N9TE Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 So, I order up a headgasket 'kit' (Part 1) from RockAuto because they say that it comes with valve stem seals. I also order an exhaust manifold gasket (Part 2) and radiator cap (Part 3). They all have the "euro" flag meaning that it's drop shipped from Europe. Read $$$ shipping. So what arrives? A HG kit for a FIAT 2.0L engine. Radiator cap doesn't fit. Exhaust manifold gasket IS a N9T item. Although way less robust than stock. First, they are unconvinced that the gasket set, even though it says FIAT doesn't fit my N9T engine. I have to explain the two companies never shared an engine platform, etc and that the gasket set does NOT fit a N9T engine. Cutting to the chase They admitted that the gasket and rad cap were wrong They told me to keep the wrong parts They will refund the "cost" there of wrong parts The $50 shipping is MY charge (WTF?) So I paid $50+ for a $2 gasket. They said that I should not have ordered a part from Europe if I wasn't prepared to pay shipping. I told them that their system converted a valid order into a stupid one and that I wanted to just return everything and get a full refund. Their answer was no. I think I'll call my bank and dispute the credit card charge. Yes, RockAuto is good but catalog errors are on you. I have picture and email for all of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JunktionFET Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 Dude, you're preaching to the choir. I made the mistake of ordering Peugeot parts once from RockAuto, and about half the order was correct. I can understand screwing up the occasional Peugeot part since it's such a rare car, but they don't even have many of their Honda parts correct either! I appreciate the low prices and the surprising inventory, but sometimes it's just a hassle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulaweb Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 I've also had a high percentage of wrong items from Rock Auto but I've always been able to return them without question. I haven't, however, ordered anything with the little euro flag. I was tempted by a clutch kit once, but I called them first to get clarification on the difference between two that they offered, and they couldn't give me any more information. They told me I would be welcome to order both and return the one that wasn't right, but since they were in Europe, the shipping would be on me. I didn't give another thought to getting it from them. I paid a little more to get it elsewhere but I got the right parts. Usually I look at their manufacturer's part number and try to verify the application elsewhere rather than just trust their listing. I got a caliper from them once that leaked badly on installation. They didn't have another of that brand or any other to fit. They were fine with my returning it for a refund but I needed to locate another first, or drive around with no brake. So I drove it for a couple of weeks with their leaky caliper, got their permission to try a rebuild kit, found the inside was badly scored, and used it for another week or two until I found another one elsewhere. I then returned the, by now, well used caliper and got a full refund. This was a name brand rebuilt caliper so I can't blame RockAuto that it was defective, and other than failure to have more of them in stock, they couldn't have handled that any better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick@nite Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 ^I did order a N9T clutch kit from them. It was wrong.... They took it back with no problem. Good to know they have exhaust manifold gaskets that are correct though. Is it one of the cardboard like ones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N9TE Posted September 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 Yup, it's got a steel layer in it, but just the bare minimum. What can you expect for $2. If you go ahead and machine the mating surface on the exhaust manifold and head true, it'll probablyl work. I'd order like 50 at that price (I think $1.22). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrethx Posted September 21, 2012 Report Share Posted September 21, 2012 i've had similar problems with rockauto...you can't take their part numbers for granted, you have to cross-check them. i also got a starter once from them that was doa (for my vw); they made good on it, but it was a PITA. now, i avoid buying anything critical from them... that sucks though about the HG order, though, koll. it was their mistake, not yours! so basically, they are saying, you order euro parts from them at your own risk... andré Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norcal505 Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 I once ordered an oil pan, plus gasket kit for my BMW (same engine platform as your e36 compact Koll)...and while the gasket kit was good quality Victor Reinz stuff, the Oil pan was a cheapo pile of junk. You definitely notice a difference in quality between Rockauto shit (pardon my french) and the more reputable suppliers.. -S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick@nite Posted September 27, 2012 Report Share Posted September 27, 2012 Yup, it's got a steel layer in it, but just the bare minimum. What can you expect for $2. If you go ahead and machine the mating surface on the exhaust manifold and head true, it'll probablyl work. I'd order like 50 at that price (I think $1.22). Placed an order for 10 exhaust manifold gaskets. They replied the supplier only has one..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick@nite Posted November 9, 2012 Report Share Posted November 9, 2012 Had a good customer Mi come in on Monday, It's that time of year.... Heater Core went. I already know they're NLA from Peugeot since 2010. I ordered a Nissen Kit from them on late Monday and and got it yesterday for $83 with the o-rings and the insulation. Good quality for the $ since they were $120 cost of the OE Valeo's before they were discontinued. Couldn't be more happy with the result from this turn out trying theirs. And it's the right one... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulaweb Posted January 2, 2013 Report Share Posted January 2, 2013 I needed a lower radiator hose, which as far as I know is NLA, at least in the US, so I ordered it from RockAuto. Although I didn't need it at this time, I ordered the upper hose as well. Since it was coming from the same warehouse in the UK I didn't have to pay extra shipping for the second hose so I figured I should get it while I could. Anyway they seem to be the correct items. I didn't just rely on RockAuto's catalog but researched the part#s to be sure they were the right numbers. I figured I would have a better case if they sent me a part # that wasn't what I ordered than if they sent what I ordered and it didn't fit. As I said before, I've never had any trouble with them taking back stuff that didn't fit, but if something's coming from Europe I understand that they don't refund the shipping which was more than the cost of the items. If after doing my own research the item I ordered was wrong I would just eat it, but if they had sent something different than the part # I ordered, I would have gone to the mat over that. So as much as they do have problems with their catalog not always being accurate as to what fits what, I'm glad they are around and have a lot of things that are very difficult to find elsewhere at least at a reasonable price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nm1 Posted June 25, 2013 Report Share Posted June 25, 2013 they've sent me 8v distributor rotors twice now instead of Mi16 rotors, other than that they haven't been too bad. Peugeot gouges too much for the OEM stuff so no matter who you get it from stateside it's just priced out of reach; in many cases MAKING or adapting your own part would be cheaper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.