RockAutoReviews 1,685

We ordered a new throttlebody for a truck. It came earlier than expected so we were excited to install it. After getting it completely installed we started the truck up and the throttlebody sprayed fuel everywhere. When they rebuilt it they either used cheap O-rings or none at all. Also, the O-ring they sent for the fuel line was too thin and it leaked fuel everywhere.

The mechanic we use has also said that anytime a customer brings in parts from Rock Auto the parts aren't worth the money paid for them. The brake pads they sell don't have enough carbon in them so the brakes either wear out quickly or they squeak horribly.

Rockauto fine print provides that time to ship is "estimated" to be up to "24 business hours." That means THREE BUSINESS DAYS!
Since Rockauto knows they will NOT satisfy their delivery "estimate," it is not an estimate at all, but FRAUDULENT MISREPRESENTATION.
Rockauto further compounds their FRAUDULENT MISREPRESENTATION by "printing" the shipping label to create a FRAUDULENT tracking record, when they specifically intend to ACTUALLY SHIP THREE BUSINESS DAYS LATER!
Sadly, they seem to hire high school graduates with 3rd grade literacy, who can only follow scripted prompts on a computer screen, and always blame the customer for the problem -- "It's you fault for believing what our website says, because our fine print terms of service expressly earns you that our website information is presumptively false, unless you happen to get lucky."

Ordered parts, priority mail (3days) and we are now in day 11 and the USPS has yet to scan the item. When I question this in an email to customer service they blame USPS for not scanning (really, packages don't move if there not scanned) and me for the shipping method I choose. In a nut shell, Rock Auto never takes ownership or finds solutions when things go wrong. Just read the reviews. I suggest you look on line, at say Advance Auto for coupons, and you'll see that prices will be similar and you wont have to deal waiting and the BS from rock auto. Update: after 12 days, RockAuto refunded my purchase. They did offer to resend priority mail 2/3 days but thats how this all started, so I opted for a refund. No apology, nothing and I'm a long time customer.

Absolutely disgusted. Been referring to them for parts for almost a decade. Been going back and forth over emails. All they do is copy and paste their policies. I'm exhausted from this today so I will paste my emails here:

1) I opened the package when it was shipped to me and there were 3 fuel filters in plastic packaging and an air filled plastic bubble thing to keep all the filters in place in the box. There were no other boxes included in the packaging. I understand you have policies to follow, yet I would hope that you take the time to reach out to the manufacturer and see if they have run out of boxes or are no longer using boxes. I would really appreciate it. Especially since I'm almost at the end of my relationship with RockAuto.

I previously ordered a Gates timing kit for my sweet 2002 subaru outback and the Chinese made thermostat shut closed after 2 weeks and left us stranded in Texas. This forced me to buy a truck just so I could get home. I'm still paying on this truck.

2) Why would there be a supplied plastic bubble in the box with the parts? Do you think that those filters could fit in boxes within the box you sent? Do you think the plastic packaging around those filter would slide into a box? How big of a box do you think you sent me? Tear off the return label and see that is the box you sent me with the filters.

3) Interesting news. I spoke to a friend of mine that referred me to you almost a decade ago and he reports the same issue. He says there is a likelihood that the boxes were scanned and then thrown away to use a smaller box to lower shipping costs. He also said that one time he bought a couple shocks that where in two large boxes, inside a massive box, and how ridiculous it was. Well, I'm going to tell you when I say there were not any boxes then, as the customer, I would believe that should be the most important thing I would hear. Because at this point I feel that I am being called a liar. We have a tree company, not a car shop. We have no reason to pull every filter out of every box and then try to ship it back. I always replace original packaging to any and every store. The total cost of the items I believe was maybe 20 bucks and 8 in shipping. Now, I spent another 8 bucks to ship it back. So what is really left for me? 12 dollars? At this point it is not about the money. It is about principal. If you want to lose a decade long customer over 12 bucks, then that is simply bad practice. My package came with what you recieved and shipping receipt. Nothing more.

I would recommend that this email gets forwarded to someone in management

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I didn't feel it necessary to fill in the boiler plates they sent me. Irrelevant. But for them to lose a lifelong customer over 12 bucks!? Really!?

My part arrived damaged. (JUNK). (The part inside the pristine box was actually burned)
Rock auto refused to give me a refund and told me that I had to pay for postage to return it under a warranty replacement!
It appears to me that Rock Auto sells cheap inferior junk products made mostly in China? (explains why they sell so cheap)
Their customer service appear to be the worst!
I will never buy another part from Rock Auto as long as I live!
And now they are fighting my credit card backcharge.

They admit we ordered the correct part; gold accumulator & ******* rod. The rod on the part they sent has no number and is too short. We paid shipping for the part to arrive and now they also expect us to pay return shipping.

They may have cheap prices, but keep in mind Ruskin on dealing with the low bidder:

It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money — that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot — it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better."

This is not the first time I have ordered from Rockauto.com but it sure is the last time! I will be telling this story to friends and family as well. I went online to order V belts for my 1970 Cadillac advertised where Gates 7508 which were on sale I ordered 4 when I received my order I received 4 Carquest V-belts #15 595P. Online and even on my delivery packing list it still states Gates belt 7508 that is the name brand that I preferred that's why I purchased Gates but I received Carquest, to me that is considered bait and switch! If the part was not available I should've been notified via email or a phone call and have the opportunity not to purchase the non-Gates items! Attempted to contact Rock Auto's customer service department does not exist there is no phone number it's only via Internet and you will not get a response from that as well! It is a real shame that this had to happen, I'm very disappointed and like I said will not be using rockauto.com in the future!

I ordered a water pump and a timing belt for a Porsche 928, the packaging arrived damaged in the the original box inside a non damaged box. The water pump was obviously a return because it was protruding outside of the box and inverted, the timing tab was snapped off, and the timing belt box was ravished and the belt was scuffed. I requested a replacement and they requested that I pay to return the items, I advised that I will report them and they deleted the order from theyre system, I have the receipt, why so dirty?

I ordered a part for my vehicle, they sent me the wrong part. Now they want me to pay for the return shipping, due to no fault of my own. No way to talk to anyone, and Joe is totally useless. Sends out emails that he's sorry but its a form reply he sends to everyone. Shady outfit. STAY AWAY from these ripoff artists. Will never buy from them again. Totally void of customer service in this day and age ( 2020). If I could I wouldn't even give them one star.

Great service and shipping costs/time.
Wiper blades are consistently bad- noisy and streaky. I strongly suspect they are old stock items and the rubber has hardened up on the blades. Cheap, but useless.
Some parts, such as USMV fuel pumps are terrible. Not only did the Dodge truck pump I got not pump fuel, it did not have a secondary filter in the regulator assembly mounted on the top of the pump module. How is the an OEM pump if it is missing this?