Auto Parts: starter, ford taurus, lifetime warranty


Question
hi,

i've been taking my car to a mechanic to fix my car and i'm hearing stories that he's overcharging so it's getting me to think that he's ripping me off.  can you tell me if $350 canadian dollars is the right price for a brand new lifetime warranty champion starter? does this starter brand name even exist because i can't find it anywhere on the internet? my car is a 2000 ford taurus LX, 16 valves.  any information about this issue would be appreciated.

Answer
    I can't find a 2000 16V Taurus listed anywhere in my catalogs.  Not in the year before or after,either.  Could it be a 12V Taurus?  If we assume that it is, then that price would be a fair list price including installation.  If that is just for the part, then it is too high.  Even taking into account that the mechanic has to charge you list price, the price is still too high.  Of course, I'm thinking in U.S. dollars and I don't know where the exchange rate has gone to after this crazy year we just had.  I just know that you don't want to have to pay in Euros.  Champion is an old brand which has been knocked around for a while, I sold their carbs until they went out of business, and even sold rebuilt and new electrical later.  I can find places that claim to sell them, but not any that actually have them in stock.  The situation in Canada may be different, though.