Car repair--ugh!

[raeoflyte]

Our Chevy Prizm died earlier this year (still need to get the darn thing sold--hopefully this weekend!) We bought a used Camry to replace the prizm.

Now our 97 Ford Pickup needs an alternator and battery. Along with an oil change it will cost $700. It has 140,000 miles on it, overall a pretty low maintenance vehicle especially considering we treat it so terribly.

But crap! I don't need this kind of bill right now.

[Deleted]

Sounds like a lot for an alternator, battery and oil change. Can you check another place for a price?

[Taxman10]

i bet arch, rick or Dark could fix it for you....$700 does sound like a lot...call somebody else

[raeoflyte]

I had googled the cost and that was in the ball park of what came back. We'd have to tow the car somewhere else which would probably negate any savings.

Our long time mechanic retired about a month ago, so this is a new person we're trying out. So that bugs me too. My last guy would tell us what's up and if the repair was worth it, or not.

[Sum Dum Gai]

I've never done an alternator, but replacing your own battery and doing the oil/filter is wicked easy.

[Deleted]

what did you google?

from what I saw parts cost around $200 which leaves $500 for labor. I don't think an alternator should take very long and a battery should take about 15 minutes.

[raeoflyte]

We can barely do a tire change on our own. We are not car people, and I don't see that ever changing.

I have actually replaced a battery with my dad's help, but I'm not going to have the shop do the alternator and do the battery myself.

[raeoflyte]

Aug 9, 2012 14:44:04 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

what did you google?

from what I saw parts cost around $200 which leaves $500 for labor. I don't think an alternator should take very long and a battery should take about 15 minutes.

I googled cost of an alternator and the results came back that it would be about $500+ to have a shop fix it with a new alternator. A used one would be cheaper, but I don't know if long term that would be worthwhile?

They have a 2 year 24,000 warranty on their work, although there isn't anything to say that the car will last that long either.

DH just reminded me that he's been worried about the seal to the gas tank. So I need to call back and ask them if they noticed any issues, or to take a look at it.

[Sum Dum Gai]

We can barely do a tire change on our own. We are not car people, and I don't see that ever changing.

Go on Google or Youtube and look up how to videos for replacing a battery and doing an oil change. You can probably find one for your specific model year truck, or at least close. It's really pretty straightforward, and anyone can do it with the video right there showing you each step. The hardest part is disposing of the old oil and battery, at least in California.

[raeoflyte]

I will definitely keep that in mind for next year. Right now at 6 months pregnant I'm not willing to take on any car repair. DH won't do it either and he doesn't even have the pregnant excuse!

[Deleted]

The first parts I looked at were new aftermarket alternators. Those are $88. For Genuine Ford parts it is more like $240. So you are looking at $350 for total cost of parts, so $350-$400 for labor. Still seems a little high for an hour or two of work, but maybe not.

[raeoflyte]

I found another shop that quoted about $400 for alternator and battery. $75 for towing to the new shop, and $50 for an oil change, so hopefully we'd save $175 or so....

Seems like a pita, but that's a little savings.

[Deleted]

Can you get a jump and drive ?

[raeoflyte]

We tried to jump it last night and it took a charge, but the car just shook and lights blinking/beeping. I wasn't comfortable driving it.

[Deleted]

Aug 9, 2012 15:07:45 GMT -5 raeoflyte said:

We tried to jump it last night and it took a charge, but the car just shook and lights blinking/beeping. I wasn't comfortable driving it.

yikes.... You sure it isn't possessed with a demon?

[raeoflyte]

I'm sure it was possessed by something, even if it was only my foul mood from not being able to leave work on time because of car problems.

[raeoflyte]

Cross your figners for me. The 2nd shop I called is close to the one it's at and he thinks that if the 1st shop really charges the battery that I can drive it over and avoid a tow charge.

[Bluerobin]

I just got an alternator for a Crown Vic for about $400. Find another mechanic!

[Deleted]

You could also tell the first shop that you are going to take it to the second shop unless they match the second shop's price. I don't really like doing that, but the first shop mostly likely will match the price.

[raeoflyte]

I don't have the personality to do that Arch. Sometimes I wish I did!

I don't want to do with business with someone that requires haggling. I'd rather go to the trouble of moving it to a place that gives a decent price upfront, and hopefully we'll like them enough to stay with them long term.

[Deleted]

Aug 9, 2012 15:43:37 GMT -5 raeoflyte said:

I don't want to do with business with someone that requires haggling. I'd rather go to the trouble of moving it to a place that gives a decent price upfront, and hopefully we'll like them enough to stay with them long term.

That's how I feel as well.

[kent]

Aug 9, 2012 14:52:23 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

The first parts I looked at were new aftermarket alternators. Those are $88. For Genuine Ford parts it is more like $240. So you are looking at $350 for total cost of parts, so $350-$400 for labor. Still seems a little high for an hour or two of work, but maybe not.

I don't know what engine you have so I just went with the 6 cyl when I searched. An alternator for a V8 would only be about $20 more.

Found this www.partsgeek.com/catalog/1997/ford/f150/engine_electrical/alternator.html

$99.10 with free shipping so you would have to wait.

Locally, I found this. There should be a local parts store with comparable prices.

www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/search.oap?year=1997&make=Ford&model=F-150&vi=1122455&keyword=alternator

$257.00 for a Ford (Motorcraft) replacement.

This is a REALLY simple job. If you aren't handy, ask some teenage kid in the neighborhood if they would do it for you and pay them $30-$40 bucks.

[kent]

Aug 9, 2012 15:20:28 GMT -5 raeoflyte said:

Cross your figners for me. The 2nd shop I called is close to the one it's at and he thinks that if the 1st shop really charges the battery that I can drive it over and avoid a tow charge.

If the battery is good, you can do just that. The car will go a fair distance on battery power alone for the ignition - with headlights on, not so much although I did manage to travel about 5 miles in that mode many years ago.