Return car with engine dead?

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bigdogdan2

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 22, 2009
Location
Arizona
TDI
Jetta
I was planning on returning my 09 Jetta for buyback later down the road, but my luck ran out and the engine died, got check engine light on. Its at a mechanic but it doesn't look good so far since it doesn't look like its any of the basic things.

So I was wondering if anyone was able to turn turn in a TDI for buyback by towing it to the place? I don't even mind if they took some value out of the price they were going to buy it back at.

Or do I have to fix it no matter what and then drive it there? :(

Thanks,
Dan
 
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DanB36

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2003
Location
Savannah, GA
TDI
2014 Q5 Prestige TDI, Monsoon Gray
misternoggin said:
Everything I have seen indicates that it must get to the dealership under its own power.
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Then everything you've seen is wrong; there's no stipulation as to how the car gets to the dealer. However, it must be able to drive under its own power, which necessarily means the engine has to run.
 
L

LRTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2002
Location
Red Sox Nation
TDI
RIP 16 GSW... Just the LR diesel now
cavymeister said:
Not really. Driving 100 miles to dealer is different than towing it to 2 blocks down the street.
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Makes sense. Even if you have to use the starter to get it there. Or drop it off after hours....when they are closed.
 
T

TDIforDays

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2017
Location
USA
TDI
few of each 2.0 and 3.0
Freeze Plug said:
can't this poster still get the reduced in-op payment?
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no such thing exists.


Also, condition of the car depends on the buyback person. I had a car that took 3 tries to start and barely moved, the buyback person just laughed at poor condition and asked me to park it so they dont have to move it later.

My relative in CA did buyback on a 2014 with 20K miles in brand new condition - his person test drove the car around the dealership lot and checked every single function of the car!
 
FVWVWF

FVWVWF

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2011
Location
Canada
TDI
Sold - 2012 TDI Highline Manual
TDIforDays said:
Also, condition of the car depends on the buyback person. I had a car that took 3 tries to start and barely moved, the buyback person just laughed at poor condition and asked me to park it so they dont have to move it later.
My relative in CA did buyback on a 2014 with 20K miles in brand new condition - his person test drove the car around the dealership lot and checked every single function of the car!
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Very true.
My friend returned a car to the same dealership as me 2-3 weeks earlier.

His process:
- walk out with the rep, start the car, put it in reverse and move it 10 feet. Put it in drive and park it back in the same spot. Wanted to see it drive.

My process:
- walk out with the rep, turn the ignition once to read mileage, thats it. Didnt care if car started or even ran.
 
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DanB36

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2003
Location
Savannah, GA
TDI
2014 Q5 Prestige TDI, Monsoon Gray
...and my process: Have the wrecked car towed to the dealer about 5 hours before I arrived. They may or may not have ever started the engine (it did run, and could drive short distances under its own power, but that wasn't done while I was there).
 
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Freeze Plug

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2012
Location
CT
TDI
Turd Sandwich
TDIforDays said:
no such thing exists.
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WRONG

"If you currently own an Eligible Vehicle and the vehicle is inoperable, your eligibility depends on when the car became inoperable. If your vehicle was not operable on September 16, 2016, then you are not eligible to receive benefits under the Settlements. If your vehicle was operable on September 16, 2016 and has since become inoperable, you may be eligible to receive the Eligible Owner Restitution Payment but are not eligible for the full Buyback amount or an Approved Emissions Modification. Proof of operability on certain dates will be required. If you restore your car to operability—at your expense—you may be eligible to receive the full Buyback amount or an Approved Emissions Modification, whichever you select."
 
jekl843

jekl843

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2014
Location
CT
TDI
2011 Golf TDI (sold), 2002 Jetta TDI 5spd, 2017 GTI SE 6spd
As people have said, it really is dependent on buyback rep. Mine jumped in the car, turned ignition on to get mileage and took a few pictures. Never turned it on.
 
bizzle

bizzle

Veteran Member
Joined
May 21, 2013
Location
Southern California
TDI
2015 GSW SEL (totaled), 2013 Touareg Executive
Chances are if they see it come in on a tow bed they're going to check to see how badly it runs (or doesn't). Also, keep in mind that some of us turned our cars in during the initial weeks/months of the buyback and things were a bit looser back then so experiences are going to vary widely and not likely for the benefit of the customer by this point.
 
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fookin

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Location
California
TDI
A3
Freeze Plug said:
WRONG

"If you currently own an Eligible Vehicle and the vehicle is inoperable, your eligibility depends on when the car became inoperable. If your vehicle was not operable on September 16, 2016, then you are not eligible to receive benefits under the Settlements. If your vehicle was operable on September 16, 2016 and has since become inoperable, you may be eligible to receive the Eligible Owner Restitution Payment but are not eligible for the full Buyback amount or an Approved Emissions Modification. Proof of operability on certain dates will be required. If you restore your car to operability—at your expense—you may be eligible to receive the full Buyback amount or an Approved Emissions Modification, whichever you select."
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No that is not wrong. There is no such language in the settlement or even the FTC agreement to indicate different buyback amounts. "Buyback" = "full buyback". Just because the word "full" is used does not mean there is anything lesser than full.
 
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DanB36

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2003
Location
Savannah, GA
TDI
2014 Q5 Prestige TDI, Monsoon Gray
fookin said:
There is no such language in the settlement or even the FTC agreement to indicate different buyback amounts.
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He didn't say anything about different buyback amounts, he mentioned the "reduced in-op payment." That does exist, according to exhibit 1 to the CAS:
An Eligible Owner whose Eligible Vehicle is Operable as of the Opt-Out Deadline but which ceases to be Operable before the vehicle can be surrendered in a Buyback or receive an Approved Emissions Modification, shall receive Owner Restitution only, and not the Vehicle Value.
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Sure, he could have cited his source, but did you really think he'd simply invented his quote?
 
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Freeze Plug

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2012
Location
CT
TDI
Turd Sandwich
What are we arguing about exactly here? I said nothing about different buyback amounts. I stated in-op payment which is directly from the FTC consent order:

“Eligible Owner Non-Operable Restitution” means the monetary compensation that Defendant will pay to Eligible Owners under the Settlement Program whose vehicle is Operable as of the earlier of the date set by the Court for consumers to opt out of the Class Action or the Effective Date, but which ceases to be Operable before the vehicle can be surrendered for a Buyback or receive an Approved Emissions Modification, specified in the second column of Attachment 1A.
 
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Freeze Plug

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2012
Location
CT
TDI
Turd Sandwich
can anyone confirm what the eligible owner restitution portion is in a case such as this?
 
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duratitus

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2016
Location
Watertown NY
TDI
Several different models. Selling them back to VW
20% of the 2015 NADA clean trade-in value unless there is an eligible seller, then you would only get 10%
 
7

767wrench

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2012
Location
Ohio
TDI
1981 Rabbit Pickup
It depends on the rep it sounds like. I asked mine if he denied anyone and he said yes he had because the engines were "almost gone". I take that as barely running and or making audible bad sounds.
 
R

Rico567

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 13, 2003
Location
Central IL
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium (Turned in 7/7/18)
767wrench said:
It depends on the rep it sounds like. I asked mine if he denied anyone and he said yes he had because the engines were "almost gone". I take that as barely running and or making audible bad sounds.
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A good argument for making a video of the process. The settlement says nothing about "barely" running or "bad sounds." It just has to run and be able to move under its own power. If I were rejected I'd be right on the plaintiff counsel with my video of the whole thing.
 
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