Is RockAuto the place

[1968F-100]

Is Rockauto the place to get simple items like, ball joints, tie rods, brake lines thermostat etc.  Or is there somewhere that I am unaware of.  The secret 510 store.  lol Thanks.

 

[Duncan]

I don't know if it's THE place, but I've always been satisfied with them.  Stuff arrives in good time, and I only had one item to return (my error) and it was no hassle at all.

 

I also used NAPA locally with good results, but I know they were sold. and local stores near me are dissapearing quickly. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

If there's one thing that Rockauto really excels at, it's the parts listing. Almost to a fault because I go there to look up the part numbers and then buy them somewhere else. Why do I do that? Because Rockauto purposely keeps secret their shipping locations in hope that you will pay for expedited shipping. If it's coming from Reno, I'll get it in a day, and I won't pay for expedited shipping. But they hide that info.

 

Another shipping related thing that really bothers me about Rockauto is that if an order is coming from multiple locations, you get charged what seems an unfailry high price for shipping. In other words, Rockauto uses their shipping department as a profit center, and I have never agreed with that.

 

On the flip side, they do offer many good name brands. Which is really useful, if the vehicle you're buying parts for has a strong aftermarket. In the case of a classic Datsun, there isn't really a strong aftermarket, so they sell what they sell, and it's not always good quality.

 

Where is the best place to buy parts for a collector car or truck? From specialists. Yes, you may pay more from a specialist shop, but if that means I'm getting a part that the shop really likes and stands by, then it's worth the extra cost.

 

So who are the specialist shops in the Datsun world? I don't know. Z Therapy is one place that I know of that sells quality stuff, and not just for Z cars. Maybe we shoudl start a list of known suppliers that carry good quality parts.

 

To answer your question directly, yes, Rockauto is the best place to buy "ball joints, tie rods, brake lines thermostat etc", but that's about it. I wouldn't buy engine parts from them (meaning internal engine parts), and they probably don't sell things like rebuilt half shafts or transmission shifter bushings or wiper arm pivot grommets. That stuff is going to come from a specialist shop. Or the dealer.

[iceman510]

Z Car Depot in Springfield MO has a good number of 510 parts.  Not the easiest site to find things, but I have bought from the for my 73 build.

 

[john510]

Rockauto is a good place to buy from.And I have no idea what this shipping thing is about.I've never had that problem even though parts arrived on different days from different vendors.

[Ooph!]

For shipping after you add the first item to your cart, there is a truck icon that shows in the parts listings you look at

to show you which items will come from the same warehouse and you will only pay the one shipping charge.

[thisismatt]

The shipping from different warehouses thing has killed the sale multiple times for me.  Also, a lot of brands that used to have good made in Japan parts in the box now may have crappy made in china parts.  I like finding NOS OEM supplier parts on ebay where at least you can see pictures of the actual item you'll receive.  RA is also notorious for shipping parts that aren't correct when it comes to hard to find stuff.  That sounds like a lot of RA bashing, but I do still use them when it makes sense.

[bilzbobaggins]

Shipping is goofy.  I know it sounds funny but if  there are things I want from different warehouses, I leave the window open on my pc with the order in the cart but never hit send.  I check back in a couple days and bang, all of a sudden they all ship from the same place for one charge.

 

They also use DHL which I am not a fan of.  

 

I order from them frequently tho.  If it saves dollars, it makes cents.  When 6 plugs here are 40 and I can get 6 shipped for half that, I know what I would do.  Ive checked every plug I have gotten from them and they all seem to be legit as well.  

[1968F-100]

Some great points here.  Thank you everyone.

[iceman510]

12 hours ago, bilzbobaggins said:

They also use DHL which I am not a fan of.  

 

 

Maybe regional?  Almost everything I get comes FedEx.  Maybe I am choosing that.  I'll have to check next time.

[bottomwatcher]

They have been hit and miss for me. They can screw you on the shipping and I will try the open window trick. Look at thier wiper blades, can't beat the price but they will shaft you on shipping unless you try to bundle.  New wiper blades are close to $40 bucks for two at the local flaps.They do have a lot of new old stock made in Japan you just have to know what to look for there are some good deals out there.

[1001001SOS]

Only issue I have had was with the packaging on a Moog LCA for a Tacoma, not Rock Auto’s fault but in the end they made it worse.

 

Wanted both LCAs, of course Rock Auto has L and not R. Order L and put notifications on for R. L gets here and the balljoint had popped through the box, boot was ripped and the threads were scraped. So I return it, easy peasy, except now the left LCA is out of stock.

 

I get the right LCA and what do you know, same shit. Not as bad as before but once again the boot for the balljoint was torn. At that point I went with Napa.

[bilzbobaggins]

On 9/26/2023 at 4:05 PM, iceman510 said:

 

Maybe regional?  Almost everything I get comes FedEx.  Maybe I am choosing that.  I'll have to check next time.

 

Its awful.  I am not sure but it seems they send all the dhl packages to the dhl warehouse in Georgia where they set until they release all them to the post office to then be delivered.  Nothing like seeing my package set for 4-5 days in Mableton Ga till they get released.  These are the smaller orders.  Bigger are all fed ex it seems.

 

 

18 hours ago, bottomwatcher said:

They have been hit and miss for me. They can screw you on the shipping and I will try the open window trick. Look at thier wiper blades, can't beat the price but they will shaft you on shipping unless you try to bundle.  New wiper blades are close to $40 bucks for two at the local flaps.They do have a lot of new old stock made in Japan you just have to know what to look for there are some good deals out there.

 

Funny you mention it.  I ordered a window regulator for one of my bartenders at work last order.  I piggy backed in 6 wiper blades.  The saving were tremendous.  

[banzai510(hainz)]

these guys have alot of stuff.

scroll down to you see a 510  prices are not that bad

 

https://zcardepot.com/#

 

 

I have used Rockauto.com and PartsGeek.com.

 

there used to be other places for good imports but harder to find  if not already out of bussiness

 

EBAY!!!!!!! for NOS items if you know what your looking for

 

Edited September 27, 2023 by banzai510(hainz)

[a.d._510_n_ok]

I got a magnet from them like every third order I'd place so I made them my third choice for ordering parts. I got everything I ever ordered from them but sometimes there were delays or crazy shipping charges. I use RockAuto to get part numbers then run those parts numbers through eBay. That part that Rock Auto wants $50 for because it rare, NOS and out of production has been known to show up on the 'Bay for cheap because Cletus Fuddrucker recently bought out all the stock from his closed local indie parts house and if that shit don't fit his F wun hunnert sliver ratto pow'r waggin he'll throw it up on the bay for cheap just to gtfo his garage.    

[yenpit]

PM sent!

[Stinky]

Amazon and Ebay have a bunch of counterfeit stuff on there.

 

I use RA a lot.  That said, I also check their price against local part houses.  I have had a few problems w/the part not being quite right....like a clutch cover.  And, naturally it was past the return period.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

On 9/26/2023 at 12:21 AM, bilzbobaggins said:

Shipping is goofy.  I know it sounds funny but if  there are things I want from different warehouses, I leave the window open on my pc with the order in the cart but never hit send.  I check back in a couple days and bang, all of a sudden they all ship from the same place for one charge.

 

They also use DHL which I am not a fan of.  

 

I order from them frequently tho.  If it saves dollars, it makes cents.  When 6 plugs here are 40 and I can get 6 shipped for half that, I know what I would do.  Ive checked every plug I have gotten from them and they all seem to be legit as well.  

That's insane. I'm going to try that next time.

 

As far as choosing parts from the same "truck", sometimes they don't have the parts I want at the same locations.

[RLJ]

Yes! Then they charge a separate shipping charge for each location. Shipping can get expensive at RockAuto. 
 

Im going to try this the next time too. 

[RLJ]

Also if you return anything it has to go back to each individual warehouse that the parts came from. Was going to do a return and the total for return shipping was more then the cost of the parts. 
 

Still have those parts on a shelf!