They could just license the right to use the name for a minimal fee.  Ford did this with a lot of companies.

Mark in AK

----- Original Message -----
From: Tim Demarest <tim.demarest@POBOX.COM>
Date: Friday, October 21, 2005 8:40 am
Subject: Re: Friday-  Re: VW SUCKS...Re: name change of Volks Cafe...

> Yup, they have to... trademark law basically boils down to "Defend
> it or
> lose it to public domain".
>
> VW (or any compnay) can only keep it's trademark by relentlessly
> chasingdown all unlicensed users of the mark and slapping cease
> and desist orders
> on them. So, if you think it's limited to VW, I invite you to
> check the
> following link (and remember, it's Friday):
>
>
> http://www.metrostate.com/library/stories/01/mar/NationalPost.htm
>
>
> At 11:27 AM 10/21/2005 -0500, Stan Wilder wrote:
> >Do you suppose that VW has little mini Nazi's monitoring all the
> VW blogs,
> >lists, vendors, E baze, wrecking yards, BenT page?
> >
> >Stan Wilder
> >Engine Ceramics
> >214-352-4931
> >www.engineceramics.com
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "BenT Syncro" <syncro@GMAIL.COM>
> >To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> >Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 10:34 AM
> >Subject: Re: VW SUCKS...Re: name change of Volks Cafe...
> >
> >
> >Chris,
> >  Aren't you afraid Volkswagen will come knocking on JordanVW's
> door at the
> >farm in Philly?
> >  A certain Horace Kimbrell Sawyer from Georgia, once offered to
> defend my
> >use of the name Vanagon Cafe pro bono last time this
> controversary popped
> >up. You remember him don't you? No, I don't mean the cause for
> the deceased
> >senator/former singer. Nor Bono who said "You Too?"
> >  I could always call it BenT Cafe. Bent to please VW's then.
> >  Anyway, this is neither here nor there but Vanagon Construction
> which used
> >to pop-up on my net searches for the word "Vanagon" seems to have
> >disappeared. Who could be next? I can see it now. The headlines
> reads,>"Vanagon Deconstruction".
> >  BenT but still STR8
> >
> >
> >  On 10/21/05, JordanVw@aol.com <JordanVw@aol.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > In a message dated 10/20/05 7:29:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> > > jeff@VANAGONPARTS.COM writes:
> > >
> > >
> > > > IIRC, Peter told me that they've been in negotiations with
> VW for over 6
> > > > years. I don't think there was any more room at the end of
> the rope.
> > > >
> > > > Cheers,
> > > >
> > > > Jeff
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > Jeff...arent you worried alittle about this as well? i'd think
> the name
> > > "Vanagon" is also trademarked by VW and their bored lawyers
> would be
> > > knocking on
> > > your door next too.. do you think they will?
> > >
> > > chris
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >--
> >BenT
>