Model and year are a starting point, not an answer
Take two cars registered in the same year, same model, same colour. One is a mid-spec manual petrol; the other is a top-spec automatic diesel. They may share a badge and very little else under the bonnet. Alternators, AC compressors, steering racks, lighting assemblies and control units can all differ between them.
So when someone asks “do you have an alternator for a 2015 Verna?”, the honest answer is: probably, once we know which 2015 Verna.
The seven factors that decide fit
In roughly the order they matter:
- Generation. Manufacturers redesign a model every five to eight years and change the part numbers wholesale. A Fluidic Verna and a Next-Gen Verna are different cars.
- Engine. Petrol and diesel versions of the same model usually take different alternators, starters, compressors, radiators and mountings. Engine capacity matters too.
- Model year and facelift version. Mid-cycle facelifts change lighting, bumpers, grilles and often interior electronics — while keeping the same model name.
- Variant or trim. Higher trims add features: projector or LED headlights, electric folding mirrors, different clusters, extra sensors. Those are part-number differences.
- Transmission. Manual, AMT, CVT, torque converter and DCT cars differ in drivetrain components, some sensors, and occasionally in cooling.
- Market and production plant. Less common in India, but two cars built for different markets can carry different suppliers for the same component.
- OEM part number. The definitive answer, when it is legible.
Why the part number is not always the answer
A part number settles the question — but on a component that has spent eight years in an engine bay, the label is often faded, oil-soaked, painted over or gone entirely. On some parts it was stamped into the casting and is still readable; on others it was a paper sticker that disintegrated years ago.
So while a part number is the fastest route, it is not the only one. Physical identification works too.
Where to look for the OEM number on common components →
What to photograph
If you send us nothing else, send these. Between them they resolve the large majority of identification questions:
- The part in place, before removal. Context tells us how it mounts and what it connects to.
- The connector or plug. Pin count and connector shape are one of the most reliable discriminators between variants.
- Any label, sticker or stamped number. Even a partially legible number narrows the field considerably.
- The mounting face or bracket. Bolt pattern and spacing differ between otherwise similar units.
- The pulley, on rotating components. Diameter and groove count matter on alternators and compressors.
Wipe the label area with a rag before photographing. Take the picture in daylight or with a phone torch held to one side rather than straight on — angled light makes stamped characters readable that a flat flash washes out.
Describe the symptom, not just the part
If you are not certain which component has failed, say what the car is doing. “Battery warning light comes on after twenty minutes and the headlights dim at idle” is far more useful than a guess at a part name, because it lets us confirm the diagnosis rather than sourcing the wrong thing efficiently.
Where the registration number helps
In India, the registration details can help confirm the variant, engine and manufacturing year of a vehicle. If you are comfortable sharing your registration number, it removes some guesswork. It is optional — plenty of enquiries are resolved without it.
What we do at our end
We work through the same list: generation, engine, variant, transmission, facelift version, then cross-check the physical part against what we are sourcing. We do not claim a part fits an entire model range unless we have verified it against your specific vehicle.
Send us your vehicle details and a photograph of the existing part. We’ll help identify the correct component.