Rockauto

[jman093]

Just a heads up W-body. Rockauto is requiring a receipt for professional installation on parts for warranties. Which is pretty much their way of never having to warranty anything. I just bought a dead-on-arrival part from them and got burned because I installed it myself (I'm a auto technician for a living). I don't mean to start a tirade against a dishonest company I will never again purchase from. I'm just hoping to save someone here from being out $.

[vipmiller803]

Yikes. I use rockauto all the time. Any idea if it's just specific types of parts or with specific labels?

 

What kind of part was it?

[GTP091]

That's very weird as I've had 2 defective parts over the years and they took it back without issue.  Electrical parts they wont touch for obvious reasons but mechanical should be no problem.  I've spent over 2k with them fixing 4 different vehicles and they've been great every time.

[Leadfoot]

I haven't had awful experiences either, but have had a couple issues as of late.  One part was wrong (their catalog had the wrong part listed for the car).  I got in touch about returning it.  It wasn't expensive, but they were difficult because my return didn't fit their standard reason for return (I was surprised this was the reason I was given).  It ended up being enough hassle it has certainly something I keep in mind when ordering more expensive parts.

[Imp558]

I had a wrong part about four years ago. It was something cheap so I just shrugged it off. After that I've been more careful to verify part numbers on other sites and stuff. Also with Rockauto if you order a cheap part you get a cheap part so it pays to be selective and still get a good price one a quality part.

[Psych0matt]

I bought a set of brake pads a few years ago for I think the monte Carlo, and when I got the box it had three correct brake pads and one from something completely different. I emailed them and they said they could refund me 25% of the cost since the other three were correct. I told them that was unacceptable because no matter where I go I will still have to buy a set of four pads, so they eventually completely refunded me. I’m not sure if I got the refund or a new set of pads, but I didn’t pay anything else. Everything else I have bought from there has been fine.

[Imp558]

That's insane, it's not like you got a bag of useable Jolly Ranchers with a couple pieces of black licorice mixed in. What would anyone do with 3 brake pads?

[vipmiller803]

Frankly, I would have been okay with that on the rear of the buick two months ago 

 

Each of the four pads was a different depth, with one only about a third done and one with metal contact.

 

Sorry, off topic. I'm curious to know if they changed their policy in the near past, since all those testimonials are not exactly recent.

Edited July 11, 2018 by vipmiller803

[Imp558]

Stupid rear first gen caliper slides. I always had that problem too and polishing and lubing the slides wouldn't still leave me with the same thing.

[digitaloutsider]

Wow, if this is seriously their policy now, I don't even know what to say. I'll reach out to them and let you know what I hear.

[mfewtrail]

What kind of part was that Jesse? I'm not seeing that on their warranty page except on backup cameras...but maybe they haven't updated their site yet.

Edited July 12, 2018 by mfewtrail

[jman093]

It is an AC compressor for my brothers 96 Grand Prix. His old one has a slow leak. And no, it does not say this anywhere on their website. That’s why I posted to let the forum know so everyone can make an informed decision on whether the cheap cost of rockauto is worth forgoing your warranty.

[vipmiller803]

I wonder if this applies to other products as well.

 

AC compressors have always been weird to warranty. Some companies mandate replacing the condenser, receiver/dryer or accumulator, expansion valve or orifice, and flush the rest out to even look at warranty the compressor.

 

Even with that, it does not change the lack of professional installation requirement. Something fishy is going on. Did you try getting ahold of them again so you speak to someone else or maybe a manager?

[GabsOlds]

Well, they changed their phone system a couple of years ago to where you cannot reach a live person. The phone is unmanned now. 

[digitaloutsider]

I reached out and asked:

 

Hello,

 

Your return policy states that parts cannot be returned once they are installed. What happens in the event that a part is defective within the manufacturer's warranty period? For example, if I buy an alternator which fails shortly after install, am I out of luck?

Is the warranty still valid if I install it myself do I need a shop to do it? I appreciate any clarification you can offer.

 

Thanks,

 

Shaun

 

They replied:
 

 

 

 

Shaun,

We’re sorry there is a problem with your order. If the part was purchased and installed on the correct vehicle and it fails within the manufacturer's warranty period, you can request a replacement on our Order Status & Returns page. The return policy specifies that we cannot accept installed parts as a return in regards to parts that were ordered wrong or simply not wanted.

Also, RockAuto does not have a warranty of its own, so warranty requirements vary by part and manufacturer. You can view the warranty details by clicking the blue "Info" button next to the listing on the catalog. For further information, see our Help page or click the links below:

[Links to rockauto FAQ pages]

Thank you,

Caleigh  
RockAuto Customer Service

I even asked specifically if it had to be installed by a shop, and she didn't say it did. Maybe you had a really stupid rep?

[Heartbeat1991]

I've gotten parts changed or refunded under warranty from them without issue.

[cheatah faheatah]

I've gotten parts changed or refunded under warranty from them without issue.

Hey Neighbor, I'm right next door, 02816.

[Imp558]

OU812

[cheatah faheatah]

VH fan ?

[mechanic58]

Been using RA for nearly a decade. Bought thousands of dollars worth of parts from them. Their customer service has been unrivaled in my opinion. Never once had a problem that wasn’t resolved to my complete satisfaction.

[Dark Ride]

I got a doa turn signal switch from them within the past two months and I was able to get a refund I just had to ship it back which they paid for. A week later, refund was in hand. I chose in store credit since I had other stuff I needed, but not sure that matters

[98gpgt]

I've put in 3 or 4 orders over the past 3 years. I think I've gotten 2 parts that were incorrect, both were brake hardware kits iirc. One was for sure, I had to use the old hardware on the rear of my 98 gp gt. It wasn't a problem in my opinion. Since it was a cheap part, I didn't bother to send them back. But be careful what you order, if you're like me, and order 200$+ of parts at once. Only cuz one days ur gonna needs it.

[goldcamj]

A few years ago, I bought a Delco front brake caliper from Rockauto.  When I tried to install it, the threads didn't match those of the factory banjo bolt, and no other parts store/dealer could find any other banjo bolt that would match it.  Otherwise, the caliper looked identical to the original one.

They took it back without issue (although I guess it never made it to "installed", anyway).

 

[Human]

I've always found that Rock Auto's attractive prices are almost always nullified by expensive shipping charges so news of hassle-filled returns only further pushes me away from ordering from them.

[89-W-Body-Regal]

Never had any problems with them because I install the parts myself and they are the correct parts because I always search the part numbers before buying them.