Payment policy

Section 1 – Overview

South Bay JDM sells used and refurbished JDM and Korean engines, transmissions, and auto parts from San Jose, California. All prices and transactions are in U.S. dollars (USD), and we ship to addresses within the United States. Local pickup from our warehouse is always welcome.

This page explains how we accept, process, and secure your payment, from the moment you add a part to your cart through order confirmation and any refund.

Section 2 – Accepted payment methods

We accept the following payment methods at online checkout:

Phone and in-person orders: for orders placed by phone, local pickups, or local installations, contact us to confirm the payment methods we can accept for your order. Payment by check or cashier’s check is accepted only by prior arrangement with our team. Orders are not released until the payment has fully cleared.

Payments sent through any channel other than our checkout or an arrangement confirmed by our team cannot be applied to an order. South Bay JDM will never ask you to pay by gift card.

Section 3 – How checkout works

1. Add to cart. Choose your engine, transmission, or part. Review the listing’s condition, mileage, and fitment details before adding it to your cart.
2. Enter your details. Provide your contact information and a valid U.S. shipping address. Freight shipments of engines and transmissions may not be deliverable to P.O. boxes.
3. Review your order. Check the items, shipping cost, sales tax, and total before paying.
4. Pay securely. Enter your card or Apple Pay details in Stripe’s secure checkout, or sign in to PayPal. Your payment details go directly to the processor, not to our servers.
5. Authorization. Your bank or PayPal approves the payment. If it is declined, you will be told right away and no charge is made.
6. Confirmation. You will see an order confirmation page and receive a confirmation email with your order number. Tracking details follow when your order ships.

When you are charged: your payment is captured when you place your order. Full payment is required before any order is packed, shipped, released for pickup, or installed. To cancel before shipment, see our Cancellation Policy.

Section 4 – Payment security

• Encrypted connection: our entire website, including checkout, is served over HTTPS (TLS), so your details are encrypted in transit.
• PCI-compliant processors: card and Apple Pay payments are processed by Stripe, a PCI DSS Level 1 certified provider, and PayPal payments by PayPal. We never see or store your full card number or security code.
• 3D Secure: your card issuer may ask you to confirm a payment through its app or a one-time code. This extra check is controlled by your bank.
• Address and security code checks: payments may be declined if the billing address or card security code does not match your card issuer’s records.
• Fraud screening: every order is screened by our payment processors’ risk tools. Orders flagged as high-risk may be held for review or cancelled (see Section 9).

Section 5 – Pricing, sales tax, and shipping costs

Pricing

• All prices are in U.S. dollars. The listed price is for the item only; shipping and sales tax are shown at checkout.
• Unless the listing states otherwise, the price of an engine covers the long block only (cylinder head and short block). Accessories left attached for testing are included free of charge, as explained in our warranty and Return & Refund Policy.
• Prices can change without notice. The price shown when you place your order is the price you pay for that order.
• If an order is affected by a pricing error, we will contact you before shipping and let you choose to proceed at the correct price or cancel for a full refund.

Sales tax

• Sales tax is charged where required by law and calculated from your shipping address at checkout.
• Orders picked up at our San Jose warehouse or delivered within California are charged California sales tax at the applicable local rate.
• For deliveries to other states, tax is collected where the law requires us to collect it. States without a sales tax show $0 in tax.
• Registered businesses buying for resale should email a valid resale certificate before placing the order. Exemptions cannot be applied to completed orders.

Shipping costs

• Shipping is based on the size, weight, and destination of your order. Engines and transmissions usually ship by freight carrier.
• Shipping and transportation charges are non-refundable. See our Shipping Policy.
• The total at checkout (item price, shipping, and applicable sales tax) is the amount charged for that order. If your card is issued outside the U.S., your bank may add its own foreign transaction fee, which we do not control.

Section 6 – Deposits and special orders

For special-order parts, items held for you, or installation bookings, we may ask for a deposit. The deposit amount and what it covers will be confirmed with you in writing before you pay.

Deposits are non-refundable if you cancel. If we cannot supply the item or complete the work, your deposit will be refunded in full.

Section 7 – Order confirmation and processing

• Confirmation email: sent within minutes of a successful payment, with your order number and summary. If you do not see it within 30 minutes, check your spam folder, then contact us with your name and the approximate order time.
• Order review: a confirmation email does not guarantee fulfillment. Orders remain subject to stock verification and fraud review.
• Shipping: orders are usually shipped the same business day, with tracking provided. Any delay will be communicated to you. See our Shipping Policy.
• Your account: signed-in customers can view their orders and invoices at any time from their account dashboard.

Section 8 – Refunds to your original payment method

Approved refunds are always issued to the payment method used for the order. We cannot redirect a refund to a different card, bank account, or PayPal account. If the original method is no longer valid, contact us and we will arrange an alternative.

• Cards and Apple Pay: usually 5–10 business days after we issue the refund, depending on your bank
• PayPal: usually 3–5 business days
• Check payments: refunded by check or another method we agree with you

Which purchases qualify for a refund is set out in our Return & Refund Policy and Cancellation Policy.

Section 9 – Fraud prevention and verification

• Risk screening: orders flagged by our payment processors may be held for manual review. We may contact you by phone or email to confirm details before we ship.
• High-value orders: we may ask for a government-issued photo ID and a document showing your billing address. These are used only to verify the order and are not kept longer than needed. If we cannot verify an order within 48 hours, we may cancel it and issue a full refund.
• Shipping addresses: we ship only to verifiable U.S. addresses and may decline orders to freight forwarders or reshipping services.
• Mismatched addresses: if your billing and shipping addresses are in different states, your order may be reviewed. This does not mean it will be cancelled.
• Local pickup: the person collecting an order may be asked to show photo ID matching the name on the order.

Section 10 – Billing questions and chargebacks

Unrecognized charge

Our charges appear on your statement as South Bay JDM or a similar name. If you do not recognize a charge, check whether someone in your household placed an order, then email southbayjdmmotors@gmail.com with your name, the last four digits of your card, and the charge amount and date. We respond within 1–2 business days. If you believe your card was used without permission, contact your card issuer right away.

Please contact us before disputing a charge

Most billing problems are resolved faster by contacting us directly than through a bank dispute. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, credit card holders may dispute billing errors with their card issuer, and debit card holders are protected against unauthorized transfers under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and Regulation E. We encourage you to give us the chance to fix the problem first.

Chargebacks on orders that were delivered or picked up as described will be contested with our order records, shipping documents, and delivery or pickup confirmation. Customers who file fraudulent chargebacks may be refused future orders.

Section 11 – Frequently asked questions

Can I pay in installments?

If you are eligible, PayPal Pay Later options appear when you choose PayPal at checkout. Those plans are offered and managed by PayPal, and we receive full payment at the time of your order. South Bay JDM does not offer in-house financing, layaway, or deferred billing.

Why was my card declined?

Common reasons include insufficient funds, a billing address that does not match your bank’s records, online purchases being blocked on the card, a daily limit, or your bank’s fraud checks. We are not told the specific reason. Check your billing address, contact your bank to approve the payment, or try another card or PayPal.

Can I use a prepaid card?

Yes, if it has enough funds for the full total (including shipping and tax), is registered to a U.S. billing address, and is enabled for online purchases. Many prepaid cards are not registered to an address, which causes a decline. PayPal is a good alternative.

Can I change my payment method after ordering?

Once payment is captured, the method cannot be changed. If your order has not shipped, you can ask us to cancel it and place a new order with a different payment method. See our Cancellation Policy.

Do you offer pricing for shops and dealers?

Repair shops, dealerships, and resellers buying in volume can contact us at southbayjdmmotors@gmail.com or (669) 230-3198. Business pricing and payment terms are agreed separately from standard checkout.