I have purchased body panels from the UK for less than I could buy them in the USA, and they were coated with an anti rust solution.  The USA ones were bare metal.
Dave B.the Boston one
    On Thursday, December 14, 2023 at 06:37:16 PM EST, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:  
 
 I was advised by the US list vendors that it would be a long wait for any
German-sourced dipsticks for my 1983 factory vanagon diesel, and that the
price before shipping would be about $35. Then, someone on this list posted
that I should try Brickwerks in the UK. I found the item I needed for under
four pounds! Shipping was just 12 USD. So I got the item plus shipping for
about $20 USD. Not bad. It arrived in a week or maybe six days.

The Royal Mail has a good thing going with the US post office. I most often
by my oil painting brushes from the UK. They cost the same as the low-end
brushes sold through US vendors, yet they are hand made and considered some
of the best in the world. I get tracking all the way to my home, and I get
them in the same time or less than I would get an order from a US supplier.

Check out Brickwerks for hard-to-find Vanagon items. I'd say this
dipstick I got from them is 95 percent of a VW OEM item. It seems to be
just a bit stiffer than the original and about 1/2 mm wider, so it is not
as easy to slide down the tube. As for accuracy, we will see how it
compares with the OEM when I do my next oil change in a few weeks. I can
always file new marks. The seal at the handle is better than the original.

Jim