patrick.net

What is it with Germans and gassing people?

I own a passat, and I plan to let things play out for awhile. 45k in the first two years, and I'm still pleased. Generally I don't feel we've had quite as good fuel efficiency as I expected, but with fuel prices halving, not as much need to worry about it.

If their solution is a voluntary recall where they tune it down for lesser performance at the expense of fuel economy, I'll stay home.

I asked them when I first purchased the vehicle, why/how such a small urea reservoir didn't need refilled more frequently, they didn't have an answer. We have a peterbuilt and Isuzu in our fleet, and their much larger reservoirs need filled regularly

HydroCabron says

What is it with Germans and gassing people?

VW was started during Hitler's time.

HydroCabron says

What is it with Germans and gassing people?

lol. Jews like to live in cities where all of the NOx will collect. Maybe this was their plan B.
Ironically, the contraceptive plan B is made by an Israeli company.

Strategist says

VW was started during Hitler's time

They were more hardcore, back then, though. They drove around with a pipe going from the tailpipe to the passenger cabin. Now, they are crop dusting us.

How much Nitrogen oxides have some people inhaled?
What health risk aren't known?

YesYNot says

VW was started during Hitler's time

Volks (peoples) wagen (car) - how ironic that it became the favorite of the hippies, a little nothing with barely any creature comforts.

The real problem is engine reliability if it has to run in "test mode" all the time. EGR valve redirecting soot-laden exhaust to the relatively cold intake would quickly clog up the intake-valves. I suspect that is the real reason why they devised to program to keep the engine running outside "test mode" most of the time, not just a few more HP or MPG.

http://www.wired.com/2016/04/vw-will-offer-buy-back-cheating-polluting-diesels/

Thursday, the German automaker will offer a cash payment to owners who return their cars, or make the modifications needed to ensure the cars meet emissions standards. Anyone who opts to sell back a car will be compensated for the value of the car before the scandal came to light in September, plus an unspecified bonus.

That's what you get for not buying American!

Both of my cars were made in Michigan (Wayne and Lansing to be specific).

The left keeps dreaming up pipe dreams the people will have to start making up fairtales to appease them.

50mpg by 2015, and 0 emissions! -"Yay let's NOT do it, but say we did!"
We're going to need a smarter diagnostics chip.

I read that VW was buying back all of the ones that are coming off lease. I'd guess that they are planning on re-chipping and reselling, but not sure.

I don't think it's as simple as a new 'chip'

I read that they'd have to retro fit all the diesels that dont use urea, with that system, which is all but impossible. Those that already utilize a urea system, they'd have to be adjusted to where they're using A LOT more DEF, which will be a hard sell to anyone currently used to just getting the reservoir topped off every 10k miles when they get an oil change.

My understanding is that the urea retrofit would be expensive and probably take trunk space. Consumer reports fooled the chip into thinking it was in test mode, and then track tested the car. It got 3mpg less fuel economy and was 1 second slower in 0 to 60. I can't find the article at the moment, but here's another one that mentions the tests:
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/219571-germany-approves-30-minute-fix-for-vw-diesel-emissions-us-regulators-still-investigating

I'm curious about it, b/c I'm kind of interested in getting a sportwagen at the moment, but would prefer to see what happens with this issue first.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20160622/COPY01/306229933/vw-gets-approval-for-fixes-on-another-1-million-diesel-cars

Im going to look at an 2013 TDI passat SEL thats for sale on the cheap at a local dealer, hoping i can snag it cheap and then take advantage of the buyback + incentive of ~7k

I don't know if they have entered the new engines into their recall database yet, but you could check here: http://www.vw.com/owners-recalls/

That article stated that the new engine that was approved was mostly used in Golfs, but they listed Passats as other cars that had some engines approved.

I doubt you would get a payout for buying a car today. But the benefit is that they have been cheap lately. I'm curious to see if they remain so.

Why wouldnt I? If Volkswagen has to buy them back, why would they gove me 7k for the one i bought in '13, but $0 for pretty much the same car just because it was purchased today?

I've heard different things about a 'penalty' payment of 5K. I know an owner who who got $$ from them already. What I've read is that they will offer to buyback the car or fix it. Some of the cars may not be fixable, so they will just offer a buyback. The buyback will be at the bluebook price just prior to the scandal going public. But, I've heard speculation that they won't do that for people who bought the car after the scandal went public. I kind of think that they will have to buyback all unfixable cars, but they might not give the same price to different people.
The obvious reason being that if you pay $10K for a car today, they might not feel like offering you $15K for it tomorrow. If people or dealerships thought that they would, you probably couldn't get it for $10K today. I do think that there is a lot of uncertainty on the price, and that's why the prices they are listed at is all over the board.