I'm having my 1.6 TD engine bored for new pistons and having a valve
job done at a well-respected local machine and speed shop. I am
confident that the work they are doing is first class, it always is.

However, one of the things that this list has made me aware of is that
all parts are not created equal. When I took some stuff down there
today, I saw the spot in the shelves with my name, and a few boxes of
parts were already waiting there. I saw Federal-Mogul bearings and PEP
intake and exhaust valves (from Israel, distributed out of Las Vegas).

I questioned the owner about the quality of the parts, and he replied
that they were what he had always used, and that hundreds of VW diesel
customers over the years were happy with the parts, and that they all
came from the same manufacturers anyway (that may be true in the case
of his vendors, but I know it's not universally true).

What should I do? Use their stuff, or pursue better parts from list
vendors?

Thanks,

Jim