Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2004 13:42:55 -0700
Reply-To: Jere Hawn <jghawn@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jere Hawn <jghawn@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: replace starter
In-Reply-To: <009c01c4a010$7d7ea830$0a0ba8c0@RON>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Ron,
The failure rate doesn't seem to be anything above normal. I've for
312,000+ miles on my van and the starter goes out about every 100,000 miles
or so; and the alternator goes at about the same rate.
I don't think it is a great bargain!! Will Bus Depot warranty one for me
for the next 300,000 miles?
And How am I going to break down in the middle of the night in the rain. If
the van is running I don't need a starter and with a manual tranny it is
very easy to start; it takes about 3 ft to get it start. And what guarantee
is there that a Bus Depot Starter won't fail in the middle of a snowy night
two hours from home (up hill the whole way home)?
I understand the game that the mfg are playing but the quality is the same
as the starter that came with the van in the first place.
With 4 starters and 5 alternators I guess I have saved about $1,000 in
parts.
Sorry Ron; I do not agree with your argument; the numbers just don't add up.
Jere
90 GL/Carat-a-version
88 GL
87 Wolfy (parts van)
69 MB 220D
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
The Bus Depot
Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2004 12:24 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: replace starter
> Head out to your local parts store, Flaps, Schucks,
> etc... and get the starter with a lifetime warranty. I got
> my first one many years ago and I've never had to buy
> another (been through 4 of them)
> FWIW I did 3 "rebuilts" from my FLAPS -
> they were all guaranteed but what a PITA.
> $100 - Bus Depot - no probs for 3 years.
So you didn't have to actually buy another one - but you had to replace
it 4 times under warranty!! And the second poster had to replace his 3
times!! Wow, with failure rates like that, it's lucky they have lifetime
warranties!
So, is this really a bargain? What is your time worth - or the hassle,
risk, and danger of your van breaking down in the middle of the night in
the pouring rain an hour fom home? Had you bought a better brand to
begin with, you might never had needed the warranty even once!
"Lifetime warranties" are often more marketing gimmick than a true
indicator of quality. Not that a quality product can't carry a lifetime
warranty, but a lifetime warranty does not guarantee a quality product -
as these experiences clearly exemplify. The manufacturers know that few
failures will actually result in a warranty payout. People move, lose
their receipt, or break down a distance from the nearest warranty repair
location and end up just buying a replacement. This is why you often
see lower end brands with longer warranties than higher-end, more
established ones. For example, Korean cars have longer warranties than
Mercedes or Bentley. It can be cheaper to extend the warranty than it
is to actually impove the product, and it's effective marketing too.
- Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot, Inc.
www.busdepot.com
(215) 234-VWVW
_____________________________________________
Toll-Free for Orders by PART # : 1-866-BUS-DEPOT
