Date:         Thu, 12 Mar 1998 09:46:31 -0200
Reply-To:     The Bus Depot <ron@NETCARRIER.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         The Bus Depot <ron@NETCARRIER.COM>
Subject:      Re: pop-top seals
Comments: To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

> How much do the pop top seals cost from JC Whitney?
>
> Hey competition will in the end help us all.  I know Ron understands
> that when he goes to buy anything other than VW parts.  Besides, JC
> whitney has for years suported the VW aftermarket and has helped
> tremendously to keep costs down.  It is the "peoples car"  aways
> remember that.


I certainly do understand. Competition keeps all of us vendors sharp, and
is both expected and welcomed (especially since I usually look pretty good
when you compare my prices :-).   Actually, I believe that JCW's price
(including their somewhat-inflated "shipping" charge) is higher than mine.
Furthermore, their quality is slightly lower.  Both JCW and I buy our
poptop seals from the same manufacturer, in the U.S.  But mine are slightly
taller than theirs, more closely matching the original seal's height, and
have a finish that is slightly smoother (again, closer to the original).
Also, the insulation bulb on my seal is positioned slightly lower, to
provide a better seal to the body.  The reason is that I have the seals
custom-made to my specs, while most other suppliers selling these seals are
simply selling the generic off-the-shelf version that that manufacturer
makes (which saves them a little money).  To be honest the difference is
not huge, but the bottom line is that my poptop seals are not only cheaper,
they're also better.  This is an advantage of dealing with a specialist who
knows Westfalias well, rather than dealing with someone who is a "jack of
all trades."

-Ron Salmon
 The Bus Depot
 http://www.busdepot.com