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[Andy H]

I need a starter motor for a 2006 Ford Galaxy 2.0l duratorq TDCi.

Where do people source parts nowadays?

I see repeated complaints about ECP but people keep going back for more They list a 'starline' starter for £123.

GSF list a 'WAI' starter for £82. Never heard of 'WAI' but always been happy with GSF so would be happy to go with that one.

Prices for parts from manufacturers I recognise (Bosch, Valeo, Lucas etc) are somewhat higher............

[Sir Tigger KC]

Ebay. New or 2nd hand.

I bought a 2nd hand starter for my 2.2TDCi Mondeo for £40 about 3 years ago and it's been fine. 

[countrywoman]

You have to watch out with these cheap pattern parts, D (where I have my unit) fitted a NAPA alternator to a Ford and the warning light stayed on. Well known fault apparently as when he got a genuine Ford one the first thing the storeman as was has it got a NAPA fitted!!

[henryd]

WAI and Starline are hit and miss to be honest,Lucas is just a name now as the company folded years ago,Bosch,Valeo are good quality parts but as you say at premium  price

[ronnyd]

Does the old adage 'you get what you pay for' still hold true these days? 

[Nick W]

Does the old adage 'you get what you pay for' still hold true these days? 

No more or less than it ever did. Just because something is expensive does not mean it's worth buying. And that's true for whatever metric you use for value.

[biggriffin]

One the mighty Vivaro, it had various fault codes, this was traced to a ECP maf,, Put a Genuine GM in, all codes disappear. Loads of Ecp/GSF is crap Chinese...

[Andy B]

....
No more or less than it ever did. Just because something is expensive does not mean it's worth buying. And that's true for whatever metric you use for value.

apart from the brand leader of baked beans 

[Andy B]

I bought an OE starter from Mercedes when I needed one for my Smart due to it being such a tw4t to fit. Had it been easier to replace I might have considered a pattern part!

[Sir Tigger KC]

I bought an OE starter from Mercedes when I needed one for my Smart due to it being such a tw4t to fit. Had it been easier to replace I might have considered a pattern part!

You can't say things like that on here!     

[Andy B]

.....
You can't say things like that on here!     

 

[Viral_Jim]

You can't say things like that on here!     

I still remember the telling off I got for buying a crank position sensor that didn't come from a VX parts desk. 


To actually answer the OPs question, we're fortunate around here to have a regional motor factors - c5 branches in the local towns that between them either have everything you could reasonably want in stock or can get it same day from another branch.


Been going there on and off since I passed my test (*cough* 23yrs ago this November) and never had a dud part. One of the chaps at the Shrewsbury branch has been there since before I started going.

[Andy B]

....
 and off since I passed my test (*cough* 23yrs ago this November) and  .....

still a novice then 

I passed my car test 2nd Aug 1979 & my bike test Nov 1980 

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Started riding bikes at around 14 / 15 so around 1974. Passed my test in the late 90,s. 
Swmbo discovered I was an actual hooligan, so had to go legit. The world was changing anyway, and that kind of thing just wasnt on anymore, and rightly so.
Passed car test Feb. 1978.

Back to motor factors. I avoid ECP now because the prices seem to have gone through the roof in the last couple of years.
Their own brand stuff such as Pagid, is now cheaper to buy from Halfords than ECP.
My nearest branch of ECP also closed down last year, so other options are closer now.

[Andy B]

....,
is now cheaper to buy from Halfords  ....

I didn't think that Halfords was cheaper than anyone! 

My go-to motor factors used to be owned by a mate but has now been ultimately been taken over by GSF