Tale of a stabilizer bar link

[bstone]

Replaced all 4 last summer (379 days ago) with Moog products. It breaks 2 days ago, but there is a "Limited Lifetime Warranty". I go off to Advance Auto Parts (where I got it from), take the tire off, take remains of link off and return it. It comes 2 hours later. Meanwhile, I have them test my alternator as the battery is getting a low charge and sometimes failing to start. Alternator tests bad, battery tests good. Fast forward 2 hours later the link comes. Turns out the price is now $5 less, so they refund my credit card those $5. INCREDIBLE! Go out into the lot and put on the new link.

 

Then I headed off to local Subaru dealer to get the alternator. (Heard too many horror stories about aftermarket and rebuilt ones.) Call them before to ensure part is in stock. "Yes" they say. I get there and guess what- computer says they have it but it's not in stock. They call another dealer. Same story! The third dealer 8 miles away actually has his eyeball on it.

 

I go there, pull the old one, and they have a large box entitled "Remanufactured Subaru Alternator" sitting on the desk. I am not thrilled with it being a reman, but at least it's Subaru. 12k/12month warranty. Now the car charges like a champ!

 

Then I go off to Firestone for the second alignment in 2 days. They failed to tighten down the strut bolts, where it connects to the steering knuckle, when they did an alignment yesterday. I tightened them down and they redid the alignment pronto. I have lifetime alignments- not a bad deal.

 

Not bad for 3 hours work!