# Rip off by Honda Dealer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** starters\ **Created:** [July 11, 2014, 11:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-off-by-honda-dealer/85944 "2014-07-11T23:09:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 11:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-off-by-honda-dealer/85944/1 "2014-07-11T23:09:12Z")
Diagnosed with starter problem on my Honda CRV 2002 i.e. after a year of intermittent problems starting the car will now not start at all. 85,000 miles. Honda dealer is charging me $600+ for replacing starter including labor. Is this a rip off, or not? Any advice greatly appreciated. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2014, 11:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-off-by-honda-dealer/85944/2 "2014-07-11T23:18:36Z")
Half of that is the price of the starter. ( Auto Zone and O-Reilly’s retail 300…Honda parts ? buying direct yourself will save and I see some ebay for even less ), On my end , I don’t know the labor time listing no do we know your dealer’s labor rate. Usually at a dealer you’re paying the premuim price , not necessarilly a rip of , just the higher side of potential pricing compared to an independent shop. ---
**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 7:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-off-by-honda-dealer/85944/3 "2014-07-12T07:21:04Z")
The dealership is probably installling a new Honda OEM starter, and that’s going to be a costly part. Plus you’re paying a high hourly rate at the dealer. If you went to an independent shop you could probably get a $200 rebuilt starter installed for maybe $150 labor. So you’re paying the dealer extra for a (probably) new Honda part and their higher labor rate. ---
**Author:** ![asemaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@asemaster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asemaster)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 8:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-off-by-honda-dealer/85944/4 "2014-07-12T08:34:37Z")
My labor guide shows 2.4 hours of labor to replace the starter on that car. Figuring a conservative $100/hr, that’s $240. List price for an afternarket starter is $274.90. So you’re at $515 plus tax, add some diag time and you’ll hit $600 easy. Sounds fair to me. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 8:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-off-by-honda-dealer/85944/5 "2014-07-12T08:44:43Z")
Other than agreeing with the others about the price of the repair and so on, I will just add that I hope the diagnosis is correct about a failing starter motor. There are other reasons why a starter motor may not engage and hopefully the starter motor replacement will cure the problem. ---
**Author:** ![bloody\_knuckles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@bloody\_knuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bloody_knuckles)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 4:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-off-by-honda-dealer/85944/6 "2014-07-12T16:02:38Z")
I had to replace the starter on my 99 Accord when I was on the road about 7 years ago. I was at a Honda dealer since I was unfamiliar with the garages in the area and the cost for the Honda starter and installation was $550. Frankly, unless you can get a quote from a reliable mechanic locally for much less I would bite the bullet and put in the Honda starter. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2014, 10:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rip-off-by-honda-dealer/85944/7 "2014-07-12T22:54:20Z")
Almost certainly, the Honda dealer will also install a remanufactured starter The difference is that it meets Honda’s criteria, and will come in a Honda box and have the appropriate part number