Let's me understand this:

German (OE) is best
German (other) is the same ?
Brazilian is generally shit
Mexican is about the same
Danish sheetmetal (see Brazilian)

Italian sheetmetal.
Classic VW what gives, they any good?
Didnt know italian fenders were available, do they fit like brazilian or better.

Correct me if I'm wrong here, what is the go when buying repro parts?
Obviously good German gear is not always available but what is the pick of the rest?

Who has the best chrome on their parts or is that best left to a rechromer in Melbourne?

There are HEAPs of factories in Brazil making VW replacement parts..... some factories have parts that are equal to OE.... MOST are Junk... thats why the VW parts retailers in Australia - have such a hard job finding the good stuff.... while all the cables from One factory may be OE, the Guards may be thin steel and holes all over the place....
Danish guards seem OK to Me.... Mufflers too....
I bought a pair of Heavy duty Running boards off someone years ago... and I must have the only Brazillian running boards in Australia that You can stand on..... and I weight 75kgs... most are junk... look the part only... no running and jumping....

I believe most parts from Europe would be OK....
Not quite German quality... but better usually than brazillian..
Brazillian - a Lottery - fair/bad/terrible/ Mexican = JUNK...
Any VW Parts made in the USA seem VERY GOOD Quality...

I see in UK magazines where many original VW parts are still available and if not from the VW factory, then from the [OE]Original Manufacturer... If You can afford it... German Is Best ... or USA manufactured...
I saw a company in the US that sells accelerator cables that don't break... probably just double the thickness.... for around $10-$15US.... Extra Heavy Duty...

I have shopped all over the eastern states of Australia for VW parts... and still buy most bits from Mick motors in Brisbane... I suppose its just habit.... I've also bought from Classic in Sydney...Vintage VD.. SKH .. Volksbahn.. Import Advantage .. H&M Ferman.. etc etc...

I wish You the Best of Luck with Your VW Parts purchases...

Lee

u will find that most rubbers for VW's are manufactured in the same factory and just given brand names on the exit as stated by a highly respected VW dealer! i think thats the same with most parts but!! who knows these days though!
cheers
rhys
p.s. u cant beat original

How can all the parts be made in the same factory???
Brazil -- Italy -- Denmark -- Switzerland -- Germany --
Mexico and the USA....

Someone also told Me that many rubber products from West Coast Metric are actually made in Brazil...
Good Brazil is OK... its those bad ones I don't like...

I just bought a set of window Rubbers made in the USA -
Guaranteed to be the Best Quality - made in the USA.... so they didn't trust the Brazillian Factories....

My ball joints and tie rod ends came from Switzerland...

Lee

Anyone bought from Mid American Motorworks??? See here>
http://www.800luvbugg.com/shop?frame=2.73.4622 

I'm wondering if they are trustworthy or any good??

#! Message No Longer Available !#

The OE german suppliers are still good, like ATE for brakes, Gemo for cables, Bosch for electrics, Mahle etc.

There are some good Brazilian parts like Cofap & Mahle piston & cylinder kits. I dont really trust the brazilian Varga disc brake calipers though, the casting is rough as guts and i've heard of them cracking from overtightening the bolts! I wouldn't trust the Brazilian brake stuff generally though.

The Danish steel stuff seems pretty good, although I havent actually beaten it or anything like that.

Avoid any new EMPI stuff like the plague, its all made in taiwan and is rubbish

But generallly, original is better.

#! Message No Longer Available !#

The other problem with Brazillian bumpers, besides the crappy rust before Your eyes chrome, they are much thinner metal than German.....
All Non genuine and maybe genuine Brazillian sheetmetal is much thinner [lighter gauge] than the OE ones....

Don't these people realise that they will sell more parts if they didn't make thin crappy parts????

Apart from Taiwan EMPI stuff... any guards, running boards etc coming from Taiwan yet or even from the other CHINA....
I haven't noticed any yet....

Lee

But wouldn't it be good to import an entire new vehicle, I'm thinking Kombi, from Brazil?

Does anybody know the (unbiased!) pros and cons of doing this?

I wouldnt try importing a whole kombi from brazil. The quality would be suspect I reckon. Also it would have to comply with current Australian Regs if you wanted to register it. Which means safety stuff, emissions etc. I'm guessing u prob cant register it here??

Even if you could register it, I dont think it would be worth it. The quality of Brazilian stuff is suspect. Get an old German Kombi and fix it up.

on another note.

Yes the Danish steel sections are made of really flexible soft steel... not good. The heater channel section that I have is much better though. 0.9mm thick steel like original early models and stiff. Dont know what country it is from because the sticker is torn off, but its not danish!

I reckon this kid does a pretty good part...

My personal experience is to stick with a known good brand name rather than a country of origin. German doesn't necessarily mean good (I know from experience).
OEM suppliers are always my first choice like Pierberg, Colbenschmidt, ATE etc. Even though, many OEM suppliers make parts in Brazil/Mexico etc.
The “good” German names of old make parts all over the world, like most Mahle comes from Brazil, FAG supply from Japan, India, Brazil etc. Don’t fall in the trap thinking a German brand part is made in Germany!
Better still find a trustworthy supplier and use their experience to guide you.
Good brands usually have better quality control regardless of its origin.
Richard

Oh, on the import a Kombi idea, in the US plenty of people have driven a registered shitter over the boarder, transferred the numbers etc and driven it back, both with beetles and Kombi’s, so I suppose you could do the same to get it registered here. (plenty have been caught also).
The consensus though is spending the same money on restoring an old one will leave you with a better vehicle.
That being said the idea of a brand new air cooled FI bus like they import to England would be nice, even if it won’t last 30 years.

I had my "made in germany" replacement hella interior light in my bug break after about 2 years The rocker switch broke. Replaced it with a "made in mexico" one and they look exactly identical.