Water pump GRAF or GMB

I been running a Gmb pump for couple thousand miles now. Super cheap on rock auto, they also sell a high performance one. I bought both

Looks fine to me. I typically install Graf water pumps which are a similar stamped metal design and works just fine.

I have over 200k on the Graf I installed at 120k miles.

I usually use rock auto and get the gmb outlander pump.

I have a Graf and I haven't had any problems.

I have 27K miles on a Graf with no complaints.

As for the aluminum one made by/marketed as Graf, there are a few issues in my experience. First, the rubber gasket from the housing to the block is known to fail by tearing where the link in the gasket between the two passage connect. I think this is because the gasket does not precise fit in the channel for the seal machined into the housing. On the one that just put on an engine I just put in my '12 Tiguan, I cut that link out, effectively making two seals and relieving the tension in the seal. Next, the O ring seal supplied for the temp sensor is known to disintegrate, so I got a factory seal. Last, if your engine has a late water pump currently with the clip that holds in the temp sensor, the two mounting bolts to the block at the sensor will be too short for the aluminum pump housing, so you need to get the bolts for an early water pump. Honestly, as long as you don't have any oil leaks, the latest factory water pump is fine. I generally don't trust aftermarket water pumps, as I have had too many fail over the years (not on these engines, just in general). I used this Graf aluminum water pump as a test. The quality seems good, but time will tell.

Yeah... That Graf pump did not work out... Had to remove Graf pump and get the proper pump from local VW dealer.

I put in a GMB in my '02 two years ago, and it's leaking already.

I had a Graf pump as well and it blew up less than a year later, literally the shaft blew off while I was in traffic.