Kudos to Doug Mayer for trying to set up a source of information, resources and ideas. I will spread the word and hope others do too!
Speaking of the Corvair, I read recently that it is one of the top ten underpriced classics, especially the Monza.
I don’t own a VW diesel, but I don’t see any satisfactory method other than VW offering to purchase the car back from the owner. The only question then is what should the purchase price be? The owners might argue it should be the same as the price the owner paid for the car, new. After all, if the allegations are true, the car was sold on false pretenses. But VW probably wouldn’t see it that way. They’d say, well, it wasn’t exactly the car you were promised, but it still had 4 wheels, the motor started, so it did provide transportation for a number of years, so we’ll have to discount the buy-back price by that value you received by owning it.
@jtsanders; I never said doing a bit wrong is right. But the scale is different and the punishment is different.
Our law enforcement does not have the time and resources to punish petty theft, so if someone stole gums from a supermarket, they might let him off the hook. But the if the theft is a billion from a bank, then it gets their attention. The punishment would be different too.
Someone who kills another human being while driving under the influence, should be punished, but chances are the punishment would be different that one who intentionally crashes a plane with 300 passengers. Now they are both bad people.
@galant, I think we’re on the same page.
From the articles it sounds like this might not be a VW only issue. Oh those corporate rascals. Might be a lot of used TDIs loaded on ships bound for South America.
Diesel fumes are pretty rank,the VWs smelled funny to me and working consruction most of my life,am not overly fond of diesel stench all combustion engines have an odor,even a brush commutator electric motor has a smell(ozone I think)One advantage of diesels is there is supposedly little carbon monoxide,due to the efficiency of the combustion cycle.
I think all current engines are very low CO emitters. CO2 is what people point to for diesels. But burning a gallon of diesel gives off about 25% more CO2 than a gallon of E10, so diesels can give out less CO2 only if they get 25% better mpgs.
People who own TDI’s and think they just hit the jack-pot might be in for a big disappointment…There is simply not enough of them on the road to make a measurable difference in overall air quality…Now if you are FORCED to install new software that brings your car into emissions compliance and you suffer a significant reduction in performance then maybe some compensation will be offered…But don’t spend it yet…
What about a significant reduction in fuel economy . . . ?!
That would also be extremely disturbing
If the correct software lowers the fuel economy by a lot, that would negate one of the major reasons for buying a diesel powered car, in the first place
In that case, may as well buy a hybrid, EV, or one of the efficient gasoline powered cars out there, with turbocharger, direct injection, or what have you
Gasoline engines have become so efficient lately, there’s less reason to buy a diesel car . . . in my opinion
I wonder if this VW fiasco with the diesel engine will put the final nail in the coffin for diesel engines in cars in the U.S. The GM Oldsmobile diesel engines in the late 1970s through the early 1980s in Oldsmobiles, Pontiacs, and some Buicks hurt the reputation of car diesels. GM made a diesel available in the Chevette, but not many were sold. Fordhad few sales of its Tempo equipped with a,diesel engine. It seems, that VW was on the way to reviving diesel powered passenger cars when this scandal broke. This may effect sales of diesel cars from all manufacturers just as it seemed to do 35 years ago.
A diesel engine in a Tempo or Chevette . . .
Talk about adding insult to injury
:naughty:
My wife/I are interested in golf sportwagen with manual and tdi is most available engine. I am hoping this fiasco will force vw to put incentives as the tdi wagon is the only affordable choice with manual.
We are hoping to acquire the car for $20k-$21.5k for base version. I could care less on engine.
The TSI is also available with a manual transmission. The Edmunds TMV in my area for this car without options is $20,400. You might look at internet pricing on dealer web sites within 50 to 100 miles of your home if you haven’t already.
Just imagine the owner response to a recall like this: VW DIESEL OWNER-PLEASE ARRANGE TO COME TO THE DEALER FOR A SOFTWARE UPDATE WHICH WILL LOWER EMISSIONS, DECREASE MPG AND LOWER PERFORMANCE OF YOUR VW. OK, so let’s say that this would be mandatory for some folks due to local emissions regulations. So then some VWs owners are forced to do this, what do they do next? Trade the vehicle? Will the value be diminished? What about owners who aren’t forced to do the update, no emission testing. Think that these owners will get the upgrade? What a mess! Rocketman
A big fat class action suit will gain reimbursement for reduced fuel mileage and lost value. It won’t be perfect because no large settlement could be. I’m glad I’m not involved, and I am not making light of the plight many people are in. As Doug the Old Gray Mayer said ( hey, I heard it Saturday at the end of the show), just have patience.
As long as we have relatively cheap gas in North America, diesels in cars will not make a great deal of sense. My neighbor briefly had a Golf diesel back in the 80s. He traded it for Passat with a gas engine. When I bought my 2007 Corolla, I did a fuel cost comparison between a Golf diesel and a gas Corolla and the diesel actually cost more per year to operate. at that time. Plus the cold weather starting problems, and the decision was easy.
If you do a lot of only highway driving, a diesel makes some sense.
In Europe they artificially created a vast price differential and with gas at about $8 a gallon there was quite an incentive.
Because this involves 11 million vehicles world wide and not just the 450,000 in the states means we are not the only country thats going to want compensation. VW pockets are only so deep and if VW is going to stay in business there is going to be a compromise to how much VW is going to be able to pay in fines and compensation.
It seems people are averaging a lot higher fuel milage then the EPA ratings. So VW may have allowed some wiggle room for cleaning up the cars and still meeting the EPA numbers. I guess only time will tell.
“A diesel engine in a Tempo or Chevette . . .
Talk about adding insult to injury.”
I don’t recall driving a Chevette, but I did have the misfortune to drive a Tempo for several days, as a rental car. I would be temped to call that model a dog, but I don’t want to insult the canine population.
That Tempo did absolutely nothing well. From the poor acceleration, to the really crappy handling, to the so-so brakes, to the punishing seats, that car was…not pleasant to drive.
My late father once rented a Tempo, a 1990 model, I believe.
He was really disappointed with the layout of the various controls. I seem to remember the remote trunk release gadget was only accessible, if you first opened the glove box . . . ?
As I recall, the only thing that operated reasonably well was the ac
The entire interior was the exact opposite of ergonomic and comfortable
I’m going to go out on a limb here . . . I believe the Tempo got uglier as time went by. Meaning, I think the early versions actually looked a little better than the later versions
A classmate once had a Chevette. His parents scraped together enough money to buy him a better car. The guy had no intention of trying to sell the Chevette, since everybody knew it wasn’t worth squat, anyways. He actually got a decent offer from a local junkyard, if he drove it there himself. He dropped it off with the fuel gauge reading F.
His parents had bought him the better car . . . an older Cutlass Supreme, I believe . . . right AFTER he had filled up the Chevette. After getting the Cutlass, he stopped driving the Chevette. That’s how it came to have a full tank of gas on the way to the junkyard
His friends were “joking” that the full tank of gas was worth more than the car