Camelback, Amazon, Ebay, RockAuto?

[Pilgrimtrucker]

Ordering parts for my 2000 SR5... well almost.
Valve cover leak repair along with everything that goes with it.
Lower ball joints and end links.
Sway bar links, bushings and clamps.
Radiator and aftermarket transmission cooler.

I don't want to needlessly overspend and buy everything from Camelback Toyota, but I would sleep better. I've found references to Amazon and Ebay parts, but just not sure if its worth the savings at the risk of sub-par parts resulting in having to do this over again.
I clearly understand the importance of OEM ball joints, and will be ordering them from Camelback. But what about the other items that I can find on Amazon and Ebay. Better prices, but from a variety of manufactures.
I've searched and come up with a variety of choices, but limited follow-up after installation to know if that was the right choice, other than avoiding Fel-pro valve cover gaskets which seem to be the majority opinion.
Any advice on brands to look for and where?
Appreciate the help.

 

[apohl17]

Here's my recommendation. I just overhauled my 2000 SR5 with full suspension and 3ish inches of lift. Like you said, oem balls, but from there, I went with all proforged (ebay) extended sway bar end links and ITREs, and went with beck/arnley OTREs (555 stamped). I was very impressed with the packaging and initial quality of the proforged equipment, we will see how they hold up.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[Jungoes]

I bought everything from ROCKAUTO shipped to Canada, price +duties+shipping and Taxes was still less than half of what i would have to pay in canada.
Really impressed with the 2 day shipping, and customer service.

I don't have much options for getting parts at reasonable prices or shipping, and Rockauto so far exceeded my expectations. Highly recommend them.

As for the Brand of parts I'm gonna keep that to my own preference as everyone here has their own opinion on price, durability etc. go with what you want to spend and how long you intend to keep the truck.

No matter what brand you choose, frequent inspection, proper installation will help no matter what brand you choose.

I hope this thread does not turn into a ball joint disco party as it usually does.:bash:

 

[NWFL4Runner]

Ordering parts for my 2000 SR5... well almost.
Valve cover leak repair along with everything that goes with it.
Lower ball joints and end links.
Sway bar links, bushings and clamps.
Radiator and aftermarket transmission cooler.

I don't want to needlessly overspend and buy everything from Camelback Toyota, but I would sleep better. I've found references to Amazon and Ebay parts, but just not sure if its worth the savings at the risk of sub-par parts resulting in having to do this over again.
I clearly understand the importance of OEM ball joints, and will be ordering them from Camelback. But what about the other items that I can find on Amazon and Ebay. Better prices, but from a variety of manufactures.
I've searched and come up with a variety of choices, but limited follow-up after installation to know if that was the right choice, other than avoiding Fel-pro valve cover gaskets which seem to be the majority opinion.
Any advice on brands to look for and where?
Appreciate the help.

For valve covers (and all associated seals, etc.) and LBJ and radiator, just go OEM. That's stuff you don't want to touch again for a while, and the price difference is negligible.

OTRE and sway bar links, there's enough choice and if they blow up/suck, it's not hard to replace.

 

[UnderFire]

I'm a fan of Rock Auto personally. The selection they have for our trucks is good, you've just got to know what to buy. For the seals I'd recommend Victor/reinz. I used to buy felpro but after buying the cheaper set for a budget engine assembly I was surprised to find that it was super high quality especially compared to the felpro set I'd ordered for the same engine previously.

Rockauto will also have the denso radiator for your 4runner at a good price, oem quality there, the ball joint selection is lacking though, so just go OEM on those.

Might as well do urethane bushings on the swaybar from energy suspension while you're doing that, as far as links go I'm sure whatever's cheapest should be fine.

And eBay usually has the best price on aftermarket parts so I'd get the part number for your tranny cooler and look there and on Amazon and go with the cheaper one.

Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk

 

[theriddler]

Camelback=you know for sure it's actually OEM but expensive

Ebay=some really good prices, simple search can bring up thousands of results, when ebay says "it fits" you'd better confirm that yourself before ordering. They are an excellent source for used OEM parts too

Rockauto=good prices and I've had no negative experience yet (kind of hard to use their website at times)

Amazon=fast, usually a decent price, all your orders are stored (in case you need to order them again). I do think Amazon is getting to be too big of a company but they are a good resource

I use ebay a lot, but lately I've been burned on some o2 sensors that were supposed to be OEM when i don't think they were. Only lasted a few weeks and the fault code returned. It's getting harder and harder to figure out what is OEM and what is a copy...they're even copying the OEM boxes now and they're damn good at it.

Rockauto is growing on me, I've been using them for the Tundra brake upgrade I'd like to do.

Not related to your question, but when searching for salvage yard parts I use this: Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market I've had excellent experiences with the yards I've dealt with and way cheaper than ebay.

Last word of advise...use OEM parts always! That is unless you're upgrading, adding a lift, etc.

 

[yella]

Also like rockauto. I used Fel Pro VCG and they are not seeping ( approx 5000 miles so far ). I check them maybe twice a month. The OEM gaskets were 3 times the price so I figured why not - its not a hard job and not going to destroy anything if they seep.

I might try a good aftermarket OTRE based on some research first.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TrexRunnerGirl]

I'm new to doing this but over the last year I've gotten things from:
RockAuto -great customer service and parts/price
Ebay - the timing belt kit and got the heater/AC unit fixed; odds/ends
Amazon - (I shop there too much anyway) stuff I don't remember
this Forum - members sell stuff - my first buy was a clock - ahh the memories... :cheers:
I did use OEM for ball joints and currently going to Crutchfield for my stereo needs.

All the stuff I've gotten has made the ride better and no rattles, etc.
My only complaint is the muffler. it still seems really loud so I just turn up the radio louder. Got it from Rockauto, had a seam leak, they replaced and refunded under warranty and it was easy dealing with them.

Good luck and let me know how that gasket cover works out. I absolutely think I need to do that this winter. Who's up for an engine party??!! :hippie:

 

[nobb]

I usually compare RockAuto and Amayama. RockAuto is fast even here to Canada, and I use it to bulk buy maintenance parts with my other vehicles for combined shipping. They are also great to deal with regarding returns. RockAuto is my preferred choice if I need a part relatively urgent (1-2 weeks).

Amayama is great for certain applications where you absolutely need the OEM part (eg. LBJ) but shipping is expensive unless you pick the cheapest surface option which is slow (3 months). Their pricing is excellent however, especially when you can combine shipping.

 

[AntleredRuin]

I'd put RockAuto on the bottom of the list.
They have good prices, sure, but those are offset by their insane shipping costs, which they tack on to each individual item, in my experience.
You buy 2 things and you'd think they can package them together, right? Nope, it's double the shipping price, and shipped separately. x2, x3, x4, etc. This adds up real quick.

On the other hand, CamelBack ships free (I think after $100), is all OEM, and you can put in coupons.

I've had good experience with both Amazon and eBay; just make sure the seller has plenty of good reviews first. I've had seller ship things a full week sooner than expected, and sellers not ship anything at all and I had to open a case with eBay.
As stated before, do your own research to make sure something fits, don't trust the website's fitment wizard. Better yet, research your own parts first, then search specifically for those on Amazon and eBay. Most things don't NEED to be OEM (other than LBJs, like you said).

The best way to go, IMO, is to find what parts are available online, extensively research to find what the best part for you is, then shop around to see who has the best price.

Also, look into AdvanceAuto. If you Google for coupons, you can get some great deals. One coupon I've used before was $40 of any order of $100 or more.

 

[UnderFire]

I'd put RockAuto on the bottom of the list.
They have good prices, sure, but those are offset by their insane shipping costs, which they tack on to each individual item, in my experience.
You buy 2 things and you'd think they can package them together, right? Nope, it's double the shipping price, and shipped separately. x2, x3, x4, etc. This adds up real quick.[\QUOTE]

Shipping on Rock Auto is tricky, they have 3 or 4 warehouses, and charge you shipping for each one, each part number is only stocked at one of the warehouses, so sometimes you can't avoid paying for shipping twice, but if you're making a huge order you can change little things here and there to bundle up the shipping costs. From what I've seen they at least charge fair shipping rates instead of overinflating them like some companies do, and a lot of time their price plus shipping is just as good as a shipped price on eBay or Amazon.

Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk

 

[yella]

Camelback doesnt ship to Canada for those of us up here, so cheap and OEM do not go hand in hand.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TheDurk]

I use Amazon a lot. So far, I am not aware of any fake parts.

I will always check Rockauto for price. I just got $150 of Denso A/C parts from them--cheaper than Amazon. I got the seal set from Amazon though, because the Rockauto seal set was the only thing from that warehouse and so Amazon Prime with free shipping was cheaper. Rockauto sent me a big padded envelope that lost its contents along the way, but replaced it really quickly and no hassle other then sending a pic of the envelope.Their packaging is iffy. Should have used a box.

I will not use eBay for OEM, but good for non-critical aftermarkets and used OEM parts.

I use partznet.com (Conicelli Toyota in PA) instead of Camelback for OEM I can't get elsewhere as they match prices and shipping to the East Coast beats the crap out of Camelback. Their free shipping takes a week and I get stuff from Conicelli in two or three days.

I also use Certifit for the stuff they carry.

 

[gamefreakgc]

I use Amazon a lot. So far, I am not aware of any fake parts.

I will always check Rockauto for price. I just got $150 of Denso A/C parts from them--cheaper than Amazon. I got the seal set from Amazon though, because the Rockauto seal set was the only thing from that warehouse and so Amazon Prime with free shipping was cheaper. Rockauto sent me a big padded envelope that lost its contents along the way, but replaced it really quickly and no hassle other then sending a pic of the envelope.Their packaging is iffy. Should have used a box.

I will not use eBay for OEM, but good for non-critical aftermarkets and used OEM parts.

I use partznet.com (Conicelli Toyota in PA) instead of Camelback for OEM I can't get elsewhere as they match prices and shipping to the East Coast beats the crap out of Camelback. Their free shipping takes a week and I get stuff from Conicelli in two or three days.

I also use Certifit for the stuff they carry.

I agree with Durk's opinions. Rockauto has the cheapest prices on non-critical parts, hands down. They even carry DENSO and AISIN parts. It's not free shipping but if you select parts from the same warehouse (marked as "A" after you add an items to your cart) the shipping will not be bad. I find it refreshing that they charge you partially based off the actual shipping costs from the warehouse or multiple, instead of some huge stupid flat fee regardless of size or weight. No, my simple supercharger belt that weighs under a pound should not cost $16 in shipping via ground... Check the vendors section for a 5% off code for Rockauto as well.

EBAY is the wild west. There's almost no way to guarantee you're getting actual OEM parts. Take fuel injectors for example. You'll see one fuel injector going for $100, and then right below it an ad showing photos of an OEM set of 6, with convincing looking packaging, for $80. No trust there at all. The only OEM parts I've ever ordered was the timing belt kit from aircabinman since it's tried and true.

Dealerships are obvious you're getting authentic parts but in most cases you will pay an arm and a leg for them.

 

[BrianSD_42]

I've used Camelback plenty in the past.

I highly suggest you check out parts.toyota.com
--> click search eyeglass button --> enter your part # then zip code

This Toyota website will pull up competitive parts bids from local dealers. The prices were pretty good for me since I found out there is a dealership in El Cajon, CA (15-20 min drive) that showed the exact same price as Camelback for online sales.

eace:

 

[mtbtim]

I use Camelback for most of my OEM Toyota Parts Needs. Their prices are competitive, they ship you the parts very quickly and the shipping is free if your order is $150 or more. Also, if you have a question, you can get them on the phone no problem. Jorge, he pronounces is name like George, is in charge on the online sales and is easy to deal with.

For any aftermarket parts or tools, I use Amazon mostly but sometimes buy on Ebay. With an Amazon Prime membership, you get most of your purchases within a day or two.

 

[SilverRidgeRunner1]

Between the mention I like to really mix it up sometime one place better than another, its just setting that time aside to shop...

 

[nissanh]

For valve covers I HIGHLY suggest OEM. Each side is about $16 at Camelback. I once installed Fel-pro and in 7000 miles, those leaked so badly. I had a thread comparing OEM and this garbage aftermarket.

I buy OEM whenever possible as they work 100% the first time. I turned the drums on my car and no good, then bought aftermarket brand new drums and within few 100 miles, I noticed brake engagement and disengagement during slow braking. NOw, I am all set for OEM drums.

So far Camelback toyota is the best for me. Never ever had an issue and Jorge at the online parts section is very helpful.

Rockauto sent me a wrong part for my car (longer drive belt) and to receive the correct part, they want me to ship it back on my $. Well, for that I can buy another belt so I didn't return it. Same goes with four season tensioner and idler pulley for my Cruiser. The idler pulley was bad at the time I received it (got side to side play). Again, same return policy (ended up buying OEM).

 

[Pilgrimtrucker]

I use partznet.com (Conicelli Toyota in PA) instead of Camelback for OEM I can't get elsewhere as they match prices and shipping to the East Coast beats the crap out of Camelback. Their free shipping takes a week and I get stuff from Conicelli in two or three days.

I compared Camelback with Conicelli for all the parts I needed and Conicelli came in $7.00 less than Camelback... that is until you factor in shipping. Camelback won out saving me $17.00 total. Don't recall how long it took to ship as I allowed plenty of time.
Thank you all for your feedback and suggestions. I did look at Amazon and Ebay as well, but just didn't want to have to decipher between the real Toyota brand parts from the "said" Toyota brand parts. I also discovered that my local Toyota dealer could meet or beat some of the pricing I paid from Camelback. Yeah, I screwed up a few quantity numbers when placing my order...
Having never done a valve cover replacement on a Toyota before, I must say it went better than I expected. Surprisingly, the dreaded fragile plastic wire loom stayed together and actually was in pretty good shape for its age (18 years old). I also assumed I would need (4) cam plugs, only to discover the two front plugs require removing gears and timing stuff. So I have two extra cam plugs on the garage shelf. Cleaned up all the throttle body and plenum parts and pieces and it just seems to run amazing. I'll report my MPG results after a good 30 day trial. Expecting improvements.
Appreciate all the input.

Pilgrimtrucker

 

[BamaDrewski]

AMAZON: When I rebuilt my entire AC, I bought 95% of the parts (DENSO) from Amazon. With a PRIME account, it saves some $$$. It has been a few years now since I did the work and NO ISSUES.

ROCKAUTO: They have some good prices but sometimes, the parts are substandard as compared to DENSO parts or TOYOTA OEM. Case in point: My TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) crapped out and I ordered the aftermarket part from RA. It lasted less than 4 months. Went back to OEM and it is still performing after 5 years…..

CAMELBACK: I must admit I have never purchased from CamelBack. When I order OEM parts, I get them from Toyota of Dallas. After years of trying to get the same prices at the local Toyota dealership, they finally got tired of me complaining about their exorbitant prices and they are now providing me really good prices. (So good in some cases that it is cheaper to buy from them locally as you don’t have to pay shipping and the parts are usually in the next day. (It’s good to develop a good relationship with the parts guys at the Toyota Dealership counter. They have the ability to cut you a deal) I usually print out the pricing from an online Toyota OE seller and they match (and occasionally BEAT) their prices……The only thing about Toyota of Dallas is that they seem to charge a flat rate shipping fee. This means if you purchase/order a small item (door retainer clip) the shipping is more than the part itself.....they don;t seem to scale their shipping rates to the size of the item.....

ONE EXCEPTION – Steering Rack. I purchased a brand-new steering rack (Back in 2012) from carsteering.com. It came in, well packaged and an EXACT match with a great guarantee. If I had purchased it from the dealer, I would have had to get a second mortgage. Six years later, the steering rack is still going strong!