My girl friends parents own an '04 Mazda MPV. Recently it started making a sudden short squeel noise when first starting. She took it to a local shop for a free estimate and they told her the noise is coming from the starter and it needs to be replaced. They quoted her about $300 for the job. I looked up the part and I can get a replacement for $80. I told them that I may be able to replace it and save some money for them. I have been doing small repair jobs on friends, family, and my own vehicles for the past 10 years and have a good understanding of vehicles. When doing research into how to go about replacing it I can only find the very basic of directions.

1. Remove or disconnect the following:
   
   • Battery and tray
   • Air intake assembly
   • Gear select cable
   • Starter harness connectors
   • Starter motor

Can anyone supply me with some pics of this job? Where exactly is the starter located? Do I get to it from the top side or underneath? How hard of a job is this? Will I need a universal bit to reach the bolts? Any specialty tools needed? Any more information on this subject is much appreciated