Altenator Cost.

don1751, Apr 21, 12:48pm
An elderly lady I know drives a 1999 Daihatsu Mira. She suffered a flat battery, took it to her garage and they sold her a new battery. The problem persisted, she took it back and they fitted a new alternator at a cost of $500.00 I feel they should have checked the alternator before they sold her the battery and feel they may be taking her for a ride.
Am I being unfair and is the $500.00 for the alternator sound reasonable?
richardmayes, Apr 21, 12:52pm
Seems a bit steep, I had a faulty alternator diagnosed, replaced (fitted) $180 GST incl by a mobile auto electrician in about 2011.

(This was a Lucas ACR alternator; perhaps a 1999 Diahatsu Mira takes a special gold-plated alternator?)
kazbanz, Apr 21, 1:06pm
Don you are working on the assumption that the battery was still in ok condition.You don't know its age or condition.
Have you rung around for a price on alternators for 1999 mira's?
Not slamming you here but without the average price on an alternator its hard to comment if she was ripped off or not.
Equally you don't know that the battery wasn't on its last legs.
poppy62, Apr 21, 2:16pm
Sorry Kaz! The old girl was Ripped off. no matter how you cut and dice it. I doubt you'd be very happy if your mum was in the same predicament.
elect70, Apr 21, 2:58pm
Unless it was an exchange unit ,then thats not OTT for brand new & fitted .
msigg, Apr 21, 3:48pm
Yes I agree with you on this kazbanz, maybe on the dearer side but as said above, new battery and new alternator and labour at up tp $100 /hour, and yes the battery is probably over 4 years old anyway so need replacing anyway. That's life.
greeny, Apr 21, 3:50pm
Alternator for a 2000 nissan maxima Genuine was in the $3000 range 3rd party $800 the part that failed was $600 om iys own this was anout 6 years ago the battery died and shorted out the alternator
kazbanz, Apr 21, 4:35pm
My mum wouldn't be in the same boat because she knows I'd kill her if she didn't go through me.
even so-to repeat-battery may well have been on its last legs anyways.
I dunno what the price of a mira alternator is
saxman99, Apr 21, 4:39pm
A very quick look on eBay suggests a Mira alternator is between NZ$200 and 460.
bigfatmat1, Apr 21, 4:41pm
it could also be that the battery failed ie internal short and the alternator was working at full capacity for a while. Once the battery was replaced the damage was already done and a short time later the alternator died from the battery fault. None of us looked at car so we can not say whether it was miss diagnosed. Also some Daihatsu alternators of that Era parts were simply unavailable or the cost outweighed economical repair. $500 is not excessive and cannot be compared to a Lucas acr or a .Nissan alternator
curlcrown, Apr 21, 7:06pm
You can get an entire maxima of that vintage for less than $3000.
supernova2, Apr 21, 7:12pm
Appears RRP of the Mira alternator is $343.00.
supernova2, Apr 21, 7:17pm
Utter rubbish. New RRP for that year maxima is $385.00. Is it perhaps the Maxima that was over a days work to get to the alt?
grangies, Apr 21, 7:20pm
Why mention she's elderly? Do you think she should get some special discount?
bigfatmat1, Apr 21, 7:29pm
30min max to get it out
ema1, Apr 21, 7:29pm
The car had a new battery fitted and problem persisted. as OP post states?
supernova2, Apr 21, 7:34pm
Chicken and egg. Did the battery fail and fry the alt? Or did the alt fail and fry the battery? Or did the garage simply do a swopatron and chuck a battery at it without checking further? Who knows? Not me.
gsimpson, Apr 21, 7:34pm
I couldn't have a dodgy battery and alternator? I would hope they load tested it before binning the battery?
ema1, Apr 21, 8:27pm
That's what I'd do too before scraping the battery?
Checking alternator charging condition would have been a standard thing to do the first time as well if the garage concerned were on their game?
ema1, Apr 21, 8:33pm
Not to hard to work out something wrong in charging department if a new battery went flat and problem persisted?
I'd say the garage concerned did a totally slack job and took the easy short cut job and didn't check thoroughly the reason why the battery failed the first time, getting slammed with a new battery and an alternator while being a coincidence it is rather unlikely both need replaced at same time.
I was in the trade for a big number of years and can't recall an event where both needed replacing at same time where I worked.
Rarely was a battery shot if an alternator gave up suddenly, you'd get some warning of an impending alternator problem.
It's my betting the first battery could well have been fine and I'll bet it wasn't load tested nor was the alternator checked first time either.
That's damn poor service if you ask me, plus it sounds like a rip off into the bargain.
franc123, Mar 2, 9:09pm
I've only ever seen an alternator stuff a battery if the reg has gone haywire and overcharged it, I vividly recall an old diesel Laurel where smoke was coming out of it after being subject to 18v, plus one or two others where it was clearly evaporating the electrolyte. If it happens the other way it just gradually goes flat until it doesn't crank no more or the engine dies when another load goes on the system like headlights going on?