Beastie Boys back in town? 23 | 09 | 2011
ARE THE BEASTIE BOYS back on the block – or have I missed a new fashion trend? In the Eighties, many Volkswagen owners fell foul of fans of the American 'bad boy' band when they lost their VW badges from their cars to be recycled, in a sense, as necklace trophies to mimic their on-stage heroes.
Well it’s happening again; although it would seem, on a smaller scale. Several VWs, mostly Passats apparently, have recently had their front grille badges stolen, leaving a gaping hole (Alan's forlorn Passat is pictured above) like a howling wide-open mouth.
I’ve seen several in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Ordinarily, I might not have noticed, except I’ve also been a victim, losing the VW badge from the grille of my 2006 Passat while it was parked in Glasgow. The grille itself is undamaged, so whoever took it knew what they were doing and how to do it.
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But why? I’m told by my friendly mechanic that if you prise them off with a screwdriver, which is the usual method, the little lugs which hold it in place snap off, rendering it useless to be attached to another car.
A clue came from a young person – who I find usually have a keener insight into what’s happening on the streets. They said that some people stick them on to belt buckles to give them a more individual and stylish look.
The reason why mine was nicked is irrelevant. What I need now is a replacement, which I’m told will cost around £14 from a VW dealer … but I’ll have to wait for it to be sourced because, of course, the size of the badge and the style of the grille has changed in the past five years.
I’m told you can get them on eBay for a couple of quid, but the size and quality might not be right and as the source could be questionable, the fixing lugs may not be there.
So what do VW say about this? They claim they’ve had no reports of a resurgence of such thefts, but admit this could be the start of a new wave.
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The badges are designed to unclip to reduce the complexity of the grille and if someone wants to nick the badge, the grille should remain undamaged.
Also, having the badge as a separate item means it can be used on several different models to keep down costs.
In the meantime I have to source a replacement and when I do, I’ll make sure it’ll be very secure – possibly superglued in place. There is a minor positive side to the story; spotting the missing VW badge on passing Volkswagens could be an entertaining and absorbing new game for the kids on a long journey.
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Alan Douglas