VWOA - VW of America parts - are they legit?

[FunkyOldPatina]

I've got part of a bus side mirror that has 'VWOA' stamped on the back of it, but not the usual VW stamp on it.

This is the first time I've seen this stamp, as being in the UK it must have come over on a US market T2 bus?

Were there many other VWOA stamped parts?

I will post up a pic of the mirror when I get the chance but was wondering what other VWOA parts there were, and were they just for T2's, or did bugs get VWOA parts as well?

Thanks.

[Globespotter]

Definitely Bugs got VWOA parts. My 71 Super Beetle has bumper over-riders that are VWOA parts.
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1977 Westfalia - October 2015 - Current
1971 Super Beetle - May 2012 - Current
1979 Westfalia - 1986-1991
1971 Super Beetle - 1977-1980

1971 SB Survivor Story: https://globespotter.com/
Road Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=511800&highlight=
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http://vw-mplate.com/mcode.php?lang=EN&id=30990
https://vw-type2-id.xyz/mplate/72067382

[busdaddy]

VWOA was a brand of dealer supplied options, not made by VW, but apparently approved by them.
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[KTPhil]

That would surprise me, although for tax and other reasons I suppose it was possible. Autobahn was another odd brand that was sanctioned at dealers.

Common for bumper guard rubber to be marked VWOA. This could be for import reasons (overriders and large bumper guards were often tagged as "USA Ram Protection" or similar), or even for balance of trade agreement reasons.

Anyone got more on this?

[SGKent]

https://www.zippia.com/volkswagen-group-of-america-careers-43830/history/
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[KTPhil]

I don't see a connection between the link posted and the parts business.

[SGKent]

example. I have an orange factory service manual for my 1977 VW bus. It was printed in English on European sized paper in Wolfsburg Germany by Volkswagenwerks Aktiengesellschaft. (Volkswagen Incorporated as a Public Company). The factory dealers in the United States, who got their inventory from VW Group of America (VWOA), did not sell it to the public. What VWOA did was contract the publication to a company to copyright and produce here in the United States. So if in 1975 you walked into a VW Dealership and asked to purchase a "factory service manual," you got the VWOA version that was printed by the printing company they contracted to, Bentley Publishers. The early Bentley manual I have says Volkswagen Group of America on it. I don't know if the late ones do or not. The early Bentley manuals were almost identical to the factory manuals that VW in Germany printed. Volkswagen Group of America (VWOA) and Volkswagenwerks Aktiengesellschaft of Germany (VWOG) are two different companies. VWOA answered to the parent, VWOG but they did not do things 100% the way VWOG did. If VWOA wanted to market a parts line of high volume parts, that the factory did not want to be involved with, they could market those parts under VWOA's name. Example, VWOG buys mirrors from someone each year who bids on them to VWOG's specs. Maybe there is a shortage and VWOG tells VWOA we can't get you the quantity you need. VWOA says, will you let us buy them from another manufacturer who also bid on them so we don't run out? If VWOG says yes, then the part is sold in a VWOA parts box with a VWOA stamp on it. If it goes bad then VWOG isn't stuck paying to replace it, VWOA is.

Another example of sorts, today you might buy a new part from Classic VW DE. That company is owned by VWOG but it is a separate company. The part you get might be an original part VWOG made or contracted to have made, or it might be a reproduction. It will probably have a VW stamp on it and come in some kind of VW packaging.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[skills@eurocarsplus]

all of your 3rd party accessories were VWOA, like a/c units, trim kits etc. they are 100% legit parts and sometimes highly sought after.

just an example are floor mats, sliding door steps, a/c units, roof racks, antennas, radios etc

google VWoA accessories, they still exist today. You can buy a Thule roof box under the VWoA name for example.
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[rsbadura]

Hello,

[KTPhil]

It's not entirely clear to me that "Volkswagen Group of America" and "VWOA" are the same entity.

[raygreenwood]

[KTPhil]

[raygreenwood]

[SGKent]

KtPhil - companies do this all the time. When you go to Costco and buy a Costco Kirkland labeled product someone else made it. VW doesn't make all their parts. They buy them and put their label on the parts. Think Bosch for example. If VW sets up and owns a company in the USA, that company can buy a Bosch part thru VW or directly from Bosch. It is still a Bosch part, and VW makes a profit when it is sold whether it is VWOG or VWOA that sells it.

You and your spouse may own a business. You may decide to set up another one in another state as a separate corporation to protect yourself from lawsuits and legal issues at that new company. If it fails it can go BK without your present company being directly included. Companies do this ALL the Time.

Example:

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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[raygreenwood]

[SGKent]

from the VWOA website

[KTPhil]

I am banging my head against a wall here. I'll try not to be insulting, but it's getting harder...

VWOA is not Volkswagen Group of America. Notice the extra word, "group." Related, of course. But not identical. Got it?

Furthermore, we are talking about the relationship 50 years ago, not today. Got it?

Not my first rodeo. I've been following this parts and the VW, et al, corporate setup for 50 years, and I don't need pandering web quotes that are totally irrelevant to the topic, which is the parts heredity 50 years ago.

So repeating the same crap that does not address this is like talking to a telephone "press 1 to..." system with no exit, and I long for a sentient human being.

[sodbuster]

[SGKent]

KTPhil, you are making this harder that it has to be. VWOA and VWGOA are the same organization. VWOA is a DBA of VWGOA.

Here is an excerpt from a court case:

"Federal Trade Commission, Plaintiff, v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., a corporation, also doing business as Volkswagen of America, Inc., also doing business as Audi of America, Inc., Defendant."
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[KTPhil]