--snip--
As it turns out, the "rebuilt" starter we'd most recently had
installed turned out to be a half@ssed partially rebuilt starter (the
stuff that looked 'old' got rebuilt and the rest was just left).  S
says he's astonished we even made it home.  And we've been having
words with our mechanic to pass on to the place where he got that
allegedly-rebuilt starter!!!
--snip--

Most 'rebuilt' starters you can get at retail are 'half-assed partially
rebuilt starters'. It's something of a crap shoot, and I haven't had any
better luck with a Napa rebuilt than an Autozone rebuilt. For all I know
they come from the same 'rebuilder'.
Many years ago there was a shop where I lived at the time where you could
get your starter rebuilt- really rebuilt, by people that knew what they were
doing. I haven't seen one of those shops in ages and I gather they're a
dying breed or sorts. It might be worth looking online- I've found 'real
alternator rebuilders that way but I haven't looked for a starter rebuilder
(seems like one shop would do both, like the old guys I used to go to). It'd
be worth the extra cost and hassle to know the job was done correctly, but
you might be able to get a new one at retail for the same price.

Basically you can get a new one, get lucky and get a 'good' rebuild, keep
one for a spare or build up the 'chest, arms and legs', as the good Dr. put
it.

Cya,
Robert