> I knew someone would dispute this, so... > Here's the FACTS: > > My distributor has sold 278 Laso water > pumps for the Vanagon this year. > 34 have been returned for warranty. > >Over the past 3 months, we've experienced > a 25% failure rate on the Laso pumps. One > van is currently on it's third pump in 6 weeks.

From those numbers, I'd have to agree without a doubt that a "heads-up" is warrantedl! I've never seen return rates that high on any Vanagon water pump. (As I noted, I do not carry this brand.)

As I said, my comments were to the general quality of the feedback provided by most of the full-line wholesale parts houses, which is generally almost useless. I deal with about 30 full-line importers (although not the one you are referring to). Of the 30, only one provides their sales staff with reliability data broken down by application as this importer apparantly does. The rest just look at return rates by product type and brand without breaking them down by vehicle application. So now, including the importer that you referred to, I know of two.

But what a pity that while this importer has taken the trouble to track this data, they have chosen not to act on it! According to their very own numbers, they have an appaulingly unreliable product in their inventory - and have known about it for a year - yet they continue to sell it! I doubt that you, I, Ken Wilford, or any of the other retail vendors on this list would be so irresponsible!

Obviously your customers are lucky that they have you to act as a filter and protect them from such products being sold by this wholesaler. Moreover, the fact that the one you're advising against is the more expensive (and more profitable) of the two says a lot about how you do business. Bravo!

Less fortunate are customers of the thousands of other shops that deal with this same wholesaler. Most of those shops will either not know enough or not care enough to separate the bad products that they are offered from the good - especially with regard to Vanagon parts. In fact, out of curiosity I just did a quick check of several of the "virtual storefronts" put up by e-merchants that deal with this particular wholesaler. Sure enough, all of them list the Laso pump, in stock and ready to ship.

It goes back to what I've said on this list many times before. You're safest dealing with a Vanagon specialist. Fortunately there are several.

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

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