I have an account with my local commercial parts supplier. I call and have parts delivered "for free" within the hour. I'd rather pay a few dollars more to support local and get service. No website or call centres to wade through.
Rock Auto - now impossible to communicate with.....
- Thread starter 3930dave
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pmsmechanic
Elite Member
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2013
- Messages
- 4,175
- Location
- Southern Alberta, Canada
- Tractor
- 4410 and F-935 John Deere, MF 245
In my case shopping local is usually roughly a 60% premium over Rockauto prices. I typically have the parts I ordered within about 4 days. I've had very few problems with either them or FedEx.
John0829
Veteran Member
I find RockAuto has good pricing on the parts but loses it (IMHO) on the high shipping cost. I can order just about everything I need or want though Napaoline, have it delivered free to the store if it is not in stock and come out with a few extra dollars still in my wallet. In fact many times the guys at Napa have given me a better price than RockAuto.
I do price check RockAuto when looking for parts but seldom purchase from them because of the shipping, plus FedEx is terrible about deliveries in our area. We have had them hold packages for up to a week until they other deliveries in our area.
I do price check RockAuto when looking for parts but seldom purchase from them because of the shipping, plus FedEx is terrible about deliveries in our area. We have had them hold packages for up to a week until they other deliveries in our area.
pmsmechanic
Elite Member
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2013
- Messages
- 4,175
- Location
- Southern Alberta, Canada
- Tractor
- 4410 and F-935 John Deere, MF 245
Where I live the price is a little over $30 minimum for shipping. I'll combine as many items as I can into one box. Generally anything that is light weight and not bulky ships with other parts for free.
FedEx fly's my parts to Calgary where they put a Canada Post label on it. It shows up at my local post office the next day. If I use any other shipper the parts take over a week to get to me. FedEx is very consistently about 4 days shipping. When it gets to one of their main hubs (usually Memphis TN) I know I'll have the parcel in 2-3 days.
Topzide
Platinum Member
Rockauto parts are coming out of the same warehouses that supply the other national chains. They have the packaging to send it out from there. That's why you'll see warehouse A, B, C, etc. Always check the shipping as it defaults to FedEx. You can choose others.
You Don't Have A Problem..... until you do....... 
I've used Rock, personally and commercially, for a very long time. Engineer-founded (IIRC), so it made sense that it arguably has the best database in the business (def amongst public-access ones). I've grown to really like the database over the years. If they were a mediocre or worse company, I wouldn't waste my time typing one sentence about them.
The reason I wanted to contact Rock this week, is their Shipper never should have selected DO NOT ALLOW PICKUP @ FEDEX TERMINAL as a negative re-direct option.
Fedex just merged their Ground and Express divisions, at least up here. If that is Stateside as well, millions of packages have been screwed up lately. < Confirmed, by the Fedex counter-guy I talked to @ the counter, because you can't call there either.
THAT ^ Mega Charlie Foxtrot aside..... What If...... I live on a remote farm, and a bridge gets washed-out, with recent mega-rains ? Etc., Etc....... ^ Might actually be a fun outing, ATVing past the washed-out section to get to a pickup point..... having to scream @ Fedex for hours.... not so much......
I get it. It's 2024....... Corner-Offices piss-on fenceposts by Driving Efficiency...... Can't Waste Time Picking Up a Phone, to Listen To Customers. Rock has closed-off (General) email contact, for the same reason.
For another reason entirely, I was quoting the olde joke this week....... Zese German pencils have no erasers, because ve don't make mistakes ! It's Easy to claim No Errors, when you eliminate the feedback-path for Customer Communication.
I wanted to ask Rock, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot was your Shipper doing ? (I'd actually be more polite, on-phone, or keyboard....). Instead, I waste more of my time, posting here......
What the Hay...... I needed (badly) to sit down and get this coffee into me anyway !!!!
Rgds, D.
I've used Rock, personally and commercially, for a very long time. Engineer-founded (IIRC), so it made sense that it arguably has the best database in the business (def amongst public-access ones). I've grown to really like the database over the years. If they were a mediocre or worse company, I wouldn't waste my time typing one sentence about them.
The reason I wanted to contact Rock this week, is their Shipper never should have selected DO NOT ALLOW PICKUP @ FEDEX TERMINAL as a negative re-direct option.
Fedex just merged their Ground and Express divisions, at least up here. If that is Stateside as well, millions of packages have been screwed up lately. < Confirmed, by the Fedex counter-guy I talked to @ the counter, because you can't call there either.
THAT ^ Mega Charlie Foxtrot aside..... What If...... I live on a remote farm, and a bridge gets washed-out, with recent mega-rains ? Etc., Etc....... ^ Might actually be a fun outing, ATVing past the washed-out section to get to a pickup point..... having to scream @ Fedex for hours.... not so much......
I get it. It's 2024....... Corner-Offices piss-on fenceposts by Driving Efficiency...... Can't Waste Time Picking Up a Phone, to Listen To Customers. Rock has closed-off (General) email contact, for the same reason.
For another reason entirely, I was quoting the olde joke this week....... Zese German pencils have no erasers, because ve don't make mistakes ! It's Easy to claim No Errors, when you eliminate the feedback-path for Customer Communication.
I wanted to ask Rock, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot was your Shipper doing ? (I'd actually be more polite, on-phone, or keyboard....). Instead, I waste more of my time, posting here......
What the Hay...... I needed (badly) to sit down and get this coffee into me anyway !!!!
Rgds, D.
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Shout-out to Fedex..... Local counter-guy just called me a second-time (left a vmail, when I was only in bed about 3 hours, that I haven't heard yet), to say packages are held @ the terminal I was @ yesterday (what I wanted, today).
Humans are the only things that will clean up automated mistakes..... that's why I'm irritated when contact is eliminated. Fedex system was kicking out (confirmed wrong, 5 minutes ago) messages indicating a wrong address for Terminal pickup last night.
Welcome to the AI World !
Rgds, D.
Humans are the only things that will clean up automated mistakes..... that's why I'm irritated when contact is eliminated. Fedex system was kicking out (confirmed wrong, 5 minutes ago) messages indicating a wrong address for Terminal pickup last night.
Welcome to the AI World !
Rgds, D.
JohnP3616
Bronze Member
i’ve used Rock Auto maybe a dozen times. No issue.
Cost-wise (Closeouts aside) I find Rock up here to be (once Shipping considered) close to Commercial-cost, Give or Take.
What is a factor, is depth/width of inventory. A wise-wrench I know had a good recommendation for a Canadian source he's used for years, but they only had mostly brake-parts, and control arms for my '05 vehicle that needed recent repair.
Aside from market-size delta, for most of Kanada, 20 year old vehicles have rusted to dust by now. So the 30+ y/o daily-drivers that are common in many parts of the USA, just aren't seen here much....
Rgds, D.
What is a factor, is depth/width of inventory. A wise-wrench I know had a good recommendation for a Canadian source he's used for years, but they only had mostly brake-parts, and control arms for my '05 vehicle that needed recent repair.
Aside from market-size delta, for most of Kanada, 20 year old vehicles have rusted to dust by now. So the 30+ y/o daily-drivers that are common in many parts of the USA, just aren't seen here much....
Rgds, D.
