Thread: Battery Issue
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Old 01-18-2010, 07:47 PM   #13
gschotland
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: nj
Posts: 389
No need to buy OEM from your friendly dealer because it's more than likely going to be the same Bosch remanufactured unit you can buy elsewhere for 1/3rd the price. I don't see the point in paying a premium for a Bosch reman. Like others said, yours failed earlier than it should have.

Although I'm reluctant to buy any new parts off of eBay, I did get a "new" alternator from a seller named california_alternator_starter. They delivered quickly and I was very pleased with the quality of the product, which appeared to be new and included a new pulley. Cost was ~$200 delivered and unlike almost every other seller there was no core charge. Only 1500 miles on it - so far, so good.

I did look at a unit at Autozone that was also ~$200, but it looked nothing like the factory unit. The fan blades were on the outside of the casing instead of inside and the casing looked totally different. If you've got an Autozone nearby where you can see it before you buy, that's probably a good option. Otherwise try PartsGeek.com or RockAuto.

There are a number of good threads about replacing your alternator. It's a PITA job (took me 2-3 hrs w/lots of cursing) but overall pretty do-able with the right tools. You will need a special tool for removing the hub that costs $24; search eBay for "Porsche alternator tool".
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