RockAuto has screwed me for the last time....

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

It isn't a Rock Auto problem, it is a people and a parts supplier issue.  You merely get to experience it mail order instead of from a delivery truck.

This 

They sent me wrong starter (AC Delco for a Corvette) in the "right" box and basically didn't want to hear that the starter they sent was wrong. Pay to return it, or keep it (not sure what it went to, or maybe I would have). Left me really sour.

But now I order things sporadically. Depends on car, part, timeline, etc etc 

I've had WAY worse luck getting the wrong parts and/or getting counterfeit parts with Amazon.  I won't buy any auto parts from them.

Rockauto gets their stuff from the same places as the FLAPS.  I have seen an uptick in getting wrong parts, but they were new in the box with the correct PN on them, so that's a supplier issue.  

Quality of used parts has just fallen way off.  I buy eurotrash parts from FCP Euro.  The Oreilly distribution center in my town has a front counter and they're great about having at least one of everything in stock, even for the Euro stuff.  In a pinch, I take the old part there and match it to the new part, just like the old days.

L5wolvesf said:

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

It isn't a Rock Auto problem, it is a people and a parts supplier issue.  You merely get to experience it mail order instead of from a delivery truck.

This 

As I said before, I don't know any other business that makes you pay to return their mistake. 

I buy most of my parts from a locally owned FLAPS called Parks Auto Parts. They are very good about supply, reasonable about pricing, and don't stock the fails tomorrow parts that most chains sell. I also don't think I've ever had to order something from them. It's also the place the 99% of the local repair shops buy parts from. They are that good. 

I only use RA when I want cheap. So far, no issues but from the sound of it, it's only a matter of time. 

Keith Tanner said:

Even if you know what suspension you have, there are some gotchas in there because of the way they're listed. For example, if you have the Hard suspension, is "w/o Sport" correct or not?

Something about glass houses and stones...

Just because RA's parts list isn't perfect, or even great, doesn't mean the search interface and detailed specs available isn't also still the best that is (publicly) available.

I've been hosed once but RA sent me a return tag and then shipped the right parts.

Matter of fact placed an order today with them only because I can get the oil filters I like for <$8/each instead of 12-16$. Plus they were the only ones who had a 10r60 trans filter in stock of reasonable money and not the dealer who wants triple. Not even my trans parts places can get them.

Oriellys First call is a godsend since I don't have to actually talk to anyone....

Driven5 said:

Keith Tanner said:

Even if you know what suspension you have, there are some gotchas in there because of the way they're listed. For example, if you have the Hard suspension, is "w/o Sport" correct or not?

Something about glass houses and stones... 

Just because it isn't perfect, or even great, doesn't mean it isn't also still the best that is (publicly) available.

If you find a mistake in my catalog, you tell me. It'll get fixed. That problem with the listing brake rotors for 2003-05 Miatas has been around for nearly 20 years. I'm sure Rock Auto has shipped out a few incorrect sets and had them returned (at buyer's expense). Have they done anything about it? Obviously not. So right there, I know that nobody is maintaining it and nobody really cares. I wouldn't trust it as a source for the correct information even if it does have a nice flyout tree that lets you narrow down your search fairly quickly. Neither would I trust Amazon, because Amazon is just a payment processing house with a pretty search engine for a huge number of fly by night operators.

If you want to find the right parts for your car, go to a marque specialist such as Flyin' Miata. There you'll find a year breakdown along with the Sport/non-Sport distinction as well as the actual rotor diameter. If you still have questions, you can reach a real human being by phone, email, FB messenger, YT comment, Instagram message, various message boards or a few other methods. And not just a human being who's untrained and reading a script, but someone who knows the car and has access to resources to answer difficult questions.

My glass house is fairly safe here, I feel. More importantly, I and everyone else at FM cares so we'll take measures to improve if we get feedback that it's lacking.

I've been lucky enough with Rockauto.  They mostly get it right.

FCP Euro is my go-to for BMW stuff, but they are not immune.  Just last week, I received an accessory drive kit from them--2 belts, 2 tensioners, and an idler pulley.  I didn't discover that the two tensioners were identical until I had the thing taken apart.  The one for the AC belt was clearly different from the alt/PS/water pump tensioner.  Had to source one locally late on a Saturday afternoon.  Lucky to find one, even if Chinesium.

The FCP boxes were marked correctly with different part numbers.  The parts inside the boxes were identical.   They refunded the cost of the tensioner.  I'll order from them again, as I will from RA.

Pretty much done with FLAPS.  Crappy parts at double the cost.  I've got extra vehicles.  Broken car can sit until the good stuff comes to my door.

In reply to Keith Tanner :

Dude if I could have access to a marquee specialist for hyundai kia I'd kiss them.

In reply to Keith Tanner :

If you have the Hard suspension, is "1.8 Miatas" correct or not?

Driven5 said:

In reply to Keith Tanner :

If you have the Hard suspension, is "1.8 Miatas" correct or not?

See, you're going to get an answer to your question from a human being! You obviously have a 2001-02 model, as the listing says the 1.8 rotor fits 1994-02.

The Hard suspension is the same as Sport, so you'll want the 2001-05 option. And I'll go clarify that in our site right now so the next person doesn't have to ask.

Keith Tanner said:

Driven5 said:

In reply to Keith Tanner :

If you have the Hard suspension, is "1.8 Miatas" correct or not?

See, you're going to get an answer to your question from a human being! You obviously have a 2001-02 model, as the listing says the 1.8 rotor fits 1994-02.

The Hard suspension is the same as Sport, so you'll want the 2001-05 option. And I'll go clarify that in our site right now so the next person doesn't have to ask.

And do you also require your customers to pay to return your mistakes?

In reply to bobzilla :

Definitely not. Our customer service team is rabidly pro-customer. If we discovered that we'd shipped out a wheel bearing that was in the wrong box, we'd pay to ship that thing back and we'd pull every one of those bearings off the shelf until we could confirm that the whole inventory was correct. This isn't a theoretical occurrence, it's amazing the number of ways something can go wrong. For example, Wilwood dyed a bunch of calipers slightly darker recently so we've been dealing with the aftermath of that. Who thinks to open up a caliper box and look inside the plastic bag to see if the grey is slightly different than the grey of a different caliper? Well, we didn't before...

In reply to Keith Tanner :

Oh, I know. Back in the day with Honda we would put in a request when we got more than one boxed wrong and they would halt all shipments until every part had been inspected and compared to engineering specs to determine where the problem was. It was a good thing. Not sure any large manufacturer does it anymore.

Whether we’re talking car parts or not, I feel this is part of the retail experience. 

For example, I need a new guitar cable. I can buy one from Amazon, and it will be here tomorrow. Or I can go to our local shop and have Randy (the owner/my instructor) sell me a cable that will last for years. The local option might cost a few bucks, but I’m okay paying for his knowledge and experience.

If it’s junk, I know he won’t sell it. And if it’s good enough for him to gig with, then I know it’s really good.  

bobzilla said:

In reply to Keith Tanner :

Oh, I know. Back in the day with Honda we would put in a request when we got more than one boxed wrong and they would halt all shipments until every part had been inspected and compared to engineering specs to determine where the problem was. It was a good thing. Not sure any large manufacturer does it anymore.

This is more or less how the British Motor Trade Association came about: How to improved the lines of communication between the small, independent shops selling and installing the parts and the manufacturers and distributors. 

It seemed to help. If there was a problem in the field, now there was a way to make things right. 

bobzilla said:

In reply to Driven5 :

Their "system" has you answer a few obscure questions and then gives you a yay/nay pay this answer. Sending them an email has yet to work as I have NEVER gotten a reply (yet I get all their spam). They shot themselves in the foot when they killed their human CS. At least with amazon you just drop it off at a return location and your money is back as soon as you get into the car. 

This. I went through their little questionnaire, one of which was "does the part number on the part match the part on the box" to which i answered "No". That should have been an instant free return IMO 

Toyman! said:

I buy most of my parts from a locally owned FLAPS called Parks Auto Parts. They are very good about supply, reasonable about pricing, and don't stock the fails tomorrow parts that most chains sell. I also don't think I've ever had to order something from them. It's also the place the 99% of the local repair shops buy parts from. They are that good. 

I only use RA when I want cheap. So far, no issues but from the sound of it, it's only a matter of time. 

 

When i lived in Charleston, i had completely given up RA because Parks was the same price (or cheaper) and the store on Rivers had everything i needed in stock. I hope they never close down...

ProDarwin said:

Keith Tanner said:

You go there because it's cheap.

You go there because it has the best parts search interface, period.

But yeah, its not worth the pain.  Lately, I find the part number I want and go buy it elsewhere, even if it costs a few bucks extra.

yeah random measurements and specs hidden amongst a sea of car parts is truly beautiful

In reply to Keith Tanner :

Don't get me wrong. I'm certainly not arguing against the merits of marquis specialists, especially the few like FM that have truly second to none customer service. Most 'marquis' people are probably best served to just run want whatever parts their particular trusted marquis specialists happens to stock. 

However, that is something that many (most?) other people either don't have access to. The fact that RA make specs on basically all parts for all cars available to the customers provides a lot of value to a minority of people. That's simply what RA having the "best parts search user interface, period" means.

The RA site was massively helpful in figuring out a source to build a 'high clamp' 4-cyl Accord pressure plate and 'upgraded friction' 4-cyl Mustang disc 'kit' for the Honda V6 + Ford T5 going into our race car.

And what other single-source is available that can help figure out things like this? https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/weak-brakes/259520/page1/

So as a procurement professional I've dealt with this.

With the advent of Walmart, Amazon et al most folks just want bare bones cheap and may never realize it's better to simply pay more for certain things. The low bid mentality is pervasive in modern society.

A perfect example is those of you who eat at The Olive Garden thinking it's Italian food or for that matter good food.

Sometimes cheap works just fine and sometimes not. I have the luxury to pay a little more for better service if need be.

In reply to Tom1200 :

"A perfect example is those of you who eat at The Olive Garden thinking it's Italian food or for that matter good food."

Exactly so. Years ago OG had an ad campaign suggesting all you Italians should bring your family from Italy in for dinner when they come visit. An Italian-American stand up comedian said, "If I brought my family from Italy to Olive Garden, they would put out a contract on my ass!" Or something like that. I do not eat there unless I'm under severe duress: The spousal unit has suggested it on occasion...

And trying to save a coupla bucks on car parts is getting to be the same thing. A false economy. Yeah, my FLAPS fouls up once in a while but at least I know right away and don't end up with a car on the driveway for a week while I try to straighten out my procurement process. Point taken.

In reply to rdcyclist :

It's referred to as either Spazzatura at my house.

In reply to Driven5 :

I have to say I'd never noticed the specs on the products. Usually, if I'm looking for something like dimensioned rotor diagrams I go to Brembo, or the big books under the counter at NAPA. Good to know. If that's valuable to you, definitely support them. Just be aware that there's not guarantee of accuracy, as nobody seems to be maintaining some of that information.