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Buying car parts online-- Who do you trust? / DONE!

Sep 18, 2025 - 4:14:13 AM
63420 posts since 12/14/2005

Need an air conditioner switch for our 2010 Honda FIT hatchback.
None of the nearby salvage yards have one, so, online it is.
But, how do I know the seller on eBay will send me the part, and not use my card info to buy themselves a lot of stuff?

 

=======================

Done in 10 minutes!

Edited by - mike gregory on 09/18/2025 09:52:40

Sep 18, 2025 - 4:16:06 AM
Players Union Member

Texasbanjo (Moderator)

USA

32236 posts since 8/3/2003

Go online to a parts type store that has a good reputation. If you can't find it there, check out Amazon.

I seldom do business with E-Bay because I had a less than satisfactory ending with something I bought years ago. No more.

Sep 18, 2025 - 4:59:01 AM
likes this

160 posts since 6/18/2023

Ebay has alot of counterfit parts. RockAuto has been good but make sure the part is correct before 30 days. Bought a belt and tensioner set for my car. Set box and boxed parts in the kit box had correct part numbers. Because of medical reasons it was more than 30 days before i installed them. The wrong tensioner was in the correct box. They would do nothing for me, cost me an extra 90 dollars.
I did have a brand new alternator that was delivered damaged. Contacted RockAuto, sent pictures and a new one was sent out the next day. No problem at all getting it replaced.

Edited by - itsnotyou on 09/18/2025 05:01:49

Sep 18, 2025 - 4:59:01 AM
like this

banjoy

USA

11832 posts since 7/1/2006

Lots of good deals on Amazon and eBay, but buyer beware, lots of counterfeit product there too. You can google that.

I really like rockauto.com. They have great deals and you get authentic stuff. You have to navigate their weird archaic website, though, and figure out their oddball shipping. But I definitely recommend them.
 

Edited by - banjoy on 09/18/2025 04:59:57

Sep 18, 2025 - 5:05:55 AM

slammer

USA

5178 posts since 12/30/2008

$45.95 from various parts supply stores online.
I just googled “2010 Honda fit air conditioner switch. Multiple sources besides eBay that I would use came up. I would use Honda Parts HQ. Fast delivery too.
Slammer!!!

Sep 18, 2025 - 8:41:28 AM

1405 posts since 3/7/2006

I always use Rockauto.com. I have only had one problem out of seeveral orders, returnable. That was disc brake pads for a Chevy Lumina. But then again, when I buy local, they never give me the right brake pads either.
Right now I'm looking for a new front bumper to my Dodge Truck. The price for the Chinese one is around $300, but Tariff shipping brings it to $800+. As of now, I believe Tariffs are frozen and haven't changed, but these companys are anticipating a surge. So I will scour the local parts yards if I ever get the time.
By the way, I have bought two rear bumpers from them in the past with good quality and no problems. They are either stealth bumpers, or the people behind me have been checking their phones while pulling up to the stop sign. I know it's the latter problem.

Sep 18, 2025 - 9:07:14 AM

Buddur

USA

4297 posts since 10/23/2004

I would not trust Amazon or Ebay based on the prevalence of fake/counterfeit parts. That is, unless you know the seller is a trusted source.

RockAuto.Com is who I use the most because they vet their sources and shipping is very fast. SummitRacing.Com is also trusted.  Some dealers have online parts for less than if you went to a location to purchase them.  There may be more online sources, but it there are I don't use them.

Sep 18, 2025 - 9:11:53 AM

Buddur

USA

4297 posts since 10/23/2004

Mike, try HondaPartsOnline.com for your part, that is where i get hard to get parts for my Honda Odyssey.
https://www.hondapartsonline.net/

Guess I shoulda read the original post first...

Sep 18, 2025 - 9:51:19 AM

63420 posts since 12/14/2005

OK!
Took more than a week to reach THIS point, took only about 10 minutes to place the order, and under $75

Thanks everybody.

Sep 18, 2025 - 9:52:36 AM

67 posts since 8/20/2025

I fix cars as a hobby and side job and use Rockauto 99% of the time when I can deal with the part taking a few days in shipping. This month alone I've placed 7 orders with them, probably in the hundreds over the past 20 years (I have the magnets as record!)

As others said, BE SURE you know what part you need since often there may be multiple trim levels all lumped together in the list of parts for your year/make and you may need only parts that is specific to your trim level and it isn't always super clear. For example a 2010 Impala I just worked on has suspension RPO FE1, but FE2 and FE3 suspension parts for other trim levels were all mixed in and are completely different, so I had to do research on my model to find the suspension code applicable to the one in my shop (the codes are on a tag in the trunk usually). Ball joints for trucks are also tricky (aluminum vs steel A arms and spindles all mixed together in the list and you have one of four different combos all mixed together)

Overall I save over 50% parts cost vs Napa or Auto Zone or Oreilly. Go to stores when you need something right away. I avoid Advance Auto at all costs.

Sep 18, 2025 - 10:09:16 PM

63420 posts since 12/14/2005

The picture on their page matches the part exactly,
AND
They asked for the VIN, so it's GOT to be the only Honda FIT hachback in the country with THAT number on it.

The ability of people, and ESPECIALLY computers, to upfucculate the simplest of transactions, is a constant fear, but I do hope for the best.
Luckily, it's mid-September in Wisconsin, so if it does NOT go well, I have several months to hunt for one from one of the other companies mentioned above.

Sep 20, 2025 - 9:36:01 AM

8941 posts since 9/5/2006

i use rockauto and another called carid. had pretty good luck with both. i like carid because the carry the good stuff for rotors and brake pads. i wanted centric rotors and akebono brake pads for her cx5 and they had fair prices on both. i got my rotors and pads for my 2003 chevy pickup from amazon and had no trouble with those.

Sep 20, 2025 - 6:27:35 PM

229 posts since 10/5/2019

On an unrelated note, sellers on eBay don’t get your card info when you place an order.

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