Rock Auto no longer shipping to Arizona!@#$

[azswiss]

This afternoon, when I went to check out my Rock Auto order I got the following error message:



Did a little digging & sure enough, as of Jan 1 2026, Rock Auto is no longer shipping parts to Arizona!@#$%

Found the following article which gives some background. Unbelievable!!

This Tax Dispute Could Cost Arizonans Their RockAuto Access

 

[Mooseman]

You're gonna have to do like what I used to do with some sellers that wouldn't ship to Canada. Get a PO box (or a friend) in an adjoining state, ship it there and drive to go get it.

 

[dhanger]

Yeah, I remember about a year or so ago I got an email from RA asking AZ customers to contact our state legislature over their stupidity. I didn't, so I guess it's my fault...

 

[northcreek]

Might have to go back to the "Pony Express"....

 

[movietvet]

Yeah, I remember about a year or so ago I got an email from RA asking AZ customers to contact our state legislature over their stupidity. I didn't, so I guess it's my fault...

Yep, you didn't contact your state legislature, so that ruined it for every other AZ resident. Shame on you.

Has to do with taxes, huh? Well I know who to blame. Unless of course someone can show me wrong. The supplied link, by @dhanger, would not open.

 

[Mooseman]

I think this is what @azswiss tried to link:

This Tax Dispute Could Cost Arizonans Their RockAuto Access - Jalopnik

It boils down to the state deciding that RockAuto has a physical presence in the state and therefore owes back taxes on its sales, plus penalties.

www.jalopnik.com

 

[dhanger]

I guess ADOR (Arizona Dept. of Revenue) didn't count on a business pulling out of a state, so now they not only forfeited the $11 million they claimed RA owed (unless they continue to pursue what they think they are owed), but now they get no revenue at all from RA going forward. Whoopsie!

 

[movietvet]

The writer of the article is a * hack at NY Times. The story is skewed right from the start. Plus, read the reviews/responses to the story at the end. They can see right thru the story lean. CA infects AZ with it's "get the taxes/money at all costs".

 

[Mooseman]

There was a linked article that has a much better explanation.

Why Car Parts Giant RockAuto Plans To Stop Shipping Parts To Arizona Residents - The Autopian

RockAuto is one of America's best sources for affordable car parts. But come November, car owners in Arizona will have to look somewhere else

www.theautopian.com

And please keep any partisan politics out of ALL discussions. That is one rule that is enforced without prejudice.

 

[dhanger]

So what are some good alternatives for online parts that can be generally relied on for quality and decent prices? I've relied on RA for so long that my part hunting skills have atrophied and I don't want to just descend into Amazon for everything.

 

[movietvet]

Try Parts Geek and compare pricing with RA. I have also found that local dealers will give a military or senior citizen discount.

 

[azswiss]

Start with RA for parts #'s & prices, then search based on part # & compare pricing. I would then check Parts Geek and/or CarParts.com. I would only use Amazon as a last resort, subject to who the seller is; avoid eBay at all costs.

I have used gmpartsgiant.com and gmpartswarehouse.com previously for OE parts but you trade off price for availability.

 

[Mooseman]

1A Auto has had an online presence for quite a while. I've never used them but they seem to be doing well despite RA's competition. If they don't have an AZ warehouse, they should be good to ship to AZ. Looking over their site, they seem to sell mostly TRQ branded parts which are made by ???

I did pose the question to AI and it gave me this list:

Top Alternatives to RockAuto (US)

• Parts Geek: Frequently cited as a top alternative with a huge, warehouse-style, low-cost selection of parts similar to RockAuto.
• 1A Auto: Known for high-quality, direct-fit parts, often with better customer service and installation videos.
• CarParts.com: A large, fast-shipping retailer focusing on affordability and fitment guarantees.
• eBay Motors: Highly recommended for finding rare or specific parts, though requires careful selection of reputable sellers and ensure parts are not fakes or cheap clones

 

[azswiss]

I did pose the question to AI and it gave me this list:

Did the same exact search. Learned an interesting lesson, though, as I went thru this process on my most recent parts purchase: the struts that support the glass on the rear lift gate.

After getting the no AZ shipments notice from RA, I did a search on the supplier & part #. I found several sites with the same part # so I ordered from one (the price was more than RA but not exorbitantly so).

*After* placing the order I decided to (belatedly) check for reviews on the part and was surprised to find multiple reviews indicating that the lift force on these units was very high and, for one buyer, resulted in shearing the bracket completely off the glass itself.

I checked the specs and found it listed a force range of 45 - 56 pounds. By comparison, the GM OE part spec'd a lift force of 36 pounds.

I cancelled the initial order and ordered the OE parts from gmpartsgiant.com. Yes, the price was substantially more (~$20 ea.) but it gave me peace of mind knowing that I would not be risking damage to the lift glass.

Moral of the story: price is not the only consideration that we should be focused on. Moving forward I am going to be much more circumspect in checking not just price but seller, supplier & part reviews.

 

[Mooseman]

After my rear glass exploded due to weak shocks allowing the glass to slam down by itself, I permanently locked the glass after replacing it. I'm still finding pieces of glass. I didn't use the glass a lot anyway so I won't miss it.

But it's true about the price not being the only consideration. A lot of times you have to go with OEM if not NLA.

 

[dhanger]

Thanks, that helps a lot. I think I have to agree that price is becoming secondary, just being able to find quality parts now at any cost is the bigger challenge. I can buy far more quality parts than I'll ever need by not buying a new vehicle that doesn't have quality parts to begin with, by many accounts now, or way too many parts (gadgets) that I have no use for.