Worst case mileage scenario

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by 2000mc

Where do you buy your starters?

Haven't bought a starter in a long, long, time. I just Googled "Toyota pickup starter", and took a rough average of the prices that popped up on the first page. If your starter has a significantly different price, feel free to redo the math with the different number.

Originally Posted by ConnClark

Repeated quick use of the starter will heat it. Thus accelerating wear.

Why do you think that? First, you're not doing repeated quick use of the starter if you're sitting in traffic. Second, the starter typically sits right next to a pretty hot engine. Third, heat doesn't cause wear; friction & electrical erosion causes wear. When a starter fails, it's almost always (in my experience, anyway) wear on the brushes/contacts.

[2000mc]

If we're doing the math and look at costs, we should figure up the other side of the equation too. How much fuel do you save? There are more variables on this side of the equation though, rate of fuel consumption at idle, and how much time with the engine off before restarting.

My car uses less than .3gal/hr at idle after warmed up if the SG2 is to be believed or .005gal/min. So if 20 starts on a $40 starter is worth .04gal, 20 restarts has to buy me atleast 8minutes of off time, or 24 seconds of off time per stop

But my starter costs 3x as much, so the only time I should probably be doing it is coasting into parking spots. However that doesn't stop me, I guess I'm abusing my lifetime warranty which got me a free starter this year. If someone couldn't install it themselves it might still not make finacial sense to do.