That is correct. Definitely alternator.

You’d have to have at least one extra joint in your fingers to remove the VR in place. I wanted to do that very badly.

Heres a tip though: the most difficult part is getting the bolts back in; grind the end into a cone.

I've redone mine and wife's and it was just brushes. I even replaced mine when it failed to find out the bushes only needed to be cleaned so now I have a spare alternator.

__________________
2011 E70 • N55 (me)
2012 E70 • N63 (wife)