I was recently stranded when the fuel pump "brain" (dealer's term) died on my '89 244 on a trip about six hours from home. I ended up stuck in a motel for an entire week without a change of clothes and eating only at Waffle House!

Here's the issue...

The dealer said that the part was bad and a new one would cost about $900. Since I only paid $2700 for the whole car, I asked them for a used part and they were able to find one and install it for under $400. When I picked up the car at the end of the week, the service manager told me that the part they got wasn't actually the right one for the car (mine has the California emissions set-up). He said it shouldn't be a problem and the car should pass the emissions test as the '89 is known for running clean. My problem is that the car barely passed last year! I've read in the IPD catalog that the aluminum hose (pre-heater hose, I think) could be the reason I had so many problems passing last year (I noticed it hanging down after the test). But what do YOU think? Am I stuck replacing this expensive part AGAIN? And why, is it my problem the dealer got the wrong part? ...not that I can go back now -- I wasn't about to spend another week in lovely Roanoke.