I guess I haven't done my second post..

Here's what I wanted to post on the B5 forum:

Hi guys,

My B5.5 is currently on limp mode. My mechanic told me it's due to bad turbo and a valve next to it (I forgot what it's called). The previous owner put a B5 turbo from a junkyard. I don't know if it's caused by incompatibility or just plain bad turbo. When the car is under heavy load, it misfires and white smoke comes out of the tail pipe.

Anyway, I'm looking at the price they have at ECS and for an OEM, they run around $600. On Ebay, I found 3rd party turbos selling for ~$200. My mechanic says he can find a used one for $400. What do you guys think? Would a used OEM better than a new aftermarket one?

Another thing to consider is the fact that the aftermarkets do not have "J" or "H" designation. Just plain K03.

Any input would be appreciated.


Thanks