EPA Permits Sale of Inventoried TDIs

I think your dealer wasn't paying close attention. Mine said nothing about the DPF, and it doesn't make sense to replace them since they're going to be updated in a year. The part about servicing them is correct, although my dealer didn't say anything about new tires. Finally, I was told VW backed off on the required one year lease. Dealers are supposed to get more detailed info including new pricing info, finance data, and window stickers, soon.

"New DEF" is plausible ... the stuff has a shelf life.

IndigoBlueWagon said:

I think your dealer wasn't paying close attention. Mine said nothing about the DPF, and it doesn't make sense to replace them since they're going to be updated in a year. The part about servicing them is correct, although my dealer didn't say anything about new tires. Finally, I was told VW backed off on the required one year lease. Dealers are supposed to get more detailed info including new pricing info, finance data, and window stickers, soon.

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I would completely agree he probably wasn't paying attention about the DPF, but it is what he said. He expects to know more in 15-45 days, but has the approval NOW to do the work on the cars.

New DPF?

You'd think they would notice if the DPF warning light came on. But then, maybe the DPF loading diagnostics does not work if you only drive very short distances, and allows you to push the car into the 'dpf beyond regeneration' region above ~400 miles without getting a warning. Still, sounds odd.

My main worries (and potential reasons to step back from buying one to replace my 2012) are
A) insufficient discount, and
B) smell. The outgassing solvents had plenty of time to soak into and react with all kinds of other material (plastics/fabrics/padding) where they don't belong. That, and water vapor getting 'pumped in' by temperature fluctuations. Those cars could smell pretty horribly.

I'm not so much worried about corrosion, and I assume they'll replace the tires.

My dealer said they were never driven. Just started once a month so supposedly the DPFs are not worth risking and have to be replaced. Maybe it's part of the deal with the EPA? Who knows.

Replace the crappy and noisy OEM Continentals with something better....YES PLEASE!

b1jackson said:

Replace the crappy and noisy OEM Continentals with something better....YES PLEASE!

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I was thinking the same thing. I may ask the dealer if that's an option.

They were the worst on my 2012. I couldn't wait to get clear of them.

b1jackson said:

They were the worst on my 2012. I couldn't wait to get clear of them.

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Same on my 2013. When they were finally dead and I bought perellis, it was like driving a new car.

Why would they change out the tires? They're probably not more than two years old.

Flesh eating vulture lawyers is why VW would replace tires.
There is a growing school of thought that tire compounds have a shelf life. Go over to the drive.com, there was an article a while back that posited the idea that Paul Walkers death in car crash was due to tires that were aged out even though they had plenty of tread life (I think it was a Matt Farrah article but can't recall definitively).
To me it was actually a plausible and reasonable argument, but I'm not educated enough re tires, shelf life of, etc to question his facts or conclusions. Regardless last thing VW wants is more attorneys involved in anything or bad press from someone blaming 2 year old tires on a fender bender. Preposterous? Definitely. Possible? Certainly, it's the culture of litigation we live in.
In the grand scheme of things 4 tires per car will be nothing if it gets the cars of a P&L statement and on the road generating some service revenue.
If I decide to look at one I'll certainly try and use new tires as leverage to close a deal.

IndigoBlueWagon said:

Why would they change out the tires? They're probably not more than two years old.

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No clue, but he didn't at all sound like he was just making stuff up. He did mention that the cars had to be titled to be bought back and said all of their demos and loaners were bought back. He in convinced stage two of the fix will never happen and that VW wants them on the road to at least get some revenue out of them before they are bought back as well. This is why he suspected a one year closed end lease. He says BMW did it years ago with electric cars and basically put people in 60k cars for a year at 150 a month as a beta program. All cars were returned and studied. It's all hearsay right now, but this a large VW/BMW dealer and my brother was head of marketing and sales for the BMW side for quite some time. He assures me the guy I'm dealing with is on top of things and knows his stuff. I'm convinced enough that I have an offer on my trade and there is a sold sign on the red Passat I want as well as its "folder" in his office with my name on it. He's guessing 20 to 22k for the car which has a 35k sticker. If it pans out, I'll sign in a heartbeat. My 2013 Passat SEL premium was far superior to ANY of the six BMWs I've owned over the years. Four of those being five series.

I was calling around about a well-optioned manual golf or gsw today, and I also heard the tires, battery, and fluids would all be changed before sale, and that prices would be announced Monday.

Sadly, I wasn't able to find a well-optioned manual, but maybe will make due with a manual s gsw.

Tires need changing because of flat spotting due to not being used.

I drove two more BMWs while I was there. Both 2014 328d models, and just couldn't find a way to like them. Hated the transmission and they just felt small, cheap, and inferior to the Passat. Went there with my mind made up that I would bring home my seventh BMW, and instead, claimed the Passat. I've never "missed" a car as much as I miss my 2013. Had I not been backwards on it due to a lovely divorce, I might have kept it. But it had 90k on it when it went back and I'm potentially looking at a brand new three year old car for the same as what I owed with zero miles. Hard to beat that. I hope the closed lease theory is wrong.

Locoelectrician said:

He says BMW did it years ago with electric cars and basically put people in 60k cars for a year at 150 a month as a beta program. All cars were returned and studied.

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https://www.wired.com/2012/12/40-years-bmw-evs/
http://jalopnik.com/5078642/all-electric-mini-e-gets-one-year-lease-priced-at-820-per-month

Not even close to 60k cars. Try more like 1k cars, and they were not that cheap. It also resulted in the Electronaut program.

I'd trust the other stuff you were told less since this stuff was wrong.

$60k cars

b1jackson said:

Replace the crappy and noisy OEM Continentals with something better....YES PLEASE!

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Both of my 2015 SELs came with Bridgestone tires as OEM.

I'm going to call my dealer and see if he'll let me choose the replacement tires. I can either provide the tires and he can give me an allowance for him, or he could get the tires and charge me any difference. I'd like Michelins on the car.

Yes. Good point. If tire swapping is part of the deal, I will want a say as well!

turbobrick240 said:

$60k cars

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Exactly.

puggi said:

Both of my 2015 SELs came with Bridgestone tires as OEM.

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How did you like them?

I like the Bridgestones on both of my VWs - the 2000 Beetle and the 2015 Golf. The OEMs (whatever they were) on the Golf were almost woreout with less than 30K miles on them.

b1jackson said:

Replace the crappy and noisy OEM Continentals with something better....YES PLEASE!

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What would you all say is the quietest 18" tire for the Passat? I hate tire nose. My car will be needing tires soon, and I have some free, like-new Conti pro contact's that I salvaged off another Passat, or I could sell those and go buy some other brand. I don't use snow tires so they need to be all season tires. Thoughts?

Of the tire brands I own (Continental, Michelin, Bridgestone, Sumitomo), I find Michelins to be quietest.

IndigoBlueWagon said:

Of the tire brands I own (Continental, Michelin, Bridgestone, Sumitomo), I find Michelins to be quietest.

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I would agree. I've never had any noisy Michelins and they've lasted 80-90k miles.

If I land 15' I think I'll see if I can swap the wheels to the 15s that come on the gasser S models.

marcusku said:

If I land 15' I think I'll see if I can swap the wheels to the 15s that come on the gasser S models.

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I thought about that, but I really don't like the appearance of those wheels. And I do like the 16s. Hard choice, because everything else I own, except for the BMW, runs on 15s.

puggi said:

Both of my 2015 SELs came with Bridgestone tires as OEM.

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Our two '15 Golfs came with Pirelli Cinturato P7s (17" and 18" wheels). They're good lasting tires, but do make a high pitched whine on certain freshly paved asphalts. I actually put them on my '01 before we picked up either '15, and I currently have close to 60k miles on two of the three sets with the '01 Jetta and my '15 Golf. They seem to be wearing very well!

IndigoBlueWagon said:

I thought about that, but I really don't like the appearance of those wheels. And I do like the 16s. Hard choice, because everything else I own, except for the BMW, runs on 15s.

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I don't totally care for the look either but I think I can live with it for the other benefits of 15s.

puggi said:

Both of my 2015 SELs came with Bridgestone tires as OEM.

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Locoelectrician said:

How did you like them?

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They have been great. 20k miles on one set and 27k on the other. They all still look good with even wear. I recently swapped the wheels with 27k miles onto a '12 Passat SE and the ride is much better.