When I'm not soaking up the vast wisdom of posters who frequent this forum, my job is to evaluate environmental impacts.
From an environmental perspective, I have a huge problem with the EPA requirement that denied VW the ability to export unfixed vehicles. In a nutshell, if a buyback TDI can be used to replace a car that “pollutes” more, there will be a net benefit to the environment. I understand why that wasn’t going to happen in the U.S., but the buyback was an opportunity for some countries (perhaps with creative facilitation by NGOs) to put late-model, fuel-efficient, safe, relatively clean vehicles in the hands of people who wouldn’t normally be able to afford them. An arrangement might be part of a country’s conversion to ultra-low-sulfur diesel, reducing pollution of other diesel vehicles as well.
My concern is primarily about Gen 1 vehicles, for which a fix might not be feasible (i.e., cost of the fix, including vehicle evaluation, transportation, parts, labor, and preparation for resale is greater than the wholesale value of vehicle). Regardless of whether a fix is developed, many high-mileage or blemished Gen 1’s are going to the crusher. These photos may be evidence of that.
The nightmare scenario is that most or all Gen 1’s go to the crusher.
The manufacture of comparable vehicles to replace those removed from the road will require natural resources, including metals and fossil fuels, and consume energy that will generate greenhouse gases.
I haven’t seen anything from EPA that shows whether they did a study to determine if their actions, particularly the export prohibition, were protective of the environment.