Date:         Sun, 10 Feb 2008 17:41:53 -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:  <BAY134-W9A3654E8A94B05379D5F0DB290@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

> 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
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