RudieValdes

Thanks guys for the advice. I now have the confidence to pop the hood and do some tinkering. Oddly enough I just noticed a starter/alternator shop in town today. I'll start with them and see if they have a rebuilt one or can rebuild mine. RudieValdes

Hi all, Great site. Have gotten great info in the past. I have a '99 Outback Sport (2.2L) with 60K miles. For the last couple of weeks, upon turning the ignition key I would hear a high pitch grinding noise, and the engine wouldn't turn over. I'd try again and the car would start right away. Last night, all my attempts at starting the car were greeted by that same sound. Luckly, I live in a hilly area and was able to pop the clutch to get the car going. This morning the car started without a problem. I suspect that the starter motor is on it's way out. My mechanic said it would be around $400 for the job. From everything I've read on this site and others, this looks like it's a fairly straight job that I'm willing to undertake. I'd like to know if (1) I've diagnosed the problem correctly? Where's the best (in other words - cheapest) place I can get a starter from (online or brick & mortar - I live in the SF/Bay Area)? Are there other more serious problems with the same symptoms? Is this how long a starter usually lasts (60K)? And lastly, any tips or gotchas (other than the ones on this site) I should watch out for when attempting this repair? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks, RudieValdes