Date:         Sat, 29 Jul 1995 07:37:13 8
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Wes Neuenschwander" <wesn@eskimo.com>
Subject:      Lick My Decals

Well, actually, my decals just about have me licked!  My Westy decals, 
that is.  The factory original, pop-top, "Westfalia" decals on my '91 
Vanagon started to work loose around the edges after about 2 years, 
finally busting off in pieces a few months later.  When I took into my 
friendly (actually, not) local VW body shop, I got a sort of 
disinterested, "Yeah, that happends.. sometimes" kind of reply:  sort of a 
"Gods Will", if you will.  I mean I see lot's of early '80's models with 
insignia still firmly afixed, why are mine flapping around after just 2 
years?  Told me he didn't have a clue why, but would be glad (well, not 
really, don't think this guy ever gets glad about anything) to fix them 
for me for a mere $96.00 - 61.00 for the decals and 35.00 for labor - but 
NO GUARANTEES!  I bit my tongue, and told him to go ahead (OK, flame 
away, but I LIKE those decals a lot).  

Since I'd become a little suspicious that, instead of "God's will", my 
otherwise marvelous, Turtle Wax, ZipWax - "Shines as it Washes", car wash 
might be the cause (working some of that 'shine' under the decal edges), I 
extracted a solemn pledge (he does solemn real good) to thoroughly 
de-grease/de-silicone the area before re-applying my $100 insignia.  

Well, less than 10K miles and 12 months later, we're flapping in the 
breeze again!  As much as I like these decals, I'm not about to devote 
$100 a year to their maintenance!  

Anybody else have similar experiences (aside from being foolish enough to 
pay $100 for a flimsy sheet of plastic)?  Anybody else suspicious of their car 
wax/wash?  Any thoughts about causes or cures most welcome.  

-Wes
would be most welcome.  
Wes Neuenschwander
Seattle, WA
wesn@eskimo.com