Found out junkyards let you test alternators right at the counter

My 02 Civic died at a gas station off I-75 last week. Towed it home, figured it was the alternator but didn't want to gamble $60 on a junkyard pull that might be bad too. Asked the guy at Pull-A-Part if they had a tester, he just pointed at a bench with a battery and jumper cables. Tested three of them in 10 minutes, walked out with a working one for $35. Been driving fine for 5 days now. Anyone else just learn this way later than they should have?

2 comments

2 Comments

lily_schmidt5324d ago

My buddy Rob tried the same thing at a U-Pull-It near Atlanta after his Taurus died. Tester was just a guy with a multimeter who checked it on the spot for free. He grabbed one for 25 bucks and it's still running a year later.

sethtorres23d ago

lucky guy, sounds like he dodged a mechanical disaster and saved a few hundred bucks in the process. multimeter guy is the real MVP for not charging extra to make sure it wasn't a dud. 25 bucks for a running alternator is a steal these days, Rob better buy that guy a beer.