Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 beta 3/9/83; site nbs-amrf.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!houxm!houxz!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!hao!seismo!rlgvax!cvl!umcp-cs!nbs-amrf!libes From: libes@nbs-amrf.UUCP Newsgroups: net.auto Subject: Front vent windows on a VW Rabbit Message-ID: <336@nbs-amrf.UUCP> Date: Thu, 19-Jul-84 21:51:11 EDT Article-I.D.: nbs-amrf.336 Posted: Thu Jul 19 21:51:11 1984 Date-Received: Mon, 23-Jul-84 01:41:35 EDT Organization: National Bureau of Standards Lines: 44 The front vent windows on my rabbit are glued to the metal pivots. Last year, one came unglued. I tried various glues and cements including epoxy, crazy glue and several adhesives suggested by the glue expert (part of the Center for Building Research here at NBS!) none of which did the job. Yes, I prepped it properly. The problem is that the window gasket exerts a lot of pressure when the window is shut. A call to VW told me that it required a glue applied under heat and pressure which could only be done at the factory and that barring sending the car back to the factory, I could pay $100 for a new window with pivots glued on. They keep a supply handy. It seemed kind of dumb to pay $100 for a second window when the original was in fine shape. Rather, they are sticking me $100 for a "glue job". So I decide to put a bolt through the pivot and glass (which is the way any idiot should have designed it to begin with). Well, I found out that the hardest piece of metal on the car is this stupid little pivot. After breaking several bits on it, I decided to put a U-bolt around it by drilling 2 holes in the glass on either side of the pivot. I then discovered that the vent window is the only glass in the car that is not "safety" glass. It shattered into thousands of shards and splinters, several of which politely embedded themselves in my arms. At this point, I admitted defeat and paid VW $100 for a new window, now feeling I was going to get my money's worth. I asked them what's to prevent it from happening again and they said, nothing (its guaranteed the usual 6 months like any spare part). Well, guess what happened today? The other window came unglued. This just seems symptomatic of the car as a whole. There are various things throughout it that are just dumb. Yeah, there are nice engineering feats in the car, but there are several steps backwards too. I could understand it if VW just began making autos but.... And the Rabbit was made for 5 years before I bought mine. What I'm saying is I will never again buy or recommend a VW. In fact, I haven't since shortly after I bought it. Don Libes {seismo,allegra}!umcp-cs!nbs-amrf!libes