Western Members - Advice on good shops in San Diego? Got quoted $300 for alternator replacement...

Basically my alternator I belive is shot. Car wouldn't turn over last night; charged the battery, still barely turned over but the car turned on. Figure the battery isn't getting charged because the voltage is going down throughout the day...

Anyways, the shop I take it to quoted me $300 for the part and install, and $150 for the labor on drivers side window motor replacement...

Is this too high or are there better shops out there? I'd love to take it to some place that I could trust, but unfortunately I haven't found any around here...

do it yourself its pretty easy and all you really need is some basic hand tools and a jack

there is a few shops down there i would recommend. Who quoted you 300 what's the name?

Miramar Automotive is who quoted me...

And I'd love to do it myself, but I don't have a jack, and don't want to remove the power steering pump from above and can't get to it too well from underneath

i would check all terminals for solid clean connection and test the battery before assuming alternator is bad..
once the car is running, i would check voltage at the battery and alternator, not just gauge on dash... should give you a better idea of whats going on.

Miramar Automotive is who quoted me...

And I'd love to do it myself, but I don't have a jack, and don't want to remove the power steering pump from above and can't get to it too well from underneath

300 :eek:
You could buy a standard floor jack and jack stands from Autozone or Kragen and buy a new alt for that price.
A while back, Kragen had a killer deal on a floor jack, two stands, and a creeper for something like 120.
If you payed me like 50 bucks and gas money, I'll change it for you.

i would check all terminals for solid clean connection and test the battery before assuming alternator is bad..
once the car is running, i would check voltage at the battery and alternator, not just gauge on dash... should give you a better idea of whats going on.


It's funny that you say that because I checked by the batterie and there was all this corrosion around it, white flaky looking stuff that looks like it did work to a random hose that was there...

300 :eek:
You could buy a standard floor jack and jack stands from Autozone or Kragen and buy a new alt for that price.
A while back, Kragen had a killer deal on a floor jack, two stands, and a creeper for something like 120.
If you payed me like 50 bucks and gas money, I'll change it for you.

Tempting...

Tempting...

They still have the deal:

http://shop.oreillyauto.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=PNE&MfrPartNumber=280046&CategoryCode=3397

Not bad parts either, I've used them a lot so far, satisfied with them.

They still have the deal:

http://shop.oreillyauto.com/ProductDetail.aspx?MfrCode=PNE&MfrPartNumber=280046&CategoryCode=3397

Not bad parts either, I've used them a lot so far, satisfied with them.


Damn good find....

By chance, would ANY of this have to do with stereo problems? Because within the last week, it seems like the amp on my stereo system went out (getting no bass or loudness to system anymore), Window motor went out (thats just...camaro's) and now this...

As for replacing the alternator, it looked like it would be easier to do it from the bottom of the car...I heard that sometimes the power steering pumps leak, which = death of the alternators...

Damn good find....

By chance, would ANY of this have to do with stereo problems? Because within the last week, it seems like the amp on my stereo system went out (getting no bass or loudness to system anymore), Window motor went out (thats just...camaro's) and now this...

As for replacing the alternator, it looked like it would be easier to do it from the bottom of the car...I heard that sometimes the power steering pumps leak, which = death of the alternators...

You should be able to tell right away if the PS pump is leaking, there should be residue everywhere under it and on the alt. My buddy's PS pump pressure line went bad and leaked fluid all over his alt and killed it over time.

Yes, change the alt from the bottom.

I agree with ss.slp.1... save some money and do it yourself plus you get to keep the floor jack, two stands, and a creeper and experience. If you decide to get an alternator i can get you a new one for cheap.

Me and my dad checked the car, and concluded it might be the battery itself...there looks to be residue of battery acid that leaked onto a hose...I was going to take the car to an Autozone and see if they could test the battery, and just get a replacement right then and there...

Looks like it was the battery. Took it to Autozone, had them test the battery. It was at 220 CCA...removed the old battery, and the terminal broke off into the battery itself. The battery had been leaking and the terminal completely coroded into the battery itself...

Bought a new terminal screw(?), got the battery hooked up, and she fired up.

But now the car idles at like...700 RPM...before it was just a little under 1K...

you do realize that there's only 3 bolts and an electrical plug holding the alternator on. Drive the front tires slowly upon a curb and get under the car that way. Get under there with a socket wrench and take that thing out! :)

seriously... it's like a 10 minute job

ok... nevermind. Bad battery :lol:

700 rpm is fine...

hell, mine will idle at 450 sometimes :lol:

^^^ haha, yeah, i had the garage cleared out just in case it was the alternator

This is what I would do if I were you:
1) buy the jack set from Kragen
2) pick up How To Build High Performance LS1/LS6 Chevy V-8's from your local Autozone, or you can buy it from Ebay or Amazon. Read it from cover to cover, great book!
3) find a good deal at Sears on a 200+ piece Craftsman set.

Then you will have the equipment and the knowledge to start taking on repairs/mods. Do your research (books and write-ups), take your time, do things right. You will be very surprised at how easy some tasks are and you will laugh at what repair shops quote you with.

This is what I would do if I were you:
1) buy the jack set from Kragen
2) pick up How To Build High Performance LS1/LS6 Chevy V-8's from your local Autozone, or you can buy it from Ebay or Amazon. Read it from cover to cover, great book!
3) find a good deal at Sears on a 200+ piece Craftsman set.

Then you will have the equipment and the knowledge to start taking on repairs/mods. Do your research (books and write-ups), take your time, do things right. You will be very surprised at how easy some tasks are and you will laugh at what repair shops quote you with.

Yeah I'm still going to pick up that Kragen set, thanks for the find. I'm sick of shops overcharging for things that I could probably do...