Failed starter solenoid

[Snake the Sniper]

Evening all. I would put this in the engines and drive train section, but I thought the more specialist knowledge here would be more beneficial.
I have a 7 that uses a mini starter solenoid to do the usual solenoid things. However, in a mini it would be fitted with it's terminals pointing up. In the 7 it has them horizontal, and pointing forwards. The problem I have is that I seem to go through them much faster than I would expect. When my mini was on the road I never had to replace it in roughly 5 years. The last one only worked for a few months before giving up the go. The solenoid just won't work/click/do anything at all anymore. There is a good earth to it, and I have checked all the feeds to and from it. All of which are fine and as expected. My local motor factors, being helpful folk, have replaced it for free, as they can't remember the last one they had fail so quickly. Is the way it's fitted likely to be a factor in it's early demise, or have I just been unlucky? I'd rather not have to start carrying a spare around in case something happens, especially since the other half is likely to be driving the car from time to time. And she won't be best pleased if she has to replace it on the side of a road!

[annodomini2]

Fit a pre-engaged starter motor and flywheel may be more beneficial.

[Dino42]

I have never heard of the orientation being a problem, but to eliminate this could you not just turn it around so it's the 'right way up'?
I must say there seem to be some pretty dodgy components around these days so I suspect it's just as likely to be a random failure.

[DanGT]

You may be better off with second hand? They are only made to work with so much power what starter moter are you useing? The other thing I found is that runing them via a relay and not from the ignition switch direct helps. As the relay makes a quicker switch less sparking.

[Snake the Sniper]

The car in question is my 7, which runs a Honda blackbird bike engine. Turning the solenoid round would involve a fair bit of faffing about with the wiring, as it's currently fitted in a nice convenient place, but which means it sits the wrong way round. I'll wire it up to run via a relay and see if it makes any difference.