ValueCraft starter motor ? ?

[MichaelRS]

I have a 2002 Toyota Sienna with 230,000 miles on it. Starter is giving up a ghost so I need a new one. Don't necessarily need a premium one since the car is older, but I would prefer not to invest in complete crap.
With that in mind I was looking at the ValueCraft starter motor as sold through Auto Zone.
Has anybody had any experience with these over the last 2 or 3 years?

 

[atikovi]

How easy is it to change? The only reason to buy an AZ starter is if you need it today or of they still have a lifetime warranty. You can do a whole lot better and cheaper at Rock Auto.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Since you're in California, your Sienna probably doesn't have any rust on it, so it will last a long time. How much longer do you plan on keeping the car?

Get a Bosch or Denso reman, or Remy or TYC new

 

[bullwinkle]

I’ve had good luck with the new TYC ones-parts stores “lifetime warranty” seems to mean a lifetime of exchanging them, and DON‘T LOSE THE RECEIPT!! Don’t even get me started on Cardone-er, CAR-DONE!

 

[Kira]

Any rebuild shop nearby?
Alternator/starter rebuilders aren't fancy so the neighborhoods they're in might appear rough.

PERSONAL NOTE: I'm not a fan of shipped alternators and starters for fear of rough handling.
And while I'm good at packing cores; who wants to? It takes a lot to secure such dense items from impact damage.

At a good shop, have the counterman send it to the rebuilder!

 

[MichaelRS]

I guess I should have mentioned that I'm also retired and on a limited income and I really need my car not to be down for over a week (already 2 days) while something comes from an online order.

I have a mechanic friend that will come to me for the installation, but hopefully I can find an immediate in-store purchase for under $200.

 

[Soft Cars]

A Denso reman is what I would do.

More Information for DENSO 2800174

 

[MichaelRS]

Thanks for your suggestions everybody.
The Denso reman was what I was considering, but I was just trying not to wait. Guess i'll have to since I just ordered it from Rock Auto.
Thanks again

 

[AutoMechanic]

I’d just try to find a local rebuilder. Some of those auto parts store starters are bad out of the box from my experience. Make sure it has a good warranty and is easy for your friend to install if you buy that one. And just because one might be a Denso reman doesn’t mean necessarily that Denso remanufactured it. It could be anybody’s components they rebuild it with.

 

[D60]

Too late now but for beater stuff I pull up every part # I can locate and look for a Warehouse Deal on Amazon. But yeah, there's shipping time and it's a gamble if it'll show up damaged -- Warehouse Deals are usually in mangled packaging to begin with.

I was recently looking for a '98 Subaru 2.2 and figured out RA won't provide an exhaustive list of everything they actually stock for a given application. By cross-referencing part #'s I found numbers that fit my application and if I put them in the part # search at RA it would acknowledge they stocked it and it fit, but they didn't show in the listings by application.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

Here's a suggestion. Instead of sending the core back, find a local rebuild shop to do it at your leisure. That way you will have a spare ready to go if the new starter quits.

I used an Autozone lifetime starter on a Slant-Six Duster back in the 1990s. I think I had to replace the replacement once, but it could be done without getting under the car on that engine.

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Value craft has caused me nothing but pain and misery. If you are selling it tomorrow, yes. Plan to keep it more than a month? Pass

 

[researcher]

I know this is crazy talk, but why not price out a reman Toyota starter from an online Toyota dealer? Most of the time I'm surprised how close Toyota's prices come to the aftermarket!

EDIT:
Ok now this is too funny.. a Reman Denso is MORE money than a reman Toyota, which is known that Toyota only saves the housing, everything else is new, Denso does not replace everything. Ok with the core returned it's $118.99, that makes the Toyota $28.95 more.. Gotta be honest with the price differences.. That's the thing I've found about Toyota parts, when it's all compared apples to apples, Toyota isn't that much more than the aftermarket.. Amazing..

The reman Denso at Rockauto $152.99 (ok it's $118.99 after you send the core back)

The reman Toyota at McGeorge Toyota parts, $147.97

1992-2005 Toyota Starter, Remanufactured 28100-74260-84 | McGeorge Toyota Parts

1992-2005 Toyota part # 28100-74260-84 - Starter, Remanufactured

parts.mcgeorgetoyota.com

New TYC is $99 at rockauto. ($47 more to get the Toyota.. cheap insurance and I like TYC!)

So.. my original posting is correct.. Why not just get the Toyota part? Still have to wait the same amount of time to receive it from Rockauto if you were to order it from McGeorge Toyota..and you're guaranteed something that will work.

 

[eljefino]

Is this one of the toyota starters where the contacts wear down and you can just switch those out?

 

[2EHA]

Is this one of the toyota starters where the contacts wear down and you can just switch those out?

yes

 

[Timmastertech]

If you are worried about price buy a plunger and contacts to rebuild the solenoid and it should be good to go. If there arent any local rebuilders that you can get parts from Toyota does service the plunger and contacts and should be available next day out of the LA distribution center.

 

[zzyzzx]

I tend to avoid any auto parts where "value" is part of the name or description.

 

[dishdude]

Agreed a local rebuilder is the way to go if you can find one.

 

[DGXR]

If you know a mechanic that can come to install a new starter, they are probably able to replace the contacts in your old starter and lube up the necessary points... then install the rebuilt starter. Starter rebuild kits are like $12.

 

[MichaelRS]

Thanks everybody for your thoughts. although at the first of the month I finally went with a with a reman Denso from RockAuto