Alternator rip-off?
 

A few weeks ago the alternator on my car went ('89 740GL). Of course, according to Murphy's law, it didn't quit on a regular working day, but half an hour into our weekend away with the children. Hotel booked and everything. With ANWB (dutch AA) help (a good knock on the faulty alternator to get the contacts to hit the axle again) I got it running again, but didn't want to risk the trip with an alternator that could die any moment. So I started phoning garages in the area. Since it was friday lunch time most weren't quite willing to help. We ended up going to the Volvo dealer where we bought the car.
The complained the bonnet release cable had broken, so it took them forever to open the bonnet (Murphy again, I opened the bonnet half an hour before to check the alternator type when on the phone to a garage). They claimed they couldn't fix the cable, so they simply closed the bonnet when they were done. I've now received an invoice for EUR276,- for a reconditioned alternator, an extra EUR40,- for the bonnet cable they didn't fix, and EUR20,- for labour. With VAT that makes a staggering EUR400,-!!
As if all that isn't bad enough, when I had a look at the bonnet cable (which appeared not broken at all, just the washer at the end of the outer cable was gone. They could have put in a temporary fix with a 1 cent washer and 5 minutes work, saving me all the trouble of reaching the catches from underneath) I found they also broke the lower right bracket on the grill, so that's now loose.
Obviously I'm going to complain about the cable and the grill, but I wonder how much of a rip-off the 276 for a reconditioned alternator is. Replies from Holland would be extra helpfull.
I'm very disappointed in this Volvo dealer (Mulder/Heemskerk in Katwijk, if anyone's interested) and am now taking the car to an independant garage for MOT and service.

Duq