FAQ
Q. – “When will my order ship?”
A. – We try to get all orders shipped out as fast as possible.
- Orders placed before 2:00 PM eastern time on a business day ship out the same day.
- Orders placed after 2:00 PM eastern time on a business day might still make it out that same day, but count on the next business day to be safe.
- Orders placed on weekends and holidays ship out the next business day.
Q. – “Where do you ship from?”
A. – We ship from both east coast and west coast locations and will ship your order from the closest location to you that has stock. In most cases we can ship your entire order from the location closest to you to minimize transit time, but occasionally we will need to split your order between more than one location to fulfill the complete order. We will always try to ship each item from the closest location possible.
Q. – “How soon will I receive my order?”
A. – We try to get your order to you as quickly as possible, transit times vary depending on where you're located and which warehouse we ship from but here are some gereral guidelines:
- Transit time for orders shipped by USPS is normally 2-3 days, excluding Sunday.
- Transit time for orders shipped Ground is 1-5 business days. Our average is 1-3 business days if we have stock in a warehouse location near you. Worst case is up to 5 business days if we have to ship from a further location because that's where stock is, or if you live in a remote location.
- The above times are for the contiguous 48 States. Folks in Alaska and Hawaii should allow a few extra days.
Q. – “I cannot find what I need in your catalog. Do you have parts that are not listed?”
A. – Yes! While we are constantly adding to our catalog we still have a lot to do. If you do not see what you need please call or email, we will be glad to check if we have what you need.
Q. – “When you refer to your parts being left or right side which side is that on my vehicle?”
A. – Left and right are always relative to position as you are seated in the car, facing forward. Here in the USA and in other left hand drive countries left is the driver’s side and right is the passenger’s side.
Q. – “What does the term OEM part stand for? What’s the difference between OEM and aftermarket?”
A. – OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer, meaning a company who supplies parts to the vehicle manufacturer (ex. BMW, Volkswagen, etc). Most vehicle manufacturers do not produce or manufacture their own parts, rather the parts are produced by outside companies for the vehicle manufacturer to meet the needs of the vehicle’s specifications. For example, Volkswagen does not make their own thermostats, they buy them from manufacturers like Behr and Wahler. We buy ours from these same original equipment manufacturers, usually the only difference is the logo on the part and the box it comes in. By going directly to the original equipment manufacturers we are able to save you money on top quality parts.
Q. – “What does it mean when it asks what my chassis/VIN is to select a part?”
A. – Vehicle manufacturers sometimes change a part in the middle of a model year, so in these cases to get the correct part you will need to know your vehicle’s chassis number which is the last 8 characters of the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) The VIN will be located in the lower left corner of the windshield or on a sticker in the driver’s door jamb. Your VIN should also be on any insurance, registration, or title documents you have for the vehicle.
Q. – “What is the warranty on the parts you offer?”
A. – We pass on the manufacturer’s warranties, those can be found in the item details for most parts.
Q. – “I need to return something, what is your policy for returns?”
A. – Our return policy can be found on our Terms page.
Q. – “There was no receipt in my box, how do I get one?”
A. – We do not include paper receipts in an effort to conserve natural resources. When your order ships we will email you a receipt in .PDF for that evening. If you did not receive a receipt please check your email spam folder in case your email accidentally flagged it as spam. If so please adjust your spam filter settings to allow emails from orders@germanautoparts.com to be sure you receive them in the future. If you cannot find your receipt in your email please contact us and we’ll be happy to send you a duplicate copy.
Q. – “I live close to you. Can I come and pick up my order?”
A. – Unfortunately we do not have the option of local pickup at this time.
Q. – “How did you guys get to be so awesome?”
A. – Gee, you’re making us blush…. While we like to think we have raw talent it’s probably just that we try really hard and we care about you. Plus we have been doing this for a really long time.