Ok so recently the starter motor failed on my 2007 Fabia so with the car stuck on the drive and an ECP store 20 mins walk away I ordered a BRAND NEW Lucas motor (ie. not ECPs budget reconditioned motor offering) and paid the advertised price for the new lucas one of £136.99 less 35% with an online promo code which came to £89. So here are the pics of my order & the brand new lucas starter motor they kindly supplied...

 

 

 

 

Obviously with little time to faff around I took it back to be told "it's the correct part it will fit have a good day" & the guy at the counter just walked out & closed the door behind him! So can I just warn anyone that ordering a brand new part and paying the extra at ECP clearly does not mean you will get it, & they are not bothered when you try & complain either!

You may want to check the wire that energises the starter solenoid, a medium sized single wire connection. These are a very regular failure (breakage near connector) on the mk1 Fabia, often confused with a failed starter motor.

Symptom is - stony silence when turning key to cranking position; whilst electrics work normally everywhere else.

 

Apologies if you have already ruled this out.

 Remanufactured starter motor will work every bit as well as a brand new one, but you shouldn't be paying new price for remanufactured, agreed.

Yes I didn't mention after spending a day fitting the not new starter motor I STILL have nothing when I turn the key, no click from the solenoid or anything. Battery is fully charged. The lead you mention does not appear broken but with the key in the start position I put a multimeter probe into the plug on the end and got zero volts. So my next step I think is to cut into the plug itself and see if it is broken inside maybe...????

Sometimes the wire insulation cracks, letting air and moisture in, which corrodes the copper to green dust, yet leaves the plastic insulation still apparently intact at a glance.

Try a pull test.

Ive never had an issue with ECP in terms of issues. They came and took away a damaged radiator after it had been fitted to discover it was pinholed. And refunded it no quibble.

Also sent back a wheel bearing kit that arrived in a mangled box, missing the new retaining bolts. Again courier arrived, took away the shonky one and dropped a replacement. Free. 

And thats all with stuff being dispatched from and returned to their main dispatch warehouse in... essex?  to the ROI via DHL.

Id say you may have just met a plonker going on his lunch or done for the day..

 

11 hours ago, mac11irl said:

Id say you may have just met a plonker going on his lunch or done for the day..

 

 

I think this. I've also had no problems with ECP returning parts. In fact they gave me the wrong discs for a car once and on returning them insisted I had to take £50 more than I paid for them because that was the price in the system.

Complain to their head office... and/or take it back, with a Trading Standards officer in tow.

You wouldn't get a brand new starter for that price anyway these days. Pretty much every electrical rotating unit sold through a factor these days wil be a recon unit, been used for years - oh, and i would rather fit Remy than a Lucas unit

old joke in Canada---if Joe Lucas made fridges  everyone would be drinking warm beer