Date:         Thu, 17 Feb 2005 16:23:10 -0800
Reply-To:     Jim Thompson <jim@KARMANNGHIA.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Thompson <jim@KARMANNGHIA.COM>
Subject:      Re: OEM vs Aftermarket  -- WAS: where is the best buy for drums
              and rotors?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Ah, but that's what happens - the OE Manufacturers do employ hired help to
shave off the VW-Audi Logos.  VAG requires this condition to be met before
allowing the OEM to distribute the product through aftermarket channels (at
least it has been to when I started selling parts almost 30 years ago).  As
related to me by the late Pete Catlett of Delta 6 fame, VAG continues to
actually own any tooling originally done for them by any OEM.  When VAG
releases an item (or items) from their captive market (ie: Dealer) channels,
they allow the OEM (if desired by the OEM) to distribute through aftermarket
channels and usually in the release is the stipulation that the VW Audi
logos are to be erased (and surprisingly, this isn't done as often as it
should be - a lot of product we receive do contain the logos!).  In the case
of ATE (and I am sure others), they still supply much of their product
through Official VAG channels, which is why the logos haven't been
permanently done away with in the mold/dies.  VAG's control of their dies
allows them to have the OEM destroy the tooling (when requested) and they
use to do a lot of that in the 70s thru the early 90s, but as their
pocketbooks got tight, they decided allow the tooling (or what's left of
it,) to be fully released & sold.  I say this because I have a close friend
in Europe who has been quietly buying up any available VAG owned tooling for
the past few years to continue producing items for distribution & export to
those still desiring the "originals".  It a shame that VAG & OEMS let so
much "good stuff" for the older models be destroyed before they reasonably
came to their senses.

I've never run across any rebuilt items with the VW logos (except those with
the VW with the two arrows circling the logo, usually indicating a Genuine
VW Rebuilt item, such as Wiper Motors, Carburetors, Fuel Pumps, etc., which
is usually New Old Stock [NOS] from Dealer Buy-Outs or from the elusive
"Treasure Trove" sitting in a warehouse somewhere in Europe or elsewhere in
the world).

In addition, I've never run across any VW related OEM rejects (except
whatever was caught by a sharp-eyed Dealer Parts Counterman [yes, thar use
to be those!]) as mentioned by Dennis, but that doesn't mean they (and the
rebuilts) don't exist.  There's always the chance and the may
be.................

Then there's the counterfeiters and that's a whole different ball o' wax.

Jim Thompson
84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
oldvolkshome@gmail.com
jim@karmannghia.com
http://www.oldvolkshome.com
***********************
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Felder" <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 3:45 PM
Subject: Re: OEM vs Aftermarket -- WAS: where is the best buy for drums and
rotors?


> Possibly a rebuild using VW castings, and ground off knowing that VW
> would come after anyone who used their logo? It would be much cheaper
> to fill in the lettering on the original molds once and get rid of the
> lettering forever than to have employees grind off thousands of VW and
> AUDI logos.
>
> Jim
>
> On Feb 17, 2005, at 5:31 PM, Dennis Haynes wrote:
>
> > May have also been a reject by OEM standards but good enough for after
> > market sales?
> >
> > Dennis
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf
> > Of Jeffrey Schwaia
> > Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 4:03 PM
> > To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > Subject: OEM vs Aftermarket -- WAS: where is the best buy for drums and
> > rotors?
> >
> > Funny thing about some of the aftermarket parts: if you look closely,
> > you
> > see where the VW symbol has been ground off or covered up somehow.
> > Basically, it is a OEM part that has been defaced for non-OEM sales.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Jeff
> > www.vanagonparts.com
> >