starstreak

Ok so I found out it's not my ck vsc light but the battery light. And dealer is saying the burnt electrical smell and how my electrical systems started to shut down. The one that scared me was power steering. Man, it's harder to turn than a semitruck. He said its probably a bad alternator. $850. If that's the only issue found. Does that sound right?
Btw, can't change it myself as I have a bad back.

Schmexus

Good lord $850 for an alternator??? Take it to an independent shop. You can at least save yourself a couple hundred. The alternator isn't hard to change so a shop shouldn't charge much for labor.

The alternator is $166 with a limited lifetime warranty at Autozone.

darinmg

Just FYI....if you plan to keep the car any length of time, I wouldn't go the refurbished AutoZone route. Sure they will give you a new one when you need it, but you still have to put it in yourself, or pay someone else to. I've done this at least 4 times over 100K miles on my Toyota truck. Takes me at least 3-4 hours do do myself, and every time I kick myself for cheaping out on it from the beginning. The refurbished alternators are junk. They also do not regulate the output voltage like they should, and that will cause other issues down the road. It's tempting...don't do it.

Don't cheap out on something a vital as the alternator.

Schmexus

I certainly wouldn't pay $850 like a chump at a lexus dealer.

You can buy the alternator anywhere and take it to a shop to have installed. It doesn't take a Lexus dealership to install an alternator. A decent mechanic can swap it out in an hour or less.

starstreak

Well Lexus said my appointment isn't till Tuesday, but since I was able to get the car over to them on Saturday, they might get started on Monday to check it and tell me if it's really the alternator.
I would take it somewhere else but I'm kinda stuck. One, I have bad back, so I can't bend so I can't do the replacement myself. Two, I just got it there. It was so bad at one point, I couldn't turn the steering wheel because the power steering went out. And three, I need it done asap. I can't be without the car, Need to get to work.
I saw another post that someone paid Lexus $800+ for their alternator + installation. I guess that is the going rate.

Is there anything I can do to make sure they aren't just saying its my alternator to get money from me?

starstreak

Ouch, they said 3.5 hours and the alternator is some special type for gs350. I forgot the name he said. He told it to me over the phone. Have to pickup the car later today. $650 parts so came out to like $910.
They also said my water pump was leaking. Wanted me to change it, but I asked if it was working or in danger, he said no. So I said no. I'll find a different repair shop for that.
Is the water pump something they could've damaged? I didn't know it takes 3.5 hours for them to change the alternator.

Schmexus

$910 for an alternator?!?!??


That's it, I'm opening a shop.

It's very unlikely they damaged the water pump during the alternator swap unless they were trying to and even then it would be hard to do.

warandcar

too bad you can't get a second opinion…

warandcar

thats a good rule...

chuckGS350

Part listed on Sewell is ~ $800 with discounted. So labor is about ~ 1hr which is consistent with alldatadiy.
So $900 is about right. Still ouch...

Schmexus

They charged him 3.5 hours labor.

chuckGS350

If they charged him 3.5 hrs with $650 for part (tax included?), the final cost wouldn't be $910.
More like an hour and 1/2.
Something doesn't add up.

burny

What is failing on these alternators? Is it just the brushes/contacts worn down? I have never purchased an alternator and have always rebuilt mine. The one in my GS300 has had brushes replaced twice and is still original shell. My 91 4runner still has original shell and have replaced brushes 4 times in it.

alchemist

iTrader: (1)

This right here. I bought these and have them in waiting

burny

Richard. lol, Did you notice there are no Starter contacts for this car. I did see a rebuild kit on the Sewell site and it was $70 or so. Looked like the entire solenoid piece of the starter? Contacts must be embedded in that bad boy. What say you?