On August 1, I purchased a 1985 Pontiac from a private owner. On July 30th, me and the young marine wife took the car for a test drive. About 5 minutes into the drive, we hear a squealing sound. It was brief and didn't do it again.
When I picked the car up on that Wednesday, 2 days later, I was about 4 miles down the road when the squealing started, again. I called the prior owner and, of course, neither of us knew what it could be. I took the car to the nearest Auto Zone. The technician opened the hood and immediately told me (and showed me) THERE WAS NO ALTERNATOR BELT.
I called the young lady back and advised her of the findings. She advised me that she had recently (May) had a new belts put on this alternator by Auto Logics where she was charged $120. I made it back to her apartment, where we went to Auto Logics and she explained the situation. There was a 90 warranty still active.
After trying to give us some "run around" the owner stated that the pully was rusted and that's why the belt broke. He agreed to replace the pully and the belt. We had to leave the car for 2 hours. When we returned, the mechanic showed us the "old" parts from the alternator (pully and a fan).
Three days later (Saturday morning), I started my car and there was an awful squeal that was continuous for about 3 miles. It suddenly stopped, and my battery indicator lite came on. I made it back home, only to find out that THAT BRAND NEW BELT BROKE!!! Of course I'm fusing. I called Auto Logics; they were closed. I had my neighbor look at it. Lucky, the broken belt was still under the hood. My neighbor took that belt to Auto Zone. I don't know what he was told, but he purchased another belt completed different than the two that were on there prior.
I've had no more problems with belts breaking, HOWEVER... The alternator on that vehicle was purchased, new in November. But, during the week and a half I had the car, it literally burned/fried the battery. The battery was bubbling (you could hear it) AND it immenated a awful odor (sulfur, rotten eggs). I was told my a mechanic that happened because the alternator was bad. I had to buy a new battery and alternator.
It is speculated that Auto Logic was the cause of this.in November, the prior owner took this vehicle to Meineke Muffler and paid $450 to them for a new battery, a new alternator, value cover gasket, oil change (yeah, we've reported Meineke, too).
Of course, Auto Logic was not happy in the least about having to work on this vehicle AND having to provide us a ride back to the young lady's home. I've left out many other points here, but there were words exchanged between the prior owner of the Pontiac and the owner of Auto Logic.
Why did two belts fail in as many days? Why didn't auto logic know the correct belt to put on the vehicle in the first place?
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