Hello all. This is simply a public service announcement regarding ordering car parts from @RockAuto.

They have been my only source of parts for the last couple years, but their quality and service has been slipping for the last 2 orders I placed.

Today I received an order of an air filter, MAF, and spark plugs. The MAF box was annihilated. Not torn, not ripped, but looked like it was kicked down a mile long gravel road. Adding insult to injury, THE PLASTIC ENVELOPE THAT THE MAF WAS IN, WAS CUT OPEN!!!!!!! How does this happen? The plastic envelope was not simply torn open from bad shipping, WHICH WAS BAD, as there was ZERO shipping material in the box!.....but the plastic envelope of the mass air flow sensor was cut open by a very sharp object/razorblade. HOW DOES ROCKAUTO PERMIT THIS CRAP TO BE SHIPPED?????

Of course, because the MAF is an "electronic part", there was a sticker on the clear plastic envelope which said IF OPENED, THIS PART CANNOT BE RETURNED.

For what it's worth, the DENSO mass air flow sensor was made in Vietnam.

I submitted a claim/return, and thank God they are not charging me shipping to send back and no charge for shipping another one out.

#ROCKAUTO IS SLIPPING! Buyer beware!!!

 

That's good information, hopefully an isolated incident. I have had no issues at all with LexusPartNow, which I understand the parts come direct from a dealer.

 

I find this info very encouraging.

These kinds of mistakes can be made by any vendor but if they make it good, I believe it sets them above other vendors.

Anyone can sell stuff but how a customer treats me when I have a legitimate complaint can earn my business.

I been ordering from Rock Auto for my car for a few years.

No problems yet but this info is good to know, TY.

 

I purchased a Denso MAF years ago from RockAuto. The Denso MAFs ARE MANUFACTURED in Viet Nam. I had no problems when I’ve ordered from Rock Auto. This hopefully might have been an isolated incident.

 

Done 100's of orders from them over the years. Have had nothing but excellent customer service, and they have always been very quick to ship out new parts to replace ones damaged during shipping on the occasion it happens.

Likely an isolated incident, but let us know how the new one looks.

 

Likewise been buying from them for years. Would take note of the fact they responded and see what happens. Won't condemn on one error. Let's know the final outcome

 

I had a recent experience almost identical to LS430inDE.
I ordered a pair of Phillips D2S low beam bulbs. When it arrived the shipping box was undamaged but one of the Phillips boxes didn't have a top.
It was basically wide open and the bulb was bouncing around freely. It looked like an item someone else had returned so I wasn't going to take the risk it may have already been installed on another car and removed.
Rockauto accepted the return and shipped a replacement.

Ironically, a couple months later, I noticed the same bulb in the CloseOut section for $3 or $4. I thought what the heck I'll order it for an emergency spare.
I'll never know for sure but I'm fairly certain the bulb I received on CloseOut is the same one I returned to them.

 

Have never had a problem with Rock Auto for numerous vehicles. Have found them to be an excellent source for replacement parts and have done business with many parts dealers. I think they do an excellent job. Their shipping costs are out of their hands though.
Have very little reason to complain. Everyone has a bad day.
If you are going to count pennies, try dealing with Lexus.

Loren

 

well if you want a bad experience, last Monday I took my car to a Toyota dealer for an oil change and battery. My battery was in the car when I bought it 3 years ago so it was time for a new one. They put battery in backwards and blew 140 amp fuse and had to find fuse, not in stock. took 5 hours Toyota service is not as good as Lexus, just my opinion

 

I have dealt with both Toyota and Lexus dealerships and with the exception of having no choice for certain things, never again,cost and upselling being the major factors. I am grateful to now have an honest independent garage. Saved literally thousands of dollars over the last few years. There may be exceptions but few and far between. Lexus dealer wanted me to do a diagnostic on a parking sensor for $203+ tax when it was clearly broken and refused to budge! Indy replaced with OEM and all good. That kind of marketing is what drives people away from dealerships.

 

Used them for years with excellent parts and service but had a horrible experience with a Denso reman alternator for an F150. First one lasted only a few months when it died. Next one was okay about a year then went into overcharge mode cooking my battery. Rockauto did swap out the first one without hassle. I think it is Denso that is slipping in my case. Toyota announced today it is selling a nearly $5 billion stake in Denso to fund EV development. I think Denso quality will drop if someone as powerful as Toyota is not policing them as a shareholder.

Toyota is also kind of slipping because they are using Chinese made parts as OEM on some things. I can't remember what it was but some small MISC $10 part that I needed to do the timing belt major service on my LS430 was ordered from a Lexus dealer and the stock new part was made in China. I have never seen that on any Toyota part I purchased. It is usually made in Japan/USA for critical stuff and fast wear cheap stuff like oil filters are made in Thailand.

 

I'm not going to bad mouth them but I did have a couple of parts issues over the past few years. In my case, all they had to do was pull the items out of the boxes to make sure they match up with the correct numbers. They had a tendency to mislabel and/or put the wrong parts in the correctly labeled boxes i.e. shocks (2 different brands in "identical" boxes), I was so frustrated that I didn't even bother returning them. One other similar situation a few years earlier. But other than those two incidents, they've been pretty good even though I don't order that much from them anymore. Everybody makes mistakes, but in most cases they can also be avoided, just simply "look" and verify the items before shipping them, that would make a whole lot of sense, right?

 

Ive ordered from RockAuto Consistenty for a fleet of 3 vehciles for the past 10+ years, and I have seen no change in consistency or quality. I think it was just an isolated incident.

 

Is there any concern bout counterfeit parts from Rock Auto? I don't have that concern at a Lexus or Toyota dealer so buy from there pretty much exclusively.

 

I've also been using them for years for all my Mazda, Honda, Subie, BMW, and Lexus needs without any issues.

Great prices and fast shipping for me; I've never had to return anything either.