I purchase a spectra heater coil from rockauto to replace my leaking coil. When I got ready to put the new coil in, I found the body to be about a 1/4 inch less than my original one. The new coil would not properly fit. I called rockauto customer service only to have the guy tell me he need to talk to spectra about it. I had already purchased a Murry brand from Oreilly to get my car going again. the next day I receive a voicemail from the guy telling me that spectra said the shortened body would not affect the performance of the coil. I called rockauto and told the guy that it physically does not fit. He was adamant that I should use the part even though it didn't fit. I told him I just want my money back. He sent me instructions on sending the coil back. The reason he put on the form for return was "customer doesn't want the part". Don't know if I'm comfortable buying parts from people who don't have time to listen when something is not right.

quote Originally posted by flimbob: I purchase a spectra heater coil from rockauto to replace my leaking coil. When I got ready to put the new coil in, I found the body to be about a 1/4 inch less than my original one. The new coil would not properly fit. I called rockauto customer service only to have the guy tell me he need to talk to spectra about it. I had already purchased a Murry brand from Oreilly to get my car going again. the next day I receive a voicemail from the guy telling me that spectra said the shortened body would not affect the performance of the coil. I called rockauto and told the guy that it physically does not fit. He was adamant that I should use the part even though it didn't fit. I told him I just want my money back. He sent me instructions on sending the coil back. The reason he put on the form for return was "customer doesn't want the part". Don't know if I'm comfortable buying parts from people who don't have time to listen when something is not right.

interesting, we sell spectra at my job, a member here has replaced theirs with the one we sell, it was identical.. im wondering if yours was maybe boxed wrong??

I also have had issues with Rockauto Customer-No-Service, after receiving a master cylinder without a reservoir.

After they decided that, yes, it should have been shipped with a reservoir (never told me why that was even open for discussion) they wouldn't cross-ship a replacement without billing my card and then issuing a credit when they received my original.

Took me years before I bought anything from them again.

I'm guessing that it may have been boxed wrong too. I've bought a few parts over the years that would not fit or were obviously the wrong part. I took them back to the store and had them open another box of the same part.........what do ya know......the parts were different! So sometimes they do get boxed up incorectly somehow.

Also, make sure to specify exactly what you need when buying a part. I recently needed a power steering pump and reservoir. So I went to the store and told the guy I need a power steering pump assembly. Took the box home, opened it, and no reservoir! Took the part back and told them it was missing the reservoir. Guy looks it up on the computer........ended up that it was availible with or without the reservoir (I assumed it automatically came with it). I had told the guy that I need "a power steering pump assembly" which was exactly what I got. So I had to exchange it for the one that came with the reservoir. The sales guy should have pointed that difference out when I requested the part, but I also should have made sure he understood exactly what I needed. This could be similar with the missing master cylinder reservoir.

If I'm in the shop, I always open the box to check it looks like I expect it to. Rule #1. Never trust anyone to know stuff. Great if they do but mostly they don't.

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Dave

www.ltlfrari.com

They have customer service...?

Misboxed parts is always a possibility in automotive parts supply, and any customer service rep should also realize that fact. I worked in that industry for a year or so, misboxes happened often enough that over the phone you can never assume the customer is "doing it wrong." There is a reasonable chance that the part supplied was incorrect if they didn't have the original to compare to in store.

I've been happy with RockAuto's prices and speed in the past, though complaints on their customer service seems to come up regularly.

[This message has been edited by Xanth (edited 01-09-2012).]

quote Originally posted by flimbob: I purchase a spectra heater coil from rockauto to replace my leaking coil. When I got ready to put the new coil in, I found the body to be about a 1/4 inch less than my original one. The new coil would not properly fit. I called rockauto customer service only to have the guy tell me he need to talk to spectra about it. I had already purchased a Murry brand from Oreilly to get my car going again. the next day I receive a voicemail from the guy telling me that spectra said the shortened body would not affect the performance of the coil. I called rockauto and told the guy that it physically does not fit. He was adamant that I should use the part even though it didn't fit. I told him I just want my money back. He sent me instructions on sending the coil back. The reason he put on the form for return was "customer doesn't want the part". Don't know if I'm comfortable buying parts from people who don't have time to listen when something is not right.

In spite of what you were told, I'd mark it "does not fit"!!!

Joe

hmmm...never had a problem the 1 time I had to call customer service.

They sent me the wrong part (number transposed) - ordered upper ball joints for the Fiero and what I got was for a Chevy 1/2 ton. They sent me out the correct ones without me having to return the Chevy ones (they told me to just keep them - ended up going to the neighbour with a Chevy truck).

Maybe I just got 'lucky'??

I have ordered a ton of parts from RockAuto over the last year, and have also talked to their customer service department on an issue. Issue was resolved in a timely manner and they were courteous as well. I love RockAuto and hardly ever shop anywhere else for parts, unless it's something I need right this minute. They have the best price per part quality that I have seen.