Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General how hard is it to change the alternator..........

I would probably avoid this job if I were you. You'll save a lot of aggravation (removing a half shaft and your y-pipe or a tie rod end) and if it fails again you're responsible. The quote you got from Ford seems a bit high to me. I was able to have this done for $435 both times that my alternator failed. I went to local shops around the area and they use the same crappy Motorcraft alternator that Ford will use. You could save about 300 by doing it yourself, but I'd rather find a place that guarantees their work and will do it for about 400 to 450.