starter crapped out on my 95 Legacy with 215K - no warning signs at all - worked fine one day, dead the next - nothing but a click when I turn the key.

 

swapped in the one from my old 90 Legacy, and it works - for now - but it also has high miles on it - over 230K - so who knows how long it will last.

 

Advance Auto Parts has a "Tough One" reman unit for $80 with a $20 core charge.

Anyone have any experience with these?

 

I dont have the time to deal with trying to rebuild - have way too many other things going on.

 

would rather just put in a "new" one and be done with it.

Edited September 15, 201411 yr by heartless

auto store electrical parts are often low grade compared to OEM - alternators, starters, and fuel pumps i try to avoid at all costs.

"Life Time Warranty" is a scary term on these.   

 

after typing this, i searched for "tough one starter reviews" and found plenty of failed starters.  of course "at home" diagnosis and repair is often suspect so who knows if/what that means, but i'm not surprised.

 

there's not much to a starter when compared to the pump and alt, so maybe not a big deal.

 

how about a low mileage used one?  www.car-part.com or one of the fine parter-outers on here or another subaru forum? 

they fail so rarely i never bothered keeping them when parting out, there is zero demand.

 

i would guess there's no significant difference between "new" aftermarket and a low mileage used OEM in terms of reliability and longevity. 

 

that being said, of the three items i would be much less concerned about a starter.

Thanks Gary.

 

as for using car-part.com - not real practical in this instance - not much for junkyards near me, most are 1-1/2 to 2 hours away or more. (the few that are close tend to send older stuff to the crusher rather than part them out)

 

an OE replacement is nearly $200 (plus shipping costs) - my bank account just cant afford that.

 

Of the 10 reveiws on the AA website for the one I am looking at - 9 people were happy with it, only one wasnt - I know the aftermarket stuff isnt always of the best quality, which is why I was asking iof anyone had any experience with this part.

T

 

as for using car-part.com - not real practical in this instance - not much for junkyards near me, most are 1-1/2 to 2 hours away or more.

 

they all ship now, i have no idea how many parts i've had shipped from junkyards on there.

 

probably be fine - i'm sure most are good. first review i found showed 3 failed starters, but other reviews look better.

I would avoid places like Advance Auto or Autozone for electrical (especially remanufactured) parts. I usually order stuff like that from Rock Auto (many difference decent brands available and reasonable prices). 

you can get contacts and plungers in rebuild kits.

Pull the cover off the back of the solenoid and check the contacts. Those wear out all the time and cause exactly this problem.

Heartless--if you've already swapped out the old starter, you've already done 90% of the work!  Do what Tex & Fairtax suggest.  Just open up the back of the solenoid housing, pull the plunger and check the contacts.  You can get reasonably priced contacts online or often at a local auto-electric shop.  Good luck!

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/119952-refurbish-93-legacy-starter-motor-commutator-contacts/?hl=starter

 

 

Edited September 15, 201411 yr by 1 Lucky Texan