Great and Terrible Parts Vendors

[SuperTramp]

DON’T BUY FROM PARTS GEEK! I paid $540 for parts which were all incorrect. After 6 calls to 5 extremely incompetent “customer service” people and sending multiple messages they left me $199 short as they just decided to keep my money, with no response.


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[PlayingWithTBI]

That's a b*tch! I've not done business with them but, will keep that in mind. I've had the best service from Summit Racing, a lot of times, if you order enough $$$ ($90+ IIRC) they will beat Rock Auto! I save stuff like T-shirts etc in my "wish list" to get over the threshold.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

Also, if I can find it on Amazon I'll buy it there with my Prime (Chase) credit card to get 5% cash back plus, free Prime delivery, sometimes overnight or 2 day delivery! This Covid Crap has put a monkey wrench in that sometimes though.

Now for bad vendors - don't buy a trans from Transmission Depot!

 

[Erik the Awful]

I deal primarily with RockAuto, O'Reillys, and Summit.

Summit was really easy to deal with when I ordered the wrong camshaft. Also, just because Lunati calls it a "High Efficiency" camshaft doesn't mean it's a good idea.

I hear Jegs is just as good, but really, they're so similar that usually car guys stick with whichever of the two they use first.

Speedway has been good when I've ordered from them.

Amazon's decent, but you have to read the specs carefully, because if you search "5.7L" it'll show you everything from a Fiat four-banger to a Cat diesel.

Autozone is my option of last resort for a similar reason. You have to research and know your part number before you go in.

 

[454cid]

I use Rockauto, Advance, and Amazon.

Rockauto has the best selection and catalog, but shipping from different warehouses can add up if you aren't careful.

Advance, I think is trying hard to compete with Rockauto by using discount codes, as sometimes I can get better deals through them.

Amazon is touch and go as they dont seem to be carrying the items/brands I want as much....probably due to the trucks age.

I've looked at Summit, but so far have not needed to stray from my first three yet....maybe if I buy some beyond stock parts.

Oh...I do use ebay a bit too....most recently I bought a new 11 blade fan from a New Mexico dealer for quite a bit less than other sources.....and it's those kind of purchases normally.....oem parts by part number.

I've tried purchasing from a1aa, but couldn't compete with price and one other site......carId maybe? Shipping made it totally not worth it.

 

[someotherguy]

Gotta be careful with Amazon (and eBay as well):

1. I've bought allegedly new OEM parts that turned out to be take-offs, used, re-packaged, etc. Got refunds but what a pain and delay.

2. Have bought parts that claimed to be OEM and what showed up was new, but clearly not OEM (no part #'s in the stampings, didn't match original part, etc.) but in several cases were non-critical items and I needed them so just said F it and installed. Left appropriate review to warn others.

3. Have also heard but not personally experienced people getting counterfeit OEM parts (china parts in look-alike fake OEM packaging.)

Richard

 

[454cid]

Gotta be careful with Amazon (and eBay as well):

1. I've bought allegedly new OEM parts that turned out to be take-offs, used, re-packaged, etc. Got refunds but what a pain and delay.

I did get a set of used OEM lights on ebay once when I was supposed to be getting new aftermarket lights..... the price was inline with what I got and they were in better shape than my originals so I told the seller I was fine with it...... She was a reseller, and I think it was the same thing I've seen happen in thrift stores: Old man buys new part, puts old part in new box "just in case", old man dies and relatives that don't know any different donate/sell garage contents and new seller doesn't know the difference. There's a mission/thrift-store in town where I've taken stuff to the counter a few times, and told them not to sell it, and they've thanked me and tossed the item, after I've explained why...... radiator cap, and wiper blades are two that I recall.

3. Have also heard but not personally experienced people getting counterfeit OEM parts (china parts in look-alike fake OEM packaging.)

Most of the parts I've gotten have come from dealers. I did get a radiator cap that was from some sort of surplus reseller..... I wish I had bought several of them. I wondered if it would be a fake when I bought it, but it seems to be the best cap I've had on the truck since I replaced the original years ago.

I did buy a Mahle fuel filter through Rockauto that I wondered if it were a fake. I emailed Mahle and they didn't seem concerned about it. I think it was supposed to be stainless, and what I got was painted and looked kind of generic.

 

[someotherguy]

I did get a set of used OEM lights on ebay once when I was supposed to be getting new aftermarket lights..... the price was inline with what I got and they were in better shape than my originals so I told the seller I was fine with it...... She was a reseller, and I think it was the same thing I've seen happen in thrift stores: Old man buys new part, puts old part in new box "just in case", old man dies and relatives that don't know any different donate/sell garage contents and new seller doesn't know the difference.

In a really egregious example, I bought a set of OEM TPMS sensors that were re-packaged with the full intent of defrauding the buyer. They had the nut installed (real OEM new ones do not) and there was an even film of dirt (black; likely rubber dust) on the sticky potting material on the backside of each sensor. Topping it off they were sealed in plastic bags that made an attempt at looking like official OEM packaging.

Another example, ordered a blower motor resistor ($$$$ for the GMT800's with the digital controls) for the '06 SS, it came as just the module in the box, nothing else - especially the harness (necessary), and the adhesive foam gasket already applied to it. It was a lifetime warranty part from Advance so I'm pretty sure it was someone's bad/returned part.

Neither of those were an "honest mistake"

Richard

 

[454cid]

In a really egregious example, I bought a set of OEM TPMS sensors that were re-packaged with the full intent of defrauding the buyer. They had the nut installed (real OEM new ones do not) and there was an even film of dirt (black; likely rubber dust) on the sticky potting material on the backside of each sensor. Topping it off they were sealed in plastic bags that made an attempt at looking like official OEM packaging.

Another example, ordered a blower motor resistor ($$$$ for the GMT800's with the digital controls) for the '06 SS, it came as just the module in the box, nothing else - especially the harness (necessary), and the adhesive foam gasket already applied to it. It was a lifetime warranty part from Advance so I'm pretty sure it was someone's bad/returned part.

Neither of those were an "honest mistake"

Richard

That sounds irritating. Thankfully, I have not had that kind of thing happen.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

I've wanted to order parts online because it would be a lot cheaper. But the one instance where we were going to, the shipping costs were enough to make it much less of a good deal, and the parts wouldn't have been there in time for me to do the job.
Was in 2015, doing rear brakes on the 06 Yukon XL Denali (discs) and buying rotors since the truck was literally driven until they locked up in the carport, backing in. The right side was worn away to the fins, and the pads caught on the fins.
I was working on it over July 4 th weekend and the parts wouldn't have come in time, because I had to wait until payday to get them.( sound familiar y'all? )
So I went to NAPA( we still had one in Stafford then) because they had the best parts for the price. Did comparison with other chains too. Good thing about a GM truck, parts are usually available for the most common needs.
My personal opinion is that buying parts online is great if you can plan the repairs, but if it's a quick fix or a gotta have it done now, I'll go to the parts house.