My starter went out on my '85 300cd a few weeks back. My indy would have ordered one from Autozone, so I figured I would go right to the source. They ordered one, I got home, got the original out to find they ordered the wrong one. After some researching with the Autozone guy, we find that the computer was wrong when looking up the '85. He then ordered the right one (for an '84 in their system) and I had to wait another 2 days. When it came in, it went to the wrong store. I went to the right store to pick it up, went home and installed it.

I could immediatly see that it had to try a lot harder to turn the engine. After a few days, it was intermittantly not working, not even trying. The battery is fully charged, a booster pack wouldn't even help. I took it back, they tested it, and it failed. They ordered a new one. Two days later, they have another one, I go to pick it up (that was today).

I was installing that one, and while turning the switch wire into place, it just broke right off. I called the store, and they would either refund my money or order another one. Well, I need a starter, so I had them order another one. I am going to call around and see if anybody else has one with at least a close core charge, but I'm not holding my breath.

I am about to send a nasty-gram to Autozone, I'll let you know how that goes.

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My Primary Driver - '85 300CD - 4-speed conversion, 2.47 rear, lowered, euro headlights, rebuilding (not restoring so much)

Wife's - '08 Saab Sportcombi Aero

Riding a '03 Yamaha Warrior

Order one from Phil...

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.

Looking back, I wish I would...but it would be another week without a car if I did that now.

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My Primary Driver - '85 300CD - 4-speed conversion, 2.47 rear, lowered, euro headlights, rebuilding (not restoring so much)

Wife's - '08 Saab Sportcombi Aero

Riding a '03 Yamaha Warrior

not all autozone stuff is bad. Definately not as bad as advanced auto. I used them exclusively for several years as my parts supplier for my small car dealership, rarely had problems. I'm sure they try alot harder for their commercial customers, though. Sorry for your luck,

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83 300SD.......sold
96 integra SE....sold
99 a4 quattro....sold
2001 IS300.......sold
2002 330i.........current.
2004 highlander limited....current.

Autozone is no different than any of the McParts. They have some huge rebuilder do the starters cheap and they have the capability of returning any of them that don't make the warranty period.

They have no control over the quality..........just the price and the warranty..........that's the way they like it.........so they can sucker folks like you with a low price.

Even if the starter works properly, it's unlikely to last more than a couple of winters unless you don't need to crank it much.

I put a Bosch rebuild in the SD..........we'll see if I can get 10 years out of it.

I hate doing the labor twice.

After I purchased a alternator from them with a lifetime warranty, I was back a year later when it went out .The clerk tried to refuse my warranty and I had to get the manager involved to get a refund(wasn't about to get another one at that point) That was my last time I bought a electrical part from them and have heard from others that Autozone has a reputation for bad electrical parts.

I installed an alternator "remanufactured" by Delco in my old Buick. I ended up replacing it twice over the course of a year - until it left me stranded and I replaced it with a cheapo I found at the nearest auto parts store. That one lasted several years - until the rest of the car fell apart. I guess it's all just a crapshoot.

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1984 300TD

.

I do the rebuilds myself.

Starters usually just need new brushes and a good cleanup.

Alternators usually have a bad bearing or a diode burns out.

You can still get brushes from ACE hardware and diodes from electronics stores, usually pretty cheap.

And I am lucky to have a bearing supplier close.

Learning how to do the rebuilds is well worth the investment in time.

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When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.
Jimi Hendrix

Same thing happened in my wife's old buick (someone bought and restored it now, so we don't have it, sadly)

We replaced the alternator with an AZ unit...lasted 1.5 months, put in another, and it lasted as long as she had the car, (over 1.5 years) without issue. Its luck of the draw. At least changing the alt on that car was super easy, only took about 10-15 mins.

Murray's Auto Parts has some good stuff. We got a "USA Industries" rebuilt starter for my dad's car, and it works incredibly well, been over 1.5 years. It was rebuilt in the USA and only cost $120!! Gotta look around for the good stuff. I got an alternator from them, and it lasted a year. Figures. Managed to snag one off our parts engine that was still good, and now I found a nearly new 80A unit off a Saab for $14, so I am all set there.

I do recommend using Phil for the important stuff, definatley for alternators, they have the German rebuilds, and those are worth every cent.

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

For that kind of stuff I will usually go to a local independent parts place and try to get a Beck Arnley of whatever they recommend as the best they have. Usually it is not the cheapest. It is said that 10% of reman parts are bad out of the box and that has been my experience or worse. I always look them over real good before paying. I have found several with obvious defects while still standing at the counter. That is good advice about fixing them yourself. I did change the contacts in a solenoid once. I have changed the brushes in a fan. Hopefully I don't get the opportunity to try this any time soon...

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

I have put about 4 advance auto parts alternators in my car over less than a years time. The one I have right now is putting out 14.1 at idle with nothing pulling on it, lets hope it lasts longer than the others.

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1985 300TD Turbo Euro-wagon
1979 280CE 225,200 miles
1985 300D Turbo 264,000 miles
1976 240D 190,000 miles
1979 300TD 220,000

GONE but not forgotten
1976 300D 195,300 miles
1983 300D Turbo 175,000 miles

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...e485-1-2-1.jpg

As the owner of an auto parts store in Texas, here's what most of think is the pecking order:

1) AutoZone - the worst. Cheapest parts, worst quality, badly untrained employees
2) Advance - same cheap parts with bad quality, but with better employees
3) O'Reillys - very good parts, good prices, but usually with untrained employees
4) NAPA - very good parts, highest prices, but usually with very good employees

What makes a real good counterman is knowledge of the obtuse - they know the parts you'll need, they can diagnose accurately at the counter, and they have knowledge about how to install what you're buying. AutoZone, Advance, and O'Reillys usually hire anyone to be a warm body on the counter - Napa usually tries to hire the ex-mechanics. Regardless of "good" countermen, I wouldn't buy the cheap crap that AutoZone and Advance sells.

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- Brian


1989 500SEL Euro
1966 250SE Cabriolet
1958 BMW Isetta 600

I had the same kind of experience with NAPA. They sold me replacement axles that had the wrong retaining clips on them, which then required the transmission to be removed and the axles were destroyed in the process. They wanted nothing to do with it. I haven't been back since.

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

How many sales a day do you think you lose because of inexperienced counter people? The reason I ask is there is a large Napa in this town. On many occasions when I ask for something the answer is "dont got it". If you can convince them to let you look in the catalog you can find it for yourself. It's frustrating.

Why don’t people use a local rebuild shop?

As RichC touched on. They usually just require a minor sub-component or bearing. Unless the housing is cracked, why buy a whole new POS unit?

We have a shop down in north Ft. Worth that has been rebuilding our starters, alternators and generators (’47 Farmall) for years. Everything from my 300D starter to a Kawasaki powered JD ridding mower starter. Our ’47 Cub generator to our Dodge alternators. I’ve never had to go back again on the same unit.

(Our shop will even make custom units. We had them make a single wire 6V negative ground alternator for another old Farmall that’s done a great job.)

If you can’t (or don’t want to) rebuild it yourself as Rich does. Find a local shop. The turn time is usually a day or two max. And you get a much better unit (and warrantee) back than you apparently do from the sweatshop/rapid assembly-line core rebuilds that the parts stores sell.

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1980 300D - Veggie Burner !