dealsgap

After 21 years (and a million or more starts) my GXE starter is giving up the ghost.
I've read all of the posts on different types/brands VS rebuild OEM. I'm wondering statistically speaking if the " odds " are better one way or the other regarding dependability.
My work puts me out over 300 miles from home so a car that wont start puts me in the middle of no where with a tow bill and a night or so at a motel not to mention what ever the repair will cost. I really don't want to go down that road.
My mechanic is saying autozone/duralast or rebuild OEM. 80-90 dollars difference so I can go either way..
All of the posts I've read pretty much just say its a crap shoot either way. I've read where some have rebuilt and they have went out a few weeks/months afterwards and I've read some have good luck with rebuilds.
I've read others have bought XYZ new and they have went out in a few weeks/months and some have had good results..??
Help

James92SE

iTrader: (31)

Honestly, in owning 4 of these cars over the past 15 years, I have never bought a "new" starter (or alternator for that matter). I just went to the junkyard on one of those half off sales and grabbed a couple of starters and alternators to keep as backups. Then I went to PepBoys to get them tested on my way home (they tested good) then I stashed them in my attic.

If I wasn't able to easily find good (and really cheap) OEM backup ones, I wouldn't hesitate to buy rebuilt - but if you do that make sure you do it somewhere that gives a lifetime warranty. I've been through three rebuilt alternators on my Civic in the past year and it ruined a battery during that time too.

*edit* I will say that my mom's Elantra starter went out a few years ago and I just slapped the cheapest Rock Auto Chinese (new) starter on it and it's been trouble free for a few years now, I think going on three. It's TYC brand and was like 60 bucks or something.

dealsgap

I'm leaning towards taking the one on the car and just having it rebuilt...

Got a place here in town that can do it in a couple of hours. I've got other souces of transportation so I'm not in any big hurry or needing it quickly.

I figure if I have the one on the car " rebuilt " at least " some " of it (the starter) will be OEM...

Thanks James..

Hectic

iTrader: (20)

PNP half off sales don't exist anymore. They would rather crush complete cars instead of get customers in the door.

Darkwing48

iTrader: (1)

Not true in California. They're having them almost once a month.

James92SE

iTrader: (31)

Here they for sure still do it on Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day weekend, etc.

Other than that they do have pretty crappy sales. It'll be stupid stuff like 20% off taillight assemblies, 25% off struts, stupid crap like that. But they definitely still have the half off sales several times a year.

Jon94SE

When I replaced my OEM starter with an Autozone part, I had issues with it just clicking and not starting even though it had 12+ volts and was grounding properly. I finally gave up and went and grabbed one from the junkyard and it worked like a charm every time.

ac max 92

iTrader: (13)

If the shop that's doing the rebuild is using quality parts then you shouldn't have any issues though like previously stated the scrapyard is a good place too and you could get 2 or 3 for what a rebuilt costs. Heck you could even keep one in the trunk with some tools if your worried about being stranded working a ways away from home. One of the yards where i am has an all you can carry for $50 every saturday over the summer. Im sure there's plenty of yards that still have cheap parts days but there are also many that don't due to people destroying many good parts just to get at what they want off the cars

Darkwing48

iTrader: (1)

That's sounds good.
I hate when people destroy parts to get other parts off, then again, if they were in a rush on such a day before closing, I can understand.

dealsgap

I decided to take the one on the car off and have it rebuilt. I spoke with the gentlemen who did the rebuilding and he said that he used OEM parts as much as he could but some things like the bushings that were replaced (non OEM) are actually better then OEM.
He charged me $130 and so far it's starting up every time. I'm pretty pleased with the outcome. Just wanted to send this as a final thought...

Hectic

iTrader: (20)

If they're still doing half off sales at your guys Pick N Pulls then something is wrong with their structure. The company that owns PNP is right here in Portland, and we get absolutely nothing. I used to get e-mails all the time for their 50% off sales, they dwindled down to promotions for 10% or 20% off specific parts, and now I get no e-mails whatsoever. Although their prices have went through the roof. On all parts including plastics, foam, circuit boards and glass that will be crushed, and subsequently separated from steel via chemical processes, and are completely worthless to them.

James92SE

iTrader: (31)

Hectic, don't forget the $2-3 "core charge" they add to just about every part now - even on parts that aren't rebuildable anyway. Just a total money grab on their part.

Hectic

iTrader: (20)

This is true, most parts have a core charge for no legitimate reason. Then there's that "environmental fee". Although to their credit, they did give me a rear seat back with no leather damage last week for $5. Similar things have happened before as well. If you're truly ready to leave a part at the counter, they will usually give you the price you were asking or hoping for. But $5 for the seat back was actually their idea. They had already said I could take the cover off and pay the price of a "seat cover". But they closed their credit card system while I was removing the hog rings, so the manager asked for $5 cash. Said he would donate it to charity.. Whether that was true or not, I have no idea.

James92SE

iTrader: (31)

Lucky, that definitely is not the case here. They are sooooooooo slow here, and the line is usually at LEAST 25-30 people deep with people trying to check out and everybody is usually pissed off because the bulk of the line has to stand outside in direct sun/heat. Of course, each transaction usually results in bickering about the price (due to the PNP trying to say the part isn't really X, it's really Y, and Y part is a lot more money ). At least every 3rd or 4th person seems to get so fed up they just leave the part. The workers couldn't care less and just toss the part into the tub of "core" crap they've already got being built up.

But in other Pick N Pull news, down here they are having a 4 day 50% off sale Thanksgiving day, Black Friday, and then the weekend.

I'm going to go cut a roof off and grab a trunk lid for my turbo car - literally just gonna cut right through the A, B, and C pillars and through front and back glass. My roof is about 2" thick of Bondo so I need to replace it. I'll be curious what they charge for the roof. I asked them about a year ago what the price would be if I just cut a roof right off like I described above and it was surprisingly much cheaper than I expected, something like $75.

But I guarantee what's going to happen when I actually do it is they'll charge me extra for the headliner and everything too.

Hectic

iTrader: (20)

Here's the one I got the seat back from (and a few other things). There were 125k or so on it, but looked like it had even less. Seemed like it had been garaged, as there was no fading or oxidation anywhere at all. And again, the leather hadn't been destroyed by the sun. The rear bumper was perfect, the spoiler was perfect and still mounted flush with the trunk lid. It's depressing having to leave stuff at the yard that you know is hard to find in nice condition. I thought about your car while I was there and how you would probably have a field day. I'm sure you know, the dark blue is different between the GXE and SE. And it is not easy to find TK3 SE's, especially with good paint.. Course you see TH1 GXE's all the time.

http://row52.com/Vehicle/Index/JN1EJ01F4PT408809

Darkwing48

iTrader: (1)

What sucks is that LKQ has a bought out Ecology and famous Pick-A-Part in Sunland is closing in January.
The 50% off sale has turned into a 40% off sale, due to lack of Competition in California.
A discount is a discount "but still..."

Hectic

iTrader: (20)

All the yards around here were owned by LKQ for short time and it their prices were insane. Luckily it only lasted less than a year. But I feel your pain.

James92SE

iTrader: (31)

Well I went and got my new roof and trunk lid this morning at PNP. Surprisingly, they actually did honor the 50% off. I got both the trunk lid and roof (with headliner and all that) for $100 total. Kind of sucked because it's raining here (has been for 3 straight days) plus it's in the 30's. So it was fairly cold, rainy and miserable but you gotta do what you gotta do

Hectic

iTrader: (20)

At least you had a roof over your head