The comment that they are all the same is true in many instances.  But
unless you physically research it out you will be unable to determine in all
cases.  One instance would be the little white cube fuel filter.  Almost all
are out of Israel regardless of the brand name on the box.  Bearings could
have many brand names but several are actually the same company.  CR and SKS
come to mind on that and SKS has several other brand names as well.  A lot
of time I go by what the experienced long time shops are using.  The don�t
like "come backs" sitting in their bays eating up time and money.  Also they
will see side by side many items and note the identical ones real quick.
jimt

On 5/5/05 10:48 AM, "Jim Felder" <felder@KNOLOGY.NET> wrote:

> 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
> 
>