So, through my short years of bein in the automotive field, i've ran into many, many parts distributors. The shop i currently work for is a napa only shop. if its a stock replacement part, its ordered from napa. now currently, i have been trying to get my girlfriends 98 dodge durango up and running. the latest issue has been what i am now believing to be a bad alternator. now, like i said, over the years i have encountered many different autoparts stores and distributors, from napa all the way to autozone. i've been burned in the past by autozone alternators, and have seen my fair share of brand new and re-manufactured napa alternators fail within the first 6 months of operation. so the question i pose to those with more experience: who do i trust. i was considering just doing a napa, and if i run into the all to commont issue of a defective one, warrantying it, but im not sure how much longer im going to be at this shop. any help would be greatly appriciated...

I doubt that Dodge's quality is any better than NAPA's...

It doesn't matter how long you'll be at the shop. Keep your receipt and the warranty goes with you. Even without the receipt, it can be warrantied by a NAPA store that wants too. At my store, if you don't have documentation, then warranties are attitude based...

And recently, NAPA changed suppliers for rotating electrical. We now use BBB, the same company that does just about everybody elses stuff. The only difference I know of, is that NAPA specs a higher percentage of new parts in their remans than other companies that use BBB...

And, last time I checked, Dodge and most domestic OE's used Cardone for their reman rotating electrical...

I went to a training class on just after the switch to BBB. personally,i dont think i really needed to be there, because it was a 4+ hour sales pitch that i fell asleep in. the problem im seeing is that alot of the issues i've seen have come since the switch...

Before I walk out of ANY parts store with something like a battery, alternator, or starter, I have them bench check it for me. The nearest parts store to my driveway, a NAPA, is 26 miles.

I have also started long ago with taking my OEM starters and alternators to an electrical automotive rebuilder here, who my local Toyota dealership uses.

No troubles, and I know my core is still mostly OEM.

That's my method, too. Go buy the parts store junk, install it, get my core rebuilt by the old retired guy with the shop out behind his house, then return the auto store junk and get my money back. I call it rent a part for free. Old Dave ain't quick, but he's damn good, and he uses genuine Mitsu internal regulator boards. Trouble is, I'm runnin' out of Old Daves....

i was thinkin about doin that with the durango. my dad has a shop in boulder that he takes all our antique tractor generators and alternators to. i am a little worried though. the issue im seeing with this alternator is that it is morbidly overcharging batterys. in the three years my girlfriend has had this car, she's put three batterys in and its killed a fourth. what has me worried is that the alternator doesnt have a built in voltage regulator. voltage is regulated by the pcm, so if this doesnt fix it, it might have a nice, expensive need for a pcm...

I've got a Crazy Charlie and a Stinky that I could send you... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Auto parts store are like Russian Roulette. I base my part quality on replacement time. It if takes 10 minutes i'm game. Some things in life you only want to do once, like the top bolt on the Mitsu 2.6 starter <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shiner.gif" alt="" />

I always joke that Lifetime warranty means a lifetime of swapping parts store parts <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/evil.gif" alt="" />

Bench test is a must. I've been told more than once there is very little QA on these parts.

well, like my above post says, i've replaced my fair share of "brand new" parts. on alternators alone from napa, i think one in every three or so i've had to warranty.