i drive a 1995 f-150 with about 120k on it. i've never had any real problems/mechanical failures before. my truck won't start, and it's not the battery so it must be the alternator or starter. i usually take my truck to my best friend's dad (a mechanic), but he is 60+ miles away and i need a tow. does anybody know of a good, honest mechanic that won't overcharge here in austin? i need this done pretty quick, too. thanks Edit: i had the battery charge checked and it is fine. the starter kind of stutters when i turn the ignition. i don't know which part it is, or how to tell.
Why don't you change the alternator yourself. It isn't that complicated. Take the old one off and take it to Auto Zone and ask them to test it. If it fails the test then buy a rebuilt alternator and install. If you really don't want to do it yourself then call around and ask how much it would cost to replace the alternator. Any shop should be able to give you a quote over the phone.
i'd love to do it myself, but i'm car-retarded and i don't have a lot of time for a trial-and-error experiment. i just thought someone on the board could give me a good recommendation. i trust mechanics about as far as i can throw them.
try Arbor Autoworks on Burnet Rd 346-0152 we've been usingthem for years and have been please and haven'tt felt like we've been duped... they were recomended to us by a friend that has used them ...
if the "battery/charge" thing that you speak of means the battery is fully charged, then your alternator is fine. The problem may be a bad cable, or defective sylinoid (sp?)
geez i am a retard. i called places and priced them, then one dude told me to go out and clean the posts and connectors again (i had already done it). i scraped those things bare and the freaking thing works fine. oh well. thanks for all the suggestions...it never hurts to know where you can find a good mechanic anyways.
