CB has a very good reputation in the VW engine community, not perfect but far better than most. I have had 2 of their engines and I had no CB caused engine problems at all. They may be more expensive than some, but there is a good reason why they are....has to do with the quality of parts used, the expertise of the builder (Pat Downs has an excellent rep in the business, he is the primary builder at CB), as well as the support they provide. I would take a CB engine at more $$$ over a Mofoco, or GEM, or any number of so called volume builders. Search thesamba.com for builders and threads regarding issues....and I have no interest in CB or any of the other builders either...