Ok Can someone help me with a Strategy for my 2014 Passage TDI 6spd SE

So I would like to have a dialog on the best strategy for a 2014 Passat owner to follow with this settlement. Is this possible, get my car fixed under the fix, and then at the end of the process (the last month) trade the car into the dealer since by then the car will be 4 years old, and worth far less than the buyout. Perhaps since the car was fixed I could even buy it back at the Fair Market Value for a 6spd passat at the end of the buyback window? Does that make sense?

Let's see if I understand this correctly.

1. Get the fix
2. 2 years later sell it/trade it in to a dealer.

What makes you think that a dealer will sell it to you for what you traded it in for or less?

Just take the fix money, get it fixed and enough your car. Don't try to work the system, it will not end well most likely.

You can't get both the fix and the buyback if that is what you are thinking.

Certainly you can trade the car in two years from now, but (as @turbobrick240 said) you can't get the buyback if you've already had the fix done. But if you're planning on trading it in two years from now anyway, why get the fix? Just drive it, and do the buyback then.

Call me. Cyninc...
But I'm guessing the car might not be offered to the "local" dealer, but will be offered to the dealers on more of a regional level....possibly to prevent stuff like this....
My suggestion...if you can find a car you like with the fix, buy it BEFORE you sell yours back....if you can get it for less than you will get yours....the only negative I see is you must have trusted that it will have been kept in good shape....but you just save maybe $1500 Right?
See the risk....my suggestion....if you like your car....keep it...if not we'll it back..you will know of the changes that will made before your car is sold back....and you can make an informed choice...since we are looking into Crystal ball at this point...why bother?the 2014 gen2 cars MIGHT be in very high demand and could be WORTH MORE THAN THE BUYBACK by the end....just saying...anything is possible.

One of best models of general behaviour is delaying decision till all the unknowns become known.

In real life, this normally comes at a cost, of some sort.

In our case, keeping the car for 2 years, while putting moderate mileage on it, is FREE (normally, there'd be inevitable inflation, but economy is deflationary these days).

The buyback price is effectively frozen as long as you drive about 10K/Y.

Why would you want to keep the car, as opposed to be #1 in the buyback queue at your dealer ? Simple:

- keeping great car you like
- no spending $$$$
- not having to go through hassle of buying new/used car
- we might get better cars in 1-2

Other good things might happen as well - as in VW being unable to meet the 85% goal and upping up the buyback amount to get to compliance (every car still on the road in excess of 85% will mean $30K penalty to VW). Or, VW releasing '18 TDI and offering $10K off MSRP to those that trade in old TDI .

Other good things might happen as well - as in VW being unable to meet the 85% goal and upping up the buyback amount to get to compliance (every car still on the road in excess of 85% will mean $30K penalty to VW). Or, VW releasing '18 TDI and offering $10K off MSRP to those that trade in old TDI .
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I like the way you think. I'm waiting until August 2018 to make my move.

r11 said:

...
every car still on the road in excess of 85% will mean $30K penalty to VW...

Click to expand...

How did you arrive at the $30k per car number?

Was buried somewhere in court docs. Govt want to really incentivise VW to get most of "polluters' off the road

I seem to remember in a previous thread, the buyback amount average was close to the per car fine if VW did not meet its 85% compliance goal. But seriously, if you are driving around 12K/y and enjoy your car, hang on to it until the time window comes up. Then make the call on buyback versus fix (if there is one). Only possible negative issue is failure of a major component (DPF for example) that requires fixing or major service interval and regular maintenance things like tires.

r11 said:

Was buried somewhere in court docs. Govt want to really incentivise VW to get most of "polluters' off the road

Click to expand...

The fine I read in the court documents worked out to a lot less than $30k per car.

sws@att.net said:

So I would like to have a dialog on the best strategy for a 2014 Passat owner to follow with this settlement. Is this possible, get my car fixed under the fix, and then at the end of the process (the last month) trade the car into the dealer since by then the car will be 4 years old, and worth far less than the buyout. Perhaps since the car was fixed I could even buy it back at the Fair Market Value for a 6spd passat at the end of the buyback window? Does that make sense?

Click to expand...

There is no fix. To be be honest, I don't think there is going to be one.

Even if one comes out, the only way to "switch tracks", like you think, is to demonstrate that the fix has caused your car to become a lemon.

At this point, the only question is when to surrender your Passat. There are threads discussing the risks of waiting until the end of program (Sept 2018).

Uh, earth to nutter . . . there already is one in test . . . absolutely no reason whatsoever that this can't be fixed, zilch, nada, nee!

I did the calculations a while back, and it works out to about $17,000 per car for not meeting the 85%. I am thinking that the average buyback is probably about that number, so VW doesn't give a crap if they meet the number or not.

Anyway, OP, if you like the car hold onto it until we get to the middle of 2018. There should be some good feedback regarding how the fix is going. Then you can decide to fix it or sell it back.