Is Rockauto.com More Than Just A Catchy Theme Song

We have all seen the odd commercials with the catchy theme song. Is rockauto.com worth a look when parts shopping?

As a husband to a wife that gives me a hard time about the cost of auto parts, I do the best I can to find deals. I have a long list of places I shop before I make a decision on big ticket items. After years of seeing commercials, three years ago I gave rockauto.com a shot. It was the best move I ever made.

I have now shopped for five different cars, from 70’s trucks to a 2007 Dodge. I have yet to have a single issue using the online parts retailer. To my surprise, they have been incredibly helpful in finding parts my local stores do not stock. They also have beat prices a majority of the time.

I had the alternator on my 2007 Dodge Durango go out last month. After shopping the three national retailers in my area, I found the best price to be $169 for a remanufactured unit. None of the stores had it in stock though.

I decided to give rockauto.com a shot and was blown out of the water. Not only did they have every model at a lower price, they had one I had not seen at $99! A factory Mopar remanufactured unit with a warranty! I ordered it, and two days later it was installed and it was perfect. Easy core return made it even better.

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This was not the first time rockauto.com has blown me away. With my 1978 Ford Bronco, I was able to order new breaks front and rear for half the cost of what my local store could do. We are talking rotors, calipers, wheel cylinders, bearings, pads, and shoes.

Here is the big kicker for me. I messed up and ordered the wrong rear wheel cylinders. I was able to set up a return online and get a new set in just a couple days. It takes forever to exchange a part at my local stores. As most of you know, do not even try with a special order.

I have ordered ignition parts and electronics for my friends Jeep Wrangler with the same success. It has been a welcome surprise to find a parts store that makes it so easy. It has become my go-to retailer for anything I do not need the same day.

The user interface is very dry. I am not going to sugarcoat it for you. It is a searchable database format that has no bells or whistles. It takes some getting used to. Once you are used to it, it is not too bad. Overall I do think it needs work but is not that bad.

I love the fact that for core returns, and returns in general, they give you the option of providing shipping label or allowing you to do it yourself. It is all about the customer. That is such a refreshing feeling when getting parts.

In the end, I was ultimately surprised with rockauto.com. For people who normally work on their cars themselves, it is my first recommendation. For people new to auto parts shopping I would not do the same. For me, it personally has saved me hundreds of dollars and I will continue to use them for non-same day needs.

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