Will VW Offer Generous Loyalty Rebates On New Cars?

animusman

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SF Bay Area
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2010 Jetta Cup Edition
So after I turn my vehicle in and take the check, what is VW doing to encourage me to hand that check right back to VW? Nothing so far.

Perhaps VW has something in the works, such as a loyalty bonus that is much higher than the typical $500-1K.

Any thoughts?
 

BuyMeBackSoon

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Jun 3, 2016
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Or
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Seems like VW and all the other car makers are asleep on this. If I was running a competitor I would have launced a welcome to VWers.
 

DieselMann99

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2013 Jetta TDI w/ Premium, DSG (Buyback Nov 2018); 2013 Jetta TDI (bought Dec 2018); also, bought a CPO 2017 Passat TSI (Nov 2018)
Seems like VW and all the other car makers are asleep on this. If I was running a competitor I would have launced a welcome to VWers.
I just think it's all so new and not finalized yet. I think you'll see a lot of competition for VW buyback prospective customers from VW dealers as well as other dealers. And I have a feeling that VW will be very aggressive.
 

flyfishsick

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usa
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---
i hope you are right??? if not then i'm walking!!! would love to get a loaded GTI if VW offer a great incentive.
 

bizzle

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I doubt they're going to do anything for us. In order to compete in the US they're going to focus on SUV/CUV. We aren't even their core market anymore. The people who remain brand loyal will stay that way regardless of sales (or lack thereof). They're already giving non-TDI customers 20% off MSRP and if we press for anything more than that just wait and see the dealers will explain how lucky we all are (and make customers feel greedy since we have a VW check in our grubby mitts).
 

petsur

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I've been watching GTI prices since this thing started and in Denver, 5k off MSRP has been advertised consistently throughout. I'm expecting this to change with the buy backs at which point I leave VW.
 

Rico567

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Central IL
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2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium (Turned in 7/7/18)
VW can, of course, offer whatever incentives the please. I doubt that it can in any way be tied to the buyback, however. Someone was a bit miffed when a dealer said that the buyback check would be the incentive, don't expect any more.....and I think that's probably correct, insofar as anyone walking in the door can get the same incentive that will be offered at a given time.
That being said, with so many potential customers to lose over this business, it may well be that the incentives will be pretty good, at least for a period of time. I wouldn't expect they'll just be out there for the whole term of the buyback period (presumably Fall of this year through the end of 2018). A prime time to shop for us, I think, will be late Summer 2018. We will have driven our non-depreciating Passat for two years, and can take advantage of the '18 model year cars that will be going for their normal discounts at that time of year. If they're still offering additional incentives at that time, so much the better.
 

rfortson

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Seems like VW and all the other car makers are asleep on this. If I was running a competitor I would have launced a welcome to VWers.
Yeah, I'm a bit surprised that we haven't seen anything about it. The VW and Audi dealers I've visited are hoping for something, but haven't heard anything. The Chevy dealer knew all about "dieselgate" but didn't have anything to offer, either.

I just think a bunch of people out there with checks for their cars that are ~$6k over KBB value are going to be hard to ignore. If I'm a sales manager, I'd have advertising and incentives ready to go the second the deal is finalized.
 

bizzle

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Hard to ignore those customers, but they are probably thinking it'll be hard for those customers to ignore they no longer have a car. VW has had over a year to show us they care about our business and the last time they had to chance to put their money where their mouths are they gave out measly $2,000 loyalty bonuses.

I've found that VW dealerships have the annoying habit of clawing any and all deals back under their belts while simultaneously trying to guilt trip you for even thinking that you are entitled to the thing corporate says you were entitled to.
 

bennybmn

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Many of these companies, be they manufacturers or dealers themselves, would be wise to realize what bizzle said, which is we KNOW we'll be without a car come November, and might want to NOT be in that tight spot, but grab a deal ahead of time. I get that VW can't tie deals to the buyback, but they should be putting deals out there to gain customers, be they buyback folks or anyone off the street.
 

chadbag

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Right now all the VW dealers in my area are highly discounting most all their cars already. I assume there will be some sort of "loyalty" incentive once the checks start getting cut (owned a VW or Audi in the past 2 years and get an additional $x off but that would be good for any VW or Audi owner, not just TDI).

And I expect other brands to do similar ("conquest" incentives) once the checks start rolling. But what will inventory look like? Lots of good deals to be had now on 2016 models.
 

GetMore

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Patterson, New York
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1997 Passat TDI, 2010 Jetta Sportwagen
Vw would have to offer an incentive if you could prove that you've sold back your car.
If it was just for VW owners it is not as effective.
I think part of the plan of the cheap prices now is to get buyers from anywhere, but also to entice people that might sell their cars back. VW has been forbidden from guiding owners to a particular choice (buyback vs fix) so they have to be very careful in how they do any incentives.
 

MrSprdSheet

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VW can, of course, offer whatever incentives the please. I doubt that it can in any way be tied to the buyback, however.
Yesterday, i received a "keys for keys" offer, but what's weird about it was how it was explicitly looking for my "2009 Jetta". I understand this kind of promo, but the year they're digging back to, to invite to swap keys for "brand new" has got to make you wonder.
 

TDI smile

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Can they afford to discount their product? Asking for a friend.
VW will have to be able to afford the discount....

Parts from the suppliers are rolling and the new cars have to get out the doors into your hands....:)
 

DieselMann99

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That being said, with so many potential customers to lose over this business, it may well be that the incentives will be pretty good
Yes, I agree. For those of you who have never owned your own business, it is much easier to keep a customer than acquire a new customer.

A prime time to shop for us, I think, will be late Summer 2018. We will have driven our non-depreciating Passat for two years, and can take advantage of the '18 model year cars that will be going for their normal discounts at that time of year. If they're still offering additional incentives at that time, so much the better.
That may be exactly my plan. If my car starts showing expensive repair issues, I may move that up to August 2017. But I only have 65k miles on it now, so I don't expect anything major in the next 30k miles. A few things, but probably nothing major.
 

DieselMann99

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2013 Jetta TDI w/ Premium, DSG (Buyback Nov 2018); 2013 Jetta TDI (bought Dec 2018); also, bought a CPO 2017 Passat TSI (Nov 2018)
Yesterday, i received a "keys for keys" offer, but what's weird about it was how it was explicitly looking for my "2009 Jetta". I understand this kind of promo, but the year they're digging back to, to invite to swap keys for "brand new" has got to make you wonder.
What were they offering you brand new for the 2009 Jetta?
 

South Coast Guy

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Imagine a dealership where dozens or hundreds of previous customers are there with money in hand? Wouldn't you make some effort to get them to buy something from your inventory? If you aren't, or can't, you might as well just close your doors.
 

DieselMann99

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Westchester County NY
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2013 Jetta TDI w/ Premium, DSG (Buyback Nov 2018); 2013 Jetta TDI (bought Dec 2018); also, bought a CPO 2017 Passat TSI (Nov 2018)
Imagine a dealership where dozens or hundreds of previous customers are there with money in hand? Wouldn't you make some effort to get them to buy something from your inventory? If you aren't, or can't, you might as well just close your doors.
Exactly. Much easier to keep a customer than find new ones.
 

JCTDI

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Just got a call from the dealer where we bought our 2009 JSW 7 years ago. Same sales guy is still there and called me.
He said VW will be offering incentives when the buybacks happen, but doesn't know what they are yet.
According to him, the official calls concerning the exact date to bring in the car for the buyback, will come from VW, not a dealer.
On that date, we have to drive in to a specified dealer with the car to get the check.
These calls could come as early as September, according to him.
Take all this with a grain of salt. Seems optimistic to me.

I told him the problem with that is, if they wanted to get me into a new VW on buyback day, it would need to be a manual transmission, and my experience is that almost no dealers have them on the lot and they have to be ordered from the factory. So I would be without a car for 4 months and that won't work.
I'll call in a few weeks and ask if they would be open to pre-ordering a GSW with the colors/options I'm looking for and see what they say.
 

k1xv

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southern Vermont
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I doubt they will offer meaningful incentives for buyback customers. First, the bean counters would see it as a double hit. Money paid out for the buyback, and then more money lost on extra incentives. Second, for someone on the fence on buyback vs modification, it would make buyback relatively more attractive. Thereby costing VW more out of pocket money.

So instead, customers, like me, will take the money and run. In my case, to a BMW dealer for a CPO X5 diesel.
 

k1xv

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Try the cleanup first before springing for the new battery.
 

GDM

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I test drove a Jeep over the weekend. The salesperson knew all about Dieselgate - said "I've had a few diesel VW owners coming in lately.."

IMHO all the manufacturers are waiting and keeping their powder dry for now... once the judge rules, VW and others will make their offers clear.
 

TDI2000Zim

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NJ
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VW hat meinen '14 Passat TDiSE getötet.
So after I turn my vehicle in and take the check, what is VW doing to encourage me to hand that check right back to VW? Nothing so far.

Perhaps VW has something in the works, such as a loyalty bonus that is much higher than the typical $500-1K.

Any thoughts?
Perhaps...

In view of the discounts given by GM and others, I suspect a hefty VW loyalty reward.
 

RollingCoal

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Md
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If VW has any interest in growing their US market share they darn well better offer some good incentives. They really need to retain a good portion of these customers or they are in trouble. You have to figure a good chunk of the tdi customers probably liked their cars, they are good cars after all. I would bet at least half of current tdi owners would have been interested in owning another VW after their current tdi and VW needs to fight fiercely to retain those customers. Even if they don't profit much on discounted cars during this time they need to stack their deck with future customers if they really want to boost US sales down the road. They can either keep customers and try to rinse away the stench of the scandal with a nice new VW or let these customers walk away probably forever due to VW causing them a headache with the scandal and then offering them no substantial reason to purchase another VW over the competition.
 

Yankinwaoz

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San Diego, CA
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Can they?

Isn't VW prohibited in the settlement from offering incentives to stay with VW? In other words, they can't tell you that you can take the money, OR walk out with a new VW.
 

DanB36

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Savannah, GA
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Isn't VW prohibited in the settlement from offering incentives to stay with VW?
No, they're prohibited from offering incentives to favor one choice (buyback or fix) over the other. So offering a $5k incentive only to people who sold back their cars wouldn't fly, but offering a $5k incentive to any Dieselgate owners probably would.
 

Rico567

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Central IL
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2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium (Turned in 7/7/18)
Isn't VW prohibited in the settlement from offering incentives to stay with VW? In other words, they can't tell you that you can take the money, OR walk out with a new VW.
The answer to your first question is no. The answer to the second is yes. They are as free to offer incentives as they were had Dieselgate never occurred. They would be constrained from making anything they offered contingent upon the buyback, i.e., making the two linked in some fashion. That would be a big NO.
 

blackhat840

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Upstate, SC
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I test drove a Jeep over the weekend. The salesperson knew all about Dieselgate - said "I've had a few diesel VW owners coming in lately.."

IMHO all the manufacturers are waiting and keeping their powder dry for now... once the judge rules, VW and others will make their offers clear.
How did it drive? I've been really leaning towards the Grand Cherokee Overland Diesel but I can't find one in stock that is close enough to test drive.
 
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