You can pick one up a Beck/Arnley rebuilt starter at Autozone for
$150 (after core return) or a dirt cheap Duralast one for about $95
(once again, after core return).  But I'd go with the rebuilt OEM
starter. I think pretty much all of them are rebuilt these days (at
least they are on older vehicles).  BTW, I don't believe Nissan claims
their starters are new, although people may assume that.  In fact, if
you check the online catalogs that many Nissan dealerships now have
(such as the one I use, Jerry Rome Nissan
(http://www.nissandealer.com/jerry-rome/part_catalog.cgi))
they list it as "Rebuilt".

Which parts guy said this? You really think "it's the same thing"?

What's wrong with the one you have? They are pretty easy to change, you
don't even have to get under the car.

Is there any way to get one cheaper than

I got mine a couple of months ago from Pinnacle Nissan/Infiniti in
Arizona, 888-998-9800, pinnparts@vtaig.com.  You pay the $60 core
charge, and the return shipping, and they send it with a return
address label.  Very easy, just box up the old starter, put on the
label, and drop off at a UPS store or call for pickup.

Nets out to $190 when all is said and done.  Just be sure to identify
yourself as a Maxima.org or SE-R group member, and ask specifically
for the Internet discount.  If the first guy you talk to doesn't know
anything about it, ask him to check or talk with someone else.

You'll have a rebuilt to OEM standards, which Autozone and the rest
are NOT.  (Nissan doesn't claim it is new, but it looks new because it
is so well done.  There is a small label on it that identifies it as a
rebuilt.  It is almost impossible to obtain a brand new one, and you
wouldn't want to pay the price anyway.)  You can rely on Nissan's
rebuilt to last as long as the original.  The rest will quite possibly
poop out in a year or two.

They are not hard to replace overall.  The duct work and battery tray
will need to come out, which isn't too hard.  (Some people will tell
you the tray does not need to come out; but it helps you to see what
you're doing down there at least the first time.)  Several electrical
connectors need to come off for easy access, and it was my experience
that you have to be pretty aggressive.  You probably will not be able
to get the starter bolts loose without a breaker bar or improvised
"torque enhancer" of some sort.  They had to be at least 50-60 ft.lbs.

I don't know if the bolts go directly into aluminum threads in the
block, or into some sort of reinforcing sleave embedded in the block,
so I took some comfort in loosening them and torquing them back up
when the engine was completely cold just like you would with spark
plugs.

JM