I noticed that Scott says he was getting OEM CV boots for $35.00. My dealer
wants fifty bucks for a boot! That's $200 on a two wheel drive Vanagon for
four pieces of rubber. I decided to order from one of the list vendors, and
they are EMPI, and despite what I have heard about them the finish and
quality of the rubber looked really good. If they last eight years as Ken
says, I will be so happy. I was so disappointed to have to do this job
exactly a year after I had done it before.

And Jim T knows what he is talking about on the two-color switches. That's
what I grabbed to replace the new Feyle switch with, and it was an old one.
Black and white.

Jim

On Mon, Jul 1, 2013 at 4:01 PM, kenneth wilford (Van-Again) <
kenwilfy@comcast.net> wrote:

> I second Jim on the Kostal switches.  I tried a Meyle one once and that was
> enough for me.  Kostal is being sold through a Chinese company now called
> Euromax.  However when you open the box you see the black and white switch
> with the VW logo ground off and you are good to go.
>
> All of the list vendors here try their best to ensure that we sell the best
> quality products.  Sometimes it comes down to the best that we can get at
> the moment because I know the Kostal switches were hard to get about a year
> ago.  We don't want unhappy customers or returns believe me.
>
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
>
>
> On Mon, Jul 1, 2013 at 4:34 PM, Old Volks Home <oldvolkshome@gmail.com
> >wrote:
>
> > Some Meyle is made in China, some in Europe, some in India and some in
> > Turkey(!). The trick for a parts buyer like me on a daily basis is to
> > figure out what the good, bad and ugly is on Meyle.
> >
> > I paid $35 a shot on CV Boot Kits from from the VW dealer several years
> ago
> > (just like Scott checked on) and they lasted all of 6 months.  I
> installed
> > EMPI Boot kits on both my 84s afterwards and they have lasted 7 to 8
> years
> > now with no cracks or rips (despite what others may say about 'em).
> >
> > Meyle Ignition Switches are GARBAGE.  Kostal OEM switches are the best.
> >  How to tell? - Original and Kostal Switches are both Black and White
> > plastic, all other JUNK is All White.  Went throught his last year on my
> > 914.  Owner previous to the guy I bought car from installed a Meyle boxed
> > switch from Pelican Parts and it failed, contacts inside moving all
> around.
> >  Replaced it with a Kostal Switch and everything's fine since.  NOTE:
> >  Kostal Switches were being produced in Europe up until a couple of years
> > ago, but have now switched to manufacturing in Brazil with NO change or
> > detriment in quality.
> >
> > --
> > Jim Thompson
> > 84 GL 1.9 "Gloria"
> > 84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt"
> > 72 411 Station Wagon "Pug"
> > 75 914 1.8 "Nancy"
> > Full Timing From March 1999 To January 2012
> > oldvolkshome@gmail.com
> > http://www.oldvolkshome.com
> > Find me on Facebook:
> > http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Thompson/100000710343835
> > ***********************************
> >
> > On Mon, Jul 1, 2013 at 12:14 PM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > > This past weekend, among many other things, I replaced the CV boots I
> put
> > > on the car last July. I bought them locally, but opted this time to try
> > one
> > > of the list vendors. We'll see how that goes.
> > >
> > > But what does not bode well is the fact that the week before that, I
> > > installed an ignition switch purchased from a list vendor. Before I
> could
> > > begin work on the CVs and suspension this past saturday, I needed to
> move
> > > the car and sweep under it. It wouldn't start. I had to replace the
> > > week-old switch with an old one I had removed from another Vanagon!
> > >
> > > Between the heater valves and ignition switches, I'm ready to set my
> > > ordering app to NO MEYLE.
> > >
> > > Jim
> > >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Thanks,
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
>