EK Civic CXi hatch... Okay so I'm pretty sure my starter motor has had it. For a little while I'd only get a click when I turned the key, and I'd have to have a few goes before my car would start. Then all of a sudden there were no problems for a few weeks, so I brushed it off. Now when I go to start it, the starter makes a horrible rattling noise and the engine kicks over in a really rough manner. It's getting worse and worse and I fear that soon it won't start at all.

Anyway, I figured it wouldn't be hard to swap in a new starter so I called a Honda dealer (Peter Warren) and got a price on a new one - $1200 + GST. What the hell? Does this sound right?

There's no way I'm spending $1200 on a freaking starter motor. What are my other options? Can I pick up a recond one or something?