Mike,

My experience is this:

In your example #1, if you order the rebuilt Bosch starter, you would be
charged $164 + $60 + cost of shipping the  starter to you.  If you then ship
the old starter back (at your shipping expense) the seller would then send
you the $60 (deposit) core charge as they can then rebuild your old starter
and sell it once again.  In theory.

In your example #2, you pay $130 + shipping and do whatever you like with
the old starter.

My answer assumes that you are ordering from afar, if you are buying across
the counter locally then there are  usually no shipping costs to deal with.
I have on opinion on which starter will be the more reliable.  YMMV

John Graham
88 Westy - Charlotte NC

On 5/19/07, Michael Elliott <camping.elliott@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Mr Squirrel wants to buy a spare starter to carry in his 84 auto
> transmission Volkswagen Vanagon in case the original one fails. If he
> never uses the new starter, how much will Mr Squirrel pay for either of
> these starters (not including shipping and local sales and use tax, in
> U.S. dollars? How much in Escudos, at the current exchange rate?
>
> Example 1. A rebuilt Bosch starter for $164 with a $60 core charge.
>
> Example 2. A no-name rebuilt starter for $130 with "no core charge."
>
> --
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
> KG6RCR
>

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