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I have a '97 with 99K miles and original IMSB. Only when I need a new clutch will I replace the IMSB and then with a Pelican, not LN. My logic is based on my situation and view on the incremental value between the options.
To start, doing nothing with the IMSB has no value, the condition of the current bearing remains unknown.
The incremental cost (over just a clutch job) for a Pelican IMSB (Yes, I know it's a single row with a spacer) is about $250. The value is:
- Peice of mind (I will know the condition of the old and know I have a new bearing)
- Confidence that the new bearing will outlast the car.
To me, the value is worth the cost for this option....supporting doing nothing is not an option.
The other option is the LN, which will add around $500 over the Pelican option. The incremental value over the Pelican option is the difference in probability of failure between the Pelican and LN parts over the expected remaining life of the car (I estimate 50K miles). I beleive this difference is negligible. I know $500 is not a lot of money, but let's put that into real terms. For me $500 buys a set of tires, short-shift kit, and a cup holder.
In summary, a set of tires, short-shift kit and a cup holder are more valuable than the difference between a Pelican and LN bearing for 50K miles. It was close but the cup holder clinched it. Maybe that's why Porsche left out cup holder in the early years....
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