Audi Offers Its Own Goodwill Program To A3 TDI Owners

Aaron Cole
by Aaron Cole

Audi announced last week that owners of its A3 TDI model would be offered the same goodwill program available to Volkswagen TDI owners.

The program, which started Nov. 20, offers owners the same $500 prepaid Visa card that can be used anywhere and a $500 dealership gift card that can be used at Audi dealerships. Three years of roadside assistance also will be included in the goodwill program.

According to Audi’s diesel information site, accepting the goodwill package doesn’t preclude owners from suing Audi in the future.

The program appears to operate similarly to Volkswagen’s goodwill program.

Affected owners with Audi A3 TDI cars purchased before Nov. 8 will need to register their car via VIN number with Audi to receive their package. To activate their gift cards, owners will still need to go to an Audi dealership to have them activated there.

According to initial reports, roughly 120,000 diesel owners have registered their Volkswagen cars with the automaker to receive their goodwill package.

Audi is only making available its goodwill program to owners of A3 TDI cars. Cars equipped with Volkswagen’s 3-liter diesel engine, which include the Q5, Q7, A6, A7 and A8, that Audi admitted used unreported auxiliary emissions control devices to pass emissions tests are not eligible for the program.

“We are cooperating with authorities to investigate the issues affecting these TDI models,” the automaker said on its website.

Aaron Cole
Aaron Cole

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  • 70Cougar 70Cougar on Nov 24, 2015

    With $500 to spend at the Audi dealer, you should be able to get an oil change or a floor mat!

    • Pdl2dmtl Pdl2dmtl on Nov 24, 2015

      Ha, ha... I completely agree. And maybe a top-up with windshield washer fluid.

  • APaGttH APaGttH on Nov 24, 2015

    So buyers of the entry level luxury Audi get the exact same package as a VW owner. clap - clap - clap - clap - clap VW is doing an incredible imitation of GM - minus the direct body count.

    • See 3 previous
    • Corey Lewis Corey Lewis on Nov 25, 2015

      I was thinking this. Being that Audi customers spend considerably more to have four rings on their cars, their compensation should be larger. Bump those two cards up to $750 each.

  • Jdiaz34 Jdiaz34 on Nov 24, 2015

    Why do lessees get anything? I don't follow leasing, but haven't they already negotiated the back end of their deal at the higher residuals/resale value of the old days? I don't see how lessees aren't still whole already, unlike cash/finance buyers or dealers. Or is it just a PR thing to try and keep them in VWs?

    • APaGttH APaGttH on Nov 24, 2015

      Lessees were still lied to about "clean diesel technology," which they didn't get. It is an attempt to stave off folks from joining class action suits against VAG because hey, I got this $500/$500 deal.

  • Dantes_inferno Dantes_inferno on Nov 25, 2015

    Avoiding all things TDI will provide more goodwill than VW/Audi can ever hope to achieve.

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