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Tue Mar 07, 2017 7:39 am

Quick question for you folks. I'm looking to get some new CV axles and they're somewhere around $100 per side on Cip1 or Jbugs and probably about the same other places as well.

I looked on RockAuto also, and they're on there for about half the price!

It seems too good to be true, so I'm here looking to see if you guys have any input on RA vs online VW guys and even which VW guys you would suggest for better quality.

Thanks!

Tue Mar 07, 2017 7:46 am

RockAuto will most likely have Chinese axles...as would Cip1 or JBugs.

I have them, they work fine.

Protip: Use RockAuto to find part numbers and then search for the part numbers on Amazon.

Tue Mar 07, 2017 7:46 am

I have bought a fair number of parts from RA and always try to compare the brand of parts. They get a lot of closeout parts with brand names I have never heard of so I stay away from those.

Last month my daughter needed a catalytic converter for her Escape. I could get the same American made brand from RA for about 1/3 less than the local auto store. The parts showed up in a couple of days, they were not packaged well and the exhaust gaskets were missing. They did refund my money for the gaskets quickly.

So if you know what you are after and can verify the brand name then it is probably OK. As I mentioned before they deal with a lot of closeout parts so double check what the warranty is. I am always suspicious of a deal that is too good to be true :)

Tue Mar 07, 2017 7:49 am

My major problem with RockAuto is that if you order, for example, 5 different parts, the parts might ship from 5 different warehouses and you'll get charged for shipping 5 times and your parts will arrive at different times.

That's why I put the part numbers into Amazon, order using Prime (usually), and get the parts in 2 days - and I can order parts on Friday and they'll arrive on Sunday morning.

Tue Mar 07, 2017 7:55 am

Rockauto has some good pricing on SOME parts and also offers recognizable brand name parts options that CIP-1 and other VW shops don't. They also offer the cheap, no name parts that I avoid like the plague.

I've used them a few times. I also had a big parts order come in from RockAuto from different places on different days though I was only charged one shipping fee.

I also like to shop around comparing pricing and brands. The internet is great for this. I think it keeps companies honest where they don't price rape anyone since we can price compare with other vendors too.

Tue Mar 07, 2017 8:06 am

69RVABUG wrote: Quick question for you folks. I'm looking to get some new CV axles and they're somewhere around $100 per side on Cip1 or Jbugs and probably about the same other places as well.

I looked on RockAuto also, and they're on there for about half the price!

It seems too good to be true, so I'm here looking to see if you guys have any input on RA vs online VW guys and even which VW guys you would suggest for better quality.

Thanks!

OK I will bite, why not just inspect, clean, and repack what you have so you will know that they were done correctly?

Tue Mar 07, 2017 8:07 am

If Rockauto tells you the brand name, then I don't have a problem in buying from them. Hell, I bought a pair of front brake rotors for my 85 Golf from them when I saw they had Brembo brand.

Tue Mar 07, 2017 8:18 am

Rockauto sells every brand of parts, just find what that brand is and do the research. I've been extremely happy with my purchases from them. Regarding the shipping locations, the little "Van" icon will let you know you're ordering from the same warehouse, if you see that you have 2-3 different warehouses from which the parts will come from, then you have to decide how the shipping costs will change the total bill. Quite simple actually.

Tue Mar 07, 2017 8:21 am

joey1320 wrote: Rockauto sells every brand of parts, just find what that brand is and do the research. I've been extremely happy with my purchases from them. Regarding the shipping locations, the little "Van" icon will let you know you're ordering from the same warehouse, if you see that you have 2-3 different warehouses from which the parts will come from, then you have to decide how the shipping costs will change the total bill. Quite simple actually.

Yes, it's simple, but Amazon has spoiled me.

Tue Mar 07, 2017 8:44 am

Randy in Maine wrote: 69RVABUG wrote: Quick question for you folks. I'm looking to get some new CV axles and they're somewhere around $100 per side on Cip1 or Jbugs and probably about the same other places as well.

I looked on RockAuto also, and they're on there for about half the price!

It seems too good to be true, so I'm here looking to see if you guys have any input on RA vs online VW guys and even which VW guys you would suggest for better quality.

Thanks!

OK I will bite, why not just inspect, clean, and repack what you have so you will know that they were done correctly?

Why not? I'm not the one actually doing the work on the car. It's a surprise for the wife and she doesn't know anything's being done with this car. My uncle has undertaken the task of doing all of this and since the entire axle is relatively inexpensive, I'd rather just get the whole thing and not have him go through all that effort. Two or three of the boots had been torn and the car has been sitting for over ten years.

Tue Mar 07, 2017 8:54 am

hotsam wrote: RockAuto will most likely have Chinese axles...as would Cip1 or JBugs.

I have them, they work fine.

Protip: Use RockAuto to find part numbers and then search for the part numbers on Amazon.

Gotcha. I do have Amazon Prime!

Tue Mar 07, 2017 9:06 am

I have used Rock auto as well as Parts Geek...I like Parts geek's site better...
prices about the same...just got a tune-up kit from the geeks and had no problem...bosch is bosch.

Tue Mar 07, 2017 9:45 am

I picked up the axles for my '74 from Parts Geek at a really good price, I don't remember what that was at the moment. I did that because I needed to save time and effort on cleaning and repacking the CV joints (time is money after all, even in the ACVW hobby world) and it wasn't so much more expensive than I would've had to spend just for new quality CV boot kits.

I found the vacuum valve for the air filter for my '72 on Rock Auto. This is the valve the works the pre-heat element in the snout of the '72-74 air filters.

Tue Mar 07, 2017 12:52 pm

For my 1970's recent resurrection, I bought 4 Raybestos wheel cylinders, 4 flexible brake lines, Wagner Thermo Quiet brake shoes, 2 Raybestos premium rear brake drums (were made in Germany), crankshaft seal, throwout bearing, engine gasket set, carb rebuild kit from RockAuto. I'm satisfied with the qualities as far as I can tell so far.

Tue Mar 07, 2017 3:19 pm

On your CV axles what I did was went to O'Rielly auto and made the purchase. The thing I liked was no shipping and the lifetime warranty. I know that some will say the parts are crap or whatever well after 3 years they still work and so does the life time warranty.
Something to look into.

Tue Mar 07, 2017 4:28 pm

So when our VW parts houses go out of business, at least you'll still have Rock Auto………

Christ……
Robbie

Tue Mar 07, 2017 9:21 pm

I have bought from virtually everyone.

Rockauto blows virtually everyone away. Not only in service but selection.

In over 150 purchases in 5 years....only 3 returns....smooth as glass.

If you get poor quality parts from Rockauto...its because YOU selected them. They provide EVERY range of parts with most items. From premium brand names, to mid-grade....to eco....and they list them that way.

They also provide quite a bit or information on their parts.....and that information is VERY useful to do your own research away ffom their site on the quality and location of manufacture of the part....and how others have reviewed it. Lots of links on their site...so use them.

They also...if you note and bother to research.....support dozens of specific car restoration communities.

Also.....input your car(s) into the computer . About every 4-5 weeks I get emails specific to MY CARS with lists of parts that are on manufacturer closeout.....for prices so cheap you cannot imagine.

Some examples......complete front caliper kits for type 3 and type 4 cars.....German FAG......for about $9.
Timken wheel bearings....made in USA..... $2.25 each, SABO rear wheel seals......69 cents each. The lisf of closeout parts I have bought is in the hundreds over the past two years. And....they group your shipping costs on multiple purchases like that.

A large part of this....is YOU....yes....YOU....need to know your parts. Do the reasearch on what they offer and know what is what.....and where its made. They offer parts from everywhere.....the best and even a little of the worst.

They are by far the largest parts dealer on the internet. They dont have everything.....but check back often because they seem to purchase by the warehouse or truckload.

If something you want....does not show up as in stock or list back order.....but its in their computer.....a box will pop up. Click it. It will email you when they pick it up.
I have gotten numerous rare parts this way. Took a couple months.....but I had been looking for 5X longer than it took. Ray

Wed Mar 08, 2017 6:05 am

asiab3 wrote: So when our VW parts houses go out of business, at least you'll still have Rock Auto………

Christ……
Robbie

I see a product on a VW parts house site for $100 and the same thing on RA for $50. I don't mind spending $10-15 per part to "help the community," but double the price could be considered gouging. The providers should be just as interested as the consumers in "helping the community," and as such, should try to keep a decent, but not outrageous margin.

Wed Mar 08, 2017 7:04 am

I kinda feel that Rock Auto is a giant clearing house for the auto parts industry. Not a bad thing honestly.

Wed Mar 08, 2017 8:05 am

There's already an existing discussion regarding Rock Auto vs CIP1.