I'm one of the few...

[oilhammer]

The one I have I am keeping for now just to see if any fix happens (it needs a DPF currently anyway). I do not have much money in it, I have a place to store it, and I can drive it at least once every couple weeks to keep it limber.

But since it is lacking a pedal, it is not THE one I would like to keep. I have a list of people that would buy it from me and do a DPF delete and motor on, as have several others I have bought and sold, so either way it isn't going away.

Mine is a '10 sedan, I would rather have a wagon, and of course a manual. I was not a fan of the 2011+ NCS Jetta in comparison to the true A5 (Golf with a trunk) Jetta sedan, but really more because the MSRP with the diesel was just not in my opinion a very good value considering how great the S model is for so much less money. Of course, in the used market that really does not matter. And to be fair, one of my [favorite] customers has an NCS, and even after 300k+ miles of daily use as a TAXICAB, as well as being a 2011 model (first year!), it not only has held up overall remarkably well, it is still a tight and solid car and drives better than a lot of other cars from other makes with half the use under their belts. That car, as well as countless others, has really made me admire the cheaper decontented NCS and surprised me. So I guess I could not rule one of those out if it had a manual.

I am also interested in a 2015 model that apparently will have some sort of fix already (but I am still not sure about that).

One of my TDI customer's likened this to what happened with a bunch of Vanagons during the Cash for Clunkers program. People had brought in functional, driving vans and got in some cases the maximum $4500 handout and thought they were really doing great. Only nowadays, that same Vanagon, even in the same condition, is worth often twice that, and whatever car they bought to replace it has probably already been reduced to a valueless turd.

So while TDIs may not ever get the cult following the Vanagons have achieved, there will still be a few of us that will be happy to use and maintain them well into the future. Since there will as it looks like now not be any more new ones, this is really the very last chance to get one that is not that old and not that miled up and keep it nice. I do not see ANY car on the horizon that can offer what these cars do so easily. They may not be perfect, but I have no desire to drive anything else, ever. And I must not be alone, because I am always busy resurrecting the older ones for happy and willing owners who think the same way.

It is pretty commonplace here for someone to bring in a 1/4 million mile Jetta they just bought and spend several grand getting it back into tip top shape, and they are literally thrilled to drive the car when they are done. We do not see that with any other make of car. I have a nice 230k mile 2002 Acura TL-S here that needs a valve job, car is near flawless otherwise, and the guy is going to junk it. Nobody cares about cars like that. Ford 500 with a dead CVT? Towed away to the scrapper yesterday. Lexus RX300 on the lot with a dead trans? Getting hauled away this week. All perfectly fixable, but they won't be. If these were Volkswagens, every one of them would get fixed and put back in service.

 

[TDI57]

The one I have I am keeping for now just to see if any fix happens (it needs a DPF currently anyway). I do not have much money in it, I have a place to store it, and I can drive it at least once every couple weeks to keep it limber.
But since it is lacking a pedal, it is not THE one I would like to keep. I have a list of people that would buy it from me and do a DPF delete and motor on, as have several others I have bought and sold, so either way it isn't going away.
Mine is a '10 sedan, I would rather have a wagon, and of course a manual. I was not a fan of the 2011+ NCS Jetta in comparison to the true A5 (Golf with a trunk) Jetta sedan, but really more because the MSRP with the diesel was just not in my opinion a very good value considering how great the S model is for so much less money. Of course, in the used market that really does not matter. And to be fair, one of my [favorite] customers has an NCS, and even after 300k+ miles of daily use as a TAXICAB, as well as being a 2011 model (first year!), it not only has held up overall remarkably well, it is still a tight and solid car and drives better than a lot of other cars from other makes with half the use under their belts. That car, as well as countless others, has really made me admire the cheaper decontented NCS and surprised me. So I guess I could not rule one of those out if it had a manual.
I am also interested in a 2015 model that apparently will have some sort of fix already (but I am still not sure about that).
One of my TDI customer's likened this to what happened with a bunch of Vanagons during the Cash for Clunkers program. People had brought in functional, driving vans and got in some cases the maximum $4500 handout and thought they were really doing great. Only nowadays, that same Vanagon, even in the same condition, is worth often twice that, and whatever car they bought to replace it has probably already been reduced to a valueless turd.
So while TDIs may not ever get the cult following the Vanagons have achieved, there will still be a few of us that will be happy to use and maintain them well into the future. Since there will as it looks like now not be any more new ones, this is really the very last chance to get one that is not that old and not that miled up and keep it nice. I do not see ANY car on the horizon that can offer what these cars do so easily. They may not be perfect, but I have no desire to drive anything else, ever. And I must not be alone, because I am always busy resurrecting the older ones for happy and willing owners who think the same way.
It is pretty commonplace here for someone to bring in a 1/4 million mile Jetta they just bought and spend several grand getting it back into tip top shape, and they are literally thrilled to drive the car when they are done. We do not see that with any other make of car. I have a nice 230k mile 2002 Acura TL-S here that needs a valve job, car is near flawless otherwise, and the guy is going to junk it. Nobody cares about cars like that. Ford 500 with a dead CVT? Towed away to the scrapper yesterday. Lexus RX300 on the lot with a dead trans? Getting hauled away this week. All perfectly fixable, but they won't be. If these were Volkswagens, every one of them would get fixed and put back in service.

Nailed it, thanks once again for bringing common sense to these forums.

 

[Mark_J]

Just my 2 cents worth, but VW has spent a lot of money to buy back a lot of cars, and I would think with the fix being only a software upgrade and very little hardware addition on the vehicles with the SCR systems, I would think VW would fix these vehicles and sell them to recoup some of their money. Especially the newer lower mileage vehicles. I would think even after installing the software and the extra NOX sensor, they would be money ahead rather than scrapping them where they get next to nothing. But I could be wrong. I work for a very large world wide company and they do make some very strange decisions.

 

[Jimbo70]

We were going to wait, but between the Takata airbag staring us in the face every time we drive the car, and being out of warranty for everything but specific emissions equipment (I've already replaced the AdBlue heater before the warranty extension was announced. I'm waiting for a decision on reimbursement), this is by far the best money we could get for the car, so back it goes.

 

[kjclow]

I'm at a 50/50 point. One car (Golf) is already in process of going back and the other (JSW) is staying. Main reasons are that we already have three cars, so this reduces one. The Golf buyback nets out at slightly more then we payed for it. The JSW is set up for long trips and our outdoor activities with a trailer hitch and roof rack.

We shall see what 2018 brings.

 

[TDI2000Zim]

... holding for the FIX. I am starting to think that is not going to happen. In the long run, it seems to be the best choice. No fix in 2 years? Welp, same value as I would get today.
So I wonder, how many are waiting for the FIX?

I'm holding back too.

"It ain't over until the fat lady sings!"

The more miles I can squeeze off this Passat, the more I save in fuel (the cheapest diesel in the last 16 years, if you account for inflation).

 

[kjclow]

The more miles I can squeeze off this Passat, the more I save in fuel (the cheapest diesel in the last 16 years, if you account for inflation).

Not down here! diesel is sitting at just over $2 and I know that I've paid under $1 in the past 16 years.

 

[donallen]

Time value of $$ for me.

I'm taking the $$ and moving on...

And you are going to turn around and put the money into something that depreciates quickly, unlike the TDI, which is insured against depreciation until the deadline in 2018. You ought to run your thinking by an accountant or financial advisor, because I believe you have it wrong.

 

[donallen]

I'm holding back too.
"It ain't over until the fat lady sings!"
The more miles I can squeeze off this Passat, the more I save in fuel (the cheapest diesel in the last 16 years, if you account for inflation).

And you save on depreciation, one of the biggest costs of owning a car. VW will pay you the same amount whether you sell it back to them now or later (assuming you don't exceed the per-year mileage limit).

 

[branforddiesel]

I just saw a 2010 JSW stick with 86,000 miles for $6500. I'm tempted to buy it and then sell back my current JSW at the last minute possible for $13,000

 

[TDI57]

And you save on depreciation, one of the biggest costs of owning a car. VW will pay you the same amount whether you sell it back to them now or later (assuming you don't exceed the per-year mileage limit).

And another thing of which I have not seen much discussion; taxes, various fees and dealer charges that people seem to be more than willing to pay when the get their replacement vehicle. That is real money that you are giving away.

 

[kjclow]

I got a letter from my dealer last night offering me 125% of kbb for my 11 Golf. That brought their offer up to $9430 (IIRC). Only about $14000 less than my buyback should be. I really can't repeat my comments on a public forum.

 

[kjclow]

And another thing of which I have not seen much discussion; taxes, various fees and dealer charges that people seem to be more than willing to pay when the get their replacement vehicle. That is real money that you are giving away.

Discussed ad nuseum in many other threads.

 

[Dan H.]

Pay me now por favor!
I'm not interested in having a fuel pump fail, or having my DPF clog up.

I already can't use my sunroof.....

 

[S2000_guy]

Why does the possibility of the DPF clogging or cracking keep coming up in discussions of sell now vs. waiting until late in the program?

 

[Jimbo70]

And you are going to turn around and put the money into something that depreciates quickly, unlike the TDI, which is insured against depreciation until the deadline in 2018. You ought to run your thinking by an accountant or financial advisor, because I believe you have it wrong.

And another thing of which I have not seen much discussion; taxes, various fees and dealer charges that people seem to be more than willing to pay when the get their replacement vehicle. That is real money that you are giving away.

All it would take between now and 2018 is one out-of-warranty repair to negate that "depreciation insurance". We're not returning our Passat because of the Diesel emissions issue. We're returning it because of other, non-emissions related issues, there are legitimate reliability concerns, and this is by far the best deal we would get for this car.

 

[TomStork]

With inflation as low as it is you aren't losing much on the time value of money. Financially it makes most sense to keep your car the full two years if it is functioning. Justifying a bad financial decision with time value of money is pretty weak argument.

Let's be clear about the whole issue: nothing with cars involved is a very good financial decision.

Having been strung along by VW for 2 months until I got my offer--today!--I hope things work out as you hope, though I'm pretty dubious that they'll work out something that 1) EPA will accept and 2) doesn't SUBSTANTIALLY cut the low-end torque (if they could have done so without urea and without cheating, they would have done that from the outset). I hope for your sake I'm wrong.

It may or may not be a "good financial decision," but even if it isn't, that doesn't mean it's an irrational one; just one made with different priorities than yours.

For myself -- and as I think the poster meant -- the uncertainty that it's going to work out at all, and the uncertainty of WHEN it may work out, are both pretty undesirable to me, and having it over and done with is worth a lot. Liquidity is also worth something. Who knows how long processing will take in two years? Maybe less time; maybe more.

Getting a free "do-over" and being able to get something else to drive is also worth something to me -- more than a promise that I can bail out later if I choose not to take the fix after all. You seem to think the escape hatch and cheaper driving in the meantime (and avoiding two more years of depreciation) is better. Good for you.

 

[MonsterTDI09]

Let's be clear about the whole issue: nothing with cars involved is a very good financial decision.

Having been strung along by VW for 2 months until I got my offer--today!--I hope things work out as you hope, though I'm pretty dubious that they'll work out something that 1) EPA will accept and 2) doesn't SUBSTANTIALLY cut the low-end torque (if they could have done so without urea and without cheating, they would have done that from the outset). I hope for your sake I'm wrong.

It may or may not be a "good financial decision," but even if it isn't, that doesn't mean it's an irrational one; just one made with different priorities than yours.

For myself -- and as I think the poster meant -- the uncertainty that it's going to work out at all, and the uncertainty of WHEN it may work out, are both pretty undesirable to me, and having it over and done with is worth a lot. Liquidity is also worth something. Who knows how long processing will take in two years? Maybe less time; maybe more.

Getting a free "do-over" and being able to get something else to drive is also worth something to me -- more than a promise that I can bail out later if I choose not to take the fix after all. You seem to think the escape hatch and cheaper driving in the meantime (and avoiding two more years of depreciation) is better. Good for you.

If VW doesn't come with out a fix. Va can't deny your registration of your car. If they do come out with a fix you have a choice not to get it done, if you choice this option you will not receive any money. AD blue didn't get approved until 2010 by the EPA


Registration of 2.0 Liter Subject Vehicles

The Beneficiary certifies, for the benefit of the parties to the Consent Decree (including the Settling Defendants) and the owners from time-to-time of 2.0 Liter Subject Vehicles, that upon becoming a Beneficiary, the Beneficiary:

(a) Shall not deny registration to any Subject Vehicle based solely on: i. The presence of a defeat device or AECD covered by the resolution of claims in the Consent Decree; or ii. Emissions resulting from such a defeat device or AECD; or iii. The availability of an Approved Emissions Modification or the Buyback, Lease Termination, and Owner/Lessee Payment Program.

(b) Shall not deny registration to any Subject Vehicle that has received an Approved Emissions Modification based solely on: i. The fact that the vehicle received the Approved Emissions Modification; or ii. Emissions resulting from the modification (including but not limited to the anticipated emissions described in Appendix B to the Consent Decree); or iii. Other emissions-related vehicle characteristics that result from the modification; or iv. The availability of an Approved Emissions Modification or the Buyback, Lease Termination, and Owner/Lessee Payment Program.

(c) May identify 2.0 Liter Subject Vehicles as having received, or not received, the Approved Emissions Modification on the basis of VIN-specific information provided to the Beneficiary by the Settling Defendants.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Beneficiary may deny registration to any Subject Vehicle on the basis that the Subject Vehicle fails to meet EPA’s or the Beneficiary’s failure criteria for the onboard diagnostic (OBD) inspection; or on other grounds authorized or required under applicable federal regulations (including an approved State Implementation Plan) or under Section 209 or 177 of the Clean Air Act and not explicitly excluded in subparagraphs 9(a)-(b).