Date:         Tue, 29 Jul 2003 11:41:01 -0400
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: Alternator Deal.
In-Reply-To:  <4981-3F25F9D2-5954@storefull-2352.public.lawson.webtv.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

> I went through 3 NAPA alternators in 2 years. Finally said
> the hell with their warranty, the breakdowns and labor of
> replacing it weren't worth the trouble. Bought a lifetime
> warranty one from a local VW parts specialist. Actually got 2
> years out of that one.
> I have had bad Bosch rebuild, AC Delco rebuild many time.

> I think that buying from busdepot or any vendor we can bash
> on this list if the product fails or give credit if the product holds
> up is a good choice.


Oh good, so I get to be bashed again. :-)

Seriously, we sell two alternator and starter alternatives for Vanagons
- Bosch-rebuilt, and an independent rebuild. We have had good luck with
the Bosch, but equally good luck with the independent rebuilds (which
tend to be cheaper). On both, we do periodically get a defect (typically
right away if at all), but it is rare. (No rebuilder has a zero percent
failure rate; even new ones have a certain percentage of defects.)
What's more, in about half of the cases when we do get a return, it
turns out to be a defective diagnosis, not a defective part. (For
example, the customer buys a rebuilt starter, and when his van still
won't start, assumes he got a defect - when in fact his problem was
never the starter in the first place, but a bad ignition switch.)

Our independent rebuilds are built by a small shop that has specialized
only in Volkswagen electricals for nearly two decades. We  have been
using him for about 5 years and have been very happy with the quality.
His rebuilds are not as neatly "polished" looking as the mass-produced
rebuilds sold at most auto parts stores. You can tell that they're done
"one-off," rather than on an assembly line by minimally skilled labor
that does Bosch one day and Delco the next. But he does a good job on
them internally. You can identify these ones on our site by looking for
an "OR" next to the part number. For example, AL27X is rebuilt by Bosch
whereas AL27XOR is rebuilt by the specialist. The "OR" models have no
core deposit, so you don't have the cost/hassle of returning your old
unit. In fact you can even save it and have it rebuilt locally at your
leisure so you'll have a spare. (If you find an "OR" model on our site
that _does_ have a core deposit, this probably comes from another
rebuilder, which is necessary from time to time when our regular
rebuilder is out of cores.)

Our warranty replacement policy is that we send a replacement up front,
and then give you 30 days to return the defective one. (This minimizes
your down-time.) If it fails within 30 days of purchase, we cover
freight in both directions (crediting return freight based on posted
UPS.com ground rates). If it fails after 30 days but within warranty
(one year on the "OR's"), we charge you for the replacement part, but
then refund it minus shipping upon receipt of the defective one.

With regard to "lifetime warranties," as has been noted, this is not an
indicator of quality but more of a marketing ploy. If your alternator
fails in the middle of nowhere and you have to get towed to the nearest
garage in the middle of the night, the fact that you have a "lifetime
warranty" on the cheapo part (which will, of course, only net you
another cheapo part in exchange) is little consolation considering the
cost/time/hassle that the breakdown cost you. It's smarter to go for
quality in the first place.

As a final word, be careful of the wording when buying a rebuilt Bosch
part. "Rebuilt Bosch" may not mean rebuilt BY Bosch. Every unit is
technically a rebuilt Bosch, no matter who rebuilds it, because they are
all Bosch units originally. There are some rare exceptions, but in 99%
of cases, the actual Bosch-rebuilt units will come in a Bosch box with
prominent Bosch graphics.

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

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