Quoting gvr4ever:
Quoting alansupra94:
Make sure if you install a new alternator, you get a heat shield. That really helps them live longer.
They aren't that close to the exhaust in our cars. In fact, they aren't even prone to early failure. One in my old Talon failed around 150k miles maybe. One in my GVR4 didn't fail after 20 years and 140K miles. I had it rebuilt because of its age, but it didn't actually fail on me.
This. Let's not start the one billionth discussion on the "heat soaked" alternator location. OEM ones lasted a long time, big-box auto parts store reman units get totally crap rebuild parts ( most notably the VR ).
Reminder that the alternator "runs" the car's electronics. Battery gets it started and provides enough juice if the alt dies to get you to a safe place.