LIfe expectancy of a starter

[DHoang]

How long should a factory original starter last ? Reason for asking-While I have my subframe out, I'm considering putting in a reman. starter since I'm already there. I'm having trouble finding a new starter. Dealer, even Crown carries a rebuilt, and since mine's still working, I don't want to turn it in for core.

Are you guys w/ 1st yrs e39 still on the road w/ your factory original starter?

[quadrivium]

I have a '98, the original starter went at 130K

[cnn]

1+,

In my E23 (1983 735i), the Bosch starter motor quit at 15y/130K miles!

[BMW5Ryder]

My 99 has 126k, starter is still going strong (knock on wood)

[bmw chris]

If it hasnt shown any signs of starting to fail I wouldnt replace. Often the reman and aftermarket units have a higher rate of failure. Just my opinion.

[bagman]

My 97 528i has original starter still, 155K miles! (knock on CF wrapped wood)

[filon102]

I would not. Why replace something if its not broken? It all depends if you make short trips and making the car die then starting it up again. Example: the UPS trucks often go-stop-turn off "deal". Thats why the starters dont last very long.

[cnn]

Well.

1. If you drive long distance and often far away from home, not a bad idea to have new start motor at 130K-150K.

2. Now if you are worried about quality of rebuilt Bosch starter, then rebuild it yourself.
A few bearings and brushes and you are good again.

[DHoang]

LIke I said, I'm literally staring at the two bolts from hell, nothing's in my way. I can have this starter off and back on in a matter of minutes. But what's making me paranoid is whether a rebuilt starter's crap or not. Any of you mechanics see customers come back with failed Bosch rebuilt starters you put in, and you're having to dish out free warranty work?

[Cyrix2k]

If it hasnt shown any signs of starting to fail I wouldnt replace. Often the reman and aftermarket units have a higher rate of failure. Just my opinion.

this.

Well.

1. If you drive long distance and often far away from home, not a bad idea to have new start motor at 130K-150K.

2. Now if you are worried about quality of rebuilt Bosch starter, then rebuild it yourself.
A few bearings and brushes and you are good again.

I've always had the solenoid die, not the starter itself.


@OP, they last a LONG time. Don't replace what's not broken.

[cnn]

Dhoang,

Two options:

1. Leave it alone, in the event of starter failure, you have a manual trans car, so you can always push start it like the good old days...

2. Rebuilt Bosch starters are very good. I have used them for many cars over the years w/o problems.

Here is another DIY:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=336745

[sddale]

Mine was replaced at around 160kmi.

[Xenocide]

autozone has bosch units with a lifetime warranty if and when you do need one. I paid $120 for one a little over a year ago.

[cnn]

1+,

The nice thing about Autozone is: if and whenever it fails again, you go to local Autozone instead of shipping it to some online places (you pay shipping, waiting etc etc.).
So Autozone is the hands down winner when it comes to Starter Motor.

[newton22]

Well.

1. If you drive long distance and often far away from home, not a bad idea to have new start motor at 130K-150K.

2. Now if you are worried about quality of rebuilt Bosch starter, then rebuild it yourself.
A few bearings and brushes and you are good again.

Meh, we drive manuals. Just push start the car.

[bmw chris]

autozone has bosch units with a lifetime warranty if and when you do need one. I paid $120 for one a little over a year ago.

They are Bosch units but the problem is Bosch is not remanufacturing them. Not sure if its still the case but Exides Sure Start division was one of their suppliers and they were crap. The quality of components they used were lacking in my opinion. To me all the life times in the world arent worth having to do something every year. Not saying you have to spend dealer prices but you get what you pay for. They may cost a little more but Napa is a much better choice for aftermarket remans. The quality of the remans in the aftermarket varies widely. So if it aint broke dont fix it.

[Cbreeze]

I used to rebuild Starters and Alternators to get me through college. There is no "normal" time at all. Unless the engine or starter has been abused it is usually not the armature that is shot but the contacts in the solenoid, tired or rusted spring, brushes, etc. Alternators are brushes and internal voltage regulators. See if you can find a re-build kit somewhere for it and do it yourself if you are so concerned. 99/100 times it is just replacing the wear items and these days it isn't like you need only 1/2 crank of the motor to get it started so the armature and everything else takes way less of a beating.

At the end of the day don't go throwing money around. Leave it alone!

[cnn]

CBreeze,

Do you know any online source for ordering Bosch rebuild kits for E39 alternator and starter?

[NNY528I]

They are Bosch units but the problem is Bosch is not remanufacturing them. Not sure if its still the case but Exides Sure Start division was one of their suppliers and they were crap. The quality of components they used were lacking in my opinion. To me all the life times in the world arent worth having to do something every year. Not saying you have to spend dealer prices but you get what you pay for. They may cost a little more but Napa is a much better choice for aftermarket remans. The quality of the remans in the aftermarket varies widely. So if it aint broke dont fix it.

Its a starter for gumbi's sake! they have been making them the same way for 100 years, the technology is fully matured and the suppliers are all pretty much equivilent regardless of the name on the box. if you stick with compareable quality levels(ie lifetime warranty) you are pretty much getting the same product where ever you get it.

[bmw chris]

Sorry to have ruffled your feathers, but there is a difference in the quality of reman units. Just as there is a difference in engine manufacturers. And having worked in auto retail aftermarket warranty has very little to do with quality. A good albeit not so relevant example is when I worked at Pep Boys they carried some Borg Warner clutch kits that were sold as lifetime warranty. They were absolute crap, all of us that worked there would buy Luk clutch kits from Napa. But they sold the mess out of them because there was enough mark up they didnt care how often they failed. We would send them back and BWD would give us credit on the failed ones. Yes I would agree that very little has changed in design and function but there is a big difference in the quality of components used to rebuild them.

[NNY528I]

Sorry to have ruffled your feathers, but there is a difference in the quality of reman units. Just as there is a difference in engine manufacturers. And having worked in auto retail aftermarket warranty has very little to do with quality. A good albeit not so relevant example is when I worked at Pep Boys they carried some Borg Warner clutch kits that were sold as lifetime warranty. They were absolute crap, all of us that worked there would buy Luk clutch kits from Napa. But they sold the mess out of them because there was enough mark up they didnt care how often they failed. We would send them back and BWD would give us credit on the failed ones. Yes I would agree that very little has changed in design and function but there is a big difference in the quality of components used to rebuild them.

Comparing engine rebuilders and clutchs is apples and oranges compared to starter rebuilds, with starters its all plug and play pretty much, no manufacturing going on there.

[Mike WW]

I've got to disagree with NNY528i. Yes it's a mature technology, but the low buck places only fix what's broken, Bosch used to, might still, go thru it looking at any wear part, maybe even rewinding the armature. A free replacement doesn't mean crap if you're in there 6 months later spending hours donating blood while pulling it.

Back to the OP, you mentioned the year, but not the miles. My first E39 didn't need a starter between 110K and 155K, and the current one has been good from 109K to todays 136K. Especially if you think it's acting up, it's time now when it's easy. Just get a good one, not the cheapest one.

[bmw chris]

There is still quality of components and the quality control during the rebuilding or remanufacturing, which was the point I was making. There are several local shops that I would rather have a starter or alternator repaired by than buy a lifetime warranty reman from Autozone or Pepboys. When I do buy reman I go to Napa. It may be under lifetime warranty, but I for one dont want to be replacing parts for the rest of its life. Just my humble opinion for whats it worth.

[Xenocide]

Its a starter for gumbi's sake! they have been making them the same way for 100 years, the technology is fully matured and the suppliers are all pretty much equivilent regardless of the name on the box. if you stick with compareable quality levels(ie lifetime warranty) you are pretty much getting the same product where ever you get it.

No. A warranty does not mean quality. Just because Harbor Freight tools have a lifetime warranty does that mean they are quality?

[xisco44]

300 k km and going fine