quattro digest, Vol 1 #3025 - 15 msgs

[John Larson]

> --__--__--
>
> Message: 11
> From: "TM" <t44tq at mindspring.com>
> To: "'Orin Eman'" <orin at drizzle.com>
> Cc: <avim at pacbell.net>, "'Quattro'" <quattro at audifans.com>
> Subject: RE: Taka's "counterpoint" about the Ultranator
> Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 09:13:09 -0500
>
> Orin-
> Thank you for correcting my terminology- several others knew what
> I meant by commutator, but I hope I wasn't muddying everything up
> by calling it the wrong thing if it's called a collector ring.
>
> As for the wear comment, Bosch rebuilds replace the ring entirely with
> a new one- I have heard from several people (incl. my mechanic) that
> other rebuilders may merely machine the ring smooth.
>
> Why would they do this if there is no advantage?
>
> Taka
>
>
The "rebuilders", as they call themselves, do it because they don't care
about the long term.  If you haven't noticed, their out the door prices are
a lot lower, often lower than the wholesale cost of the parts necessary to
do the job right.  I encounter this all the time over on the 914 list.  You
can buy a 914 starter from any of the mass marketers for approximately $20
less then the wholesale price of the basic parts that would need to be
replaced in even the most basic "freshening up" of the Bosch SR 17.  How do
they do it?  Must make it up in volume...........  Don't even get me started
on the lifetime warranty issue.  It's typically good only for a replacement
unit, and most victims of the scam simply give up after the 3rd or 4th one,
take it to a shop, and have it done right.  Most of the countermen at those
places are in the same category as the products.  They fail to ask even the
most basic of important questions before recommending a solution to the
problem.  I cannot even begin to tell you how many Mondays I've gotten calls
bemoaning the fact that a car won't start, citing new batteries and even new
starters purchased after those new batteries, only to find the ignition
switch is bad, or the fuel pump, or the timing belt.  Counterman didn't even
ask whether the engine spun when the customer (victim) operated the switch.
EOR, John