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Answers
Understanding Descriptions
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Understanding Descriptions
Which part will fit my vehicle? 1
All parts listed fit the year/make/model/engine combination you chose.  But if there are limiting factors (like "RWD vs. 4WD", "2-door vs. 4-door", or "w/ A.C. vs. w/o A/C"), they will be listed in the description. Please read listings carefully to ensure they match your application.
example listing

The brake pads above fit the rear axle if your vehicle (a 2001 Acura Integra 1.8L) is a GS, GS-R, or LS Model. If you have the Type-R version, they would not fit. The correct part for the Type-R would be:
example listing

Don't worry if a feature of your vehicle is not listed. Manufacturers only list information relevant to their own parts.  But if a feature listed is not true of your vehicle (like when you see "GS, GS-R, LS" and your Integra is none of those; it's a Type R), please choose a different part.

Understanding Descriptions
Does my vehicle have a feature listed in the part description? 2
You can verify your vehicle's features by:
  • Inspecting or measuring your original part
  • Looking for stickers in the engine compartment, on the door jamb, or inside the glove box, console or trunk
  • Using an online VIN search to decode the VIN number
  • Reviewing your owner's manual
  • Searching the Internet for forums where someone asked the same question; or posting a question yourself
  • Contacting a local dealership with the VIN number (dealerships have access to VIN details that aren't shared with third-parties)

Understanding Descriptions
What is the difference between the parts?
All the parts we list will fit some version of your vehicle. Any fitment differences will be listed in the part description (see "Which part will fit my vehicle?"). We also offer multiple brands so you can choose the balance of price/quality/features/reputation you prefer (see "Making Your Choice").

Understanding Descriptions
What do the flags in the part description mean? 3
A flag indicates the market for which the part manufacturer has provided application data. Manufacturers often provide application data only for their local markets, so we do not know whether their parts also fit vehicles in other markets.

For example:
example listing with flag icons

The Mexican flags on the Lemforder part indicate it fits cars sold in Mexico. The US and Canadian flags on the Motorcraft part indicate it fits cars sold in the US and Canada. The parts may be identical and we'll ship any part to any customer. But the safest choice (and the one likely to cost less to ship) is the one with a flag for your market.

Flags refer to where the vehicle first was sold, not to where it was manufactured. If you own a BMW originally sold in the US, and you see a listing like the one above, you should choose the one with the US flag, not the Mexican flag.

Understanding Descriptions
Does "left" mean "driver's side" or "passenger's side"? 4
The side is determined as if you are sitting in the vehicle.
LH/RH

If no side is specified in the part listing, it means that the part is compatible on either side of the vehicle.

Understanding Descriptions
What do the boxes with "x2" or "x4" mean? 5
This icon means the part is sold in a package with multiple units. In the example below the filters are $2.97 each, but since they are sold in a pack of 12 the total cost is $35.64. You can use the drop down menu to see if we have any individual parts, or different size packs. The total reflects the price for the entire pack, but we show you the price per unit so you can compare to other brands.
Sold in packs of x

See "What quantity will I receive?".

Understanding Descriptions
What cab style does my pickup truck have?
The different cab styles available for pickup trucks are:
  • Standard / Regular Cab (two full size doors only)
    truck cab

  • Extended Cab (two full size doors plus extra room, often with half doors behind the full size doors)
    truck door

  • Crew Cab (four full size doors)
    truck cab

  • Extended Crew / Mega Cab (four full size doors plus extra room between the rear doors and truck bed)
    extended cab
If you are still unsure, see "Does my vehicle have a feature listed in the part description?".

Understanding Descriptions
What quantity will I receive?
Parts are priced individually, unless stated otherwise in the listing.
Parts are priced individually

The part above will fit the front left OR the front right. If you need both sides, order quantity = 2.

Brake Pads and Shoes are sold as axle sets. Quantity = 1 is enough for both wheels (front or rear, as noted in the catalog).

Also see "x per car" or "x required" and "What do the boxes with "x2" or "x4" mean?".

Understanding Descriptions
Can I narrow down the part list? 6
Yes. Parts with specific attributes ('Front', 'Rear', 'FWD', '4WD') can be filtered by clicking the boxes next to the search box. The "Filter by Keyword(s)" box can remove parts from the list. Type the word(s) you want to match and click search.
example listing

If the list still is too long, add another filter and click search again.

To remove filters and see the full list again, click "Clear Filter". Use "-" before a word to find results that do NOT contain that word. Use OR between words or groups of words to see listings that match either. Use quotes "..." around a set of words you wish to match only when they exist together as a phrase. Multiple filters can be applied by entering new words or phrases after each filter operation.


Understanding Descriptions
How can I see more parts on a small screen? 7
Click expand catalog in the upper right corner of the catalog to expand the white area to fill your browser window.
Expand our catalog

Switch back to the framed catalog by clicking framed catalog on the expanded catalog.
Expand our catalog
Definitions

Definitions
"Core"
A core charge is like a deposit -- you pay it when you place the order and it's refunded if you send back your old part. See "Do you accept core returns?

Cores must be returned within six months of the date your order was placed. Cores must be returned in the manufacturer's box your new part comes in. You are responsible for return shipping on your core, unless otherwise stated in the part's listing or Info page. In most cases you can purchase a discounted shipping label from our Order Status & Returns page.

Before returning a core, be sure it is complete, fits the same vehicle application as your new part, and is in the box the replacement part came in. Your core does not need to be working (if it worked, you wouldn't have replaced it) but you will not receive core credit if it is smashed, rusted solid, or otherwise unusable.

For more information, see "How do I recover my core deposit?".

Definitions
"X Day Delay" 17
Our warehouses do not have this part, but we can order it from a supplier. It will take up to X business days (Monday - Friday) to get the part and prepare to ship it to you. See "When can I expect delivery?".

Definitions
"Private Label Pkg"
Manufacturers often make parts to be sold by others (Kenmore appliances, store-brand cereals, etc.). "Private Label Pkg" means the part may be in a plain white box, a distributor's box, or (for closeout parts) a box from a competing store. Although the box may not say the manufacturer's name, the part inside the box has the same features, warranty and quality as the regular inventory version.

Definitions
"Return and Rebuild Service (R&R)"
We don't have an already-rebuilt part to send you; you must send your old part to be rebuilt and then returned to you.

When you order an R&R part, we'll collect your payment and send you instructions by email explaining where to send your old part. To send the part back for rebuilding, you can either purchase a discounted return label on our Order Status & Returns page (see "How much does return shipping cost?") or you can send the part yourself via a carrier like UPS or FedEx.

The cost of shipping it back to you after it's rebuilt is included in your order total. Core charges do not apply to R&R parts (if a core charge was applied to your order, it will be refunded when the R&R instructions are sent). If your old part cannot be remanufactured, it will be returned to you and the rebuild cost will be refunded.

Rebuild times vary depending on the part and company. These times do not include shipping time to and from the manufacturer:
Manufacturer Rebuild Times Locations
Autoline 6-13 business days Minneapolis, MN
GB Reman 1-5 business days (diesel fuel injector pumps 2-4 weeks due to high volume) Long Beach, CA
Rotomaster5-7 business daysMesa, AZ
Davico ~5 business days New Bedford, MA


Definitions
"Wholesaler Closeout"
Closeout parts are our "clearance rack."  They:

  • Are new (unless otherwise stated) but may be older inventory ("last year's style") and look different than our regular inventory of the same part (a different color, with a grease fitting newer parts do not have, etc.)
  • Were acquired at discounted prices from companies liquidating inventory (because they were overstocked, decided to carry a different brand, went out of business, etc.)
  • Are limited to quantity on hand and cannot be replaced with regular inventory at the same price

Our 30-day return policy applies to everything we sell, including "wholesaler closeout" items. However, because we buy many of these parts from wholesalers specializing in surplus, and not from manufacturers or their authorized distributors, the manufacturer will not honor warranty claims on closeout items. For most applications, our catalog offers other parts from our regular inventory, fully warrantied, at regular price.

To see a list of wholesaler closeout parts for your vehicle, please view the instructions on our "Promotions and Rebates" page.


Definitions
"X per car" or "X required"
The manufacturer is advising how many of the part are present on the vehicle -- the part is sold individually.

Definitions
To/From Date 16
Dates in the part description refer to when your vehicle was built.

"To/Before [date]" means the part will fit vehicles built BEFORE the date listed. In this example, the part will fit if your vehicle matches the make/year/model/engine listed, and was built on June 2, 2002 or earlier:

listing example with date

"From/After [date]" means the part will fit vehicles built ON or AFTER the date listed. In this example, the part will fit if your vehicle matches the make/year/model/engine listed, and was built on November 1, 1984 or thereafter:

listing example with date

The date your vehicle was built often can be found on a sticker in the door jamb of the front driver's side door.
Making Your Choice

Making Your Choice
Which part should I choose? 8
All the brands we carry will fit and function like the original (see "Which part will fit my vehicle?"). We offer multiple brands so you can choose the balance of price/quality/features/reputation you prefer. To help you decide:

  • Use the trucks or "Choose for Me to Minimize Costs" tool to find parts which can ship together, keeping your total cost low (see "Which parts cost least to ship?").
  • Consider other customers' preferences -- hearts Heart icon mark parts we sell most often for each application.
  • Click Info Button to learn more about a part's warranty, features & benefits, specifications, and to view pictures or videos.
  • Ask a friend by printing or emailing the list of choices:
    How do I Print or Email

Making Your Choice
Which part has the best quality? 9
Often, quality is a matter of brand reputation, prior experience, and personal preference. Some manufacturers offer a less expensive, lower quality option (Standard Motor Products "T-series", for example) in addition to their OE-quality lines. These parts often say "value line", "price-conscious", "economy" or similar terms in the description or on the Info page. Others offer products which are better than original (Power Stop Drilled & Slotted Rotors, for example). Click Info Button to learn about these features and decide whether you want them (see "Tell me more about a part's warranty, specifications, or manufacturer").

When there are many parts with clear quality differences, our catalog divides them by quality ("Economy", "Daily Driver", "High Performance", or "Copper", "Platinum", "Iridium"). Hide categories by clicking on the down arrow next to the title:
         examples of subcategories

Making Your Choice
Where was the part made?
Manufacturers may produce their parts in several countries and often our inventory includes the same part with the same part number, from two or more countries. We cannot know which part a customer will receive, so we cannot list the country of origin in our catalog.

Manufacturers warrant that parts will fit and function the same, regardless of country of manufacture. Click Info Button to learn more about a part's warranty, features & benefits, specifications, and to view pictures or videos.

Making Your Choice
Which parts cost least to ship? 10
We sell over a million different parts and a single warehouse cannot hold them all. Since carriers charge more for separate boxes, the parts that cost least to ship (see How much does shipping cost?) are often the parts that can ship in the fewest boxes. Our online catalog has two features to help you choose parts with minimal shipping costs.

If you already have one or more items in your shopping cart, truck icons will indicate parts that could ship with those already in your cart.



If you care more about low costs than brand name, the "Choose for Me to Minimize Cost" feature will choose the part with the lowest total cost from a list of acceptable alternatives that you select. This video explains how:


Making Your Choice
What do other people in my situation do (heart icon / popular parts)? 11
Parts ordered most frequently for an application (with fewest returns) have a Heart icon in the description.

What do the red hearts mean?

Why are data-driven recommendations better than product reviews? Read our newsletter article!

Making Your Choice
What is included with the part?
Items are sold without gasket, seals, hardware, or other accessories unless otherwise specified in the part listing or part image on the Info Button page.

For example, these will include a gasket:
example listing showing gasket included

These will not include a gasket:
example listing with gasket not included

Also see "What quantity do I need?".

Making Your Choice
Tell me more about a part's warranty, specifications, or manufacturer. 12
Click Info Button next to a part number:
Info page button

A page like this one will appear in a separate window (so you can compare parts in different windows) with all the details we have about that part (pictures, warranty summary, specifications, and sometimes videos describing installation or manufacturing processes). Manufacturer logos link to their websites for additional information about the company:
Click the &quotInfo" button

Making Your Choice
Where can I find additional information about a part?
All of the information we have on the part is available in the part listing or by clicking the Info Button button.

If you're not seeing the details you are looking for, that means we do not have them. However, that also means they are not important for fitment. The manufacturer always lists the details that will be important to determine if the part will fit your vehicle (see "Which part will fit my vehicle?").

Making Your Choice
Can I print a list of parts? 13
Yes. Click Printer Icon. The content to be printed will appear in a separate window along with your printer's dialog box.
How do I print

If you'd like to print certain parts, see "Can I narrow down the part list?".

Making Your Choice
Can I send the list of parts to someone else? 14
Yes. Click Email this list to a friend to send the list to an email address you enter.
How do I Email

If you'd like to send certain parts, see "Can I narrow down the part list?".

We include your email address in the message so your friends know who the message is from and can reply to you. We do not save email addresses, so you will not receive RockAuto newsletters or promotions. If you'd like to sign up for RockAuto emails, see "How do I subscribe to or unsubscribe from RockAuto emails?".

Making Your Choice
What is your return policy?
Every part we sell may be returned within 30 days for a refund of the part price with the exception of liquids that have been opened (oil, paint) and Gift Certificates. Arrange your return on the Order Status & Returns page.

If a part doesn't fit, don't try to "make it fit" and risk damaging the part, your car, or yourself! RockAuto is not responsible for any costs exceeding the cost of the part, and we will not accept returns of parts that have been installed or modified.

To receive credit, a returned part must be complete and in its original, unmarked manufacturer's packaging (unless specifically noted otherwise). Cores must be returned in the box the new part came in. Returns may not be refundable if the part, or the manufacturer's box, is damaged while in transit to our warehouse.

Shipping charges are not refundable unless the return is due to our mistake. If you refuse delivery or the carrier returns a package because you provided an invalid address, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.

Pricing

Pricing
Why is there such a wide range of prices?
Manufacturers set prices differently. More expensive parts often perform better or last longer ("you get what you pay for"). Sometimes a higher price also covers the cost of marketing a famous brand, or a manufacturer's decision to buy a part from another company (and mark up the price) instead of making it themselves. We offer multiple brands so you can choose the balance of price/quality/features/reputation you prefer (see "Which part should I choose?").

Pricing
Why are your prices lower than at local stores?
We're able to offer the same top quality products you'd find in any reputable store at a much lower price because our costs are lower than our competitors'. We keep our costs low by encouraging customers to self-serve and choose their own parts using our online catalog. We ship directly to our customers from centralized warehouses (sometimes directly from manufacturers). We have no retail stores, no counter-people and don't have a lot of money tied up in slow-moving inventory. We pass on those savings with lower prices!

Pricing
Does RockAuto price match or offer price adjustments?
RockAuto does not price match or offer price adjustments on past orders -- we always offer our lowest prices we can to every customer, every day! Because we value our customers, we do offer discounts to repeat buyers. We will send you a discount code via email a few months after you place an order (each time!). You can use the discount code as many times as you like until it expires. See, "How do I view my discount code?"

Pricing
Do you offer discounts for large orders?
We do not offer discounts for large orders because we offer our lowest prices to every customer every day! This means individuals placing small orders receive the same pricing we offer to businesses.

To show our appreciation to our loyal customers, we do offer discounts to repeat buyers. We will send you a discount code via email a few months after you place an order (each time!). You can use the discount code as many times as you like until it expires. See, "How do I view my discount code?"

Pricing
Do you offer promotions and rebates? 15
Current manufacturer promotions and rebates can be found by clicking the"Promotions and Rebates" icon at the top right corner of RockAuto.com.

We identify part listings with a rebate using a star icon next to the part category and in the part listing:
star icon listingstar icon category

Most promotions and rebates are honored through the manufacturer of the product. You can find terms and conditions, contact information to check rebate status, and mail-in rebate forms on our Promotions & Rebates page.

Pricing
Can I see prices in my country's currency?
Yes. Select the currency you'd like to use from the drop-down list at the bottom left of the catalog:
My country's currency

Prices are based on interbank exchange rates updated each morning.

We accept electronic payments in US dollars, Canadian dollars, euro, and British pounds. We also accept paper checks in US dollars. Credit card companies and PayPal will charge you in US dollars, and may use a different exchange rate than ours or add fees for international transactions (so your local-currency total on our website may be slightly different than on your credit card or PayPal statement).