So a couple days ago my car was having some minor issues and the battery light was on so i decided to let it sit for a couple of days until I could work on it and I used a spare
My battery was dead today so I went to jump it and when I turned it on the alternator caught on fire
the car is a 2006 Acura TL with 130k miles
any tips besides just replace the alternator and maybe battery

 

I believe this is something you can file an insurance claim for; either way, have the car professionally diagnosed and repaired.

 

i only have liability( full coverage not worth it for a 06 acura) so my plan was to just replace the alternator and battery and go from there

 

i think that's a good plan

 

I also have a 2006 TL and I carry full coverage, albeit with a high deductible, just for this very reason.

 

Comp is cheap, collision maybe not on a 2006.

 

On my 2006, the yearly coverages break out as follows:

• Bodily Injury Liability: $165
• Property damage Liability $96
• Medical Payments: $20
• Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury: $37
• Uninsured Motorist Property Damage: $0
• Comprehensive: $32 ($250 deductible)
• Collision: $161 ($500 deductible)
• Towing and Labor: $8
• Optional Transportation: $25

So, while Collision is the second most expensive line item ($161 with a $500 deductible), it works out to $13.42 per month, not exactly a lot of money.

 

Ha...I still carry "full coverage" on my '05 with 185k miles. For the couple hundred per year extra over liability only, it is worth it to me. All it would take is someone stealing my car or hitting it for me to be out of a couple of grand to find a comparable replacement. No thanks.

Of course we all should know that insurance costs and coverage vary greatly from person to person, zipcode to zipcode, and state to state. Even what defines "full coverage" or "liability" only depends on what state you live in. Heck in MO, the state mandated minimum coverage (25k/50k/10k) is no where near what coverage you should have. People are legally allowed to drive with insurance that only covers $10k of damage to other property. So if someone hits and totals out my wife's car, we will only get $10k from their insurance to replace a vehicle worth $20k. We will have to go after that driver for the rest or submit an under-insured claim on our own policy. Think about an un-insured person hitting your car. Do you want to pay for that repair out of pocket? Or would you rather pay the deductible and move on? We have been hit in the past by someone with no insurance. We paid the $250 deductible, got a rental, and got our car repaired ($3k) and moved on.