How much should an alternator and battery be?

[AMink]

So I'm out of town and my wife calls. Her 2003 Ford Expedition won't start. I figure it's the battery (on it's second one, I think). Then I go out of cell range. She had it towed because they couldn't get it started. The tow man suggested Meineke. :roll eyes: When I get back into range, she says it was the battery and the alternator. I say how much? She says, You don't want to know. I guessed high, $500. She said don't ask. When I get home I find out that it was $800! For a freakin' alternator and a battery!#@$%! I looked online at NAPA and a rebuilt is over $200. She said they told her they don't use rebuilds because they can't warranty them. I am PO'ed to say the least. I could see $500 (not really, but I'm trying to be generous), but this is extortion. A battery is $100, a new alternator is maybe $300. And it's an hour or so to do the work. I hate being helpless on the other side of the state. If I was there to do it myself, it would have been the rebuilt from NAPA, with a warranty and a discount, and a battery from Walmart or Costco. $300 tops. And they say the economy is going down the tubes. I wonder what the driver's cut was?

 

[jakprince]

Was the tow bill included in the $800 or was that extra.

 

[AMink]

Was the tow bill included in the $800 or was that extra.

No, the tow was AAA.

 

[HBarlow]

I had a water pump fail on my '01 years ago when in Michigan in cold weather pulling a trailer. I drove it to the local Cummins dealer and a fat, ugly, woman service writer tried to rip me off for $500 or $600 for a water pump and labor. It happens. Some people are fundamentally dishonest and greedy and will take advantage when they can.

 

[NIsaacs]

It's also rare for both to fail at the same time, it was probably only one or the other, not both.



Nick

 

[The patriot]

The Wifes minivan wouldnt start last week. We got a jump and battery was $150 in Sears.

 

[rscurtis]

Since you got a new alternator, I assume you have access to the old one. Have it tested/rebuilt and keep it for a spare, or if it was OK, use it for evidence and have the repair shop re-install it and give you credit for the new one you didn't need.

 

[JLandry]

I called a local respected repair shop to ask how much they'd charge me to put four shocks on my 2wd truck. I told them I have the shocks, so all they need to do is put the truck on a lift and swap out the shocks... nothing else. I've done it myself in two hours crawling under the truck out in the driveway. But this time I was feeling lazy and the weather has been cold and rainy, so I thought it might be nice to "treat" myself to letting someone else do the grunt work for a change.



The estimate from the shop was $280! I had in my mind $100-150 would be reasonable because I couldn't imagine it taking longer than an hour. I questioned if they understood I was supplying the shocks? The shop said yes, and they based the estimated on 2 hours labor at $120 per hour.



Upon hearing that I decided I could do it myself!



John L.

 

[AMink]

Since you got a new alternator, I assume you have access to the old one. Have it tested/rebuilt and keep it for a spare, or if it was OK, use it for evidence and have the repair shop re-install it and give you credit for the new one you didn't need.

Unfortunately, no. When I talked to her, I thought about keeping the old alternator but thought they'd need the core. I didn't know they put on a new on until it was too late. Trust me, if I knew it was new, I'd have the core in my hot little hands. Come Monday, I'll be making a call or stopping by to say "Hi, please break down your charges for me".

 

[Fireman Dave]

Sorry to hear of your experience. Sometimes you're just caught by the short hairs when you're needed most. I try to do everything myself, but not just for the money savings and satisfaction. I also like to make sure it's done right. I just cringe when someone else works on one of my vehicles - which is very rare. We just bought a used Grand Cherokee from a friend. He didn't wrench on it himself, but he was good about having it maintained regularly and taking it to the same place for service over the years. When I changed the plugs and air filter last week, I found that a breather line was left unplugged off the airbox that attaches to the throttle body. And the airbox's clamp wasn't even tightened down on the throttle body. The thing was just stuck on there. You can't even trust some of these places to do the basics right.

 

[wcjp]

My 2012 Honda Civic is $900 to have the dealer replace the alternator. Which is why I went with the extended warranty. Overhead and local axes are not cheap. Wife's minivan needed repairs. Dealer wanted $2700. I did the work on a Saturday for $250 using all genuine FoMoCo parts ordered out of Texas.

 

[JLEONARD]

All the shops use the standard labor rate book. (Actually it is computerized now).

If the mechanic is decent he can blow that rate away easily. It's nothing to log 16+ hours of labor in an 8 hour day. That's the "injustice" of the system to the customer.

 

[rscurtis]

I had a water pump fail on my '01 years ago when in Michigan in cold weather pulling a trailer. I drove it to the local Cummins dealer and a fat, ugly, woman service writer tried to rip me off for $500 or $600 for a water pump and labor. It happens. Some people are fundamentally dishonest and greedy and will take advantage when they can.

I would like to have been a fly on the wall listening in on that conversation.

 

[DJW]

Some years ago I was headed south to Needles, Ca. on reaching a stop sign into Barstow noticed when starting off that the red light for battery charging was on, I pulled off and increased revs. but the light remained the same. It was just getting dark so headed into Barstow for the night and see what it was in the morning, as the Ford pickup had 84,000 miles on it since new and was 4 years old and the same battery . I noticed a Kragen auto supplies so pulled into front and told the attendant my problem, I thought it was the battery not taking a charge, so he said he'd check it out, I asked if I needed to move the pickup, he said he'd check it right there. He came out with a wheeled piece of equipment then checked,he said the battery was OK but the alternator was not charging, so we went inside and he checked if he had a new or rebuilt one to suit my truck. He had one, then took it outside, fitted it and then checked if the battery was taking a charge, it was. He had all ready told me of the price of the alternator, so I asked for the total cost, he gave me the price of the alternator plus sales tax, I asked him for the cost of installation, he said no charge as I had bought the alternator. I felt I did owe something, so I said the battery is 4 years old and he assured me the battery was OK. I told him I was so pleased with his work I'd buy a new battery to make me feel better. I believe the cost of the alternator was around $182, later on checking that was the average cost at that time.

Some years ago I had a Dodge pickup, bought it new, bought it as a stand-by for a Masda pickup that had 145,000 miles on it, and as I worked on construction needed reliable transportation, the only part replaced was the distributor cap at 87,000 miles which I was told average for that type of ignition. Some time later I received from the Dodge dealer the usual coupons, check, battery charging system, etc, etc, each check $15, so I took it in, about one month later a friend needed a battery start so I took the cables of the battery so as the Dodge wiring was isolated, under the grease the build up of crap around the battery posts was unbelievable, the most I have ever seen, I thought they would have at least removed the battery cables for cleaning when they did the checkup. Honesty is in such short supply it seems, and money undervalued.

 

[KIKER]

Do you think that salesman could do that today on a new Ford diesel? I've looked under the hood and I can't even see the belt, much less put my hand on it.

 

[DJW]

KIKER, I did think, and expected there would be a nominal charge, granted with a straight 6 most wearing parts are in full view, however if one needed a new radiator, water pump etc wouldn't be practical to replace in a parking space in front of shop, unsure if Kragen has a service shop as Pep Boys, etc.

 

[The patriot]

It wasnt that long ago I bought alternators and starters at the local auto parts places for $19. 99.



I'm feeling kinda old right now.

 

[rscurtis]

And you were lucky if they lasted more than a month.