Starter Solenoid Slipping

[BuckPennell]

From time to time when I hit the ignition on my 99 Q45t the starter spins without engaging. I've looked through the posts a bit and don't see anything real specific to this, but have seen some horror stories about it costing $900 to replace the starter. What advice would you have to offer on this?

[Lokim]

That is the "bendix" malfunctioning. That is the mechanism that throws the starter gear out of the housing to engage the flywheel teeth. Just replace the starter, it'll save you money and heartache in the long run.