What people complain about in Rockauto
8 reported problems name Rockauto as what the person is currently using. Below is what they said was missing, and what they resorted to instead.
- Complaints
- 8
- Avg severity
- 2.9/5
- Would pay to fix
- 0
- Industries
- 1
What they wish it did
Capabilities people described needing that Rockauto does not give them, taken from the highest-scoring problems first. These are individual accounts written in each person’s own terms, so two entries may describe the same underlying gap in different words.
- Price comparison tool that aggregates auto parts data across multiple retailers in one view
- Automated multi-site price comparison and aggregation tool for auto parts
- Part identification app with visual recognition and VIN-based fitment for auto brake lines
- A platform that provides model-specific repair instructions with clear tool diagrams and part sourcing
- Search engine and parts websites lack metadata for torque-to-yield fasteners as purchasable items
- Vehicle diagrams fail to label the bolt as a replaceable part
- Guided part selector that asks about vehicle symptoms and repair capability to recommend the exact assembly type
- A tool that automatically identifies the correct bearing type and provides tool-free installation guidance
What they do instead
The manual processes people built around the gap. A long workaround list is the strongest evidence a problem is real: someone is already paying for it in time. Where several people described the same workaround, it is marked.
- manually checks RockAuto first
- spends too much time comparing prices across different sites
- spends an hour comparing prices across tabs
- searches RockAuto with limited options that don't look right
- Googles but finds confusing rabbit holes
- Relies on Ford manual instructions but finds them unclear
- Searches for parts on RockAuto but cannot find single-use nuts
- Scoured internet for hours
- Checked RockAuto, carparts.com, GM OEM website
- Checked exploded view on 2.4 diagram
- manually cross-referencing RockAuto listings and forum posts to determine which part to buy
- comparing photos on RockAuto with YouTube videos to guess part type
Industries
The problems themselves
Highest opportunity score first.
Vehicle owner struggles with hard starting and stalling issues on a 1999 Saturn SL2, with conflicting information about part availability.
4HighAutomotive RepairDiagnostics & TroubleshootingSaturn Sensor SolverCar owners and DIY mechanics spend excessive time manually comparing auto parts prices across multiple websites to find the best deal.
3MediumAutomotive RepairSourcing & ProcurementPartPrice ScoutAuto repair professional wastes up to an hour manually comparing part prices across multiple websites to find the best deal.
3MediumAutomotive RepairSourcing & ProcurementPartPricerAn automotive DIYer cannot find the correct replacement brake lines for a specific vehicle despite searching on RockAuto and Google.
3MediumAutomotive RepairPart Identification & SelectionPartFinder ProReplacing front rotors on a 2020+ Ford Transit AWD is complex and requires special tools and knowledge not readily available.
3MediumAutomotive RepairRepair and Maintenance DecisionsTransit Brake ProCannot find the correct OEM harmonic balancer bolt part number for a 2008 Malibu 2.4 Ecotec; multiple supplier parts diagrams don't list it.
3MediumAutomotive RepairPart Identification & SelectionBoltFinder ProA DIY mechanic needs to identify the correct replacement part for a rear wheel bearing on a 2010 Honda Civic EX, specifically whether to buy a bearing kit or a loaded knuckle, to avoid the need for a press.
2MildAutomotive RepairPart Identification & SelectionPartMatch AdvisorA DIYer needs to replace a front wheel bearing on a 2015 Kia Optima but is confused about which part to buy and how to do it without a shop press.
2MildAutomotive RepairPart Identification & SelectionEasyBearing Finder
Read this fairly
These are complaints, and only complaints — nobody posts to say their software worked. A high count mostly reflects how many people use Rockauto at all, so this page is not a quality judgement and should not be read as one. What it is good for is the shape of the gaps: the specific jobs people could not get done, which are the same whether the tool is popular or not.