BajaNomad - stuck in Guerro Negro

stuck in Guerro Negro

sd2hi - 10-20-2016 at 07:55 PM

Hi Nomads, I was on my way back to San Diego after two great weeks in Baja when my alternator light kame on. The voltage guage read 11 volts so I was pretty sure it was the altinator. I brought a spare battery and contimplated going for the border anyway. However I wanted to check out a few places on the way north and not worry bout getting stuck. I pulled into Guerro Negro at 11am. There is a convienent mechanic shop next to the TerraSal hotel. Long story short I sat in my beach chair for 6 hours at the shop while they ever so slowly looked for an altinator for me. Back in the US I would have pulled into any NAPA, Carquest, O'relys and have changed the altinator out in 30 minutes. The mechanic (owner of the shop) kept telling me it would be done today. 6pm comes and he tells me that it won't be ready till tommorow. The altinator shop had the right internal electronics but not the right case. He reused my old case with new internals. The reason it would not be ready was he painted my old case so it would look nice and the paint needed to dry! GRRR! They could have just put the dam thing together and I'd have been on my way. They could have told me sooner and I could have been comfortable in the hotel. I'm getting charged $1,800P for the altinator, which I think is kind of steep and 200P for labor which is a bargin. Any Nomads use this auto shop before?

BTW the TerraSol hotel is new, South end of town, has great rooms and 550P/$30US.

David K - 10-20-2016 at 08:14 PM

Not sure about in Guerrero Negro, but in other towns, the Pro One Auto Partes stores were great. The 4Runner in our group bought a alternator in Vizcaino... don't know what they paid exactly, but it was amazingly cheap they thought.

motoged - 10-20-2016 at 08:55 PM

Quote: Originally posted by sd2hi

Hi Nomads, I was on my way back to San Diego after two great weeks in Baja when my alternator light kame on. ...... Back in the US I would have pulled into any NAPA, Carquest, O'relys and have changed the altinator out in 30 minutes. ...

Well, you weren't in Kansas, Dorothy..... :biggrin:

MMc - 10-20-2016 at 09:04 PM

In Baja, there are 2 kinds of fixed. "get home fixed" the other is "Fixed Fixed" sounds like you got "Fixed, Fixed" How many Napas did you see. Waiting for parts is all part of the Baja experience. Take a DEEP BREATH and say "I am Baja not America".

bajaguy - 10-20-2016 at 09:16 PM

Ahhhhhhh, you are not in the States, so what ever you think about "how they do it there" really doesn't apply

You should probably be glad you got it fixed (and painted).....it will make a great story.

BajaBlanca - 10-21-2016 at 01:13 AM

Wish we could help since we are not so far away but we really have no experience with GNegro.

For future reference, Vizcaino has a great mechanic who is inexpensive, fast and honest. He is located on the main highway, if you head north, he is on the right hand side before the bancomer bank.

chippy - 10-21-2016 at 04:09 AM

Over the years I´ve had generators and alternators rebuilt in Baja and mainland but I´ve never had someone paint the cases. You hit the jackpot! Lucky guy.

bkbend - 10-21-2016 at 06:42 AM

Sounds like you entered the Baja time warp, why buy a disposable alternator when you can just fix it? I limped into Guerrero with a cracked wheel bearing in 1976, camped in the 'mechanics' front yard next to a few junker cars that didn't make it back on the road. One had a working 8 track in it so the mechanic came out and turned on the music and we sat and shared tequila. The next morning we went to the parts store which was an old refer van lined with shelves and salvaged parts looking for a bearing that matched. He found one, pressed it on with a hammer and block of wood and I was on my way.

BigBearRider - 10-21-2016 at 07:17 AM

I love that the mechanic found an alternator with the right innards and took them out to put in your housing. Baja mechanics are incredible.

There is a story in the Baja Adventure book with the orange cover about Baja mechanics that is just fantastic. It involves two guys working on an old car with a failed fuel pump. Since they don't have a fuel pump, they put fuel in a jug on the roof for gravity fed fuel flow. There's a lot more to the story, and it's well worth reading.

[Edited on 10-21-2016 by BigBearRider]

Udo - 10-21-2016 at 08:15 AM

Of all my off-road trips to Baja in 50+ years, all I ever needed fixed was a crack in the frame where the power steering box was mounted.
They welded another piece of steel covering the crack and boxed in the frame.
Still good 20 years later.

DENNIS - 10-21-2016 at 08:25 AM

AUTO ZONE is working their way south. Two, at least, in Ensenada now.

rts551 - 10-21-2016 at 08:30 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BigBearRider

I love that the mechanic found an alternator with the right innards and took them out to put in your housing. Baja mechanics are incredible.

There is a story in the Baja Adventure book with the orange cover about Baja mechanics that is just fantastic. It involves two guys working on an old car with a failed fuel pump. Since they don't have a fuel pump, they put fuel in a jug on the roof for gravity fed fuel flow. There's a lot more to the story, and it's well worth reading.

[Edited on 10-21-2016 by BigBearRider]

This is a process used by many for many years. Motorcycles and atv's use gravity fed tanks. nothing innovative here.

shari - 10-21-2016 at 08:39 AM

there are some great mechanics in GN...usually at their own shops and not a chain place....ask for Chepe across from Chino's and he will do you right or get you to the person who can fix your problem...best bet when faced with a breakdown is ask someone...like the desk guy at Terra Sal or a waiter or someone local...where a dependable shop is.

rts551 - 10-21-2016 at 08:45 AM

As David says, if in the area, Del Valles in Vizcaino (what he calls Pro One) has great parts support and mechanics.

David K - 10-21-2016 at 08:47 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca

Wish we could help since we are not so far away but we really have no experience with GNegro.

For future reference, Vizcaino has a great mechanic who is inexpensive, fast and honest. He is located on the main highway, if you head north, he is on the right hand side before the bancomer bank.

The bank, the mechanic, and the Pro One Auto Partes store are next door to each other in Vizcaino... east side of highway, between the north Pemex station and the Bahia Tortugas/Asuncion highway junction. After buying the alternator and other stuff, they suggested to have that mechanic next door install it, muy rápido and muy cheap! Nick (the engineer/mechanic with us) did it behind the Pemex in less time than it took to buy the thing... but it is good to know about that mechanic shop between the Pro One store and the bank, in Vizcaino.

rts551 - 10-21-2016 at 08:52 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca

That is because the mechanics shop, the auto parts store, and the hardware store (on the south side of the auto parts) are all owned by the same person.

Although one of the signs says Pro One (its old) the name on the building and door is Del Valle Auto Parts.

David K - 10-21-2016 at 09:00 AM

Quote: Originally posted by rts551

As David says, if in the area, Del Valles in Vizcaino (what he calls Pro One) has great parts support and mechanics.

That is what is signed on the building, I didn't give it a special name, like Shell Island or The Widowmaker! LOL

Here is the Pro One website with the Vizcaino store address: http://www.pro-one.com.mx/baja_california_sur.html

EL VIZCAINO

Refaccionaria Y Accesorios Del Valle

Calle: Carretera Transp. Km 144 S/N
Colonia: Villa Alberto
El Vizcaino, Baja California Sur
CP 23935
Tel: (615)-156-4280

David K - 10-21-2016 at 09:03 AM

Oh, and of interest... the first auto parts store coming into Vizcaino (west side of highway, north of northern Pemex, who did not have the Toyota alternator) referred us to "PRO ONE" by that name. So maybe you will feel the need to drive around that town and educate the locals that they are using the wrong name?

BigBearRider - 10-21-2016 at 09:27 AM

Quote: Originally posted by rts551

Quote: Originally posted by BigBearRider

This is a process used by many for many years. Motorcycles and atv's use gravity fed tanks. nothing innovative here.

Like I said, there was more to the story. The alternator had also failed, among other things. It was a nice story about resourcefulness. While I am sure it doesn't impress everyone, it impressed and entertained me. I've never seen anyone drive a car around with a jug of fuel on the roof!

carlosg - 10-21-2016 at 09:53 AM

Back in the mid 90’s I went on a journey that lasted for the next six years living in Baja, when I left my home town (Tecate) I had my car “serviced” by o “good” mechanic, bought new tires and packed all my stuff in my Cavalier stationwagon, when I was driving by the inspection station in GN I heard a loud bang from under the hood, me and the officer took a look and saw a popped-out spark plug, so with the engine puffing and puffin I limped into GN and stopped at an “autopartes” on the main drag bought a new spark plug and on my way I went… by Vizcaino the car would barely make it on the smooth grades so I stopped again and went to a mechanic somewhere near the road, it was on a sandy area because I recall that after waking him up and not before he got a couple of gulps from his “caguama” he came out from a dark cardboard room and felt around the floor for a couple of tools buried in the sand, he took a look at the engine and started wiggling the carburetor around: “no sirve, necesita otro carburador”.. it moved -because later I was told- the base of it was some kind of plastic… so I gave him 100 pesos and told him “todo está bien, así déjelo” and took off as soon and fast as I could, by the time I got to San Ignacio I was in real trouble so I stopped at “Grúas Cadena” for help, the attendant told me “no se puede, no está el maistro”: I had to wait for a couple of hours for the owner-head mechanic to return from Santa Rosalia, he arrived and drove-tested the car and said the gas pump wasn't working and he didn’t have one but he did have an electric one, I told him I didn’t have that kind of money to pay for it… he looked into my stationwagon and told me: “me gusta el abanico, ok?” -I’ll take the pedestal fan, ok?- so he istalled the pump and off he went to test it.. he came back and said “no sirvió… son las bujias” so he replaced the sparkplugs and kaboom!!! It was working perfectly!!! -wrong parkplugs installed in Tecate by “good” mechanic... RIP- So I ONLY HAD TO PAY FOR THE PLUGS and kept my fan…!!! This took all day for me and by that time I had been sipping beer with some “amigos” that had arrived to visit the “maistro” and by then Mr. Cadena (the “maistro”) told me “mejor quédese a dormir aquí”: I had too much “cerveza” in my system so I camped there overnight… during the evening into the night we had tequila and early in the morning I took off back onto my journey… I can still remember that first sunrise in Baja looking down into a valley just outside San Ignacio… and that was the start for the next unforgettable six years…!!! It took me about a week and many “cervezas” to get to Cabo… A lovely week…!!!

[Edited on 10-21-2016 by carlosg]

rts551 - 10-21-2016 at 11:43 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Quote: Originally posted by rts551

As David says, if in the area, Del Valles in Vizcaino (what he calls Pro One) has great parts support and mechanics.

No need to educate anyone...You have done it for me.....read your own post.

Refaccionaria Y Accesorios Del Valle
Calle: Carretera Transp. Km 144 S/N
Colonia: Villa Alberto
El Vizcaino, Baja California Sur
CP 23935
Tel: (615)-156-4280

:lol:

walters886 - 10-21-2016 at 12:38 PM

As a matter of fact I have used exactly the same shop in GN as sd2hi. My long winded story is entirely different so read on if you're bored.

About four years ago we were barreling south into GN in our overloaded Aerostar when we heard a loud bang. We stopped, I looked. The upper attachment bolt for a rear air shock had snapped off. I zip tied the shock to the frame and limped into town.

We turned into the first auto shop (next to Hotel Terrasal) and prepared for the worst. I had that “Oh sh**” sinking feeling as the mechanico jack lifted the van and crawled under. After showing me the broken bolt I asked using my friendliest voice “¿Cuánto cuesta la reparación?” The mechanico scooted out from under the van, brushed the dirt from his overalls and said ”No problemo”.

This is great I thought to myself sarcastically. I asked how much and he says no problem. All the elements of a sorrowfully bad Baja experience seemed to be converging.

So I prepared for the worst thinking about welding, a replacement shock, maybe both, labor hours, wait time for parts, and on and on. But here's where the magic happens.

The tire was removed. A torch flamed the old bolt. Smoke poured from the wheelwell. Then, using a modified vise grip, he wrestled with the remains of the offending bolt. Each time the grip slipped skinning his knuckles we heard a torrent of Spanish curse words. But then a flicker of hope. The bolt moved and finally, was removed.

Then he stood up walked away without a word and disappeared into the backyard. A few minutes later he returned and showed me a replacement bolt, same thread, same length. “Aye carumba!” I said. “Bueno!” said he.

I'll skip the part about putting everything back together, checking the air lines and testing the integrity of the air shocks with all three of us together bouncing up and down on the rear bumper. You want to know about the cost. He asked for $15(US) for about 30-40 minutes of work. I gave him $40. He tried to give me back a $20. My wife, the fetching Mrs. Nina, intercepted the $20 bill and gave it back to him with a big smile said “Propina!”

Ok, ok, it sucks when you get burned with an auto repair. But not every mechanico is a liar and a thief, not every gringo is an angel and not all repairs are the same. YMMV.

sd2hi - 10-25-2016 at 09:28 AM

Back across the border. Everything worked out. Mechanic is a good guy, speaks English, owned the shop for 9 years. I'd go back to him again. Cost of alt $100us, labour 200P. Was Friday so I gave him 500P and told him to buy beers for the guys that night. He seemed supprised with the tip.

MMc - 10-25-2016 at 09:46 AM

Glad it all work out for you. Manana, means not today, it does not mean tomorrow. It's one thing to hear, another to live.