WWW.AUTOPART.COM Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Question: How do I pay? Do you accept credit cards?

Answer: Yes, we accept American Express, Visa, Master card, Discover, Diners club. We also eccept money orders and checks. If you pay by check you have to wait until the check clears prior to shipping the part. Normally it is 10 days. We do not ship COD (cash on delivery). No exceptions. Money orders/check receive 3 % cash discount as we do not have to pay the credit card discount fees in this case.

Question: How do I find the part I am looking for?

Answer: First try to find the part you need by going back to the home page and following the links. If found please proceed to order it online. This is the easiest to order and since we have to do less work we can pass the savings to you the customer by offering a better price if you buy online direct.

Question: How long does it take to receive my part?

Answer: As a general rule of thumb you should normally receive your part within 3-5 business days of ordering. For more details please read this FAQ page to the end and also check the "Terms&Policies" page.

Question: How much is shipping?

Answer: We charge shipping according to actual shipping cost based on weight of item and destination address. We ship from the closest location that has the part in stock. Minimum shipping and handling charge for any box up to 1 lbs is $10.00.

Question:What is the warranty on the parts?

Answer: All warranty is handled direct by the appropriate manufacturer. Generally the warranty is 12 months/12 000 miles, each specific catalog has the details if different. Please read the "Terms&Policies" page.

Question:How do I make a return if I have to?

Answer: If there is a problem you must contact us first. The order confirmation email received will contain an order id number. When you want to make a return you must follow the return policy described in the "Terms&Policies" page.

Question: Do you have the part in stock?

Answer: Autopart.com is a virtual store. Autopart.com does not stock parts in a privately owned warehouse. Instead we work direct with manufacturers that ship the item directly to the final user. We list the parts only that are regular stock items of those manufacturers. Therefore theoretically all parts listed are "in stock". Here is how it works. When an order is placed, first we route the order to the affiliated manufacturer. They ship the part direct to the customer. If they do not have the part for some reason then we search a few nationwide databases to see if the part is available at all in the USA. In this case the customer is contacted with an updated order information. Part is being shipped as a special order only after his confirmation. If we cannot find the part then the customer is contacted and the order cancelled. Thus if you call with the question: "Do you have the part in stock?" you will have to wait a couple of minutes "on hold" or more until we are able to check all databases.

Question: Who is Autopart.com and What warranty do I have that I actually will receive the correct part.

Answer: Autopart.com was the first company in the world to offer online autoparts catalogs since 1995. Autopart.com does not stock autoparts like the regular autoparts store. We use the "dropship" method. This means an order placed online is first checked for consistency and correct billing information, then routed to the closest affiliated warehouse for execution. The billing is done centrally. This method of execution allows us to have access to large inventory (the combined warehouses' inventory is much over $100 mln) and fulfil most "hard to find" items. In many cases the part will be shipped direct from the manufacturer. We work only with respectable businesses and take the extra time to identify the correct part for your vehicle. But we need your cooperation to. If you submit the general inquiry form or send us email, you must give an answer to all questions because they help us identify the part you need. We do not know if your car is 2 door or 4 door with manual or automatic transmission, etc., and in most cases small details make a difference. We also want you to be 100% sure you need the part. All cancellations are subject to 25% restocking fee because of the paper processing work.

Question: What are the manufacturerscatalogs?

Answer: The manufacturers catalogs are those of automotive parts makers that have provided the best service to autopart.com customers with less than 1% problem parts. Autopart.com has tested supplying parts from different manufacturers and has chosen to work only with a few of them providing the best service to autopart.com. That is why we do not list parts from all possible manufacturers like some other catalog companies do, but prefer to work with a few selected manufacturers.

Question: Why sometimes there is no price online, but only a part number?

Answer: If you only see a part number without a price this generally means this is a special order part that is not regularly stocked by the warehouses that we normally deal with. You may send an email first to ask if the part is available or order it online and rest assured the price will be the best possible price for that part. If we can not find the part there will be no charge. You will be notified by email what can be done.

Question: What is my warranty that the price online will be the actual price charged for my part?

Answer: In the autoparts' business prices change daily. We update our prices almost every week. Sometimes it may happen that our supplier has changed the price recently without that change being updated in the online catalog. Since we do not stock the parts we may have to transfer that price change to the customer. However if you order a part online that says $99.95 we will sell you the part at this price except in the very rare occasions when the price of our supplier has gone up so high that our cost is over $99.95. In such cases we will notify you by email or call first with the price update. We will only process the order if you agree with the new price. If you do not agree the order is simply cancelled. However if you call by telephone instead of ordering online, the latest price will be applied. It may be different from the price online.

Question: Are Original Equipment (OEM) parts better than the aftermarket? What is the difference?

Answer: In most cases aftermarket parts are actually better than original parts. In general if a part fails on a vehicle that has less than 100 000 miles on its odometer it usually means the part that failed maybe was not designed properly. (Note: exclude replacement of parts due to collisions, any modifications, racing, or improper maintenance). Often aftermarket companies can manage to improve the design of a prematurely failed part. Take for example DANA corporation. They make drivetrain parts for OEM manufacturers (FORD, etc.) so you see their parts go into the new vehicles. They also sell parts in the aftermarket under the NAPA, WIX, BORG WARNER, Beck Arnley, etc. trade names. Thus you may see the same part packed in 4 different retail boxes , carrying different brand name and of course different price. Which part is better ?????????

Question: Is a rebuilt part worse than a new part?

Answer: A rebuilt part is an original part that was repaired to meet original specifications. It is as good as a new part and has the same life expectancy. It is interesting to note that in the case of AC compressors we have noticed there are less problems with rebuilt parts than new parts. We think this is the case because rebuilders test completely parts before they send them to the distributors while new parts are just assembled and not always tested completely prior to shipping.

Question: Should I consider buying a used part?

Answer: If the part you are looking for is a body part the answer is YES! It will be original part easy to fit. Body parts do not wear out as mechanical parts do. On older cars you have to ask a few questions first to make sure you get parts that are not rusted. In many case it is also a good idea to put a used engine or transmission on a car with many miles instead of paying sometimes thousands more for a rebuilt part. In many cases salvage yards do not save small mechanical parts such as sensors, valves, switches, etc. As a rule of thumb used parts are priced at around 50% of list price of new ones. On some hot vehicles though used parts may be almost as expensive as new ones.

Question: I tried to find my part unsuccessfully , so I have submitted an inquiry that never gets answered? WHY???

Answer: Due to the overhelming number of inquiries, autopart.com will answer only those inquires that provide all the necessary information to correctly identify the part including valid email address and valid shipping city, state or zip code. Example: If you submit an inquiry looking for front bumper for Acura Integra you must also specify the year of the vehicle and where do you want that part delivered.

Question: I have more concerns, How do I ask a question that was not addressed in the FAQ?

Answer: Fill out the general inquiry form and type in your question. If the question is reasonable the answer will be posted on this page because most likely if you have a question that was not answered somebody else may have the same question.

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