Date:         Sun, 10 Feb 2008 20:04:28 -0500
Reply-To:     The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject:      Re: starters-used vs. cheap rebuilt vs. Bosch rebuilt
In-Reply-To:  <079901c86c38$db572930$0a00a8c0@OWNERMIKE>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

> Ron,
>   Someone at Foriegn Auto Parts once told me that
>  when Bosch runs out of good cores to rebuild, that they
> will stick a new component in the Reman box to fill the
> order.  Do you know if it's true?


I have seen that too.  Usually an X suffix on the part number denotes
rebuilt and N denotes new (in cases where new is still available at all).
But I have seen new Bosch units factory packaged in boxes marked X.

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  www.busdepot.com
  (215)  234-VWVW

_____________________________________________
Toll-Free for Orders by PART # :  1-866-BUS-DEPOT

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mike [mailto:mbucchino@charter.net]
> Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2008 6:01 PM
> To: The Bus Depot; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Re: starters-used vs. cheap rebuilt vs. Bosch rebuilt
>
I do know that they definitely have some of the
> highest quality new or reman parts available for our VW's.
>
> Mike B.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "The Bus Depot" <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2008 5:41 PM
> Subject: Re: starters-used vs. cheap rebuilt vs. Bosch rebuilt
>
>
> >> I am trying to choose between a used starter for about $55, a
> >> cheap AutoZone starter for $90 and free shipping or a Bosch
> >> one for $115 (3/4 hp normally for 1.9 engine) or $130 (1 hp
> >> normally for 2.1 engine)  The Autozone one has lifetime warranty,
> >> the Bosch one year, but that includes towing and two years
> >> roadside assistance. (I don't know why they would give you roadside
> >> assistance for longer than the warranty, but whatever.)
> >>
> >> It's tempting to get the cheapest rebuilt. I don't think I
> >> want to take a chance on a used. Has anyoe had any experience
> >> with the AutoZone Duralast 16722?
> >
> >
> >
> > While I can't speak about this starter in particular, I can speak of
> > discount auto store rebuilt electrics in general.  I have
> had more than
> > one
> > customer who has ended up buying one of our starters or
> alternators after
> > having had to take advantage of the "lifetime warranty" for
> the third or
> > fourth time in a couple of years.  They finally got fed up
> with constantly
> > breaking down and having to remove their starter or
> alternator, warranty
> > or
> > not.  The discount auto parts chains buy rebuilt electrics by the
> > truckload
> > from the lowest bidder. Quality takes a back seat to price.  In the
> > extreme,
> > some may have had little done beyond a good cleaning if the
> used core they
> > put on the bench to rebuild tested fine as it sat.  It is
> cheaper for them
> > to cut corners and then exchange some of them when needed,
> than to pay
> > more
> > for better QC and a more thorough job in the first place - hence the
> > "lifetime warranty."  You must consider that if the van
> breaks down in the
> > middle of nowhere, your "lifetime warranty" is only honored
> at that chain.
> > If you're stranded on the side of the road after hours, or
> are fifty miles
> > from the nearest branch, what good will it do you?
> >
> > Bosch's "free towing" is a smart marketing ploy. The catch
> is that the tow
> > is only paid for if the covered part is factory defective
> (and if you
> > replace it at your expense, if it's been over a year).  If
> you get your
> > van
> > towed for a faulty starter and the real problem ends up being a weak
> > battery, corroded connection, ignition switch, etc., they
> don't reimburse
> > for the tow and their authorized service center gets to
> bill you for the
> > repair.  Since Bosch electrics rarely fail within a couple
> of years,
> > they're
> > banking that you're likely to have a different problem -
> one they can
> > charge
> > you for, as well as the tow - rather than a defective
> starter.  I suspect
> > that it's a good gamble on their part.
> >
> > That said, there are good quality rebuilders out there
> besides Bosch. One
> > of
> > the companies I use, for example, is a small business that
> has specialized
> > in Bosch electrics for over 20 years. His out-of-the-box
> defect rate is
> > just
> > a smidgeon higher than Bosch (but still negligable, at
> under 1 percent),
> > and
> > the subsequent reliability rate is roughly comparable to
> Bosch's, but the
> > price is much lower. (I also sell the Bosch rebuilds, of
> course.)  So
> > there
> > are middle-ground options between a Bosch and the cheapest
> rebuild you can
> > find. There may also be a local rebuilder in your area who
> can rebuild
> > your
> > unit one-off at a low price and knows what he's doing.  It
> may pay to ask
> > your local mechanic if he knows of anyone nearby who's reputable.
> >
> > - Ron Salmon
> >  The Bus Depot, Inc.
> >  www.busdepot.com
> >  (215)  234-VWVW
> >
> > _____________________________________________
> > Toll-Free for Orders by PART # :  1-866-BUS-DEPOT
> >
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]
> >> On Behalf Of Edward Duntz
> >> Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2008 4:42 PM
> >> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> >> Subject: starters-used vs. cheap rebuilt vs. Bosch rebuilt
> >>
> >> I need to replace the starter in my '87 with stock 2.1
> >> engine. It used to need an occasional tap if it wouldn't
> >> start, but now I have had to hit it with a hammer while a
> >> kind passerby turns the key. This has happened twice, both
> >> times in the rain and snow.
> >>
> >> Already having put several thousand dollars into various
> >> mechanical systems in the last few years, and still having
> >> undiagnosed running/FI problems, I don't want to spend more
> >> than I need to on a starter. So now my question.
> >>
> >
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Ed
> >> _________________________________________________________________
> >> Connect and share in new ways with Windows Live.
> >> http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_sha
> >> relife_012008
> >
>
>