Used VW Alternators and Starters For Sale in South Africa
Typically R900 – R6 000
Prices
Indicative South African prices for used units. Final price depends on condition, mileage and availability — send your VIN and we’ll confirm.
| Part | Condition | Price range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alternator 90A — Polo, Polo Vivo, Citi | Used, bench tested | R900 - R2 200 | Highest-volume alternator in South Africa. Typically around R2 000. |
| Alternator 90-120A — 1.8T, 2.0 petrol | Used, bench tested | R1 200 - R2 600 | Golf 4, Jetta 4, Passat B5. Check the regulator before condemning it. |
| Alternator 120A — 1.4 TSI | Used, bench tested | R1 500 - R3 200 | Has an overrunning pulley. A seized OAP mimics alternator failure. |
| Alternator 140-180A — 2.0 TDI | Used, bench tested | R1 800 - R3 800 | Later LIN-bus controlled units do not swap with earlier ones. |
| Alternator 180A — Amarok | Used | R2 500 - R5 500 | Dual-battery setups work these hard. Inspect the rear cover for dust. |
| Alternator — Touareg / Amarok 3.0 V6 TDI | Used | R2 800 - R6 000 | Buried behind the front dress. Labour exceeds the part cost. |
| Alternator regulator / brush pack | New | R350 - R950 | Fixes a large share of "dead" alternators for a fraction of the price. |
| Overrunning alternator pulley (OAP) | New | R600 - R1 800 | Replace with the belt. A seized pulley shreds a new belt quickly. |
| Starter motor 1.1 kW — petrol | Used, bench tested | R900 - R2 200 | Polo, Polo Vivo, Golf, Jetta. Local listings sit around R2 000. |
| Starter motor 2.0 kW — 1.9 / 2.0 TDI | Used, bench tested | R1 300 - R3 000 | Confirm the pinion tooth count against your flywheel. |
| Starter motor — Amarok 2.0 TDI | Used | R1 800 - R3 800 | Manual and automatic fitments use different pinion assemblies. |
| Starter motor — Touareg / Amarok V6 | Used | R2 000 - R4 500 | Sits under the intake. Worth doing while other work is in progress. |
| Heavy-duty start-stop starter | Used or reconditioned | R2 000 - R4 500 | Do not substitute a standard starter — it will not survive the cycles. |
| Starter solenoid repair kit | New | R250 - R850 | The classic "click but no crank" fault. Cheapest fix in this category. |
Used VW alternators and starter motors are the most affordable parts on this site, with most units changing hands around R2 000. A 90 amp alternator out of a Polo, Polo Vivo or Citi Golf runs R900 to R2 200. A 120 amp unit off a 1.4 TSI is R1 500 to R3 200, a 140 to 180 amp 2.0 TDI alternator R1 800 to R3 800, and Amarok and Touareg V6 parts roughly double that. Starters follow the same pattern: R900 to R2 200 on petrol, R1 300 to R3 000 on diesel. Before you replace anything, check whether you actually need to. A large share of "dead" alternators only need a regulator and brush pack at R350 to R950, and a seized overrunning pulley produces belt squeal and a charging fault that looks identical to a failed alternator. On the starter side, a single loud click with no crank is usually burnt solenoid contacts, which a R250 to R850 repair kit fixes. Two things you must not substitute: petrol and diesel starters are different power ratings and are not interchangeable, and a stop-start car needs its heavy-duty starter and an AGM battery or the replacement will fail early. Every unit here is bench tested before dispatch and ships nationwide as a standard parcel.
Units we commonly carry
Alternator 90A — Polo / Citi 1.4 / 1.6
Code: 030 903 023
R900 - R2 200
- Output
- 90 A, 14 V
- Supplier
- Bosch or Valeo depending on build
- Pulley
- Solid — no overrunning clutch on early units
- Fitment
- Polo, Polo Vivo, Citi Golf, Golf 4 1.4/1.6
Fits: Polo, Polo Vivo, Citi Golf, Golf
Alternator 90A — 1.8T / 2.0 Petrol
Code: 06B 903 016
R1 200 - R2 600
- Output
- 90-120 A depending on specification
- Supplier
- Bosch
- Fitment
- Golf 4, Jetta 4, Passat B5, Beetle 1.8T and 2.0
- Check
- Regulator brushes — often the only failed part
Fits: Golf, Jetta, Passat, Beetle
Alternator 120A — 1.4 TSI
Code: 03C 903 023
R1 500 - R3 200
- Output
- 120 A, 14 V
- Supplier
- Valeo
- Pulley
- Overrunning alternator pulley (OAP)
- Fitment
- Golf 5/6, Jetta, Polo 6R, Caddy 1.4 TSI
Fits: Golf, Jetta, Polo, Caddy, Scirocco
Alternator 140A — 2.0 TDI
Code: 03L 903 023
R1 800 - R3 800
- Output
- 140-180 A depending on specification
- Supplier
- Bosch or Valeo
- Fitment
- Golf 6/7, Passat B7, Tiguan, Caddy 2.0 TDI
- Feature
- LIN-bus controlled on later builds
Fits: Golf, Jetta, Passat, Tiguan, Caddy
Alternator 180A — Amarok 2.0 BiTDI
Code: 03L 903 024
R2 500 - R5 500
- Output
- 180 A, 14 V
- Fitment
- Amarok 2.0 TDI and BiTDI
- Check
- Dust ingress at the rear cover on off-road vehicles
- Note
- Dual-battery conversions load these hard — inspect carefully
Fits: Amarok
Alternator — Touareg 3.0 V6 TDI
Code: 059 903 015
R2 800 - R6 000
- Output
- 180-190 A, 14 V
- Fitment
- Touareg 3.0 V6 TDI, Amarok V6
- Access
- Buried — labour is a large part of the job
- Check
- Water pump and belt condition while you are in there
Fits: Touareg, Amarok
Starter Motor 1.1 kW — Petrol
Code: 02T 911 023
R900 - R2 200
- Power
- 1.1 kW
- Fitment
- Polo, Polo Vivo, Golf and Jetta petrol
- Teeth
- 9-tooth pinion on most petrol fitments
- Common fault
- Solenoid contacts, not the motor itself
Fits: Polo, Polo Vivo, Golf, Jetta, Citi Golf
Starter Motor 2.0 kW — TDI
Code: 02M 911 023
R1 400 - R3 000
- Power
- 2.0 kW
- Fitment
- 1.9 and 2.0 TDI with a manual gearbox
- Teeth
- 10 or 12-tooth depending on flywheel
- Check
- Pinion teeth for chipping before fitting
Fits: Golf, Jetta, Passat, Caddy, Touran
Starter Motor — 1.9 / 2.0 TDI (02Z)
Code: 02Z 911 023
R1 300 - R2 800
- Power
- 1.8-2.0 kW
- Fitment
- Golf 5/6, Passat B6, Tiguan diesel
- Supplier
- Bosch or Valeo
- Check
- Bendix drive must return freely
Fits: Golf, Jetta, Passat, Tiguan
Starter Motor — Amarok 2.0 TDI
Code: 03L 911 021
R1 800 - R3 800
- Power
- 2.0-2.2 kW
- Fitment
- Amarok 2.0 TDI and BiTDI
- Check
- Mud and water ingress at the solenoid
- Note
- Automatic and manual fitments use different pinions
Fits: Amarok
Starter Motor — Touareg / Amarok V6 TDI
Code: 059 911 021
R2 000 - R4 500
- Power
- 2.2-2.5 kW
- Fitment
- Touareg 3.0 V6 TDI, Amarok V6
- Access
- Sits under the intake — labour heavy
- Note
- Worth replacing preventatively while other work is done
Fits: Touareg, Amarok
Heavy-Duty Start-Stop Starter Motor
Code: 02M 911 024
R2 000 - R4 500
- Type
- Reinforced for high cycle counts
- Fitment
- BlueMotion and any model with stop-start
- Difference
- Uprated brushes, bearings and solenoid
- Warning
- A standard starter fitted here will fail early
Fits: Golf, Polo, Tiguan, Passat, T-Roc
Common questions
How much is a used alternator or starter for a VW in South Africa?
Most used units sit around R2 000. A 90 amp Polo or Citi alternator is R900 to R2 200, a 120 amp 1.4 TSI unit R1 500 to R3 200, and a 140 to 180 amp 2.0 TDI alternator R1 800 to R3 800. Starters run R900 to R2 200 on petrol and R1 300 to R3 000 on diesel. Amarok and Touareg V6 parts cost roughly double.
Is my alternator actually dead, or just the regulator?
A surprising share of failed alternators only need a regulator and brush pack, which costs R350 to R950 rather than the price of a whole unit. If the battery light comes on and charging voltage sits below about 13.5 volts at idle but the alternator is quiet and spins freely, ask an auto electrician to test the regulator before replacing the whole thing.
What is an overrunning alternator pulley and why does it matter?
Most TSI and TDI alternators use a one-way clutch pulley that lets the alternator freewheel as engine speed drops, smoothing the belt drive. When it seizes you get belt squeal, belt shredding and a charging fault that looks exactly like a dead alternator. Always check the pulley spins one way and locks the other before condemning the unit.
Are petrol and diesel starters interchangeable?
No. Diesel starters are higher powered, typically 2.0 kilowatts against 1.1 for petrol, because of the far higher compression they have to turn over. The pinion tooth count and mounting can also differ. Fitting a petrol starter to a TDI produces slow cranking, overheating and early failure. Match the part number, not just the physical fit.
My car clicks but will not crank — is the starter finished?
Not necessarily. A single loud click with no crank is most often burnt solenoid contacts, and a solenoid repair kit at R250 to R850 fixes it. Rapid clicking usually means a flat battery or a poor earth strap instead. Test battery voltage and the earth connections first — they are free to check and account for a large share of no-start calls.
Do start-stop cars need a special starter?
Yes. BlueMotion and other stop-start VWs use a reinforced starter with uprated brushes, bearings and solenoid, built for many times the cycle count of a standard unit. Fitting a conventional starter to a stop-start car will get you going but the unit will fail early. These cars also need an AGM battery — a standard lead-acid battery will not last.
What warranty comes with a used alternator or starter?
Three to six months is normal, and reputable sellers bench test before dispatch. Warranty is void if the unit was fitted with a slack or worn drive belt, if the battery or earth straps were faulty, or if a charging system fault such as a shorted cable caused the original failure. Fix the cause, not just the symptom.
Can these be couriered?
Yes, and they are the cheapest parts on this site to ship. Alternators and starters go overnight to main centres and one to three working days elsewhere in South Africa. Because they are small and light, freight is usually a flat parcel rate rather than a mass-based quote.
Get a firm price today
Send us your VW model, year and VIN. We’ll confirm what we have and what it costs, delivered.