Volkswagen Buying Back Bad Diesels From Dealers At Pre-crisis Prices
Volkswagen told dealers that it would buy back some of its unsellable, used diesel cars withering on their lots at fixed prices to help dealers cope during the automaker’s growing diesel scandal, Automotive News reported.
The cars that dealers are accepting on trade-in, but can’t sell due to their illegally polluting engines, have sat on lots while the automaker develops its plan to fix 482,000 cars sold in the U.S. with the illegal “defeat device.” Volkswagen has offered a $2,000 “loyalty discount” for any Volkswagen trade-in, including diesel cars.
According to memos obtained by Automotive News, dealers will inventory those cars until mid-November and submit those counts to Volkswagen. It’s unclear what the automaker would do with those cars and if the buyback would extend to all cars — or just older models that would need more extensive repairs.
The plan was announced at a Volkswagen dealer meeting Oct. 22, the first since the Environmental Protection Agency notified the automaker that its diesels polluted up to 40 times the legal limit of nitrogen oxides.
Volkswagen’s move to buyback the diesels would keep from those car prices from plummeting further at auction. According Kelley Blue Book, auction prices have dropped for Volkswagen’s diesel cars have dropped 16 percent since the scandal erupted.
According to the report, Volkswagen is also developing a “customer goodwill” program that may compensate owners. It’s unclear what that program will be, or how it could repay customers.
More by Aaron Cole
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2012 VW Jetta TDI MMR National Averages Oct 2014 - $13,027 w/57k miles April 2015 - $12,996 w/61k miles August 2015 - $11,125 w/63k miles October 2015 - $10,147 w/61k miles November 2015 - $9,725 (estimate) October 2016 - $3,550 (estimate)
This would never happen if VW were GM. A really classy move on VW's part.
Making a manufacturer solely responsible for the depreciation curve of a used vehicle sets a dangerous precedent. Next owners will sue manufacturers for "loss of value" when a new model releases and drives down the value of the previous model. There is no evidence that when the affected TDI's are brought up to spec that the modifications will make any noticeable difference with driveability. Would it be fair for a court to hold a manufacturer of vehicles with poor fuel economy responsible for higher depreciation when fuel costs rise and catches the consumer unaware?
drop em off at an empty boeing hangar in long beach and ship em off to china