Need help buying Alternator Fast

[JayRolla]

Im about to buy an alternator for my car. Ive gone through two OEM junkyard ones and now I want a new one. Ive looked everywhere and im going to buy a GVR4 90amp. Now my question is what one to get. The only companys I can find that sell them are these. I want OEM or oem quality and want to spend under or near $200.

Bosch-137.70 after core. Ive heard good and bad about bosch. I do know that Audi's use these parts as OEM.

NSA-153.95 after core. Ive never heard of them before but they say they dont reuse any parts.

Aftermarket-156 after core. Never heard of this company either.

I cant find a denso one that is a 90amp which I think are the OEM ones. Also JNZtuning does not have the 90amp. Im thinking of the bosch one.

Here is a link to them at a supplier.
http://cpwstore.carpartswholesale.c...gal-t-001&year=1991&part_name=alternator&my=1

 

[dnhieu]

your putting to much thought into this man. just buy the one with the life time warrenty. yes i know its a pain to change them out BUT at least you can get a new alternator whenever you need one. ya know???

 

[JayRolla]

I am not putting way to much thought into this. Im not going to buy the cheapo auto store ones. All my friends have gone through them over and over. Not only will I have to replace it but who likes getting stuck on the side of the road. Anyone with some real help thanks.

 

[DSM007]

I definantly feel ya there with not wanting any cheap autoparts store ones.....but once on NABR some guys who know a litle about alternator rebuilding took apart some random ones bought from a few autoparts chain stores to see the quality inside......the best ones they found were the ones sold by advance autoparts and the brand was called palladium,they sell rebuilt and NEW ones of them there.

 

[JayRolla]

Advanced is where Ive seen the worst. My buddy went through 3 of them in his celica and so has my brother. His junkyard one has lasted 2 years now.

Im looking at getting this one right here, priced not bad and ive heard good stuff about there work. This would fit my 91 right? Anyone have one from here?

http://verizonsupersite.com/4alters.../sitesearch.nhtml?query=A3T45694&catuid=12942

 

[JayRolla]

Anyone have any suggestions, my car is down and I need to buy one tomorrow.

 

[MrBoxx]

I don't want to sound like I'm promoting the company I work for, but you're asking for help, and I happen to work in an auto parts store, and coincidentally, I was just looking at alternators and starters for my car.

At my Checker Auto Parts (Same company as Kragen, Murray's, Schucks) we have three versions of alternator: OEM (remanufactured), Autolite (remanufactured), and Autolite (brand new). Before I get into the differences, let me tell you that there is a difference between "rebuilt" and "remanufactured". In the case of a "rebuilt" alternator, usually all that is done is that the part that failed on the core and maybe a few other parts get replaced. In a "remanufactured" alternator, the only thing reused from the core is the outer casing. ALL the guts get replaced with brand new ones. In a "new" alternator, the whole thing is brand new, never been installed. At Checker, apparently we ONLY sell remanufactured or new alternators/starters, NOT rebuilt ones. This is what I have been told in a class by a manager who's worked for the company for 15 years.

OEM: Remanufactured, usually a 3 year warranty.

Autolite: Remanufactured; usually a lifetime warranty, sometimes includes a 24 month roadside assistance package (more on that later).

Autolite: Brand new; Always a lifetime warranty, almost always includes 24 month roadside assistance.

Roadside assistance: Basically, you're driving down the road, alternator dies. You get a tow to a garage and have the alternator replaced. CSK Auto/Autolite will pay for your tow, pay for your alternator, and apparently pay for the installation of the replacement. I'm not totally sure how that works, because no one has ever come into my store to make a claim on that situation.

Lifetime warranty: In my store, you bring me a dead alternator that you bought at any CSK store nationwide and it's still within it's warranty period, I'm giving you a new one (if I have one), same quality. No questions asked.



I'm not trying to sell you on shopping at a CSK Auto parts store or buying one of those brands. But if you insist on continually buying junkyard alternators, what do you really expect to happen? My advice: Buy a brand new alternator with a lifetime warranty, whether it be from Autozone, NAPA, Advance, or Checker, and if it EVER fails, take it in for a replacement.

 

[5150DSM]

Have to agree with Mr.Boxx.
I bought an alternator from Checkers, which turned out to be the auto one(65 amp). It in turn undercharged my system and caused nastly little power surges. I had the alternator in the car for over a year when it died on the freeway. I called the 1-800 number on the receipt and they had a tow truck to me in less than an hour. They towed me to a gas station where I pulled the alternator and then the driver dropped me off at the nearest Checkers. It wasn't no questions asked; however, after some explanation and a manager approval, I got a new alternator and it was the correct one(75 amp) at that. The delivery guy from Checkers even offered to drop me back off at my car on his way back to the warehouse. Best customer service I have ever experienced, in any industry. I even got a new lifetime warranty and another 24mos. roadside.
BTW-The alternator was the "Autolite" remanned one.
Aloha

 

[JayRolla]

I know what you guys are saying. My brother bought a new Advanced auto parts alternator with lifetime warranty. He replaced it three times in one year. He is running an oem alternator from a donor car for the last two years no problem.

I want to go with OEM or better quality, I dont want to break down at all. I found a 90amp alternator for 160 with lifetime warranty. That is not much more than Checker would charge. Shit napa wanted 180.

 

[5150DSM]

I think the Autolites are OEM, mine has the triple diamond etched on the cover. Anyway, $160 ain't bad, I think I paid $110 @ Checkers for the 75A. Good Luck.

 

[evilredGS]

Im about to buy an alternator for my car. Ive gone through two OEM junkyard ones and now I want a new one.

WTF What are you doing to kill your alternator? 2 OEMs plus your original sounds like there is more of an issue at work here.

 

[JayRolla]

They where both junkyard alternators, one with 120k miles and the other with 190k miles. I have my powersteering removed and that allows some space for the heat from the 02 housing to hit the alternator, when I get my knew one im going to make a heat shield.

Autolite is NOT OEM. Im pretty sure denso made the OEM ones. The mitsubishi sign was probably left on there after they rebuilt it.

I went with the 90amp from alterstate for $166, lifetime warranty, only a little more than the auto part store and way cheaper than Napa. They wanted $205 for a 2 year warranty. Plus alterstate was the only company to offer the 90amp, mitsubishi didnt even have it they said we now just replace them with 75 amp alternators.

 

[xveganxcowboyx]

Just worth a mention. Many stores price match. I don't remember the brand, but I was able to get a 90 amp with lifetime warranty through O'Reilly's same day for just over $100. Several months on it still works perfectly.

The only issue I have had is my harmonic balancer starting to go (I think), but that has nothing to do with the brand, just the extra strain.

 

[JayRolla]

Yea I think checkers is one of the places that price match. Ive gone through cheap store alternators my whole life. Ive also had lots of subs in all my cars. I wanted something with quality.

 

[oldman]

Jay, after checking out your photo gallery, I suspect all this has something to do with your lack of lower heat shield. I was able to re-shape the stocker around the tubular O2 and secured tightly only with the turbine housing bolts.

 

[JayRolla]

Thanks oldman I was thinking this may be the problem. Now if I can find a stock lower heat shield.

 

[MrBoxx]

Yea I think checkers is one of the places that price match. Ive gone through cheap store alternators my whole life. Ive also had lots of subs in all my cars. I wanted something with quality.

Not only will Checker match prices, they'll match and beat competitor's prices by 5%. Cool, huh?

Autolite is just as good, if not better than, OEM. I know that as far as batteries go, to have the Autolite name on it the battery has to beat the Autolite standard, which is higher than the industry standard. I'm not sure if starters and alternators work the same in this fashion or not.

 

[JayRolla]

If its Denso that makes our alternators I would say they are pretty good.