What did you do today for your bug out vehicle?

[Habu]

I'm probably going to state the obvious here, but before you go look up the part on one of the parts-pusher's websites and get a list of every vehicle using the same part.  That'll give you a broader range of sources for the alternator.  After you get it, take it in to a part's store and have it tested--no point in installing it if you aren't certain it works.

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

I'm probably going to state the obvious here, but before you go look up the part on one of the parts-pusher's websites and get a list of every vehicle using the same part.  That'll give you a broader range of sources for the alternator.  After you get it, take it in to a part's store and have it tested--no point in installing it if you aren't certain it works.

Roger that. I had planned on doing that anyway.

Friend of mine works at the local AutoZone, so I don't think she'd mind testing a salvage yard alternator for me.

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

Well, looks like it's more than the alternator bad on Oldest Sister Chimpski's Honda Pilot.

Moved it out of my driveway and over by my garage (I've got a detached garage near the alley by my house) and it appears the transmission wanted to join the list of crap wrong with the SUV.

Great, that's all I need. So now instead of it just being a 400 dollar part, there's now a 3K part needing to be fixed.

I give up with this freaking vehicle.

[eugenenine]

Everyone always says how Hondas are relaible and never have problems

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

Everyone always says how Hondas are relaible and never have problems

Those people have clearly never had to deal with my sister's Pilot.

The sad thing is it didn't give us much problems until a couple years ago. The transmission started having a minor stuttering issue in 2024 and we had the brakes and a couple other smaller things fixed in '23, but this year it decided it wanted to be a prick and have the alternator crap the bed along with the transmission.

The SUV is about 15 years old now and the alternator and transmission are the factory originals, so I guess it was inevitable that they'd crap out at some point. I just had hoped it wouldn't be at the same time.

[EBuff75]

Everyone always says how Hondas are relaible and never have problems

Those people have clearly never had to deal with my sister's Pilot.

The sad thing is it didn't give us much problems until a couple years ago. The transmission started having a minor stuttering issue in 2024 and we had the brakes and a couple other smaller things fixed in '23, but this year it decided it wanted to be a prick and have the alternator crap the bed along with the transmission.

The SUV is about 15 years old now and the alternator and transmission are the factory originals, so I guess it was inevitable that they'd crap out at some point. I just had hoped it wouldn't be at the same time.

I think like anything, there are good ones and bad ones.  Some friends of mine have three Hondas - two 20+ year old Accords and a 5-year old Pilot (which they bought used and is out of warranty).  With basic maintenance, the Accords will probably keep going until the sun burns out.  The Pilot... needs a new transmission, for which they've already been quoted $7-9k!  So they're just going to keep driving until it dies completely.  Right now it just shifts poorly and sometimes gets stuck between gears and just freewheels.  Driveable, but not ideal.  They're hoping to get another year or more out of it before it gets too bad to continue to ignore. 

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

Yeah, the vehicle has served us well for the time we've had it.

We've definitely had worse vehicles over the years.

[12_Gauge_Chimp]

Got the AC fixed on my truck today.

Turns out it was just running low on freon and I had misread how to use the freon refill bottle I'd bought previously.

So now my truck has AC again.