UPDATE: Don't Signup for Volkswagen's "2.0L TDI Customer Goodwill Package" Just Yet

Mark Stevenson
by Mark Stevenson

Update: Information about retracted article below with links to published documents.

On Sunday, Volkswagen of America launched signups for its “2.0L TDI Customer Goodwill Package”, which is fully expected to provide prepaid debit cards to owners of the 500,000 affected diesel vehicles that pollute up to 40 times the amount allowed by law.

However, if you are one of those TDI owners, it might be best to wait a day or two before signing up as Volkswagen has not yet published the terms of accepting the goodwill package.

Links on the website that should redirect you to terms of the goodwill package were dead as of Sunday afternoon. The “Goodwill Package FAQ’s” page was unavailable, along with other links that should detail Program Rules, Program Overview and Cardholder Agreements.

The Program Overview and Cardholder Agreements have since been published.

While it would be too early to speculate on specifics, agreeing to the goodwill program could possibly result in owners waiving certain rights in the future.

More as it develops.

TTAC ran a piece about the Card Agreement early Monday morning that included an arbitration clause. That clause is limited to use of the prepaid card, which is standard practice for those types of cards. Because of this, the article has been retracted.

When we have more information on the program itself, we will post it, but not before double-checking it all first.

Sorry for any confusion this may have caused.

Mark Stevenson
Mark Stevenson

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6 of 23 comments
  • Threeer Threeer on Nov 09, 2015

    Yeah, full 100% buyback isn't going to happen. Best they would do (in a fantasy dream world) would be to offer buy back at something like KBB retail, which is of course, subject to some degree of speculation on just how accurate the value is. But VW isn't going to buy back all of these cars for what they were sold for. That said, $1000 in two pre-paid cards is laughable, given the potential loss of value these owners will face. Up the ante. Make it worthwhile. Heck, I don't own a VW, but I still take second glances at the Sportwagen and enough incentive on the hood *might* get me into the door at my local dealer...

    • Thattruthguy Thattruthguy on Nov 09, 2015

      If the vehicles can't be repaired to be fit for purpose and registered in the owner's state, buyback at full KBB value in August 2015 is the minimum liability VW will have, not the maximum.

  • Ddorrer Ddorrer on Nov 09, 2015

    I have owned 3 TDis since 2010; the latest a 2015 Golf Sportwagen TDi, so I have been lied to ever since. I will not accept a pay-off with Credit Cards. I want a full buyback at full retail price plus damages. I will not complete any recall until the lawsuits are settled. I will not join a class-action as the participants never get their fair share. I will file my own federal lawsuit and join the Multi-District Litigation panel and let the paid gunslingers do the dirty work until VW is ready to settle. VW is digging their own grave, just keep digging...

  • Ropegun Ropegun on Nov 09, 2015

    Buyback plus damages? You clearly have zero understanding of US law. Best case scenario: you might be compensated for the loss of value and possibly for loss of performance (mileage) although you are likely getting better than advertised performance now so when they "fix" the car and it gets 1-2mpg worse than the window sticker, you will be left with a $50 gas card. The idea that you are somehow entitled to full purchase price of the vehicle PLUS damages is preposterous. Had you attempted to drive the car off the lot and it didn't function, you might be lucky enough to get your money back. But you have been enjoying the vehicle for how many miles? And you have been injured in what way? The idea that you are owed something in this scenario is what is wrong with this country... You dont get to have something for free just because you "feel" like you were wronged...

  • GSwag GSwag on Nov 10, 2015

    I am no lawyer, but I know there is no way that VW is going to issue a buyback of our cars (2013 Passat TDI here BTW) at KBB value, much less 100%. Their lawyers and accountants are working on it overtime to determine the absolute cheapest solution for THEM. That will not be buying back anything. Its sad because I love my car and would have been a customer for life but now they can kiss it goodbye. I don't mind the EPA rule breaking because the EPA restrictions are flawed from the beginning but I detest the fact VW put its customers in this compromised position by deliberately breaking the law. Did they really think nobody would ever discover this? The ethical thing for VW to do is a buyback but ethics and law and profit seldom go together. Its a shame really for a business like VW to lose such loyal customers

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