Refurbished Alternators

JollyGreen · 17 Jul 2006 at 21:23

About 3 weeks ago I had the battery warning light light up on my Elise.
Took it down to Stratstone (local dealer) who confirmed it was the alternator as I suspected, and wanted £500 to replace it!
Naturally I respectfully declined and found a local place (Motoserv) that sold refurbished units for £185 in return for your old unit.

Nabbed myself one of those bad boys (cheapest place I could find) and fitted it (not knowing what I was doing and suffering a stripped few nuts on the undertray this took me 7 hours to replace from above!).
Was pleased with the end result until about a week later when the battery light flickered on again while accellerating.
Happened so reliably and so precisely while accellerating I figured it was the belt slipping, so I gave it a good tightening!

Unfortunately this made very little difference (placebo most likely) and I suffered a snapped belt a week later while on an advanced driving course! (most embarassing! (which Stratstone incidently wanted a little under £100 to replace!)).

So I eventually took it down to a local Auto Electrician who diagnosed it as a faulty unit and I've just spent an hour of my time getting the damn thing back out again!

Going to go down to Motoserv tommorow and respectfully "request" a replacement unit (hopefully one that works, though I'm not holding out /too/ much hope!).

Fingers crossed!

teaboy5 · 17 Jul 2006 at 21:57

I think with all the time and money you have spent it would have been safer getting it done right at the start. Would you not agree

JollyGreen · 17 Jul 2006 at 21:58

teaboy5 said:
I think with all the time and money you have spent it would have been safer getting it done right at the start. Would you not agree

What, £500 instead of £205? (Including £20 for the autoelectrician).
Sounds like a big waste of money to me

Foghorn Leghorn · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:00

You've not had it long though have you? :confused:

Is it not under warranty still? (the car that is)

Fog

[TW]Fox · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:00

So you run a £13,000 performance car and would rather bodge things than fix them properly? Hmmm

NathanE · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:01

teaboy5 said:
I think with all the time and money you have spent it would have been safer getting it done right at the start. Would you not agree

Have you not heard the story behind JollyGreen?

Sports car on a shoe string budget @ 19!!!

JollyGreen · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:03

What's the bodge? The refurbished alternator?
How was I to know refurbished meant "It won't work"

.
Just because I prefer to take the initiative rather than blindly fork out massive amounts of cash to someone because I don't know any better doesn't mean it's a bodge.

Incidently I'm 20 now

NathanE · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:04

and fitted it (not knowing what I was doing and suffering a stripped few nuts on the undertray this took me 7 hours to replace from above!).

I think this is what people refer to when they say "bodge"

JollyGreen · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:07

NathanE said:
I think this is what people refer to when they say "bodge"

Well how do you learn apart from doing?

I took the advice from one of my mates dads who's quite knowledgeable about these things and set about the task, how else am I expected to become competent?
And anyway, it's hardly like I've cost myself any more money than I would have by shelling it out, and I've learnt a lot! (not to mention saved nearly £300).

Conanius · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:08

to all young people wanting performance cars...

this is an example of how being able to buy the car, doesnt automatically mean you can afford to run it...

.Andy · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:10

JollyGreen said:
Well how do you learn apart from doing?
I took the advice from one of my mates dads who's quite knowledgeable about these things and set about the task, how else am I expected to become competent?
And anyway, it's hardly like I've cost myself any more money than I would have by shelling it out, and I've learnt a lot! (not to mention saved nearly £300).

I wouldnt have thought an Elise was something you would want to cut your teeth on. If you can afford the car and the insurance you should have just paid for it to be done... oh wait....

teaboy5 · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:11

If it where me i would have just spent the 500 pound. Its worth it, you say you spent 7 hours on this. Think of the time you wasted man, if you left it to a pro it may of had it done in a few hours and you would have been back on the road. You say you saved 300, if you have a car like that 300 shouldn't be much money. I know i would rather spend the extra money for sure.

P.S I know the story behind this, if he wants to fix it himself lets him. Theres loads of people that fix their own cars on this site and dont get ripped about it. Whats the difference here?

NathanE · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:11

JollyGreen said:
Well how do you learn apart from doing?
I took the advice from one of my mates dads who's quite knowledgeable about these things and set about the task, how else am I expected to become competent?
And anyway, it's hardly like I've cost myself any more money than I would have by shelling it out, and I've learnt a lot! (not to mention saved nearly £300).

So you do your learning and make your mistakes on an Elise? :/ As I said in your first thread... God I really do feel for that car :/ Sorry pal!

Plus what are you going to do when you sell it? "Has it got a FSH mate?" "Erm..........." An Elise without a FSH is seriously devalued.

whitecrook · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:14

Hmm Good on you JollyGreen for taking the initiative, next time you'll know what to do and maybe spare a few stripped nuts next time. My local garage wanted £500 quid to fix my car for the MOT, I got the parts and some tools for £150 and fitted it my self, only took an evening, saved £350. Granted it's only a 10year old Xantia, but the point still stands.

Nija edit, (I'm practising on my beat up Xantia, so when I get an Elise

I'll know what to do by then)..

commited · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:19

[TW]Fox said:
So you run a £13,000 performance car and would rather bodge things than fix them properly? Hmmm

Refurbished doesn't mean bodged

It should be just as good as a new alternator.

[TW]Fox · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:20

commited said:
Refurbished doesn't mean bodged It should be just as good as a new alternator.

Fitting it yourself when you dont have a clue what you are doing, however, does.

Nozzer · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:22

Conanius said:
to all young people wanting performance cars...

this is an example of how being able to buy the car, doesnt automatically mean you can afford to run it...

Not really.

Take it to a specialist instead of one of the most expensive main dealer chains in the UK

.

Steve Williams in Maidenhead

commited · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:23

[TW]Fox said:
Fitting it yourself when you dont have a clue what you are doing, however, does.

Agree with you there!

Poppy · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:27

LOL whats all this BS about "not being able to afford to run the car" because he doesnt want to lighten his pocket by £500 for a bloody alternator. Ok its taken him 7hours to replace, it was his first time clearly and next time it wont take anywhere near 7 hours so lay off him!

My front pads and discs are getting ready for being replaced ... i think ill get the dealer to supply me with pads and there £50 per hour labour rate instead of doing it myself and saving a packet ... :rolleyes:

Actually no i wont as i have a clue, but clearly i cant afford to run my car as i like to have money in my pocket and not the dealers.

You shouldnt have a problem getting a replacement alternator FOC Jolly. GL

Conanius · 17 Jul 2006 at 22:32

Nozzer said:
Not really.

Take it to a specialist instead of one of the most expensive main dealer chains in the UK .

Steve Williams in Maidenhead

Im sorry, but ill never ever own a true performance car that I cant afford to...

Insure fully comp
Get whatever needs doing at a suitable specialist
Not scrimp on anything, always buying the best part for the car

Putting a recon alternator into a car that by all accounts If I remember correctly is only 2 years old, when you have little motoring experience in my eyes is total madness...

Poppy said:
LOL whats all this BS about "not being able to afford to run the car" because he doesnt want to lighten his pocket by £500 for a bloody alternator. Ok its taken him 7hours to replace, it was his first time clearly and next time it wont take anywhere near 7 hours so lay off him!

My front pads and discs are getting ready for being replaced ... i think ill get the dealer to supply me with pads and there £50 per hour labour rate instead of doing it myself and saving a packet ...

Actually no i wont as i have a clue, but clearly i cant afford to run my car as i like to have money in my pocket and not the dealers.

You shouldnt have a problem getting a replacement alternator FOC Jolly. GL

Poppy - This lad bought this car a few months back, insuring it TPO as Fully comp was over £8000

as for laying off him, theres a big difference between someone like lopez buolding a rally 205, and an 18 year old 'tinkering' on a performance sports car making a hash of it, when it should easily still be in warentee...