How much do these Meteor kits actually sell for? Kind of wondering how much is really saved over OEM pricing. Compared to list, maybe a lot. Compared to some more reasonable pricing, there may not be enough savings to bother with the AM kits. I sell a 372XPW or 346NE kit for $200, so why mess with AM at that price. I do understand what Indiansprings and some guys are saying regarding giving customers an alternative besides an expensive rebuild and a brand new saw. I have done a few jobs where I've cleaned up a jug and used an aftermarket piston to keep the cost down and get someone going. And I've had much better luck cleaning a used jug than using a complete aftermarket kit.
I think you need to look at the savings as a percentage of the complete project cost. A do it yourself guy can save a lot percentage wise. But add in the rebuild labor at a shop like mine, or the port work of any of you builders, plus shipping, and the percentage saved decreases; along with the liitle more risk that everything could be for nothing. Put another way, if you're going to have several hundred $ invested in the project, does it make sense to shave $100 by going with an aftermarket kit?
I don't see anyone being right or wrong here. We all have a comfort level based on our own personal experiences. If you've had good luck with them, there's no reason not to continue to use them. If they haven't held up, you shy away.
In my personal experience using Forester and Mako kits, (likely the same thing), consistancy just wasn't there. In fact, it sucked. (The Meteor stuff may well be better.) Some are still going, and some went kaboom right away. So, I came to the conclusion that I don't want to mess with them anymore. I'm the one that has to stand behind them, and no matter what you tell the customer before hand, you still get the "you did it" look if something goes wrong. Plus, I don't like uncertainty, so why add it to the equation if it doesn't need to be there?