Heater Valves- MBZ parts Life?!

[Robert W Obrien <rwo@u.arizona.edu>]

A funny end to the Christmas 5k heater leak. $32 for the valve @ Beaudry
P/A Tucson. Got it in in ten minutes. Pulled the old oe and found it made
the hose rub the tie rod LH! Why? 
1. It was rather larger than the new part, because
2. It had a MBZ 3 point star on it!
Aside from that, it was cracking. So maybe, as Tony Lum said, an '80 5k
valve  will go 17 years. And as I found, it goes 10 years in an '87 until
you break it pulling the ose off. But maybe MBZ only gets 18 months out of
theirs;0

Happy holidays, again. Goodbye for a few days...
And two anniversaries for my beloved 5000: 12-23-86 delivered from Kornak
Audi in Aurora IL, 1-2-96 I proudly drove it home from the first owner.
With a flashing brake warning for 300 miles. Sheesh!

Regards,
Rob