I was advised by the US list vendors that it would be a long wait for any
German-sourced dipsticks for my 1983 factory vanagon diesel, and that the
price before shipping would be about $35. Then, someone on this list posted
that I should try Brickwerks in the UK. I found the item I needed for under
four pounds! Shipping was just 12 USD. So I got the item plus shipping for
about $20 USD. Not bad. It arrived in a week or maybe six days.

The Royal Mail has a good thing going with the US post office. I most often
by my oil painting brushes from the UK. They cost the same as the low-end
brushes sold through US vendors, yet they are hand made and considered some
of the best in the world. I get tracking all the way to my home, and I get
them in the same time or less than I would get an order from a US supplier.

Check out Brickwerks for hard-to-find Vanagon items. I'd say this
dipstick I got from them is 95 percent of a VW OEM item. It seems to be
just a bit stiffer than the original and about 1/2 mm wider, so it is not
as easy to slide down the tube. As for accuracy, we will see how it
compares with the OEM when I do my next oil change in a few weeks. I can
always file new marks. The seal at the handle is better than the original.

Jim