At 11:53 AM 4/26/2001, klfvw wrote:
>refundable core deposit.  What does refundable core
>deposit mean?

Means you pay XX dollars extra up front which is returned when you give
them the old part so it can be rebuilt.  Old part has to be in condition to
be able to be rebuilt or you lose all or part of the money.

>Should it be easy for me to find a mechanic who'll
>either use my parts

You'll have to ask around.  Expect to lose any sort of guarantee.  In
general I think you'll find mechanics resistant to this, but they certainly
do exist -- even some dealers will do it.

>  or will charge a reasonable, small
>markup?

What's reasonable?  Double what he paid?  If he's getting the parts from a
FLAPS you're probably paying him the same amount that you'd pay the FLAPS
if you bought directly from them.   OTOH...

>   My current mechanic marks down VW list price,
>says he's giving me half off, and tells me I can't
>beat the price.

...if he's buying from the dealer then I suspect he's right.  Depending of
course on what "half off" means -- half of what?

david

David Beierl - Providence, RI
  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"