I find the same! I'm always told it could be 1 of say 3 options... I didn't think finding parts for Renault would be so challenging!

A French thing is about right, whenever you work on French cars, particularly the brakes, it's always best to take the old parts with you as a pattern, instantly making yourself very popular the bloke behind the counter for making his job slightly less than impossible.

Most Japanese cars will have two possible front brake pads, easily distinguished, the rears are pretty well universal to a model and rarely change when the model does, Mercs can have a couple of sets for both front and rear, French can have anything up to four possibles for each end.

A tip for you home mechanics, when you first get your car and strip the brakes for cleaning/lubing, make a stencil of the pads both the friction material and the backing plate on a sheet of paper or card and slot those sheets into the service file, that will save you much time annoyance and money in the future when you can buy parts when on offer and be certain they are the right ones...same with air/oil/pollen filters, when you check or change them make a note of the part numbers for the future.

Some sites offer diagrams and dimensions of brake pads so with your stencil at hand online buying is effortless.

As for the alternator query, can these modern alternators be rebuilt any more, either by the competent home mechanic or by an electrical shop (assuming you have a few days grace whilst it's fixed), i ask because its ages since i had to replace or even a fit a new brush pack to an alternator so wondering what the score is currently (hoho), our cars are Japanese, Landcruiser/Forester.

Edited by gordonbennet on 21/12/2018 at 11:38

I physically couldn't move the car to another garage if I tried as it was completely dead the other day.

I realise you wouldn't want the hassle, but that's probably not strictly true if you had a battery charger. My alternator has been in broken pieces on my bedroom floor for about a month, but I am still doing short local trips.

I suppose a newer car will have higher electrical demand, but provided the computer has no overriding objection, you could still be OK in daylight.

IN the Galaxy thread down below the OP says

"a new bosch alternator is £800 ish so that is not a option and secondhand ones rarely come up on ebay."

which is barely credible, but might cheer you up a bit.

Believable if from main dealer ie /OE. Ridiculous. Avoid French/cheap? or choose carefully. (2006 1.5td mk3, & it is rusting out too behind the plastic)

Just seen the bill: £150 labour ~4hrs? £200 parts(~just alternator?) £68 vat - forgot that bit.

Must be a 21st-century-car thing. As I said above, alternator change on a Pug 205 is a DiY doddle - if that is all that is required

Just seen the bill: £150 labour ~4hrs? £200 parts(~just alternator?) £68 vat - forgot that bit.

I would think £150 labour equates to 3 hours except maybe at a very cheap place.