Greetings Volks-

Bought a non-VW low cost thermostat from FLAPS.
Installed it, and bled system twice.

Temp ran consistently a fat two points (a point being defined as a needle
width) above the LED.
With the original thermostat, the needle always sat just right over the LED.

I watched it like a hawk for months in the hot southern traffic and sun, and
it
always was a source of worry, ......wondering if the higher temp was doing
damage, or would reach critical temp.

In retrospect (and in future), I would  install the correct one, not the
generic.

My two cents! (It was not worth all that energy spent worrying over a $6
thermostat.)

LouiZe
    91 Westy
        89 Westy (RIP)
            72 Westy (on happy trails)
                67 Bug (RIP)