Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 09:03:29 -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: Shock Advice Sought
In-Reply-To: <233121.70226.qm@web32401.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
> My rear shocks are leaking (oil residue all around the shock
> tube) so I am assuming it is time to replace them.
>
> What are people recommending? I am more interested in
> quality over cheap but a good deal is nice to find. And for
> what it's worth I put a set of Bilstein's on a previous van
> and I didn't think there was much difference from the stock
> Boge.
My price-is-no-object recommendation would be the Koni's at about $100 each.
They are an excellent shock and are also adjustable upon installation or
reinstallation, so if you find the ride too hard or soft you can "dial it
in" to taste. Furthermore, as the shocks soften over time (which all shocks
do), they can be adjusted to compensate for wear. Coupled with a lifetime
factory warranty, that means they are the last shocks you will ever have to
buy.
My second choice would be the HD Boges, which are a better performing shock
than the stock Boges and also better suited for higher loads such as
Westies. However they approach the price of the Koni's, which I personally
prefer.
A close third choice - and the "best bang for the buck" - would be the
AlKo's at $59 each. They come very close to the heavy-duty Boges, for almost
40% less. I have carried the AlKo's on and off over the years, due to price
fluxuation. Their prices tend to be all over the place from one order to the
next - at times about the same price as the HD Boges, other times much
cheaper. When the AlKo's are priced about the same as the HD Boges I don't
bother ordering them, as for the same money I'd give the Boges a slight edge
and besides Boge is a better known brand name in the U.S.. However at the
present price, for as long as it lasts, they are a lot of shock for the
money.
You can find our shock selection here, including Koni, AlKo, Bilstein, and
both versions of the Boge:
http://busdepot.com/view.jsp?model=43&category=38&group=-1&prodgroup=-1
With regard to the GoWesty shocks you asked about, first of all the Mexican
Boges you linked are for Buses, not Vanagons. As for the Brazilian "exact,
original specifications" shocks you linked for $30, they are actually from
Cofap. While Cofap does produce OEM shocks for South American Volkswagens,
that does not mean their Vanagon shock is identical to the OEM Boge shock.
The Vanagon was never produced in Brazil and Cofap did not make the OEM
shock for it. While Cofaps are not junk, calling them "exact, original
specifications" is quite a stretch. As for Meyle, they are rebranding
someone else's shock. I am not sure whose they actually are or where they
are made. Meyle just recently started selling Vanagon shocks so these have
no track record yet; therefore I can't comment on their quality. As a rule
Meyle products are generally good quality, but they are not known for
shocks.
- Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot, Inc.
www.busdepot.com
(215) 234-VWVW
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