I must have missed the note that this is responding to, so please bear with 
me.  Hopefully I won't start another insulting exchange on the list...

>The history of Volkswagen 'improvements' is more an example of how to
>maximize profits by substituting shoddy goods for the real thing, replacing
>bronze with zinc die-castings, galvanized steel with cardboard (windscreen
>heater ducts) and so on.  At the same time a number of quality and safety
>items were compromised in order to cater to the market's demand for more
>speed and bettery 'style'.

>The success of Volkswagen in America has more to do with the quality of 
their
>advertising agency than the quality of their vehicles.

In recent years, I would not use quality in the same sentance as Volkswagens 
advertizing agency.  Their approach still baffles me....

>The later models are
>filled with gim-crack devices of little pratical value, over-priced and
>difficult to repair.

I wonder if this could be true of some  American cars in the same price 
range.

>A recent article in the Wall Street Journal about re-importation of
>Mexican-built bugs into Germany says a great deal for the quality of
>modern-day German products and the management behind them.

>-Bob

Bob, for the benefit of those of us who don't get the WSJ, please tell us 
what the recent article said.  I'd like to know, because I've always thought 
VW could really cash in if they sold bugs in the US again.  (There may be 
emissions and safety standards to be addressed...).   Also, as a vintage 
guitar fan, I've always thought that it's too bad American car makers can't 
reissue some of their vintage vehicles (like a mid-60's Mustang, or the late 
50's Thunderbird).  I understand that it's much cheaper to tool up a guitar 
manufacturing line to make reissue electric guitars than it would be to 
retool an assembly line (and a stamping plant...) but I'd bet that if these 
old cars could be reissued, people would buy them.

Thanks

Tim  -  '84 Vanagon (sliding around in the morning Mpls snowfall)