Car Alternator....Duralast?

Question

i brought my car in today to replace an alternator, and the shop is going to charge me 500....100 for labor and 400 for parts.

They said they were ordering a bosch alternator.

so i went outside thinking no way, called up autozone, and gave them my car make, model, year, etc.

They ended up with a duralast alternator for 180 bucks. Very nice, especially with the included lifetime warranty.

My question is this, on a 2003 jetta, will the duralast work with it? it sounded like the mecahnic was set on bosch, and said we needed that. And also, how is duralast as a brand? are they solid respectable parts? or will they break on me a lot.

My guess is that duralast is autozones brand of refurbished parts, and that the guy at the shop just wanted me to buy his expensive brand for his profit.

really need help quick guys, today is my only day.

Answer 1

The Duralast  is a great deal backed by a real company. Nothing dishonest about the mechanic wanting to install factory equipment though.

Answer 2

Holy  buckets!  500 bucks for an alternator?  You did the right thing by  getting the rebuild with the warranty.

Answer 3

The alternator will work and the guy is selling you a much better alternator, remember that lifetime with a duralast alternator means a lifetime of replacement and additional labor cost...

The Bosch alternator is a completely rebuilt unit from the ground up, so basically it is a new unit, the duralast alternator only has the bad parts replaced.......

Answer 4

Ask your mechanic to use a rebuilt alternator with a lifetime on it. You may have to pay for labor again but you'll still be ahead after two alternators.

Shops do not make that much off of parts. He is not ripping you off. He has to pay a lot for that new alternator. Shops make money off of labor. They work, sweat, and learn for years to charge the prices for something you can not do. If you think he is ripping you off do it yourself.

If he won't agree to use a rebuilt alternator...or one you buy...then go somewhere else. He may (like most mechanics) not want to use parts you buy. It is hard for businesses to warranty work/parts if they aren't the ones who buy the parts.

More then likely he just wants to use a alternator that will last ten years so you don't come back in a month...year...whatever if a rebuilt one goes out. He may be thinking of your future car health not just for the next year.

I have installed maybe 5000 alternators. One out of 50 rebuilts come back within 6 months. I have decided it is worth it to me to stil use rebuilts in most cases. He may not.

Answer 5

I buy auto zone parts all the time and have an alternator in my truck now for about 50k.  Whether its a refurbished brand, I don't know, but I know they last as good as anything else if they're rebuilt right.  Who's putting it in for you?  Can you put it in with help.  I live in Maryland if you liver near here, I can help.