Help!

Question:  Would the starter on a '90 GL just go out all of the sudden,
without any noticeable problems before hand?

Story:  The starter never failed to start my Vanagon until one night I
turned it off while in my local Krispy Kreme drive-thru (to cut down on
noise--exhaust problems, another story!).  When I went to start it back up,
I didn't even get a click!  I heard the fuel pump prime (?) when I turned
the switch, but nothing else happened.

I pop-started it to get it home, and crawled under it to find a wire going
to the starter that had blown out from corrosion.  Assuming this was the
only problem I took it to my local shop, (non-VW, since it was only a wire
replacement that I couldn't get to), and he repalced the wire, cleaned all
the connecitons, etc., then said that the starter was bad.

Does this sound right?  Would it go out all of the sudden without gradually
indicating a problem coming?

Thanks for your help!!

Daryl
Blue '90 GL in NY (still FS!)