Topic: Volkswagen to launch goodwill program for TDI owners

[Autos_Editor]

Not confirmed yet, but it'd be a nice gesture
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[Blueprint]

VWoA has been somewhat more proactive on this, first with a 2500$ loyalty rebate for ANY VW owner applicable on the purchase of a new gas VW (Canucks get 2k$, and that's for TDI owners only). Second, VWoA guarantees TDI resale values to its dealers so they are able to take TDI trade-ins (no such program here so far, dealers won't take TDI trades at all). VWoA is also sending cash to its dealers to compensate the lost sales (no idea if that's happening up here). If that "goodwill" cash thing does happen in the US, in the interest of fairness, well we want some money too!!

[safristi]

Good Will Hunting....Genius...

[Guy]

I would not be surprised they will demand a waiver from anyone that accept the $1,000., giving up the possibility to join a class action or any law suit against VW. A bad deal IMHO.

[hemusbull]

VW is a big fraudulent conglomerate. Years and years they have built here in North America a unique monopoly and the TDI engine cars were actually without any real competition. As a result the diesel VW products are with inflated prices although the cars are with a mediocre reliability. No question, the TDI engines itself are long lasting but the vehicles as a whole are not Civic or Corolla. Anyway, the excellent fuel efficiency is what sales them. Overseas they have fierce competition but here the corporate policy of VW and their "competitors" like GM, Hyundai, Toyota and so on created a market ONLY for VW products...And now this diesel monopolised marked is on the verge of collapse...

[EV-Light]

Class action suit.  Funny.  No one died. The cars are a riot to drive and get amazing gas mileage.  They spew more emissions than the standard for small cars yet we ignore that there are far more truck diesels sold that do not have anywhere near the same standard.

GM knowingly accepts faulty parts and people die.  People are still buyng their cars.

They did worse...I am sure one can estimate the number of people that died indirectly from additional emissions! On top of that, add the fact that they created a monopoly based on cheating the system...I bet some of their competitors could easily sue them and allege economic losses! That'd be hilarious!!



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[safristi]

"GOODWILL" programme....a $25 dollar coupon for some second hand lederhosen and a Tyrol hat at their stores

[EV-Light]

Class action suit.  Funny.  No one died. The cars are a riot to drive and get amazing gas mileage.  They spew more emissions than the standard for small cars yet we ignore that there are far more truck diesels sold that do not have anywhere near the same standard.

GM knowingly accepts faulty parts and people die.  People are still buyng their cars.

They did worse...I am sure one can estimate the number of people that died indirectly from additional emissions! On top of that, add the fact that they created a monopoly based on cheating the system...I bet some of their competitors could easily sue them and allege economic losses! That'd be hilarious!!



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Can you please quantify the number of people that have died from high emissions from diesel transport trucks?  Airplane emissions?  Factory emissions?  Volcanos?

I think cheating is bad but they ALL do it.  Your personally vendetta against VW, notwithstanding, everything you have said is heresay. 

Hyundai was fined severly by the EPA for providing test cars that were tested to have very high fuel mileage but where the production cars came no where near that.  This is why the turbo motor that they use has been detuned significantly over the past couple of years.  With the extra fuel burned I wonder how many more long term deaths there were?

Sound absurd?

Of note, even the EPA is reviewing their standards to see if diesel emission standards are not only possible, but reasonable for passenger cars.  There is no monopoly here; there are many manufacturers that have diesel products in Europe and the rest of the world.  Sweet Lord.

You make is sound like every second person drives a diesel VW and then proceeds to sleep next to the exhaust pipes while it is running. 

I am not sure why you are attempting to bring trucks into this matter...they have their own set of standards and as far as I know, none of them have been caught cheating.

I own a VW...and it's not personal, I can't  support a company that plainly cheated the system and used it as a way to monopolize the diesel passenger car.

You keep saying EPA is revising their policies...BS unless you provide a link to support your claim.


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[jamesautos]

clean diesel...they are not...thats false advertising (customers can sue on that alone)

they undercut in price compared to other car makers by cheating and without expensive emission control equipment...thats why Mazda has yet to sell the SkyActive diesel along with other mainstream non-cheating manufacturers...you cannot build a proper engine to EPA standard and try to be compete with VW in price in the economy car market (VW cheat hence VW can sell to undercut other car makers in price)

[Blueprint]

Back on topic: VWoA is supposed to confirm that goodwill program today (Monday Nov. 9th). What remains to be seen is if - when - VWoC will follow suit. If the trend continues, Americans will get 1k$, and we will get a free toque just in time for winter.

[Noto]

Not confirmed yet, but it'd be a nicesmart gesture

I would not be surprised they will demand a waiver from anyone that accept the $1,000., giving up the possibility to join a class action or any law suit against VW. A bad deal IMHO.

No signed waiver is required.  By accepting the payout, it is deemed acceptance of full and proper consideration for the damages so-caused.  VW would maintain a list of each and every owner that accepts the card(s) and would use it to decertify any person attempting to join the class.  The courts would accept this as well.

It's not VW being 'mean' or 'inconsiderate' or 'greedy' or 'menacing' in any way...it's simply an offer to owners to compensate them for a fair value.  Is it top dollar?  No.  Would top dollar be attained in a civil law suit?  Absolutely not.  Remember that of the what, $4,000 the owners would be awarded at a trial (they settle before that, which is also a compromise), at least 30%, plus applicable taxes, plus disbursements, will come off.  I'd wager that in a class-action, each owner would get no more than $2,000 when all legal fees are deducted.  The winners there are solely the lawyers.

There are current class action suits against Subaru for head gasket issues with their 2.5L.  These have not been settled despite the overwhelming evidence that not only are their head gaskets lined with paper, but that Subaru has known about this for over 10 years and refuses to do anything about it.  Bastards.   

Check your facts.  The only existing Class Action suits against Subaru for the headgasket are related to the 2011 and later vehicles.  From the date of discovery, I would anticipate that no Statements of Claim have even been issued.  Class Actions by their nature will take nearly a decade to go to trial based on the volume of information/evidence to be adduced.  Settlement is unlikely to ever happen within 3-4 years, either, unless the Class is not serious about its claim.

Vehicles are complex.  Subaru did not purposefully install headgasket "cheat" devices, Cadure.  These issues are not the same by any stretch of the imagination.

VAG did knowingly install a device intended to mislead and misrepresent data so that it could get ahead in the marketplace.  At the very least, all gains that were made from that program need to be taken away.  VAG will pay for it, and will further pay for the remediation that is necessary.

In terms of owners, there must be actual damages before recovery can and should occur.  The only damages that can exist are based on resale value.  There will not be any general, non-pecuniary "pain and suffering" awarded to current owners, and nor should there be.  Taking $1,000+ now, plus $2,000 in terms of a loyalty incentive to replace your vehicle is very fair and does not require an owner to wait 5+ years to recover.

All these negative comments without any insight into what actually occurs...Honestly, Saf makes the most sense in these threads.

[pcsp]

clean diesel...they are not...thats false advertising (customers can sue on that alone)

they undercut in price compared to other car makers by cheating and without expensive emission control equipment...thats why Mazda has yet to sell the SkyActive diesel along with other mainstream non-cheating manufacturers...you cannot build a proper engine to EPA standard and try to be compete with VW in price in the economy car market (VW cheat hence VW can sell to undercut other car makers in price)

GM has done it very successfully with the diesel Cruze. Vehicle keeps getting better.

[conwelpic]

US info

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2015/11/volkswagen-posts-goodwill-program-details-wont-preclude-owners-from-suing/#more-1215049

[Noto]

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2015/11/volkswagen-posts-goodwill-program-details-wont-preclude-owners-from-suing/#more-1215049

HA!  All you silly non-lawyer folk keep on beliebing that sh!t.

Owners who signed up for Volkswagen’s “Goodwill Program” to receive $1,000 will still be able to take the automaker to court, according to documents posted by Volkswagen on Monday.

Sure you can still 'take' VAG to court.  ...but can VW decide how a Court will conclude?  AND, any damages will be reduced by that amount.  That is, if you go to court and are awarded $3,000, then you will receive $3,000, LESS the amount offered to you previously by VAG (so if it's $1,000...then $2,000 remaining).  From that, you have legal fees, etc.

More importantly, however, what this does is penalize those who do NOT take the incentive.  That is, if you take VAG to court, but have not accepted the $1,000, then VW will argue that there was that incentive available.  Insodoing, VAG will get to deduct what was available, even if not acted on.

Either way, brilliant move by VAG.

[SKYMTL]

Rumor has it that this will involve a mandatory binding arbitration clause for lawsuits.  We will see....

[Blueprint]

Received an email from VWoC announcing a good will program, whose details they will soon send us.

Edit: no amount mentioned

Good on them to act quickly after the official US announcement (it is a 500$ Visa card and 500$ VW credit, as rumored).

[johngenx]

The difference is that Subaru didn't purposely design the engine to be faulty.  Once they knew about it, yes, they should have fixed it, but they didn't set out to deceive.

[mixmanmash]

The difference is that Subaru didn't purposely design the engine to be faulty.  Once they knew about it, yes, they should have fixed it, but they didn't set out to deceive.

This.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

A person could spend hours listing suits in the US on pretty much anything.

But the issue with Subaru was only identified after the cars were in production. Allegations aside, it is very unlikely that Subaru decided in the design phase to go with a design with a potentially high failure rate. They would have known as well as anyone the shitstorm that would follow.

VW set out in the design phase to deliberately cheat the system. The intent is very much different, and very relevant to regulators.

[rrocket]

A person could spend hours listing suits in the US on pretty much anything.

But the issue with Subaru was only identified after the cars were in production. Allegations aside, it is very unlikely that Subaru decided in the design phase to go with a design with a potentially high failure rate. They would have known as well as anyone the shitstorm that would follow.

VW set out in the design phase to deliberately cheat the system. The intent is very much different, and very relevant to regulators.

But Subaru knew VERY early on they were failure prone.  And they kept the same design for the following years while at the same time doing nothing for owners when they failed.

That's just as bad IMO.  Actually, it's worse because people were out more $$$ out of pocket than with the VW BS.