Wasnt sure where to put this so I put it here.....mods, if there is a better place, please feel free to move it.
Back in April of 2009 , when I was putting my car together, I bought a "super high torque mini race starter" from DB Electrical online, at their ebay store. Several folks here suggested just buying a reman or used unit as they are all the same, well, I should have listened.
I finally installed the starter once I got my tranny rebuilt...around June I guess it was before I was putting any real mileage on her.
Late last season the starter started delaying when you would try and crank...just a split second or so , and just occasionaly. The car sat all winter and then resumed the same stuff this spring. It gradually got worse.
Now, the starter came with a "one year" warranty......so bones about it, I knew that.
But when I contacted DB Electrical recently, after about 15 months since purchase, but only maybe what, 6 0r 7 months of occasional use...they said sorry charlie.
Here is how the emails went:
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ME: I called your tech line and spoke to a nice fellow who described what he thought was my issue and what I could try to do, which involved taking it apart and filing things, etc. I started to do this -- opened the cover as instructed and was shocked to see the condition of the innards...everything was very very dirty and the inside of the cover was all rusty. This did not look to be a "new" starter with only few thousand miles on it. Keep in mind that this car was only put into service in about June of 2009 9(I bought the starter in april for the build) and saw only a few months of weekend cruises, etc before being put up for the winter until this past May. So,the starter has maybe 6 months of occasional weekend use on it. A starter should not fail that soon! I would like to ask that the "1 year warranty" be extended to repair or replace this one. I have already bought another starter (from local parts store) to use in its place but would like to have this one as a backup. Thanks
DB Electrical: Sorry our starters only come with a one year warranty from the date of purchase.This starter must have gotten wet inside of it or left outside in the elements to have been rusty and dirty in that short of a time.We may have been able to do something if it was within a few weeks of the one year warrranty but not after 15 months. once again we apologize for the inconvenince.
ME: It was never "left in the elements"...it was stored in its box until it was installed on the car, which was in a dry and heated garage.The car was driven in the rain, 5 miles, ONCE. Otherwise its a sunny day car only. So obviously there is something defective with the starter for there to be rust and that much dirt in it, or it was that way to begin with. Either way it is defective to be that way, I think we agree. But how could I find that out until it failed? It isnt like it is 3 years down the road....it is 15 months, and like i said half those months the car was stored.
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SO I am screwed I guess......true they have me on the 15 month thing....but come on.....they know we dont drive these cars year round.
So I ended up buying a reman unit for a 94 Dakata, with a LIFETIME WARRANTY cheaper than what I paid for their "super duper race starter". Exact same thing, at least on the outside.....I do need to return a core though to get $35 back....Still, a lifetime waranty, for less money and it seems like it even cranks better....could be my imagination.
I am not pleased at all with DB Electrical's product or handing of this issue.
