I've getting ready to order some stuff for my R53...ball joints, gaskets, filters..stuff like that. I've been looking around online and Rock Auto has name brand stuff for less than half (or sometimes less) of what the dedicated MINI shops online have the stuff for sale.

Anyone order stuff from them? Any reason for me NOT to save several hundred dollars getting stuff from them instead of a MINI parts place?

 

I use them all the time unless I'm in a hurry for something. I recently used them for my brake pads and rotors and was very happy. They are awesome, and will save you a ton of money.

 

Thanks, I think I may give them a try. What brake pads did you get? I looked and they seem to have a huge selection...everything from economy to performance, and they are still half price of the other performance pads I've seen out there at other places.

 

I've never used them for mini parts, but used them for my domestics all the time and never had any trouble

 

I'm not big on performance parts for a daily driven car and ordered run of the mill Monroe brake pads. I've noticed a huge drop off in brake dust as a result of it.

 

OK..good to know. Thanks!!

 

I routinely use them for my Subaru and Lexus, but for my MINI I prefer to deal with the numerous well-regarded vendor sponsors here.

 

If they have what you want, their prices are great....especially with the 5% OFF coupon they ALWAYS have....simpler than trying to use Amazon, since their database is better. Some items, it is best just to use a sponsor, buy for "commodity" parts, rockauto.com can be a great deal.

 

Use RockAuto all the time, their database lookup is excellent for finding the parts I need and their prices are very hard to beat.

 

I use RockAuto for all of our cars.
Just got a cabin air filter from there for a fraction of the cost at MINI. Can't see or feel any difference.

 

Before you buy from them please give us a chance, and if not WMW check out one of the other MINI vendors like Outmotoring that has been in the MINI community for years and contributes to the community other than just discount parts. Vendors like us need your orders to stay in business and develop products and contribute info to the community.

FYI if they ALWAYS have a 5% coupon is it really is discount? It's just marketing.
We can also tell you which parts are good to go aftermarket on and which are not has I've tried them and been burnt before.

Thanks for the support.

 

Partsgeek is another good place to purchase stuff. I agree on supporting vendors and do purchase items from WMW and other well known vendors. Recently needed a Belt tensioner assembly though and priced one from a vendor for $250 ish delivered, found the same exact OEM tensioner for $75 delivered on Amazon, in this economy where do you think I purchased? if the difference was $25 or even $50 I still may have gone with the vendor but when the swing was that much...

 

I used to buy parts for my old 323 gtx from them.

 

When it comes to dedicated MINI stuff, I always buy from vendors that support this site...mostly WMW. But for things like filters, gaskets, and other stuff.....it looks like Rock Auto can't be beat. For example......a valve cover gasket at WMW is $43.....the same gasket from Rock Auto is $5.89.

 

I refer folks to you (mostly) and other vendors weekly....
But sometimes auto boutique pricing/service is not needed or appropriate....
Sometimes the difference in a part can be so big, it is the difference between selling the car, and keeping it....
I have spent THOUSANDS of dollars from various vendors over the years....and IMO waymotors works is the "goto" site for many items...
But PLEASE revamp your site....
It works for you....
But the search feature sucks...
I'll try to find a product to help somebody out, post a link to your site...with the item...and it might take me 5 minutes to navigate to it after looking at 15 pages....
Or you say call me....fine...but it costs sales 2 am...for 90% of your stuff I love your shipping too...till you want 3 small items...and shipping is now 3 charges, as opposed to one fee...
I know you are a mechanic at heart...you love mini's, turn wrenches, and are living the mini dream....but as you add models, the site is becoming kinda convoluted and confusing....

 

FYI this morning after looking at their website I've called a few of my vendors and pointed the pricing and brands they were offering at well below cost. I was very surprised to find out that many of the parts offered on their are NOT the same. Even though they have the same brand as some of the stuff we use they are made by that brands Chinese plant with lower quality standards. Some of them you can tell as they use a different manufacture part number, that indicates if it's the German version or Chinese version. So even though the part looks exactly the same it is NOT.
Like I said I just learned this today. But it makes sense as I've used Gates water pumps and I think all but one of them came back leaking. So each of them got replaced with OES MINI water pumps, which were made by Gates for MINI. So I advise to be cautious as when there is such a price difference there HAS to be a reason. On that water pump the $20 price difference would have saved me from paying a tech 4hrs to redo the job, which is way more than $20.

 

Just bought a new PCV valve and oil filter for just $12 lol. They're pretty great

 

Thanks Zippy
NEVER worry about shipping from us, the cart isn't smart enough to know to use flat rate boxes. So even though you may see a crazy price, just ignore it we ALWAYS mark the shipping down to the actual charge. I don't feel it's right to make money on shipping.
As for navigating the site, I work on it everyday as I agree the search is too generic. So I've added several categories to break it down and hopefully make it easier.
Yes we work on MINIs everyday, but I feel it's just more of an advantage as we really know if something works or fits.
I'll keep working on the site to improve it.

 

Good info to know...
Even NAPA has been selling multiple SKU's of the "same" part...the pro version at a higher $$ and a consumer part for $ in many parts for a long time...often from the same maker, for the same application...guessing the "consumer line", AKA the price-point item is often an import, and the "pro" line part is likely the OEM/OES item....
Guess they are all just trying to fill a need....
IMO when labor cost you $90+ an hour to get your car fixed, but the BEST PART you can get...but for a DIY'er, the math is not as clear....(heck my $90 TYC rock auto fan is going on 5+ years with MORE miles than the crappy OEM desgin.....).
Like all things, Buyer-Be-Ware!!
Specialty vendors here sell Guaranteed to fit, quality parts...as opposed to "should fit" parts that may/may not perform....some hard/impossible to find from non-dealer sources....often for less $$ than dealer pricing.

 

I have ordered a few things for my MINI from Rock Auto and have not had a problem. I did have one strange transaction with them. I was ordering two gas lift struts for my son's r50. They had several to choose from and a wide range of pricing. I looked over the specs and ordered two from Rock Auto ..they were Monroe brand and looked great on arrival. Problem is they were too long and the hatch would not close. The specs were correct but the product did not match the specs. They sent a pre-paid postage label and gave me a credit right away. They seem to be a good outfit. FWIW - my local NAPA store ordered me a set that were far less $$ than MINI and they fit and worked great!