…toward compensating owners of VW diesels for the reduced resale value of their cars…
http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2015/11/09/vw-offers-diesel-owners-1000-in-gift-cards-and-vouchers/
I suppose it is a start. This is probably a good time to but a diesel VW 'cause their prices are going to be depressed for a long while. The $1000 voucher isn’t going to cover the reduced demand.
Best bet, if you have a VW diesel, is keep it and drive it and avoid the “fix” if you can. Unfixed cars will likely sell better in states without emission inspections.
Agree! A $1000 voucher won.t go far. I would politely turn it down and wait for Government or a good class action lawsuit to get more.
"I would politely turn it down and wait for Government or a good class action lawsuit to get more."
+1
I’m sure that, buried in the acceptance verbiage for that $1,000 voucher/gift card, there is wording that releases VW of America from any further liability for their criminal acts. If I had been foolish enough to buy a VW, I think that I would opt to bypass this initial peace offering, and see what lies in the future for the hapless owners of these cars.
It is good will, not compensation for anything. VW says there are no strings attached. I can’t believe that if the US Government tells VW they have to make the TDIs meet pollution requirements that this payout could take precedence. I guess we will find out when the first TDI owners take the money. If VW presents them with a contract that signs away their rights to anything, then they will be even more reviled than they are now.
+2 for Doc.
@Docnick What constitutes a “good” class action lawsuit? Would it be one where the lawyers DIDN’T keep 1/3 of the proceeds, and the thousands and thousands of plaintiffs got more than $10 each? I would not join that class.
Class actions only benefit a few plaintiffs and mostly the attorneys.
When I received my check in the mail from the Ford class action over ignition modules I got a whopping 47 bucks and change.
A few years ago I received my settlement check over the eBay class action suit and didn’t even bother to cash it. I kept it as a humorous conversation piece and stuck it into a photo album.
A massive 3 dollars and change…
Even more ridiculous is the fact that the check was no good when it arrived. The check was dated November 2nd, the envelope was postmarked February of the following year, and I didn’t get it until the end of March.
The letter with the check said that all checks had to be cashed by December 19th (month following the date of the check) or they were null and void. This is why the lawyers get the big bucks; to handle the legal details properly…
Time will run out on the goodwill offer while waiting for a class action law suit, the offer expires April 30, 2016 (The $500 cards are good for one year, road side assistance for three years).
I heard on the radio today that some lawyers are advising their diesel VW owning clients against taking this offer. Why? Not sure. But that’s what they said.
Why @GeorgeSanJose ? Because they are lawyers and stand to make more money from a class action suit. See above.
I used to know a lawyer whom I trusted. Last month I caught him lying about a case that I had personal knowledge of. (No, I was not involved.) No more trust from me. Now I have to wonder if I can trust any of them. Ever.
What do you call 500 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean? A start.
“some lawyers are advising their diesel VW owning clients against taking this offer. Why? Not sure.”
Most likely that is because their thinking is similar to mine, namely that there will be some kind of fine print detail in the acceptance of the voucher/gift card that releases VW from any liability and other compensation. In other words, don’t accept this offer when it is likely that a larger one can be obtained through litigation.
I’m waiting to hear if there’s any kind of release. That would be a HUGE black eye for VW if there was. Not what they need right now.
Read about it here:
https://www.vwdieselinfo.com/goodwill_package/
It does not appear that owners who take VWs offer will have to give up rights to anything. Even the attorney general or NY said it looks like an unencumbered offer.
I think VW just wants to soften the hard feelings and avoid the class action suits. They would rather give money to their customers than some class action lawyers. The class action lawyers advise against accepting the offer because they want the VW hate to fester. If you accept the VW offer, you might be less likely to join the class action suit. How can the lawyers upgrade their 75-ft yachts to 150-ft yachts if their potential clients make nice with VW? Can’t have that…
FWIW, I Saw This Recommendation On Clark Howard’s Website To Not Accept VW’s Gifts Offer.
CSA
Duplicate Post
I dunno, what’s wrong with litigating in Sioux Falls? Sure beats LA. OTOH you have to take guys like Clark Howard, Dave Ramsey, and ladies like Suzie Orman with a little grain of salt. Two of them have had very terrible financial histories.
Here is a direct quote from VW’s Goodwill Package web site:
“Affected customers eligible for the Goodwill Package are not required to waive their rights or release their claims against Volkswagen Group of America in order to receive the Package.”
Is anything unclear about that? You can still sue the bejeezus out of them if you like. VW will still be responsible for any and all alterations required by the US Government. They are just trying to make nice.
Maybe a dumb question…but…
Here in Maryland a car gets emission tested every two years. Why doesn’t the emission test revealed a problem with those affected cars? Don’t they stick some type of probe in the exhaust to measure the CO, or whatever, level?
^
You have to go back and read all of the background news stories relating to this situation, and if you do, you will learn that the software installed on those cars automatically switched them to “clean mode” when an emissions test was detected. Under all other circumstances, these cars were intentionally emitting something like 40 times the pollutants allowed by law.