I would tend to agree. My experience with 4 rebuilt starters on a bug and '71
type II was that the rebuilts were not as good as the original. I replaced them
because the solenoids would get stuck (a common problem) and the cost of the
rebuilt was less that the cost of a new solenoid. If I were to do it again, I'd
buy the solenoid rather than go with the rebuilt.

Also, many places will give you a different type of starter and say that they
are all interchangeable - so watch it if you go that route.

Todd
'88 Westy

Rico Sapolich wrote:

> In a message dated 9/2/01 8:12:22 PM, vannman99@YAHOO.COM writes:
>
> << Thinking about just buying a new one  >>
>
> jg,
>
> Don't do it.  Come on now, after what you have just been through, you easily
> can do anything else.  Seriously, if you go with a new, as in NEW, starter
> that is great.  A rebuild has an element of risk attached to it.  Although I
> have no way of gauging the veracity of his contention, a VW parts specialist
> with over 30 years in the business told me that the quality of Bosch rebuilt
> starters and alternators has declined drastically in the last couple of
> years.  He claimed that he has never before seen such a rash of failing
> rebuilt components.  He said the warranty does little to assuage the chagrin
> of the poor soul who has to get beat up a second time climbing under his car
> or that of the guy trying to please a customer.
>
> I forgot to ask, did you remove the starter because of an intermittent
> no-start problem or was it totally dead?
> Rich