would my car have 3 different types of alternator for it??

seatbeltnoob

Jackmydad wrote: »

Had a starter go on that Passat. Must have been around the Millennium. Couldn't get one anywhere including the excellent local electrical motor factor.
They rebuilt mine for about £50.
Whether places still do that I wouldn't know, but it's worth a thought.

with todays labour costs and general decline in skilled labour in the UK i think you'll be hard pressed to find someone to do this. It would be uneconomical to get yours rebuilt and would probably be cheaper to buy a factory reconditioned, done in eastern Europe somewhere.

James1968

Had a starter motor fail on a Vauxhall Carlton 2.0 estate. Put on one from a mk 4 Cortina. Fitted with no issues and worked as rquired.

Goudy

As you've gathered, it's very common for manufacturers to fit different alternators to the same make and model.
If you look carefully at some of the listings for replacements, they often have different outputs depending on kit fitted to your car.
I seem to think the Audi 3.0 petrol's were 140 or 150 amps.

Also, replacement parts listed are not always original equipment (OEM).
Bosch might have been the original supplier, but RTX, Remy, Valeo and Lucas could also sell one that fits and has the same output.

There are still a few that will remanufacture what you already have, but as newer cars have become more sophisticated with clever charging systems, fewer and fewer will bother with them.
A 2003 A4 alternator should pose them much problems though.

Jackmydad

seatbeltnoob wrote: »

with todays labour costs and general decline in skilled labour in the UK i think you'll be hard pressed to find someone to do this. It would be uneconomical to get yours rebuilt and would probably be cheaper to buy a factory reconditioned, done in eastern Europe somewhere.

I did wonder how many places can do that these days. The place I used has changed hands, and I don't know about them these days.

longwalks1

Thanks all, as expected, it was the most expensive one fitted to my car



Cheers for putting my mind at rest though