My car's alternator died on a Tuesday afternoon in Springfield.

I was on my way home from work when the dash lit up and the engine sputtered out. I had $400 in my emergency fund, which covered the tow and a used part from a salvage yard. My cousin helped me install it in his driveway over the weekend, saving me at least $300 in labor. Has anyone else had a car repair that their budget actually handled without panic?

4 comments

4 Comments

nina_hall4813d ago

Springfield's salvage yards are actually pretty reliable, terryscott.

maxl931mo ago

Nice! That's a solid win. I had a water pump go on my old truck last winter. The part was like $80, and I spent a whole Saturday covered in coolant replacing it. Felt amazing knowing the $500 repair bill I was quoted just turned into an afternoon of my time and some busted knuckles. Those are the best kinds of fixes.

troy7681mo ago

Wait, you got a working alternator from a salvage yard for under $400 total? What kind of magical junkyard is this? Every time I look, the used part prices are insane and the tow alone would eat most of that cash. You hit the absolute lottery on that one.

terryscott1mo ago

Man, that's the dream right there! The car gods were smiling on you for sure. Most of us would have gotten the tow, then found out the salvage part was junk, and ended up paying double. You basically pulled off a financial Hail Mary that actually worked.