*facepalm*

[tiamatlady]

My workhorse of a car decided, suddenly, it wasn't playing anymore tonight. I parked it while helping dali_muse and everything was fine up until then. Until I went to leave - and the car wouldn't turn over. I had interior lights, some lock function but no radio, no headlights, no CAR. Insert call to AAA here. But,, a nice friend of dali_muse's roomie gave me a jump

Comments

[benndragon]

Alternators are generally not wicked expensive as far as car parts go, but a couple hundred is still a couple hundred.

Did you look under the hood? One time I thought my car died (on the Brooklyn Expressway no less), but it turned out the positive connector was just loose (one of the officers who was directing traffic around my car noticed it). If you can see the battery that sort of thing should be visible even if you don't know jack about cars and easily fixed as well (just tighten a bolt and you're set).

[tiamatlady]

It's not just the cost of the part - it's the labor, and it's the fact that my "repair guy" is the dealership. The last time I had an alternator go, well, it hurt like a bitch, and my wallet hasn't forgiven me yet.

The battery "looks OK" to me. Everything looks like it should be where it should and the bolts look tight. I'm going to call my stepfather to have a look, as he'd notice something out of whack like that - a second opinion if you will. I had another pair of eyes last night who jumped the car who didn't notice anything weird either (he's a do it yourself kinda repair guy, but he's unfamiliar with my car)

In any event, a new battery is probably warranted. This one is a few years old (I can find it in my records) and the last safety check said it was reaching the end of it's useful life. Add in the stop and start of traffic recently, and there it is.

[mizdarkgirl]

So weird! That was what wrong with my car LAST night! I got a jump and it died. It was the connector that was loose! Not a dead battery!

[tiamatlady]

My stepfather is coming over tomorrow with some tools I don't have and we're going to check out the connections, I'm hoping that's all it is.

[thenetimp]

definitely sounds like the alternator. they aren't hard to install, (well not the last time I had to, but who knows now...) can't believe a dealership would charge more than $200 for that job, but then again you are in the city (well close enough to the city)..