GnatGoSplat Posted January 29, 2003 Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 The steering wheel controls are worn out on my 94 Cutlass. The volume button is worn out so bad, it's almost completely white. The buttons appear to be translucent white plastic with a graphite-colored vinyl coating which has white translucent lettering on it. On the buttons where the coating isn't worn off, it's bubbling up in spots. Rather than spend $135+ on new steering wheel controls, does anyone know if a vinyl shop could make new vinyl overlays for the buttons? I could easily pick/scrape off all the old vinyl coating so I would think vinyl overlays in graphite with the lettering on them could be stuck right onto the bare white buttons. I don't know how much a vinyl shop might charge for some button overlays, it might be cheaper just to blow $135 on a new set. Anyone know of vinyl decal shops I might ask? The buttons themselves still function perfectly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intlcutlass Posted January 29, 2003 Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 sup Shawn? Hey , I think the j/y I visit frequently may have had a Cutty with the steering wheel controls. I let you know in the next day or too, If they do have em, I'll yank the buttons for ya.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted January 29, 2003 Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 I don't know of any shops that would do this, but being that some places "print" graphics on vinyl, I don't see why not. It sucks, I didnt realize it's not only '95+ cars that got the peel-away buttons! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted January 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 This is my 94 so it has the airbag steering wheel just like 95+. The SWC's on my '89 are mint, as they should be because I think they're molded in color. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted January 29, 2003 Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 Cost cutting doesn't go unnoticed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeZ34 Posted January 29, 2003 Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 That's no joke.. Just look at the trim panels in my cutlass. One of the clips that holds the headlight switch in it broken, the clips on the a piller panels are broken.. damn cheap shit. My buttons are doing the same Shawn. Not as bad, but one's starting to chip at the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted January 29, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 Yeah, speaking of cost cutting... Luke, have you ever taken a look at the welds under the car right behind the front wheels? Maybe they built yours better, but I have never, EVER seen uglier welds! I think mine was built on a Monday or Friday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luminator94 Posted January 29, 2003 Report Share Posted January 29, 2003 The steering wheel controls are worn out on my 94 Cutlass.The volume button is worn out so bad, it's almost completely white. The buttons appear to be translucent white plastic with a graphite-colored vinyl coating which has white translucent lettering on it. On the buttons where the coating isn't worn off, it's bubbling up in spots. Rather than spend $135+ on new steering wheel controls, does anyone know if a vinyl shop could make new vinyl overlays for the buttons? I could easily pick/scrape off all the old vinyl coating so I would think vinyl overlays in graphite with the lettering on them could be stuck right onto the bare white buttons. I don't know how much a vinyl shop might charge for some button overlays, it might be cheaper just to blow $135 on a new set. Anyone know of vinyl decal shops I might ask? The buttons themselves still function perfectly. Yeah, my power window and power lock buttons are starting to do that to on my 97, just a tiny bit of wear, more on the window button though. Aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeZ34 Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 I just went out and looked at the welds.. and from what welds I could see, they looked to be alright. Any place specific I should look? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted January 30, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 The ugly welds on mine are the ones on the vertical pieces. If your welds look good, mine must not have been assembled with as good quality! Plus, on the lower door opening moldings, the same genius welded one of the metal brackets in the wrong place (on both sides) so the metal clip holding the plastic trim on won't attach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luminator94 Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 I've noticed those welds on mine to. If I'm on the same track as you, its right behind the tire, exactly in the middle. If the welds stuck out any further, they would probly slice n' dice my tires! Aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted January 30, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 Yep, those sound like the same welds. I didn't know the coupes had them too since I don't remember seeing those kinds of welds on my '89, but I've noticed the older W-bodies are slightly different on the frame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted January 30, 2003 Report Share Posted January 30, 2003 The air conditioning buttons on my climate control module are starting to crack like some I've seen in pictures. Strange that the ones least touched are the ones cracking. Maybe I should start feeling up my lesser touched buttons? Anything for the car right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musthavemuzk Posted January 31, 2003 Report Share Posted January 31, 2003 The ugly welds on mine are the ones on the vertical pieces.If your welds look good, mine must not have been assembled with as good quality! Plus, on the lower door opening moldings, the same genius welded one of the metal brackets in the wrong place (on both sides) so the metal clip holding the plastic trim on won't attach. funny how you should mention things of this nature Shawn. as i work on a assembly line. and well lemme tell ya the things they let go by saying that most comsumers will not notice it. or it does not effect the performance or looks or whatever the reason of the moment is. it is tought to take pride when your superiors tell you to look the other way. guess when it comes to my hard earned money buying new i want something i can be proud of. i want quality. i want it too look great. ok enough of my rambling. Monty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEMonte1997 Posted February 1, 2003 Report Share Posted February 1, 2003 The air conditioning buttons on my climate control module are starting to crack like some I've seen in pictures. Strange that the ones least touched are the ones cracking. Maybe I should start feeling up my lesser touched buttons? Anything for the car right? hehehe.. perhaps some vinyl dressing? black magic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted February 1, 2003 Report Share Posted February 1, 2003 The ugly welds on mine are the ones on the vertical pieces.If your welds look good, mine must not have been assembled with as good quality! Plus, on the lower door opening moldings, the same genius welded one of the metal brackets in the wrong place (on both sides) so the metal clip holding the plastic trim on won't attach. funny how you should mention things of this nature Shawn. as i work on a assembly line. and well lemme tell ya the things they let go by saying that most comsumers will not notice it. or it does not effect the performance or looks or whatever the reason of the moment is. it is tought to take pride when your superiors tell you to look the other way. guess when it comes to my hard earned money buying new i want something i can be proud of. i want quality. i want it too look great. ok enough of my rambling. Monty That's how most places operate though. People at the factory won't make a big deal about a sloppy weld, misplaced fasteners (that aren't noticeable) because most consumers don't take anything apart or inspect the car outside of the paint finish, general underhood, and general interior. If mistakes can be covered up with interior body panels etc then they'll just rig up a way to make the panel stay in its place, even though mounting points are in the wrong spot or whatever. You can only quality-control so much before workers just get so ticked off with a supervisor up their butt about little things, that they go on strike or just say "to hell with it" and now there's a shortage of people, which means even more shortcuts and mistakes will be made. As long as the mistakes aren't a safety issue and don't make a serious impact on longetivity and dependability, they will always be there. On a side note, who was the person on the old yahoo group that mentioned that he's seen cigarette butts in the oil pans of cars when first removed?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musthavemuzk Posted February 1, 2003 Report Share Posted February 1, 2003 there just has to be a line drawn somewhere though. it may seem like it is not a big thing, but you never know for sure if it is big or not. that panel may come loose with the windows down and distract the driver and cause an accident. and so on and so forth. what will it take before things like this are an issue? i just dunno *shrugs shoulders and steps away* Monty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian P Posted February 2, 2003 Report Share Posted February 2, 2003 i know, i agree, the use of robots and other equipment will correct this. Imagine all the human error/quality problems of things that used to be made by hand, like electronics, furniture, lumber, etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted February 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2003 Here's a pic of those ugly welds. All bumpy, blobby welds. I don't see anything resembling a bead. Same story on the other side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91CuttyConv Posted February 4, 2003 Report Share Posted February 4, 2003 WOW, that is pretty sloppy. My 1991's looks real good, a nice smooth line, can hardly tell there is a weld. Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctx46 Posted February 4, 2003 Report Share Posted February 4, 2003 I think your car was made on a fri at about 4:58 pm.... Monday cars would have been a little better than that... lol those are bad..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted February 4, 2003 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2003 Heheh, I shoulda took pics of the terribly undersized hole that one of the rear window switches was SMASHED into. Its housing was damaged and the switch was sticking out almost 1/4". Also the passenger side trim piece... roughly cut to fit around the carpet because the carpet wasn't cut right and the trim piece wouldn't fit well. Instead of cutting the carpet right, they took the trim piece to a belt sander or something of the sort. Also the big connector behind the right-side kick area that wasn't fastened down to anything and was making a huge lump in the carpet. My '89 was built SOOOOOOO much better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeZ34 Posted February 4, 2003 Report Share Posted February 4, 2003 Once this snow melts I'll take a look at mine and see how the welds look.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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