Just a head's up for people considering a CT alternator in a Bosch box. I got stranded in the fall by a bad voltage regulator on a 13 month old alternator. I took it back to be tested and, of course, the CT technician failed it and said the alt. was bad and required replacement. I've seen this act before, so I went to an import store that I have found to be reliable and bought a genuine bosch regulator for about $50. When I gave the counterman the part number of the regulator over the phone he said he have never heard of such a number, and when I went to pick up the part, he confirmed that the so-called Bosch alternators from CT didn't have Bosch regulators.

I've almost forgiven them for trying screw me out of $200, but I keep wondering if the alternator I bought from them in 2004 was really bad, or just needed a reg.

Marten

this is not limited to CT; any brightly lit retailer wants:

a) your old alternator core - it's quite valuable, and easily repairable for cheap
b) to sell you a "new" alternator for $$$
c) you to assume an alternator is one thing, not a repairable system
d) you to assume that "new" and shiny is better

--
Stef (81 245 B21A SU M46 3.91 330000km, 81 244 BW55 3.31 220000km)