Mark,
Amen! I hear you and agree.  It also seems that older cars hoses last
longer than many today. When I got my 68 Triumph TR-250 in 83, I lamented
about replacing the original yellow striped top radiator hose, since I
could not get the colored version any longer.  My friend's father said
why replace it, I still got the original ones on my 58' Edsel!

John
81 Westy - with no radiator hoses

>I believe that you are incorrect about one statement: "There's nothing
special about the VW hoses". It is my >
>understanding that VW, like Honda and some other manufactures use better
quality materials than typically found >in aftermarket hoses. Thirteen
years is a long time for most automobile hoses that I have seen during my

> 20 years in automotive parts and service.

>Mark in AK
>20 years and counting parts & service