Another thumbs up for Rock Auto

[RaymondT]

My one-year-and-change-old AC Delco steering gear started puking fluid. Yeah, I was warned...

So, I decided to go with a reman Mopar unit for the 1997-2002's. Turns out, the dealers are on nationwide back-order with at least 6 orders already pending. Amazon (com and ca) were also out of stock. Then I get an amazon email saying my high-carbon Centric rotors were not going to ship (3rd party vender bullsh*t) and I was having a hell of a time finding a source.

Rock Auto to the rescue. I got their last Mopar OE reman box and both Centric rotors already shipped in under 12 hours.

 

[CodaMan]

Love Rock Auto

 

[Daryl]

The only issues I’ve had with Rock Auto is everything I received is extremely poorly packaged. The parts always look like they were drop-kicked all the way here.

 

[Fonz54]

The only issues I’ve had with Rock Auto is everything I received is extremely poorly packaged. The parts always look like they were drop-kicked all the way here.

Must be the UPS guy I have. Boxes always look like they been to hell and back.

 

[ac_]

Never heard of Rock Auto - interesting and bookmarked. Thanks

 

[Squatch]

Never heard of Rock Auto - interesting and bookmarked. Thanks

This establishment is my go-to parts supplier. I've spent several thousand dollars in the past four years shopping with them. Fast delivery, too. One heads-up, though. If you are buying multiple parts, sometimes you can shop the different parts and get it where they're coming out of the same warehouse. This saves on the shipping costs. For instance, if you bought one brand of disc pads, and a different brand of rotors, they might be coming out of two different warehouses. However, select another brand of pad to go with your rotors, and it might be out of the same place. Which warehouse (A, B, or C) that they're shipping from will show up in the "cart" before you finish buying. It's not a huge deal, but it sometimes makes a difference. I highly recommend them!

 

[ac_]

This establishment is my go-to parts supplier. I've spent several thousand dollars in the past four years shopping with them. Fast delivery, too. One heads-up, though. If you are buying multiple parts, sometimes you can shop the different parts and get it where they're coming out of the same warehouse. This saves on the shipping costs. For instance, if you bought one brand of disc pads, and a different brand of rotors, they might be coming out of two different warehouses. However, select another brand of pad to go with your rotors, and it might be out of the same place. Which warehouse (A, B, or C) that they're shipping from will show up in the "cart" before you finish buying. It's not a huge deal, but it sometimes makes a difference. I highly recommend them!

Nice Tip!

 

[Boinked]

My one-year-and-change-old AC Delco steering gear started puking fluid.

Why not drop in a darango steering box. Same bolt and line pattern as the tj. 97-02. But has a much bigger piston. It seamed to help with larger tires.

 

[Davidtj]

Why not drop in a darango steering box. Same bolt and line pattern as the tj. 97-02. But has a much bigger piston. It seamed to help with larger tires.

Nice tip

 

[cliffish]

I like Rockauto but have to agree a lot of the boxes look like retail returns by the time I get them, never had any issue with the parts themselves or had any missing parts.

 

[Daryl]

I like Rockauto but have to agree a lot of the boxes look like retail returns by the time I get them, never had any issue with the parts themselves or had any missing parts.

Exactly my experiences.

 

[jeepins]

I've bought from RockAuto for years and have never had any issues with their packaging. And most of it is left on my doorstep (ie tossed there by UPS). Plenty of Jeep parts and also stuff for a 96 F150 I drive. But I agree, they're great and love the multiple choices you get in parts.

 

[ohiopatriot]

Don't forget your local independent parts house. They can get your parts overnight too. Advice and knowledge. Priceless.

Soon we aren't going to have anything brick and mortar, hell even Wallyworld is taking on Amazons model. Main St. is dying.

 

[ac_]

Why not drop in a darango steering box. Same bolt and line pattern as the tj. 97-02. But has a much bigger piston. It seamed to help with larger tires.

If you actually did that you should write up an article in the "How to Section!" That is a great tip!

 

[Boinked]

I used the information found here.it is written better than i could ever do. You lose i bit of lock to lock. But i cant tell

http://www.nwjeepn.com/SteeringGear.html

 

[KCsTJ]

That makes.me sad :-(

 

[Squatch]

Don't forget your local independent parts house. They can get your parts overnight too. Advice and knowledge. Priceless.

Soon we aren't going to have anything brick and mortar, hell even Wallyworld is taking on Amazons model. Main St. is dying.

Problem with the locals is they can't get anywhere near the price. I've shopped by part numbers, and have actually encountered the local stores having double, as in twice the price on the identical parts as Rock Auto. For the amount of money I spend on vehicles every year, my loyalty to "buying local" has to end at that point. Yes, it's sad that the local brick and mortar stores are going the way of the Desoto, but we're not talking a $10 DVD locally vs. $5 online. I'm talking hundreds of dollars with one single purchase. It adds up way too fast...

 

[glwood]

I'd love to shop the local businesses, and do as much as possible, but like you @Squatch, I have to draw the line when the local store is considerably higher, won't price match, meet you half way, or even budge at all, especially on higher dollar items. I'd prefer to touch and see an item prior to the sale, plus have a local store for returns, but not at 30, 50, or 100% higher cost.

 

[Squatch]

I'd love to shop the local businesses, and do as much as possible, but like you @Squatch, you have to draw the line when the local store is considerably higher, won't price match, meet you half way, or even budge at all, especially on higher dollar items. I'd prefer to touch and see an item prior to the sale, plus have a local store for returns, but not at 30, 50, or 100% higher cost.

Precisely. I truly do buy locally whenever it makes economic sense, or I have a sense of loyalty to the establishment. But with the way some of the places in town are run, it just doesn't happen. It's unfortunate, to say the least.

 

[ac_]

I'd love to shop the local businesses, and do as much as possible, but like you @Squatch, I have to draw the line when the local store is considerably higher, won't price match, meet you half way, or even budge at all, especially on higher dollar items. I'd prefer to touch and see an item prior to the sale, plus have a local store for returns, but not at 30, 50, or 100% higher cost.

Nobody is even talking about the elephant in the room. The crazy ass sales tax! People from other states will buy from my state to save local sales tax as we do with others.

Trump said he wants a federal sales tax to make it fair, but if he really wants it fair he will abolish all sales tax. @Chris knows what I am talking about, but in all reality I find that if I order online I get better service and more knowledgable people. Plus a choice of where I want to shop. Here in AZ I have Desert Rat and 4 Wheel parts and the turnover of people are ridiculous, and nobody knows anything. And worst yet they don't stock anything. I swear every time I go to 4wheel parts they have to order it. If they have to order it anyway, I can just do that from my house.

I would be more apt to go to brick and mortar, if I could at least get good advice and they stocked parts, but if I have to do all of the research and wait for them to order it then I don't really have any use for it. If they go away, it really wouldn't make much difference to me anyway. The only thing I really worry about is if the brick and mortars go away then the online service may go downhill,

One more thing, If you buy something from 4wheel parts because they are local and it breaks, they argue with you and make you feel like it was your fault. If you order something online and send them an email telling them the story most likely they will just send you parts to fix or a new part. That is not always true, but you can count on an argument at the counter at 4 wheel parts if you have to return something.

Lastly as @Squatch said 4wheel parts is twice as expensive than anywhere you go, and they are also considered On-line, although I have found some really good deals around Christmas time. And they are closed on Sundays which means that if I want to shop there, i have to do it on Saturdays if I have nothing going on which is rare. On-Line is just too convenient.

Also as @Squatch says, I spend so much money on parts I save so much money bargain shopping all over the country!

I do go to local shops for supplies like oil and cleaning supplies. So hopefully that will keep them going. Also they could tempt me with an impulse buy while I am there.