I keep reading on this forum not to buy starters or alternators from Auto Zone and rather to have a local shop rebuild one. Can anyone explain WHY ?
I would think that with the lifetime warranty that AutoZone really stands behind their product. And How can I trust some local shop ? How do I know they will stay in business?

The reason why I ask this now is because I have a family member who is need of an alternator for their 1997 Ford Explorer. The prices are the same. Why should I get it from one and not the other?

Auto Zone will provide you with another crappy part after the first crappy part fails. The labor is on you.

That's exactly what they want you to think. That is precisely the plan: create an illusion of quality by offering a lifetime warranty. The warranty is part of a business strategy, not an indication of quality parts.

How many times do you want to swap the alternator?

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

I made a huge mistake when I bought a alt from them, I replaced it like 5 times. I finally got a rebuilt Bosch unit and haven't touched it since.

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1985 300TD Turbo Euro-wagon
1979 280CE 225,200 miles
1985 300D Turbo 264,000 miles
1976 240D 190,000 miles
1979 300TD 220,000

GONE but not forgotten
1976 300D 195,300 miles
1983 300D Turbo 175,000 miles

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...e485-1-2-1.jpg

If the price is the same, a professionally rebuilt alt trumps a sweatshop "rebuild" anyday. The professionally rebuilt one should have a warranty also.

~Nate

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95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)

OK, how can I know that the local re builder is doing a quality job? I hear rebuilding these things is pretty easy, so whats the difference who's rebuilding them?

Autozone products (brand depending) are known trash, but they keep their doors open due to high volume selling of cheap (junk) product...

A rebuilding shop CANNOT stay open if they turn out junk and get a bad name.

FWIW, if its in the same shape as 97 exploders common to my area, a junkyard one will be fine...


~Nate

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95 Honda Shadow ACE 1100.
1999 Plymouth Neon Expresso. 2.4 swap, 10.5 to 1 comp, big cams. Autocross time attack vehicle!
2012 Escape, 'hunter" (5 sp 4cyl)

anyone had good experience with auto zone?

If you're so worried about the quality, rebuild it yourself.

One important item. Rebuilding is pretty straight forward. The real problem in the industry is the replacement parts. Far too many aftermarket repair parts are little better than junk.

Some rebuilders source good replacement parts. The majority of the mexican rebuilders do not in my opinion. Most chain store alternators and starter rebuilds are coming out of mexico.

So the answer to your question is your local rebuilder using good aftermarket parts or the junk lines. You can ask him.

These guys can probably Steer You in the right direction:
http://www.electricalrebuilders.org/

[I like Matt's suggestion...Weekend Project...Then you know it's done RIGHT!]

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'84 300SD sold
124.128

After quickly going through two starters (in just over one year) and an alternator in 13 months, I decided I was done with Autozone remans for such parts.....used or German rebuilt only for me!

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

Yes. I've never had to return a part to AZ due to poor quality. I've bough brake calipers, wheel bearings, rotors, CV joints, spark plug wires, ignition coil. Also, as I covered in anther thread, the longest lasting battery I've ever owned. That's just what I can think of off the top of my head. All part have lasted at least as long as the factory originals. However, I've never bought parts for Mercedes there.

I used to use Shucks/Checker because they were close to my house and in my opinion they sell junk. The stories listed above sound more like Checker than AutoZone, to me. The last part I bought at Checker was a Voltage regulator for a VW that failed 3 times in 4k miles.

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1979 240D, 4spd manual, Power Sunroof, manual windows, 147k miles, Pastel gray/Black MB Tex.
1991 300D 2.5 - Smokes like it's on Crack!

I generally buy NAPA parts. They usually cost about 10% more. I feel they are worth it. I have bought AutoZone parts many years ago. One was a brake master cylinder. It was a new part. So new that some of the port threads were not taped. I tired to tape the parts at work. I returned the part and was given a rebuilt part. I did buy an alternator for a girl I was seeing at the time there. THey put one on the counter, and I looked at it and pointed to a diode or something. They said, that was from the return rack and pulled out another one.
On my MB 240D, I was having problems with the alternator. It had been replaced by the previous owner, with a part from Advanced Auto. I rate their parts better than AutoZone. It was rebuilt in Germany by some firm. I replaced the regulator and it still didn't work. I took it apart and there were some metal pieces floating around in there. The winding wires were broken. I soldier them back and soldier in a resistor that had come loose. It worked but sqeeled. I bought a bearing for it. The wires were broke again. The bearing didn't fit in the housing. It had about 1/8 of clearance. I made a sleeve to fix it. The alternator lasted a few months. Even though it had a lifetime warranty, that was only to the original purchaser, plus you need the reciept.
I replaced it with a higher amp alternator off of E-Bay. That was last week. So it is to soon to say anything about quality. I'd probably go with a local rebuilder. The ones in my area have a good reputation. I would have used one of them, if it weren't for the increased amps I wanted.
Tom