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i think the less complex part you buy off the net, the better. Quality control is very sketchy nowadays on replacvement parts like starters and alternators. When i first started working on cars 30 years a go, to get a bad part was rare. Now it is common. a while ago I bought a brand new autolite alternator for $130 for my old 1994 sentra and i could not believe it, but it was bad out of the box. After installing it i used the VOM on the battery and it was putting out almost no voltage. The next one i got was good but of course i had to rip out the bad one and do it all over again.
the point is you cant assume a part is good even when you choose brand new over rebuilt, and you buy from a brick and mortar store. When you buy on the internet, returning bad parts is an expensive hassle, and while the parts get shipped back and forth you're without wheels!
for parts like this i prefer the auto parts (often the shipping cost negates the savings of the part anyway when you buy online). If the auto parts has the equipment to test your alternator or starter before you give them your money, have them test it before you give them your money.
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Mail order alternators
Linear Mode
