New or Rebuilt OEM Alternator?

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3sacrwd

3sacrwd

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Dec 27, 2003
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Location
Johnstown, CO
I got a price from Cruiser Dan for a new ($349) or remanufactured ($199) alternator. Should I go for a new or remanufactured alternator? I made the mistake 2 years back with using a NAPA alternator, and it is already going bad..........I hate to spend more than I need to, but will do whatever the concensus of this fine group says. Thanks for the help.
 
Anyone else out there in Cruiser land have any opinions? I would like to order this tomorrow from Cruiser Dan, but not sure if I should spend the $$ on a new one, or remanufactured one?
 
I've been running a Toyota Reman'd unit for about six months now, no problems so far.

For the record, don't get aftermarket alternators, not even Napa. The last alternator I ran didn't even last a year. And it was "brand new". :rolleyes:
 
A Toy reman will be like new. It will have all original parts. I would use it without question. My FJ60 has a Toy reman alternator installed more than 50k and 6 years ago (before I got the truck).

I would avoid a Napa Reman if you have the choice.
 
Reman, for sure.

Aside from the case and a few other parts that should still be good, everything else will be as new.
 
Thanks, Reman is the way to go. I will NOT ever get a NAPA again....I had this for almost 3 years, and it is slowly going bad. Thanks for the help.
 
I haven't bought any components like a starter, alternator,etc from NAPA in a long time; it surprises me a bit (but not really) that their parts do not hold up. A sign of the times I guess; years ago NAPA parts were known for their quality. I did recently go in to a NAPA looking for a temp fix to my burned up lowbeam headlamp connector having already gone to Advance, which only had a very cheap looking Chinese made part. When the NAPA parts guy came back with their part? Same piece of Chinese crap, the exact same part. Times do change.
 
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Who rebuilds the parts for Toyota? I was not aware that Toyota was in the rebuilding business. I know everyone will disagree but whats wrong with an Autozone or Advance rebuilt with a life time warranty? Cost less and if it dies in 1 yr, 3yrs, or even 46.5yrs you get another one free! I know everyone, excuse me I mean many people will say that unless you get it from Toyota and pay alot of money thats its crap, I for one am proud say I buy everything I can from these kind of places and saved alot of money. So go get one from Autozone for $127 and spend the rest on beer!
 
I would rather pay the $250 than have to uninstall and reinstall an alternator. These are a PITA to do, and the one time that I throw my tools around in fits of anger.
 
Paying too much has nothing to do with quaility. There is a huge misconception that OEM is always better at any price. What many people do not understand is that not all manufactures make all there parts. Many of the companys that produce parts for the aftermarket also supply OEM for example Delphi, Nippondenso, Bosch, and Visteon. Those just the ones I could think of right off hand. All I am saying is do not be so quick to judge a cheaper price.
 
What do you mean when you say the alt is going bad?
Every Toyota alt that went bad on me ended up just being the brushes.
The brushes wore out. Toyota had two types of brushes, one was a solder in and the other was the complete brush/retainer where you just pop it in.
 
landtoy makes a good point; may only be the brushes.

roneyj; IME, Toyota/Landcruiser quality is just so much higher than anything else. No comparison to some cheap rebuild. It is not so much who rebuilds it, more about how they rebuild it; ie: Toyota's specifications are much higher than what you will find from any of the usual parts supply stores.
 
going to check mine out. sometimes with low beams only on they brighten a touch when the rpms increase. Could just be the batt was low from being colder than heck. MN minuses.. Could be brushes.. who knows. Could be a worn belt that only slips at -10 or below.. lots of possibilities. The steering column likes to squeek the first time you turn it when its that cold too.

Anyway a place that does only alts and starters would be a good bet if it was more than brushes and a reman was needed. I have used AES in the past on other vehicles.
 
If anyone decides to have a local rebuilder do it, don't let them throw out still good Toyota parts for cheap new Taiwanese parts.
 
roneyj said:
Who rebuilds the parts for Toyota? I was not aware that Toyota was in the rebuilding business. I know everyone will disagree but whats wrong with an Autozone or Advance rebuilt with a life time warranty? Cost less and if it dies in 1 yr, 3yrs, or even 46.5yrs you get another one free! I know everyone, excuse me I mean many people will say that unless you get it from Toyota and pay alot of money thats its crap, I for one am proud say I buy everything I can from these kind of places and saved alot of money. So go get one from Autozone for $127 and spend the rest on beer!
Click to expand...

Getting a free one is fine, but a 20 mile hike to the nearest paved road with a dead alternator in your hand will quickly sour your opinion, no matter how free something is.

I always go OEM remans. IIRC the last Toyota reman alternator I bought (for my 4Runner) was remaned by Nippondenso, who make the new ones. That one is still going strong with the new owner, 8 years after install. A reman is a new one in an old case.
 
roneyj- I also had you opinion about after market alternators. " buy cheap and save the rest on beer..."

That was before going through 4 after market 3FE alternators in 3 years.
at least I never had to get towed. Now the spare alternator is a new Toyota.

I will always replace brushes when I can but the 3FE alternators are not as serviceable as others.
 
Other than the brushes and maybe the bearings, what goes bad on OEM alts?
Unless it got spiked from hooking up the battery's backwords, how does a alt go bad?
I have wonder this for years, you take a worn alt to parts store for a rebuilt one for $$$, they sand blast it and replace the brushes for under $10 and resell it for $$$.

There was a alt shop that was at least some what honest, they gave you several options: rebuild yours or get one rebuilt, they also offered you a complete rebuild or just a replacement of bad parts. Of coarse they got bought out by a local parts store and don't offer the options any more.
 
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