The Best Alternator Brand: A Comprehensive Guide

The Top Brands for Alternators: A Comparison Guide

Choosing the best alternator for your vehicle involves considering reliability, performance, and compatibility. Some of the top-rated alternator brands known for quality and durability include: Bosch, Denso, ACDelco, Valeo, Remy, Mitsubishi, Hitachi, Motorcraft, Delphi

Should you buy a new alternators versus a rebuilt alternator

Twenty years ago, your only choice was to buy a new alternator from the dealer or a rebuilt alternator from the auto parts store. So, really, your choice was to spend $450 at the dealer or $125 at the auto parts store for a rebuild. Back then, local rebuilders picked up used parts from the junkyards and rebuilt them. They installed new bearings and brushes/springs, cleaned up the slip rings, and installed a new diode trio, rectifier, and a new voltage regulator (if equipped). They sand-blasted the case and reassembled and tested the unit.

Local rebuilders were divided into two categories: those that used high-quality replacement parts and offered a high-quality rebuild for a higher price and those that slapped in the cheapest parts possible to sell at a low price. Here’s what’s changed in the rebuilt market

1) Local rebuilders are out of business. They simply couldn’t compete with the large regional rebuilding companies that rebuild in large quantities.

2) Regional rebuilders now dominate the business. Some sell under their own brand name, while others private label for the big auto parts stores, like AutoZone, Advance Auto, and O’Reillys. If they’re rebuilding for a national brand, they must meet the brand’s pre-set quality and testing standards. But more importantly, they must meet the store’s price point, and that’s where the problem comes in.

Are rebuilt alternators any good?

That depends. If you buy a brand-name rebuilt alternator, you’ll probably have much better luck than buying a store-branded alternator. Generally speaking, store-branded alternators use the cheapest parts and reuse many parts that really should be replaced with new ones. They cut corners so they can make more money for the chain. The stores do offer a lifetime warranty, but that hardly reassuring when the replacement part fails within a year. Trust me, if you buy a store-branded alternator, you’ll be ripping it out of your vehicle so often that you’ll finally give up and buy a better unit.

What’s the problem with low-quality rebuilt alternators?

As I said above, during a rebuild they replace these parts:

• Front and rear bearings
• Diode trio and rectifier
• Brushes and springs
• Voltage regulator (if equipped)

Typical parts replaced in an alternator rebuild

The main trouble spot is the voltage regulator. Modern voltage regulators are solid-state and operated by software. If the regulator is located inside the alternator, the rebuilder can buy a genuine brand with the car maker’s software or a knock-off brand with outsourced software. The outsourced software is the problem; it simply doesn’t work well with the carmakers’ software.

If the voltage regulation is built into the PCM, as in most late model cars and trucks, the electronics in the alternator must communicate properly with the PCM. Again, if the software doesn’t match, you’re going to have problems.

On the mechanical side, if the rebuild was done properly, even low-quality bearings, brushes, and springs should work properly for a while. If the rebuilder properly tested and reconditioned the rotor and stator, those should also work fine out of the box. If a cheap unit works right out of the box, you’re doing better than most. Just don’t count on it lasting as long as a new or brand-name rebuilt unit.

What’s going on in the new alternator business?

Let’s look at a who’s who in the new alternator business

Bosch—European supplier of OEM parts

Remy—Formerly known as Delco Remy and then Remy International. Delco Remy was owned by GM and then spun off. The Remy brand is now owned by Borg Warner. Remy sells new and rebuilt alternators

Denso—Manufacturer of aftermarket parts. Spun off from Toyota

AC Delco—The AC Delco brand is the aftermarket parts division of GM. They manufacture parts for sale through auto parts wholesalers and retailers.

Motorcraft—The Motorcraft brand comes from Ford’s aftermarket parts division. They sell new and rebuilt alternators.

TYC Genera—TYC is a Taiwan-based company that manufactures new automotive parts for OEM and aftermarket sellers. TYC is an OEM supplied for Ford, GM, HSV, Isuzu, Blue Bird, Navistar, Daimler Truck, Prevost, BMW Motorrad, Ducati, MV Agusta, Triumph, Kymco, Kawasaki, Sanyang, Suzuki & others, as well as OE after-sales service parts & accessories such as BMW Group , Chrysler Mopar, Ford Motorcraft & GM Service. They manufacture new alternators, fans, blower motors, headlights, and body parts.

Magneti Marelli—Fiat Chrysler Auto’s aftermarket parts division.

Should you buy a new or rebuilt alternator?

I would always choose a new alternator made by a reputable

NEW TYC alternator

manufacturer like Remy, Denso, ACDelco, or TYC over a rebuilt unit. However, if your budget can’t handle the price, choose a rebuilt unit from a reputable rebuilder like Remy, Denso, Bosch, Motocraft, or Magneti Marelli

©, 2018 Rick Muscoplat