A bad starter motor and a failing alternator are often misdiagnosed as a dead battery — which is why a new battery sometimes doesn't fix the problem. Drova tests the starting circuit and alternator output directly so the right part gets replaced, on your driveway, the first time.
A heavy single clunk and no crank is the classic starter motor signature. A battery light on the dash while driving, headlights that dim at idle, or a battery that keeps going flat overnight after a fresh fit, all point at the alternator. Both are testable in minutes and replaceable on most cars on the visit.
Drova covers Lincoln, Horncastle, Louth, Boston, Sleaford and the wider Lincolnshire area for mobile starter motor and alternator replacement.
Diagnostic £69 · Starter motor from £180 fitted. Alternators from £250 fitted, job dependent. £69 diagnostic comes off the repair if you go ahead the same day. Final price confirmed after reg lookup.
Classic signs: one heavy clunk and no crank, slow lazy crank that gets worse, or intermittent 'sometimes it starts, sometimes it doesn't' behaviour. A current-draw reading at the starter confirms it without guesswork.
Battery light on the dash while driving, headlights that dim at idle and brighten when you rev, or a fresh battery that keeps going flat. Charge voltage at the battery should sit at 13.8-14.4V with the engine running — under that, the alternator isn't keeping up.
That's the classic alternator failure pattern — the car ran on battery alone until it was empty. Don't jump-start and drive away, you'll just flatten the battery again. We come to where the car is, confirm the fault and quote a fix.
Most cars yes — starters are usually accessible from above or below without a lift. We bring axle stands and trolley jacks. Some vehicles (deep V-engines, certain VAGs) need workshop access and we'll quote a partner garage if so.
Yes for the majority of cars and vans. Some engines bury the alternator behind ancillary brackets and we'll flag that on the call so you know what's involved.
Almost always cheaper to fit a quality remanufactured unit. New OE alternators are double the price for the same lifetime in practice.
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Drova is your local mobile mechanic for cars, vans, fleets, farms, holiday parks and estates across Lincolnshire. Servicing, brakes, batteries, MOT prep, diagnostics and digital care records — at your home, workplace or site, 8am–8pm, 7 days a week.
Drova is a fully insured mobile mechanic and asset care service covering all of Lincolnshire — including Lincoln, Sleaford, Boston, Skegness, Grantham, Spalding, Horncastle, Louth, Mablethorpe and Coningsby. Our mobile workshops carry the parts and tools to complete most jobs in a single visit.
Email support@drova.co.uk or call 0333 070 4389.
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