This about ordering from Rockauto in the states.
So you just bought a XJ and your not to sure what the previous owner did.
Even the youngest xj's are 19 years old now. So Could maybe do with a freshen up.
on top of the usual filters, ignition components & belt;
Oxy sensors need to be replaced every ~130k
Buy 150K you can expect the passenger side engine mount to be shot.
rad hoses, thermostat& rad cap are all getting on.
And when was the last time the tranny filter and fluid was changed?
I'm writing this because even though the ausi dollar is not as strong as it was a couple of years ago ordering all your parts in one package from the states can still be very cost effective.
I do read alot about postage from the states "costs so much" but the way i look at it is the actual postage cost is irrelevent, the important number is what the part cost + postage equals.
Eg a drivers side engine mount. costs $80 at the local. Costs $5 on rock auto, postage is 4x the part cost, which seems a bit shit. But u still get the part deliverd to your door for less than $30 AUD. =$50 in yr pocket & the postage is not a issue.
If you are not familiar with ordering parts on the net/ from the states, it is all about postage. It costs a minimum of about $20 to get a package to Australia, so if you order 2 parts from 2 different places you will be up for $40 in postage if you can get them from the same place you will be up for maybe $25. Also if you order something relatively heavy like an engine mount, and can bundle with something light eg. a crank angle sensor you may swing "free" postage on the crank sensor.
Below is an example of a uber-tune up package a new owner might put into his pre update XJ.
With rock auto, they have multiple warehouses, so the idea is to get all your parts from the one warehouse. look for parts with a truck symbol beside them= same warehouse as the parts in your basket.
As for oil filters they are cheap and heavy, not realy worth air freighting from the states. I use a Z9, i think it was like $10 last I bought one?
$261 Aussi dollars for: Dizzy cap, roter button, spark plugs, spark plug leads, Air filter, fuel filter, serpentine belt, radator cap, thermostat, top and bottom rad hoses, engine mount, oxy sensor & trany filter&gasket.
I think that is a deal. At my local parts place you would be lucky to get the mount, trany kit, oxy sensor and belt for that money.
Of course you could always order less, but with ordering from the states, the more you get in one hit the more cost effective it is. In this example postage is 49% of the parts value, which in my experience is good.
When I bought my engine mount postage was 500% of the part price- and was still much cheaper than buying local.
I have put in alot of orders with this company and am very happy with them. I like how I can add and subtract items and see how it affects postage with out having to "ring for a quote".
For stock parts:
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php
TheOoz has good things to say about
http://www.justdifferentials.com/
For aftermarket drive line components, lockers, bearings, seals, install kits, axles & ring pinion gears ect.
eg ARB locker at your door for $1000
While I intend to order through them when the time comes, I am yet to do so myself.
Summit racing is also worth a look if buying from the states, they do alot of stock parts as well as "go fast parts" They have an excellent international postage interface in the shopping basket.
Hope someone finds this useful.
[SIZE="6"]they stopped shipping to australia for a bit but is all sorted and shipping to AUS again./SIZE]
Uber tune up package. for new xj owners/buying from the states
