Frequently Asked Questions

Q: HOW WILL I KNOW WHEN MY ALTERNATOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED?

A: It is likely you need to replace your alternator when . . .

a) your battery light is illuminated on your dashboard.
b) you can't drive your car for more than an hour without the battery wearing down.
c) you are having a lot of radio interference which gets worse when you accelerate.
d) your volt meter is reading lower than normal (below 12V).

Any of the above may be caused by a bad alternator, so either remove the alternator and have it tested, or have your mechanic test the charging system on the vehicle. If the alternator (or starter) is bad, call us!

Q: HOW WILL I KNOW WHEN MY BATTERY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED?

A: It is likely you need a new battery if . . .

a) you turn the key to start and all you hear is a rapid series of clicks - click-click-click.
b) you come to a stop and your headlights dim and the engine slows down.
c) after sitting overnight, the battery becomes run down (see a).
d) you notice a funny smell coming from the battery after you turn the car off.
e) your battery is more than four years old (especially if it is original).
f) any of the terminals are loose or melted.

If any of these symptoms appear, or you suspect you have a battery problem, have the battery load tested (not just voltage tested) by a battery expert.

Q: HOW WILL I KNOW WHEN MY STARTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED?

A: It is likely you need to replace your starter if . . .

a) your vehicle turns over hard when cold or after you have driven a long way and the engine is still hot and you have stopped for only a short while.
b) you have to turn the key more than once to get it to start.
c) the starter makes either grinding, whining or zinging sounds.

Q. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A "REMANUFACTURED" AND A "REBUILT" UNIT?

A: The remanufactured unit has been completely disassembled, cleaned, tested and reassembled with new parts (except for the major parts like outer plates, rotor and stator if they are in excellent condition). Rebuilding a unit can simply mean testing a core to see if it works, cleaning the outside and repainting it. This makes it possible to sell a "rebuilt" unit at a dirt-cheap price . . . sometimes with the dirt still inside the unit!

Q: WHEN IS A "NEW" STARTER OR ALTERNATOR NOT NEW?

A: When you must pay a deposit for the core, and then return your old one to get your deposit back. Truly new starter and alternators are built from 100% all new parts, and therefore don't need a core returned.

Q: WHY ARE SOME NEW STARTERS OR ALTERNATORS SO CHEAP?

A: The reason that some "new" units are so cheap is because they are made with only after-market components - far less costly and far less reliable than the new Original Equipment Manufacture (OEM) units with their truly OEM parts.

Q: DO YOU STOCK NEW UNITS?

A: Yes, we stock some new units.We sell mostly remanufactured units, but we do keep some new units on hand. All we sell is O.E.M. units, so they may be a bit higher priced than discount "new" units, but they are top quality.

Q: HOW DO I KNOW WHAT TO CHOOSE - NEW OR REMANUFACTURED?

A: Call us - Dana will explain the difference in cost and quality of any unit you need. We do our best to give you quality first, no matter what category of unit you need.

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR HOURS OF OPERATION?

A: We are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. - noon. We do have an answering machine to take brief messages so we can return your call as soon as possible, should you call outside those hours, or if we don't hear the phone for some unusual reason. We are located in beautiful southern New Hampshire, so our time zone is either Eastern daylight, or Eastern Standard time, depending on the month. Feel free to use the 800 number if you are outside the local call area for Merrimack, NH.