn't their fault, it was the manufacturer of the part, I purchased piston rings and when I opened the package I only had 15 oil rings.
I had purchased them one year prior to opening them, so I was over the return time, so I contacted rockauto and they happily sent me another set and paid for me to ship the shorted set back.
Nick
They either buy crap parts or don't pay attention to warehouse codes and price themselves out with shipping.
I've only had one problem with a rockauto order, and it wasn't their fault, it was the manufacturer of the part, I purchased piston rings and when I opened the package I only had 15 oil rings.
I had purchased them one year prior to opening them, so I was over the return time, so I contacted rockauto and they happily sent me another set and paid for me to ship the shorted set back.
Nick
Slap Stick
Active Member
Even name brand parts can be a problem. I bought some Raybestos brake drums for my Dakota and they were made in China. Then once installed they were out of round.
Maybe this in not new but its new to me. Looks like there is an option that shows which items are the best choice - shipping cost wise - once you have other items in your cart. That is one of the biggest complaints that people have is adding a $5 part and a another $9 shipping cost gets added because that item comes from a different location that your first item.
DesertMopar
New Member
Living in New Zealand and owning a 67 Newport RockAuto has been a godsend. I also use them for 5.0L ford parts for my Australian Falcon and they are amazing. The quickest I have gotten parts is 70 hours from ordering to the parts on my door step in New Zealand!! And things like a gates water pump for the falcon plus by pass hose was going to cost me $450 nzd but the exact same parts from RA shipped was $73 NZD!!
patrick66
Old Man with a Hat
Did you get a good exchange rate? I see currently, it is $1.00 USD = $1.43 NZD.
Different note - I collect license plates from all over. I have five different plates from five AUS states, but none from NZ at all. Would you be interested in trading a NZ plate for a US plate? I have a lot of Colorado and Oklahoma, especially.
bluefury361
Old Man with a Hat
With RA, if you order crap, you get crap. It's your choice.
volksworld
Well-Known Member
.....raybestos is now owned by brake parts inc and their stuff comes from all over...found this out when researching a defective master cylinder on my sons car that turned out to be part of a recall...the same brake parts inc master was sold as raybestos, ac delco and NAPA...rock auto no longer carries it so i'm getting a full refund
DesertMopar
New Member
I cant remember what the rate was but it was a year ago when it was much better due to the way nz was dealing with c19. I appreciate the offer on a plate swap but I dont have any plates and the shipping from here to the states is INSANE! I was going to be charged $17 just to send a standard letter envelope with a flattened candy bar as if it was an extra 2mm thick it was going to cost over $40! so I would hate to know what a plate would cost. If I do find an old plate I will see what its worth to send and get in touch with you mate.
Slap Stick
Active Member
But it's American companies that are responsible.
polara71
Old Man with a Hat
The public, not the companies.
" give the people what they want ".
I buy American wherever I can, always have. Sometimes even at 4 times the cost or I do without until I can find it.
Slap Stick
Active Member
But its still the companies allowing shoddy parts to be sold. Yes, the consumer wants low prices but you cant have good quality and the lowest price. The consumers somehow learned low prices are better than good parts. They need to be retrained.
For instance those Raybestos brake drums that I found were made in China and were out of round. I won't buy Raybestos any more and I warn people about them.
So how does it benefit companies to have crap parts made?
For instance those Raybestos brake drums that I found were made in China and were out of round. I won't buy Raybestos any more and I warn people about them.
So how does it benefit companies to have crap parts made?
My Raybestos brake drums are the same, out of round. Now I will be re-buying from Mobileparts as I should have done the first time. Finding quality parts for these old cars has been a challenge.
68PK21 440.6bbl
Old Man with a Hat
A word about out of round drums, in all the time that a brake drum passes through someones hands there is a possibility that someone tossed, dropped, fell off the stack... etc. 1 drop the right way will make it out of round as I was advised by my NAPA machinist when I picked up a set of new drums for a job. Nice guy, he asked me if I wanted them 'Ground' before I installed them, I asked why they were new in the box and looked pretty good to me, then he explained to me that if 1 person dropped it during shipping that it would be out of spec. He said your choice, it was free and no charge but he couldn't do it right away as he had others waiting to be done but said come back in a hour.
One thing I learned from the Ford factory service manual is that they don't recommend turning/grinding disc's & drums with a brake lining service unless there is a complaint of pulling to one side or pulsating of the brake pedal. The discoloring, slightly grooved surface is normal and not in need of a re-surface other than it's just a 'Upsell' or for someone that is kind of anal retentive IYKWIM. I don't know if the Chrysler FSM states the same but I've serviced many Crown Vic linings for 100 of thousands of miles without ever turning a drum or disc. But also at every oil change I properly adjust the rear breaks cuz as you know self adjusters on old 1960s cabs were a factory delete item as cabs very rarely back up and a out of adjustment rear brake lining will wear the front linings more due to the inefficient braking power of the rears being out of adjustment. Anyone that does many brake jobs has all seen the shoes that are worn more at the top than the bottom when replacing, that is a improperly adjusted and inefficient drum brake.
Same goes for the un-vented (solid) front disc's of the ecnobox compact cars, it didn't take long for mechanics to realize that you can't turn those as they will warp. Heck the few jobs I did of those sheetboxes that needed disc replacement the fookers were only $8/10 my cost new back in the day. Same goes for the 4 lug mini wheels, tire shop jockeys quickly learned you can't wack the lugnuts down with the air wrench as uneven torque will warp the discs, everyone with grey hair remembers the day when the clicky torque wrenches would be used on those (service bulletin).
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I remember buying new brake drums and rotors 40 years ago (good parts, not cheap crap) and seeing the note in the box saying to turn the rotors before installing. I never did (LOL) taking the chance they would be good enough. Of course, that was my own cars and worst case was pulling it back apart to turn the drum. A pro mechanic might not want a returning (unhappy) customer.
Yep! That was a real simple concept. As long as you didn't destroy the surface, there usually was no reason to turn or replace the drums, yet I saw that time after time.
I was sitting at lunch one time with my step son (he was grown when I married his mom) and he ok'd a $1000+ brake job on his 1/2 ton pickup. I said "WTF?" and explained he should be getting kissed too, but it came down to I know absolutely nothing about cars apparently and the guy selling him brakes knows everything. If that was one of my kids, they would be saying... "Put the f'ing car back together, I didn't tell you to check the brakes"... and then if it did need brakes, they'd spend $25 for pads, do the job in a half hour and all would be right with the world. His relatively new Ford "needed" everything. New calipers, rotors etc. Yea, right...
vlodarty
Member
Just recently Rockauto refused to pick up the return shipping cost of sway bar links that did not fit the verbal description AND-photos in their catalog
The excuse was that the manufacturer can change the part any time, but as long as the parts fit and function, I’m out of luck
The catalog photo showed grease zerks and poly boots but the parts I got had none. To me it’s “BAIT and SWITCH “
The shipping cost was not much, but it’s the principle, it’s their mistake, they should cover the cost. They say that in the return policy
I’ve been a customer since they started but now I’m looking elsewhere for parts and finding similar or better prices with free returns and no multiple shipping costs from different locations on 1 order
The excuse was that the manufacturer can change the part any time, but as long as the parts fit and function, I’m out of luck
The catalog photo showed grease zerks and poly boots but the parts I got had none. To me it’s “BAIT and SWITCH “
The shipping cost was not much, but it’s the principle, it’s their mistake, they should cover the cost. They say that in the return policy
I’ve been a customer since they started but now I’m looking elsewhere for parts and finding similar or better prices with free returns and no multiple shipping costs from different locations on 1 order
Old 66 Yorker
Member
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