Used starter: Worth it?

[Tiger]

Hey Guys and Gals,

Happy New Year to you all before I forget. I am wondering if it is worth the hassle of buying a used starter for our BMWs... I think my starter is on the way out by drawing alot of power... killing the battery every 2 years, first start barely cranks over... and second time is instant... even though the engine has to start up from lower RPM...

I know my starter is 13 years old... What is your experience with used starters? I know I can buy newer starters for the V8... goes all the way up to 2003. And the price is very attractive at 1/3 or less the cost of Bosch factory rebuilt unit.

Thanks!

[Ross]

Repair your old one. The other used one is also 13 years old.
A solenoid and new brushes are all that is generally needed, clean up the commutator and lube.

[Tiger]

Sources for those parts?

[Bill R.]

repair shop, but it they aren't available then i would suggest the 159.99 starter from Partsamerica.com. Which is checker/kragen/discount/advance auto etc.. I don't know which branch is close to you. I've been using the autolite brand of rebuilt starters from them for a couple of years now in all my customers cars and have had very good results from them. As good as the bosch rebuilds at a much lower price and a lifetime warranty as well. Far fewer problems than i've had with the autozone durlast lifetime starters too.





Sources for those parts?

[Ross]

I was going to suggest the dealer but looked up the #s at realoem and was floored(shouldn't have been) by the prices. $106 for the sol. and $120 for the brush set. Gimme a break.
This stuff is dime a dozen and readily available for domestic stuff so I made the leap that BM wouldn't screw us, HAH!
Bill R has the ticket though. If no rebuilder in your town autohausaz sells Bosch reman for $130.

[Tiger]

Not for our V8... it is $179. I am not so sure about rebuilding mine... I think there is more of mechanical problem with it that doesn't allow the starter to spin fast...

I know I can get like a 2000 740i starter... same for all V8, X5 and M5 from 1994 up to 2003... for $50 with warranty. There is no way I am going to buy another 13 years old starter...

I am sure I can find a rebuilder here... but you know... as with any manual labor... it will cost you and may not last as long because they don't test as much as Bosch would.

[Tiger]

Don... Checker sells many rebuilt unit... their own... Bosch rebuilt... Autolite Pro Rebuilt... and a bunch of other rebuilder. Bill said only "Autolite" rebuild unit... I can see the issue here.

[Bill R.]

85716 it comes up at 159.99 for your car with the autolite rebuild




Not for our V8... it is $179. I am not so sure about rebuilding mine... I think there is more of mechanical problem with it that doesn't allow the starter to spin fast...

I know I can get like a 2000 740i starter... same for all V8, X5 and M5 from 1994 up to 2003... for $50 with warranty. There is no way I am going to buy another 13 years old starter...

I am sure I can find a rebuilder here... but you know... as with any manual labor... it will cost you and may not last as long because they don't test as much as Bosch would.

[gale]

Bill, with all due respect, you know it grieves me to disaggree with your many years of excellent wrenching. I put a Checker's "re-man" starter in my son's 89 535i in October and it was a piece of crap. Maybe I just got a lemon:

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showpost.php?p=280970&postcount=7

I should have eaten the core charge and kept our old starter & rebuild it myself & use the Checker starter for donor parts. The only thing wrong with our old one was the plastic inner housing that contains the planetary gears fragged and the pinion started dragging on the ring gear. To do it again I'd get a Bosch OE remanufactured starter. There is also a seller on Ebay who has NOS e24 marine starters that cross to the same e34 part number.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year by the way. Long time no see. Good to have you around again.

Cheers, Don

[gale]

Don... Checker sells many rebuilt unit... their own... Bosch rebuilt... Autolite Pro Rebuilt... and a bunch of other rebuilder. Bill said only "Autolite" rebuild unit... I can see the issue here.

Yeah, I should have bought the Bosch rebuilt one from them on-line. I ended up buying one thru their local receiving warehouse & the only one they could get was some no-name brand, rebuilt in Mexico.

Edit: here's the link to the new ebay starters:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Starter-BMW-535-735-with-3-4L-Engine-1989-100-New_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33576QQihZ006QQitem Z160132844401

[Tiger]

Bill, yes I know... Ross was talking about autohausaz.com... Yes, I know the Autolite one is $159 as you said.

I also have BMA year end 10% off coupon that can save me money too... brings a bosch rebuilt unit down to your price and eliminates sales tax.

[Tiger]

I saw those similar... apparently those are "Made in China"... I spoke to one of the seller... they said Grade A and have not had problem with them... I don't know... I think I'd rather stick to German parts.