Terminate lease or fix emissions? 2015 Golf TDI

jiveman

New member
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Location
San Diego, CA
TDI
2015 Golf TDI S MT
My wife and I leased a 2015 Golf TDI S 5-speed, sometime in August of 2015, just before Dieselgate scandal broke out. Other than emissions, we love the car. We also live in CA, where gas is some of the most expensive in USA, so getting great mileage with diesel has been great.

Now facing the dilemma for either doing the early lease termination (without any "early termination penalty" like you would have normally) vs turning it in for the emissions fix. Of course, don't know what to expect with the fix (lost performance? lost MPG? lost both?).

Any recommendations from the community, particularly in a lease situation like this one? What would you do?

Thanks!
 

maybe368

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2014
Location
Phoenix
TDI
Happily none
My wife and I leased a 2015 Golf TDI S 5-speed, sometime in August of 2015, just before Dieselgate scandal broke out. Other than emissions, we love the car. We also live in CA, where gas is some of the most expensive in USA, so getting great mileage with diesel has been great.

Now facing the dilemma for either doing the early lease termination (without any "early termination penalty" like you would have normally) vs turning it in for the emissions fix. Of course, don't know what to expect with the fix (lost performance? lost MPG? lost both?).

Any recommendations from the community, particularly in a lease situation like this one? What would you do?

Thanks!
You should probably also consider that there may not be an approved fix, ever...Mark
 

jiveman

New member
Joined
Jul 30, 2015
Location
San Diego, CA
TDI
2015 Golf TDI S MT
Good point. I was kinda hopeful about that in my case, because the 2015 Golf TDI actually has the urea tank. So maybe getting its emission standards up to code might be actually easier than other diesels without that at all. But that's just speculation.

I also don't know how to feel about availability of future parts/repairs on TDI's, given that VW will most likely not rejuvenate its diesel market in the US. My original hope was to lease the Golf TDI, then buy it out at the end of the 3-yr lease. But not sure if that would be such a smart idea any more.
 

maybe368

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2014
Location
Phoenix
TDI
Happily none
The good news is that there should be enough time to see how approval of the fix is going, like if it is not approved 2 or 3 times. That could be a sign, good luck ;)...Mark
 

ZippyNH

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Location
Southern NH
TDI
2015 JETTA TDI SE
I would suggest you turn it in...and not buy it at the end of the Lease.
Maybe not EARLY...get the use out of it...
The residual was SET BEFORE the settlement...so it Is likly very high...so not worth the buying it at the end of the lease...heck the lease owner is getting half the $$ for the settlement, so to make you "whole" you would need to buy it back at market price, minus 50% the settlement value that you don't get....I not thinking that will happen.....
If you want to move on, turn it in...but at this point, you seem to like the car....so drive... enjoy the mpg..and if you find a post settlement 2015 TDI which is fixed for sale...buy THAT car, and turn yours in.
 
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