Don't strip out your car at all

I just turned in my 2010 sportwagen on Friday. After reading the forums, I thought I could turn in any condition and it would be ok. I got a 2015 sportwagen to replace it.

I decided to take the spare out of the 2015 and trade out one of the 2010 17" Portos so I can keep a full size spare in my trunk.

The guys takes a funny look at the car and calls the regional supervisor. He said I need all 4 original tires and the original spare to turn it in. Turns out they had a meeting and the car can't have any major damage or anything strange about it. Since they are approved to fix and resell the car, they want it in a resellable condition.

I called my wife to drive over the wheel from the garage. He looked closely at everything else to make sure it was all there.

Advice for those who want to strip out some parts before turning it in. I would avoid it. The only thing I got away with is taking the all weather floor mats and jack, which I transferred to my new car. (I hate the new style jack it came with)

Yep, because of this crap: https://www.google.com/amp/jalopnik...ers-are-stripping-their-cars-b-1790053005/amp

Judge steps in: https://www.usatoday.com/story/mone...esel-scandal-settlement-substantial/95711452/

original tires? wow those went to the recycler 60K miles ago.

My 2010 went back with a great set of 195-70-15 studded snows on steel rims. Guess your mileage will very. Granted this was back in June before the fix was announced.

If you wanted to fight it, you probably could have, claimed you curbed that rim and it was destroyed it, then ask for the fine print where it states that about the rims. Many a time people have called out the BS the BS dries up, and they buy it back.

Why screw around and have to worry if your great trade in deal gets denied. I hate to read these threads.

My buyback representative didn't even look in the trunk. I put my steel wheels with the old snow tires on the car and kept the VW rims. The dealers at the dealership suggested that I take whatever I want, including mats, iPod connector, etc. They said it's getting destroyed anyway. The rep just took a few pictures and that was it. I guess it varies between different reps.

lvfnchs said:

My buyback representative didn't even look in the trunk.

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Likewise, for four sold back, the most recent last month. And one of those was riding on a spare (the original tire, with a hole in the sidewall, was in the trunk).

lvfnchs said:

My buyback representative didn't even look in the trunk. I put my steel wheels with the old snow tires on the car and kept the VW rims. The dealers at the dealership suggested that I take whatever I want, including mats, iPod connector, etc. They said it's getting destroyed anyway. The rep just took a few pictures and that was it. I guess it varies between different reps.

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Sorry, I meant original rims, not tires.
When did you do your buyback? I think it was before they announced a gen1 fix and it was assumed all the cars would be junked. Now they can resell it. I read a lot of posts of people turning in their cars partially stripped and with no problems. I think 6 months ago that would have been fine but it seems strict now.

I was able to take out floor mats, jack, almost all the diesel. I left the house and it went from 5mi range to 0. Drove 5 miles to the dealership and there should be at least 20 miles before it is bone dry. Things that needed repair: RCD 510, broken roof rack, cracked windshield, bad glow plug, fogged up headlights, timing belt replacement soon, broken sway bar, DSG service due.


TLDR: in the past it was ok to strip out a little from the car. Now it will be harder to be accepted. YMMV

I think you guys are hysterical. You say you love these cars but will do anything to make them rarer and unsellable. You say you hate VW because they were dishonest and yet here you are selling back a car that is missing parts and some of those parts are important safety stuff like jacks etc..

You have no problem with being unethical and dishonest but you castrate VW for it. I hope your new car treats you the same

Darth_Furious said:

Sorry, I meant original rims, not tires.
When did you do your buyback? I think it was before they announced a gen1 fix and it was assumed all the cars would be junked. Now they can resell it. I read a lot of posts of people turning in their cars partially stripped and with no problems. I think 6 months ago that would have been fine but it seems strict now.

I was able to take out floor mats, jack, almost all the diesel. I left the house and it went from 5mi range to 0. Drove 5 miles to the dealership and there should be at least 20 miles before it is bone dry. Things that needed repair: RCD 510, broken roof rack, cracked windshield, bad glow plug, fogged up headlights, timing belt replacement soon, broken sway bar, DSG service due.


TLDR: in the past it was ok to strip out a little from the car. Now it will be harder to be accepted. YMMV

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I did the buyback last night. No mention of the rims or anything. I did leave the jack and put 3 gallons in the car before returning it. It's such a great car I wanted to end it right, and the new one comes with a jack so I don't need 2. Mine has over 160k miles on it so I'm not sure if they'll try to sell it. The new car came with nice front GTI mats and no rear mats and the dealer suggested I take the rear mats from the old car, but they're the same anyway so I left them. All the buyback rep cared about was the mileage, literally.

I've not had a problem returning a car with original rims.

Specifically, 4 original spares.

I would agree though that since the emission modifications have been approved, they are likely to take a harder look for things missing.

My original rims are long-gone, changed out my 2014 stock wheels to +2 wheels and tires. I intend on turning it in that way, there is no way they can insist on original wheels and tires. The consent degree made no mention of that.

They are more likely to make a stink if it appears to them that the factory rims were intentionally removed just for the buyback. Some people are pretty tight with the purse strings.

I intentionally changed my factory rims for snows the day of BB to snows. Although I should have been rocking studded snows April May and June just for the sweet sound.

again this was before gen 1 fix was announced.