Hi, I am needing help fast because I need to tell Land rover dealer to order part or not. I have an 03 range rover HSE and the starter is going out. This has been verified by a land rover dealer. They are telling me the part is going to cost $900 and about 200-300 in labor. So around 1200 total. That is a TON of money for us right now and I am not sure if there is any other way to go. I look online for a an 03 rr starter and they say like $175 - $200.....What is that all about??

Also there is a mechanic here in town (small town) that can do it he works on bmw a lot and luxury vehicles but he is also saying the part is like $800....

Please help!!! Are there any other options for me!?

Thanks a ton.... -Sarah

 

Just get the part used if you want to save some money. I avoid the dealer like the plague, they always charge way to much. Take the rover to a local mechanic (a car is a car) ask them to install the new starter. If it was a more advanced issue, such as with the EAS or timing, then a BMW or rover dealership would be better. However, starters usually are not that hard to repair and a competent mechanic should have it fixed pretty quickly and for a much more reasonable price . Get a quote up front if you can.

 

staters in those are rare. Are they sure its not a battery or an alternator or even a cable? If it goes intermittenly and won't start I have seen the steering wheel module go bad causing a fuse to go. Its the entire steering assembly for more money but at least its a possibility. Those batteries require at least 750 Cca any less and it won't start. It could even be a key issue or pats problem. Ask them before installing the part to make sure a shop foreman looks at the problem so you don't get screwed.

 

make sure they test the battery and give it a complete charge and a printout of the battery to tell you something is wrong. Like I said staters rarely go. Rarely. If it acts up with the cold and not while warm throw some water on it to warm it up if it is the starter it will start.

 

I'd find an independent shop that can get a rebuilt starter. Rather than proviing the part yourself, let the shop provide the starter so in the event it goes bad within warranty, the shop will be responsible for installing a replacement. Make sure the shop also covers labor within the warranty period. Some shops will warrant the part for a certain term, but labor for a lesser term. It doesn't have to be a Eurpoean car specialist. A starter replacement on these trucks is nothing special. Labor shouldn't exceed 2 hours. Not sure about your aread, but in my area of CA, the average at independent shops is $7 per hour. (correction, $75 per hour! Haha, stupid wireless keyboard cuts out sometimes when my phone is nearby.)

Oh yeah... Make sure the shop also diagnoses the problem to be the starter in case the dealer was wrong. If you just walk in and say "replace my starter" and it turns out to be something else, you're screwed.

 

Wow, $7 an hour! I should move to CA then lol.

 

Roverlandparts has one for $275, they should not take more than an hour or two for a shop to replace it so figure about another $200 in labor. If you can turn a wrench then I would replace it yourself.

 

absolutely,,,,,, do not deal with the dealer on this one. It is a huge ripoff to pay that much for a starter. You can go to a pep boys autozone or advanced auto for a lot cheaper deal. Put it this way, when you work in a dealership and the service dept people are wearing white coats or doctors coats,,,,forget about it. Heck for that matter check a junk yard. Run man run. Get out of there while you can!!!

 

actually you want to go to a dealer. reason being is diagnosis. not install. chances are the vehicle doesn't start. and unless they want to pay alot of money to get it towed then where it stays is where its gonna get fixed.

and this is a BMW engine. Not a land rover one. If you don't have a clue how the system works then dont bother trying to throw parts at it. Hell it could even be a XYZ switch. Even that occurs on disco one and two. But without the equipment to see what is going on you wont even have the time to diagnose it.

BMW engines are alot more complicated. And there isnt much info out there and without the correct equipment you wont be able to do squat. With the correct equipment you can cut diag time down to nothing by using the machine to bypass certain parts or read what it is saying. Without the equipment you are using a basic voltmeter and even then praying it works. There are about ten different things that control starting on a BMW range rover. and pretty much all of it needs to have codes pulled out of the bcu and the like to attempt diag.

 

You're kidding, right? It's a BMW, not the space shuttle. And it's just a starter. Any half-brained mechanic can diagnose a dead starter. Besides, since you're so convinced the dealer is so relaible, he already said the dealer diagnosed it as the starter.