My I30 now has 154k. At 131k, the car wouldn't start, I had it towed to an Infiniti dealership and had my starter and alternator replaced, with aftermarket parts from O'Reilly through one of those worthless warranty companies.

To my dismay, less than a year later (impeccable maintenance), my car is making loud noises, and I was informed that my alternator is bad. Also, the car seems slow to start--a problem I initially had as well.

So my question is, should I replace the part with Nissan parts, or does it not matter? I ask because the dealership in question (GUNN INFINITI OF SAN ANTONIO) has a reputation for ripping people off and performing substandard repairs, sometimes neglecting to repair the part at all and charging the customer.

What is your experience with generic vs Nissan parts?

 

for starters, alts, axles brake pads, engine oil, and some other parts, i think aftermakret can be better than original. I use aftermarket alts and starters here with no problems.

 

Perform the full 60K service. Then do the starter and or alternator yourself. Get a Haynes manual if needed. I usually prefer OEM parts, but if you get a lifetime warranty on aftermarket, and DIY go for it.

 

So then obviously it was the dealership. I knew aftermarket would be the same quality as genuine Nissan parts.

I would DIY but am in college and don't have the time, and need my car to work.

Note to anyone reading this: if having repairs done at a dealership, always get the part the part they replace, and get the stock number of the one they put in your car.

 

I like to stick with OEM parts when it comes to hard to change parts and electical parts. Stock OEM alternator runs a good $200 but its a NEW unit and not rebuilt. Starter from nissan is rebuilt but rebuilt with Hitachi Parts. Its all preference though. I like OEM replacment parts

-matt

 

they are nowhere near close... oem stuff lasts aftermarket stuff is crap..

 

yea my OEM alternator took a **** so i replaced it with a new OEM one and it took a **** and so far my AZ one is just fine (longer than OEM).....overall its hit and miss....they are all done by the same company.....

 

raxles vs.....
hawk pads vs......
green machines vs.....

 

raxles vs oem... uh lets see oem lasted about 100k miles

 

lets think of it this way...

balljoints from advance.. lasted me 1 year as opposed to 9 years with oem

swaybar links from advance/autozone... lated about a year also oem lasted 9

tie rods from autozone/ advance... lasted me less than a year... oem 9 years

inner tie rods from i forget where... lasted me 1.5 years... oem 9 years...
i can go on.....

 

and compared to moog?

not every aftermarket is going to be better. but there is aftermarket out there that is better.

 

compare this...how long have any of our cars been modded on stock OEM parts...we start to mod suspension or drag race and WHOA i need ball-joints...or tie-rods...or axles......then we buy replacement parts that are to be used with a stock car and they wear kwiker

 

no kidding they weat quicker... cuz they werent made to be used that way.. and u think aftermarket parts from oriely or autozone or advance or pep boys are?

 

That's cause we have 98's tard.

 

no i am saying that most of us bought our cars with XXXXXXXXX miles on them and then began to mod them.......therfore needing to replace OEM parts that lastesd XXXXXXXXXX miles.....but i bet if we all stayed stock and bought the good parts aka MOOG from autozone they would equal if not outlast OEM Nissan stuff.....u got remember most autoparts store sell 3 grades....****....less than $hit...and good.....always get the good ones...and they will still be cheaper and jsut as godo as overpriced dealer parts

 

its a tricky choice somtimes, certain parts you can get away with getting from nappa/autozone/advanced, certain parts you cant. When you keep in mind you oem parts lasted at least 6 + year, it would be the better decision to get the oem part. The price might be higher but imagine not having to worry about chaning that part.

 

thats what im tring to say.. if it lasts 10 years then ill pay the price for it to last another 10

 

Ya you'll pay the price, cause you know someone that works there!

 

OEM New components are absolutely superior to about anything else you can get out there. OEM Remanufactured (common with alternators and starters) are usually better than the aftermarket remans. Some aftermarket remans, especially the cheap ones, are absolute crap.

I will never recommend an aftermarket alternator or starter to anyone. Unless it's some really special component, in most cases you'll get crap.

I'm afraid what you've experienced is typical of aftermarket reman alternators and starters. And I can almost guarantee that the warranty co. would not pay for a quality aftermarket reman part. The warranty co. may claim the parts are OEM spec, but once an alternator / starter is rebuild and reassembled, how will you prove that it was actually rebuilt properly? In reality, the cheap remans have replaced just enough parts to make it last 6-12 months, and would not pass OEM specs.

The only things I believe OEM rips off on are tires, bearings, filters, fluids, and brake equipment. But again, you have to beware that the aftermarket doesn't really care if their product is the perfect fit for your needs (so check for yourself), and that the quality will range all the way from crap to better than OEM. So I personally always buy Brembo brand blank rotors, good non-OEM tires, Mobil1 oil, and Bosch oil filters. In some cases it saves me money, in other cases I believe I'm getting a better product or a better value. But do your research in all cases - there are plenty of junk parts and overpriced ripoffs in the aftermarket.

Dave

 

it doesnt matter where i get it from.. even before i knew people that can hook me up i still got it....

 

So I just realized I spent more money on this crap than I would have if I had just gotten an OEM alternator/starter. Now, I've got to pay to have the crap that was put in replaced, and since I'll be using genuine Nissan parts, it won't be covered by the warranty.

Anybody know about things more expensive repairs like seat motors, drive shafts, etc? Same crap I suppose? I'll probably put atleast another 100k on my car before I get rid of it, hope nothing major like that goes.

 

If you knew people before, then why did you go to AZ for parts (axles) & not Nissan?

 

cuz i used to think like the rest of these people... aftermarket is just as good... yea now im paying for it....

 

Wish I'd read this thread before I put in an aftermarket alt

 

Just think about it this way....car manufacturers test their products stringently when they are putting them on a car, so they are the best available option for that particular car, in most cases. There are some exceptions with aftermarket parts that have made improvements, etc, but for the most part, when you're buying parts for regular maintenance, you generally can't go wrong with OEM. It's made for your car.