Would you still want to get rid of your TDI had dieselgate never happened?

pkhoury

That guy with the goats
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Nov 30, 2010
Location
Medina, TX
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2013 JSW, 2003 Jetta Ute, 2 x 2002 Golf, 2000 Golf
For those who are trying to sell their TDI, would you have still wanted to sell your vehicle had dieselgate not occured? Why or why not?
 
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JSWTDI09

Top Post Dawg
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Jan 31, 2009
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada
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2009 JSW TDI (gone but not forgotten)
Oh No, another new dieselgate thread. We shall see how long this one lasts before it becomes another duplicate of threadzilla.

I personally had no desire, past or present, to get out of my ownership, but I'm curious what others think.
I tend to agree completely. I am in no hurry to get rid of my car. It has been mostly trouble free for almost 7 years. The current issues are between VW and various governments. If/when it has any effect on me, I will deal with it then.
However, I also realize that I am one of the lucky ones because my car is long since paid off. Resale value means nothing to me since I am not trying to sell it.

Have Fun!

Don
 

NAZ TDI

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now Kuna, Idaho
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2015 Jetta TDI DSG
Would you still want to get rid of your TDI had dieselgate never occurred? Why or why not?

I personally had no desire, past or present, to get out of my ownership, but I'm curious what others think.
I agree. I still like my TDI and still plan on keeping it for 300-400,000 miles. It's my first ever new car, paid cash for it, and find the thousands of hissy fits on this thread rather humorous. "Dieselgate" has sure stirred up a feeding frenzy amongst the sharks! All their unsolicited letters and emails gets rather annoying, though.
VW is not the first company to come up with this clever workaround to deal with overly stringent laws. Caterpillar and Cummins did the same with their heavy duty truck engines in 1998, but they got caught too.
 

nucklehead

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The thread OP presumes everyone wants to get rid of their TDI's - I have no plans on selling or trading my car. If a forced buyback is in the cards I'm not going to be very happy about that outcome.

I bought my TDI with the fact that it may well be the last car I ever buy. I probably drive 6500 miles per year - I'm 68yo and not getting any younger. If I drive until I'm 80 that will be roughly 100k on the speedo. If I drive until I'm 85 that will be another 32k miles. I don't think the car will need much more than normal maintenance to roll that far.

Well... that is 'the plan' anyway.
 

pkhoury

That guy with the goats
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Location
Medina, TX
TDI
2013 JSW, 2003 Jetta Ute, 2 x 2002 Golf, 2000 Golf
The thread OP presumes everyone wants to get rid of their TDI's - I have no plans on selling or trading my car. If a forced buyback is in the cards I'm not going to be very happy about that outcome.
Not necessarily. And I would refuse to comply if a forced buyback were the outcome (which I believe we all doubt will be the case). But, with so many whining about wanting out of their TDI ownership on threadzilla, but without any rationale as to why, I created this thread as a result. I'm curious as to the rationale, as I'm sure others might be as well.

I bought my TDI with the fact that it may well be the last car I ever buy. I probably drive 6500 miles per year - I'm 68yo and not getting any younger. If I drive until I'm 80 that will be roughly 100k on the speedo. If I drive until I'm 85 that will be another 32k miles. I don't think the car will need much more than normal maintenance to roll that far.

Well... that is 'the plan' anyway.
Other than the TB. Correct me if I'm wrong, but won't the rubber crack with age as well, not merely with mileage accrued? Plus there are things that should be flushed every 2-3 years like brake fluid (which is really all cars, not relegated just to VW).
 

dgoodhue

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May 3, 2014
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Framingham, MA
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'14 6MT JSW
I buy new cars and plan to keep them ~10 years depending on the reliability and/or repairs costs. I am fortunately that my wife and I make enough money that we can afford new cars. When it start make more financial sense to buy a new car is when I typically would sell my car. I determine the average annual cost of my vehicles depreciation plus repairs, this is a big factor in my decision.

If VW makes generous buy back off that makes financial sense on our '14 JSW, I will take them up on the offer, because I have my doubts that it will be reliable long term with the recall repair. If they don't make buy back offer that make financial sense to me, I will have the recall done, keep my car and continue driving it with one eye on this forum to see how the reliable the recall repairs are.
 

IronJoe

Member
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Nov 4, 2013
Location
Tacoma, WA
TDI
2010 Jetta TDI Cup Edition
Yes before and after. I just ended up with bad timing to sell.
Same here. I still have the KBB printout from August when I listed my car for sale, and just checked it today - the value has dropped around $3000 since the news broke. I was selling it for what I owed, and now I'm magically underwater. I have continued to list it on CL but there isn't much point until official word on a fix comes out.

I will 100% take a buyback if offered. If it's a trade-in on a new VW, I will pass as I won't be buying another one.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

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South of Boston
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I think this is a good question. There are a bunch of threads with folks whining about the lost value of their TDIs and simultaneously saying how they would never sell. If you're not going to sell the value doesn't matter.

It's like the stock market year to date. Down 10% or more, but if you don't sell any securities it's irrelevant.

Regarding a buyback, you may or may not be able to refuse it. Some states refuse to renew registrations if a major recall is ignored. And this isn't just CARB states. If the recall is you have to sell your car back to VW and you don't comply, you'll end up with a car you cannot register.
 

dwfdiesel

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Muskoka Ontario Summer Lecanto FL winter
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I'm with you on that one. When the car presents a financial reason to buy another one then it's time to sell if the reasons are artificial or owned by the car doesn't matter. When I have to put in more money than I can extract out time to sell.
 

Cptcrnch

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Nov 21, 2014
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FredCo MD
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2004 Jetta TDI wagon; 2014 Golf TDI (buyback 7/26/17)
Bought it 07/2014 with the intention of taking care of it and driving it for a very long time. The emissions issue hasn't changed that and neither has low RUG prices. I'm "upgrading" the exhaust system at Diesel Dubs (or GDM as the paperwork says) in March when the tax man gives me my money back. The price of RUG won't be staying this low for long. When it spikes again I'll be driving around still getting 45+ mpg.

I've loved the car from the day I bought it. It's exceeded everything I was looking for. It's still the same car as it was back before the scandal. The problem is between VW and Govt and I plan to keep on driving more and worrying less.
 

Ares

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Takoma Park, MD
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2013 Passat SE
I buy new cars and plan to keep them ~10 years depending on the reliability and/or repairs costs. I am fortunately that my wife and I make enough money that we can afford new cars. When it start make more financial sense to buy a new car is when I typically would sell my car. I determine the average annual cost of my vehicles depreciation plus repairs, this is a big factor in my decision.
Same plan here, 10 years. Unless the $500 handshakes at the dealer for repairs become too routine, too soon. A mechanical break down would also lessen my ownership time.

Before dieselgate, owners getting rid of cars were concerned with repair cost and long term reliability.
 

ATR

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Jun 18, 2005
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Baltimore
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I'll admit a few days to a week after dieselgate hit I went to the dealer and test drove a gti. More of a "what if there's a buy back" then actually wanting to get rid of it.
 

Av8r3400

Well-known member
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May 31, 2007
Location
Wisconsin
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2012 Passat, 2001 Jetta
I like my Passat. It is a good looking car, it has a nice comfortable interior and it handles nice. I would keep it except for:

Poor fuel mileage (I average 30-33 mpg - and yes i know how to drive a diesel, I've done it over 30 years)
Drivability of the DSG is not to my liking
Repeated turbo failures
Now I have heater core issues

Research here has led me to learn of other cooler's plugging related failures.

This car has worn out it's welcome in my home. It is down the road in the next few weeks. After 30 years of VW diesels, I will never own a VW again.
 

tadawson

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Jun 14, 2013
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Lewisville, TX
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2013 Passat TDI SEL, 2015 Passat TDI SEL
Would you still want to get rid of your TDI had dieselgate never occurred? Why or why not?

I personally had no desire, past or present, to get out of my ownership, but I'm curious what others think.
Still? That implies that I wanted to get rid of it period, which is not the case. It's was a great car when we bought it, and no amount of bureaucratic poo flinging is going to change that . . . I'll sell if it gets presistently unreliable or unmaintainable, but that's about it . . .

And frankly, if I were in the need of another car, I'd buy another one tomorrow . . .

- Tim
 
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Mike91326

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Location
Los Angeles, CA
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2009 Jetta TDI
Gen 1 Buyback

Regarding a buyback, you may or may not be able to refuse it. Some states refuse to renew registrations if a major recall is ignored. And this isn't just CARB states. If the recall is you have to sell your car back to VW and you don't comply, you'll end up with a car you cannot register.
I have a Gen 1 TDI and live in SoCal. When I went to the dealer to activate my cards the GM told me that if there is a buy back my car would be one of the TDI's involved. He thought that all Gen 1's in California and those states that follow California will be bought back because it will be too costly to repair.
 
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IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
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South of Boston
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No one knows that yet. Lots of rumors and numbers flying around, none of them substantiated. Dealers are completely in the dark. Of course it's possible, but you'll know better when VW has a plan approved by the EPA. My point was that if a buyback does come to pass, you may not have the option to ignore it.
 

Tornado TDI

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Apr 24, 2002
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Chilliwack, British Columbia
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2015 Jetta TDI Highline 6MT
I've never even thought of getting rid of mine.
I just hope they get this all sorted out in the next 2 years, as I will have a 2008
pick up that will need replacing and I planned on replacing it with a TDI.
 

pkhoury

That guy with the goats
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Location
Medina, TX
TDI
2013 JSW, 2003 Jetta Ute, 2 x 2002 Golf, 2000 Golf
Still? That implies that I wanted to get rid of it period, which is not the case.
I just edited the first post in this thread to reflect that the question isn't applying to everyone, just those who are trying to sell theirs. I myself have no desire to part with mine, and I wasn't trying to imply that everyone else wants to get rid of theirs either.
 

fxk

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Vast wilderness between DC and Baltimore
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2014 Sportwagen TDI
As others mentioned a compound question, where one question is assumed to be fact.
Another example of your question:
So pkhoury, when was it that you stopped beating your wife? See how that works?

frank
 

pkhoury

That guy with the goats
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Location
Medina, TX
TDI
2013 JSW, 2003 Jetta Ute, 2 x 2002 Golf, 2000 Golf
As others mentioned a compound question, where one question is assumed to be fact.
Another example of your question:
So pkhoury, when was it that you stopped beating your wife? See how that works?

frank
I just changed the first post again. I'm glad I'm not married, otherwise, I'd find the analogy out of line.
 

ATR

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Location
Baltimore
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2011 Golf TDI 6MT
You're normally a little more wordy than that :D

But yeah, my sentiments exactly. Even bone stock engine wise I like it. I think I'll just get a tune after things mellow out to give it a bit more pep :cool:
 

Oilerlord

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Edmonton, Canada
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2012 JSW TDI w/DSG. 700 Mile Club. 2008 BMW X3 "Beatrice", 2004 BMW 330Xi, 2014 Mercedes B-Class Electric
I just changed the first post again. I'm glad I'm not married, otherwise, I'd find the analogy out of line.
The word police deemed post version 1.0 ambiguous and thus personally offensive. I'm pretty sure everyone else understood the crux of your point the first time around, and took it at face value.

People sell their cars for a lot of reasons. I stopped reading threadzilla when it turned into a class-action "pain & suffering" settlement proposal circus using dieselgate as a means to an end for a financial gain. It reminds me of an accident I was in back in 2001, where I slid on some ice, and tapped a bumper at under 5mph. No one was hurt but the "victims" took the opportunity to sue my insurance company.
 
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hybridkiller

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Southeastern US
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I still have the KBB printout from August when I listed my car for sale, and just checked it today - the value has dropped around $3000 since the news broke. I was selling it for what I owed, and now I'm magically underwater.
Part of that depreciation is normal - we're into a new model year and your car is technically a year older than it was last summer - and you (presumably) have more mileage on it now vs 6 months ago.
 
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bubbagumpshrimp

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Virginia
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'13 Jetta TDI
For those who are trying to sell their TDI, would you have still wanted to sell your vehicle had dieselgate not occured? Why or why not?
Yup. I began new car shopping a few weeks before the news broke. But to clarify...it's not a TDI issue (for me)...it's a Jetta issue.

I've got no functional complaints with my car. When I bought it...I had a 9 mile/15 minute commute and used it for the occasional lengthy road trip. For that...it was great. Now...I have a 55 mile/1.5+ hour commute (each way). Within a week of starting this job (the new commute)...I was mentally done with my car.

I'm tired of being crammed into a small car (I'm 6'4") with a manual transmission (lots of stop and go traffic). If I hadn't been a cheapskate and I'd just gone with an a Passat (larger interior) TDI with an automatic transmission (more stop and go traffic friendly)...I doubt I would give a 5h1t at the moment.

So yeah...that's my rub. Not the emissions issue itself, but the fact that as a result of the emissions issue...It's either stick with the car until the situation irons out...or go get bent over and railed without lube with the current trade-in prices.

Edit: At some point though, I'll just have to pick a "cut your losses" date and move on.
 
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opelgt21

Well-known member
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Jan 10, 2015
Location
Indianapolis
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2014 Jetta TDI - BB
The nail in the coffin for me was intercooler icing, so yes. If I had a '15 it probably would be a different story.
 

pkhoury

That guy with the goats
Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Location
Medina, TX
TDI
2013 JSW, 2003 Jetta Ute, 2 x 2002 Golf, 2000 Golf
I'm tired of being crammed into a small car (I'm 6'4") with a manual transmission (lots of stop and go traffic). If I hadn't been a cheapskate and I'd just gone with an a Passat (larger interior) TDI with an automatic transmission (more stop and go traffic friendly)...I doubt I would give a 5h1t at the moment.
Is the Jetta TDI smaller in seating area than the Sportwagen? I'm also 6'4" and I fit in mine just nicely. My only complaint there is that I can't remove the headrest so I can wear my cowboy hat while driving.
 
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