Topic: My researching the best price for a front outer CV joint for a
Syncro.

After phoning around some I got varying prices for the front outer CV
joint.
All the known VW parts places are around $200 (+/-).
Locally I was offered an italian CV joint for $129, but with at least 3
weeks  delivery time.
Other local quotes were $165 and $179. These latter ones would probably
have been of good quality.

While being at the local FLAPS (Auto Zone, while buying oil) I also
asked about the part and thought it was a long shot.
Surprisingly no problem.
Serveral options were offered:

rebuild joint, $29.95 (yeah, right. Hands off)
completely rebuilt driveshaft, $200 (Heard terrible things. Hands off)
NEW joint, GKN, $200 (OK thats competitive)
NEW drive shaft, complete, GKN $256. What??

The latter one I did order as I didn't have to take it, if I didn't like
it. This was Saturday. Today I picked it up:
It turned out to be a complete NEW original "made in Germany" Lobro
(remember GKN owns Lobro) driveshaft. The original 'Syncro only' one and
perfect in every detail. It has the original boots on it (expensive, I
bought them as a spare earlier). The joints have the VW sign on them,
which are grinded of slightly (only VW may sell parts with a VW sign on
them in Germany, brand name protection issue). Even the clamps are
original "Oetiker".
So what I got is one inner joint, one outer joint, one inside boot, one
outside boot and a new shaft. Not bad at all for $256.
I had to leave my core though, but they probably would have accepted one
from a Yugo too. Core charge would have been $45.

I might have gotten it cheaper, but probably not as fast and easy, and I
wanted to replace that inner joint anyway. Again: the inner joint was
and is 251 501 331 as also used for the rear driveshaft (211 501 331 B
can also be used, this was an irrelevant number change).

I got some interesting e-mail on the subject from folks and will check
things out further ($189 for a new shaft being quoted). But first I'm of
to Germany for 2 weeks, where THESE parts are not cheaper (VW/Lobro
market protection racket).

Martin