VW TDI Settlement - buying a TDI now

andres3

breld said:

qbrozen said:

on a whim, I looked through carmax's inventory. They have quite a few VW diesels, including this manual Golf, and this sportwagon.

Problem is, the Golf would only get around $17.6k buyback and the wagon about $22.3k. I guess $4k is nothing to turn my nose up at, but I need $7k to make it work.

Good call - I tend to forget about Carmax since they don't advertise on cars.com. Good luck on the Caddy trade. I personally have found offers from Carmax to be disappointing, but I certainly hope they step up on your CTS.

Have you received disappointing offers from Carmax on vehicles other than Audi's?

corvette

Seems like it's harder to find a good deal on an A3 TDI (of course, there aren't as many of them). The one-time cost of a DSG service wouldn't be my concern, it would be the potential of buying a DSG car with 90k that had never been serviced. Doubt it would do much good at that point.

breld

I had a pretty low offer on a BMW 5-series too. And then I had a really low offer on the X5 last week at a Carmax competitor. Obviously I shouldn't fault Carmax for that, but I just have this general distaste for these shops. They do offer a very pleasant shopping experience, with so many different vehicles offered and generally nice salespeople, but I think they prey on the uneducated. In exchange for the easy process, they price their vehicles on the high side and (from my experience) offer trade values on the low end.

I'm not saying it's the worst business model - I don't think they're completely out of line, and they do provide a very simplified process in exchange. But if you're willing to put in a little more legwork (or actually enjoy it like most of us), I think you can do much better.

breld

andres3 said:

henryn said:

http://www.autocaretoday.net/2013_Volkswagen_Passat_Spring_TX_263711447.veh#

I drove out to look at this one yesterday, 45 minutes in heavy traffic (surprisingly heavy for a Saturday afternoon). The car is fairly nice, very clean, very pretty. And it drove better than I expected, actually. But I could not adjust the seat / seating position so that I was comfortable driving, and my hair did not rub on the roof. I could deal with it temporarily, I have dealt with worse for a few days in a rental car. But my plan here was to keep the car for a full two years plus, use it as my daily driver, and then sell it back for more than I paid. And that is not going to happen.

Another knock on it is the 88k miles. As I recall, these TDI engines require a timing chain replacement at about 100k miles, which runs in the neighborhood of $2,000. And the DSG transmission requires service at every 40k miles, costing about $300 (more at the dealer). With no idea if either of those two services have been performed, well… I wouldn’t worry too much about one with 20 to 40k miles, but at this point in my life I don’t think I want to hassle with a VW diesel with more than 80k miles. On a Ford or a Chevy truck, no big deal, I know what to expect, and where to go to get the work done.

Interesting you mention that knowing where to get the work done matters a lot. I wouldn't know where to go with a Ford or Chevy, but I have two excellent choices near me for VW/Audi, and I could probably get them to do a DSG service for around $200 rather than $300. Well worth it in my opinion, as the snap crackle fast pop gear changes are quite satisfying.

P.S. Launch Control doesn't launch if you leave the A/C on like an idiot. Learned that the other day in my TTS. It also seems to make you turn the ESP/ESC not just "sport off" but "full off" which requires holding the button down for a good 3 seconds or so.

I have to admit, the DSG is starting to grow on me. We've had several iterations of it in various VW/Audis, and the versions seem to continue to improve. For instance, the wife didn't like the hesitation at launch on the MK6 GTI, but hardly noticed it in the MK7.

Similarly, I've had to get used to the hesitation in my "new" wagon, but the rest of the experience is pretty satisfying. Sport mode tends to be a bit too aggressive in my opinion in most situations, but it can be kinda thrilling at times.

The DSG was very much in the running when I got the S4, but I just couldn't resist getting what seems to be one of the "last manuals" in such a car. I have to admit that I will strongly consider it versus the standard manual if I end up in another GTI or even a Golf R.

andres3

breld said:

andres3 said:

henryn said:

http://www.autocaretoday.net/2013_Volkswagen_Passat_Spring_TX_263711447.veh#

I drove out to look at this one yesterday, 45 minutes in heavy traffic (surprisingly heavy for a Saturday afternoon). The car is fairly nice, very clean, very pretty. And it drove better than I expected, actually. But I could not adjust the seat / seating position so that I was comfortable driving, and my hair did not rub on the roof. I could deal with it temporarily, I have dealt with worse for a few days in a rental car. But my plan here was to keep the car for a full two years plus, use it as my daily driver, and then sell it back for more than I paid. And that is not going to happen.

Another knock on it is the 88k miles. As I recall, these TDI engines require a timing chain replacement at about 100k miles, which runs in the neighborhood of $2,000. And the DSG transmission requires service at every 40k miles, costing about $300 (more at the dealer). With no idea if either of those two services have been performed, well… I wouldn’t worry too much about one with 20 to 40k miles, but at this point in my life I don’t think I want to hassle with a VW diesel with more than 80k miles. On a Ford or a Chevy truck, no big deal, I know what to expect, and where to go to get the work done.

Interesting you mention that knowing where to get the work done matters a lot. I wouldn't know where to go with a Ford or Chevy, but I have two excellent choices near me for VW/Audi, and I could probably get them to do a DSG service for around $200 rather than $300. Well worth it in my opinion, as the snap crackle fast pop gear changes are quite satisfying.

P.S. Launch Control doesn't launch if you leave the A/C on like an idiot. Learned that the other day in my TTS. It also seems to make you turn the ESP/ESC not just "sport off" but "full off" which requires holding the button down for a good 3 seconds or so.

I have to admit, the DSG is starting to grow on me. We've had several iterations of it in various VW/Audis, and the versions seem to continue to improve. For instance, the wife didn't like the hesitation at launch on the MK6 GTI, but hardly noticed it in the MK7.

Similarly, I've had to get used to the hesitation in my "new" wagon, but the rest of the experience is pretty satisfying. Sport mode tends to be a bit too aggressive in my opinion in most situations, but it can be kinda thrilling at times.

The DSG was very much in the running when I got the S4, but I just couldn't resist getting what seems to be one of the "last manuals" in such a car. I have to admit that I will strongly consider it versus the standard manual if I end up in another GTI or even a Golf R.

I sometimes wonder about the hesitation being more of a turbo lag rather than a DSG thing. The S4 had a 7-speed unit and was a different DSG than even my latest and greatest TTS 6-speed DSG. The supercharger is all torque all the time instantly; whereas the 2.0T takes a second to wind up.

breld

Yeah, could be. I'm trying to think back to my 6-speed GTI, and I believe there was a similar hesitation at launch, but perhaps you could more easily "regulate" it with the manual. Or maybe I simply got used to it just like I'm starting to get used to the launch on the Jetta wagon.

Of course, if the DSG "took off" too quickly from a standstill, I probably wouldn't like that either.

Not really knowing much about the mechanics behind a turbocharger and supercharger, I do continue to be impressed with the power delivery of the S4. Interesting that the new version with be a turbo.

stevedebi

breld said:

andres3 said:

henryn said:

http://www.autocaretoday.net/2013_Volkswagen_Passat_Spring_TX_263711447.veh#

I drove out to look at this one yesterday, 45 minutes in heavy traffic (surprisingly heavy for a Saturday afternoon). The car is fairly nice, very clean, very pretty. And it drove better than I expected, actually. But I could not adjust the seat / seating position so that I was comfortable driving, and my hair did not rub on the roof. I could deal with it temporarily, I have dealt with worse for a few days in a rental car. But my plan here was to keep the car for a full two years plus, use it as my daily driver, and then sell it back for more than I paid. And that is not going to happen.

Another knock on it is the 88k miles. As I recall, these TDI engines require a timing chain replacement at about 100k miles, which runs in the neighborhood of $2,000. And the DSG transmission requires service at every 40k miles, costing about $300 (more at the dealer). With no idea if either of those two services have been performed, well… I wouldn’t worry too much about one with 20 to 40k miles, but at this point in my life I don’t think I want to hassle with a VW diesel with more than 80k miles. On a Ford or a Chevy truck, no big deal, I know what to expect, and where to go to get the work done.

Interesting you mention that knowing where to get the work done matters a lot. I wouldn't know where to go with a Ford or Chevy, but I have two excellent choices near me for VW/Audi, and I could probably get them to do a DSG service for around $200 rather than $300. Well worth it in my opinion, as the snap crackle fast pop gear changes are quite satisfying.

P.S. Launch Control doesn't launch if you leave the A/C on like an idiot. Learned that the other day in my TTS. It also seems to make you turn the ESP/ESC not just "sport off" but "full off" which requires holding the button down for a good 3 seconds or so.

I have to admit, the DSG is starting to grow on me. We've had several iterations of it in various VW/Audis, and the versions seem to continue to improve. For instance, the wife didn't like the hesitation at launch on the MK6 GTI, but hardly noticed it in the MK7.

Similarly, I've had to get used to the hesitation in my "new" wagon, but the rest of the experience is pretty satisfying. Sport mode tends to be a bit too aggressive in my opinion in most situations, but it can be kinda thrilling at times.

The DSG was very much in the running when I got the S4, but I just couldn't resist getting what seems to be one of the "last manuals" in such a car. I have to admit that I will strongly consider it versus the standard manual if I end up in another GTI or even a Golf R.

I love the DSG, it is great except for the 40K service interval.

qbrozen

Interesting. So now the carmax Passat is gone, it seems. I have emailed for clarification. BUT, those 2 matching wagons in PA have been marked down to $15,990. I believe my plans for this evening have just changed.

stickguy

Where in pa are they? I'm losing track.

stickguy

Never mind. Found them. Price change must be new. Shows on their site, not on cars.com. Good deal, even without buyback!

breld

qbrozen said:

Interesting. So now the carmax Passat is gone, it seems. I have emailed for clarification. BUT, those 2 matching wagons in PA have been marked down to $15,990. I believe my plans for this evening have just changed.

Good luck with that - that's a great price for the wagons. Buy both!

qbrozen

yeah, if only we knew for sure! I mean, we're talking an $11k upside if the buyback happens as currently proposed. That's huge. I may win this contest. This is a contest, right?

They even gave me a preliminary number on my Caddy, which isn't TOO bad. Hopefully I can bump them up another grand when I get there. Then there is the matter of how much I can actually borrow on the car. Based on NADA retail, it is worth about $18.5k. 120% LTV would put me in a $22k loan, which should leave me putting down about $1500 to cover the remaining spread... I think. Then I get me a $27k check from VW, leaving me $3500 on the positive side of the whole thing.

henryn

I keep coming back around to this one:

http://houston.craigslist.org/ctd/5685859879.html

Despite rubbing my hair on the roof, it still looks like I could get a buyback of about $17,003. The car would cost me (including TT&L) about $13,581. Leaving a net of $3,422. Figure $300 for a DSG service (at 88k miles, and no way of knowing...) And the tires are a little lean, so figure $550 or $600 for a moderate set of tires (not Michelin, but not super cheap). So take $900 away from the net gain of $3,422, I'm still ahead about $2,500 and I can drive it (with my hair rubbing!) for the next two years. Hmmm..

@breld, do you have any of those already paid for carfax reports left?

VIN: 1VWBN7A32DC075005

stickguy

Those 2 wagons are weird. I would have bet it was 1 car listed twice, but there are unique vins, but the 2 car faxes look identical. And both went through Fred beans VW.

I assume you ran both VINs through the calculater and they come up as eligible?

qbrozen

yup. Both eligible. I have a feeling it is a couple who wanted the same vehicle. The salesperson did confirm they have 2 identical vehicles.

kyfdx

I'm going to Indianapolis tomorrow to look at the 97K mile, 2013 Audi A3 TDI.

Stranger things have happened..

This one: https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/664544686/overview/

28firefighter

I've been traveling to the Indy area virtually every week for the last month - maybe I should look into a TDI there and drive it back to Seattle!

breld

henryn said:

I keep coming back around to this one:

http://houston.craigslist.org/ctd/5685859879.html

Despite rubbing my hair on the roof, it still looks like I could get a buyback of about $17,003. The car would cost me (including TT&L) about $13,581. Leaving a net of $3,422. Figure $300 for a DSG service (at 88k miles, and no way of knowing...) And the tires are a little lean, so figure $550 or $600 for a moderate set of tires (not Michelin, but not super cheap). So take $900 away from the net gain of $3,422, I'm still ahead about $2,500 and I can drive it (with my hair rubbing!) for the next two years. Hmmm..

@breld, do you have any of those already paid for carfax reports left?

VIN: 1VWBN7A32DC075005

Here you go. One owner, but with accident history. May not be a big deal, but good to know.

henryn

Thanks, @breld, appreciated. It looks as though the oil was changed pretty regularly, and there is other service noted "air filter replaced", "fuel filter replaced", "A/C refrigerant recharged", but not one word about the transmission or DSG.

andres3

qbrozen said:

yeah, if only we knew for sure! I mean, we're talking an $11k upside if the buyback happens as currently proposed. That's huge. I may win this contest. This is a contest, right?

They even gave me a preliminary number on my Caddy, which isn't TOO bad. Hopefully I can bump them up another grand when I get there. Then there is the matter of how much I can actually borrow on the car. Based on NADA retail, it is worth about $18.5k. 120% LTV would put me in a $22k loan, which should leave me putting down about $1500 to cover the remaining spread... I think. Then I get me a $27k check from VW, leaving me $3500 on the positive side of the whole thing.

May I ask what the Caddy number is that you are seeking? I think you'll miss the car.

qbrozen

Oh, I will miss it. I love it. But when opportunity knocks...

we hammered out a deal. Got $32k for the Caddy, but the Jetta is priced so low, its a wash.

28firefighter

Wow - that is incredibly cheap Q - and they have two of the same car, basically?

qbrozen

Yup. He tells me they USED to have a VW dealership but sold it and got these cars from them. That's why it shows same purchase date. Glad i confirmed they are eligible.

28firefighter

qbrozen said:

Yup. He tells me they USED to have a VW dealership but sold it and got these cars from them. That's why it shows same purchase date. Glad i confirmed they are eligible.

Did they budge any further on sale price or was the negotiation on the caddy?

qbrozen

According to the salesman, the deal is showing in the system as $3500 in the red. Someone else just bought the other wagon sight unseen while I was sitting here.

28firefighter

That would be incorrect. I inquired about it. That's it. :-)

28firefighter

Unless of course someone else bought it after I inquired about it. Which is fine, too. 

Sandman6472

Like the darker blue one but could live with the lighter one also. I've only used the "S" mode on my Golf a few times but leave it in "D" all the time. Find that the vehicle is pretty quick to speed when needed so quite satisfied. Funny, do find the wife's A3 drives a tad smoother but this could all be in my head. Only drive hers about once a week so I can put petrol in for her. For some reason, she just doesn't like filling up her tank so when going to a late lunch or early dinner on Sundays, she lets me drive it so I can fill the tank.

The Sandman

corvette

Congrats, QB! Sounds like a great deal on the wagon. I registered your punch. How many miles? Is it a 2014?

breld

Congrats @qbrozen! Great way to "get out" of the Caddy - regardless of the buyback potential, what do you think of the Jetta wagon?

breld

Just looked at the ad again for your new black wagon - man that's such a good deal! I was happy, and still am, with my 2013 for $16.6k, but a 2014 with the same equipment for $15.9k!

Glad you took the plunge - I'm not alone in this endeavor now!

stickguy

the wagons were 2014s. Miles were 27,000 and 27,500.

stickguy

now I am sorry I didn't beat you to the punch. though I hate black over black cars. Though the brown sedan was pretty close!

so if I got this straight, you were way upside down on the Caddy, but worked a deal that means you can turn it in a few months down the line (whenever the whole deal gets approved by the court), and not only come out even, but take some money with you?

not a bad deal if it works. Guess you owe Breld dinner!

qbrozen

2014 with 27k miles.

So I didn't get a chance to enjoy it much last night since I didn't get out of there until 9:30, had an hour drive home, and was exhausted. The only thing I really noted was that I could throw it into turns pretty nicely and it soaks up noise and bumps better than any economy car needs to. This morning was a different experience since I could see what I was doing and play with the buttons and switches.

The motorized shade over the glass roof was a nice surprise. The stereo is pretty darned good. Transmission is amazingly quick in the gear changes, I just wish they had put paddle shifters on it. Annoying thing is that the redline is 5k but the tranny upshifts itself at 4500. Handling is pretty sharp. Steering very direct, in VW fashion. It leans a bit too much at first but then settles into a line. And as long as I shift it myself, it is pretty peppy. No problem passing people. Seating is not quite perfect for me. A motorized seat bottom would have been a welcome addition, but it is Ok enough. In short, it is no luxury car, and its not supposed to be, but for $16k, it is an amazing bargain.

urbansurfer

urbansurfer said:

except that the owner of an Eligible Vehicle who
had an active lease issued by VW Credit, Inc. as of September 18, 2015, and purchased an
Eligible Vehicle previously leased by that owner after June 28, 2016, shall be an Eligible Lessee.

My lease is now up (2013 Jetta Sportwagen TDI 51,174 miles) and was wondering if I bought the car from VW Credit, could I change my status to owner. I see from the above statement that's not likely, and I'll remain in the Lessee category. Looks like a well sliced agreement with (many) possibilities pondered.

Even if I could get an attractive BUY NOW figure coming off this lease, and then if there is No Fix for the car in the future, would I be the recognized Owner of the car and be eligible to have them buy it from me at that future time?

Months ago I signed with one of the law firms as a claimant in the class action. I asked them my question on 'what if' I buy my Jetta, can I change my status from Lessee to Owner without jeopordizing any monetary payout.

The reply today was sure, just let them know and they'll change my status from Lessee to Owner. So now this is looking interesting to me. the residual on my lease is $15,600. For the short term expense of paying off any auto loan I might be looking at a buyback of at least $20K when the agreement is ratified.

stickguy

Nice job Q. Now I'm sorry I didn't get the other one. Or at least the brown sedan!

The used TDI market must be real dried up now.

28firefighter

I've been thinking of buying the black one - but they still have it (she was emailing me this morning about it).

Go for it, stick!

What's holding me back is that I'd have to pay $1200 to ship it and I don't have time for a road trip. It also sounds as though they are tacking on $500+ in fees.

stickguy

You buy it, and I'll pick it up and hold onto it for you.

qbrozen

The other wagon at Thompson? Their fee was only $135. Then it was another $140'ish for the registration and title.

28firefighter

qbrozen said:

The other wagon at Thompson? Their fee was only $135. Then it was another $140'ish for the registration and title.

On the other, they came back to me with an OTD price of $16,6 on a sale price of $15,990. Not sure where the remaining fees were coming from.

That obviously doesn't include sales tax since I need to pay that back here in WA.

qbrozen

Huh. When I get back to the office, I'll give you exact numbers. 

28firefighter

Thanks, Q!

And Stick, I was thinking about asking my folks to keep it at their house outside Philly for a while but they don't really have the room. Plus, what fun is this if I don't get to drive it?

qbrozen

Ok, I have the sales contract here.
$46.50 registration
$85.00 title
$135 doc fee
$28 plate fee
$5.45 OLRS fee

Total fees: $299.95

28firefighter

Fascinating...

Oh well. I'm still feeling a little hesitant to pull the trigger, but I'm thinking about it.

breld

urbansurfer said:

urbansurfer said:

except that the owner of an Eligible Vehicle who
had an active lease issued by VW Credit, Inc. as of September 18, 2015, and purchased an
Eligible Vehicle previously leased by that owner after June 28, 2016, shall be an Eligible Lessee.

My lease is now up (2013 Jetta Sportwagen TDI 51,174 miles) and was wondering if I bought the car from VW Credit, could I change my status to owner. I see from the above statement that's not likely, and I'll remain in the Lessee category. Looks like a well sliced agreement with (many) possibilities pondered.

Even if I could get an attractive BUY NOW figure coming off this lease, and then if there is No Fix for the car in the future, would I be the recognized Owner of the car and be eligible to have them buy it from me at that future time?

Months ago I signed with one of the law firms as a claimant in the class action. I asked them my question on 'what if' I buy my Jetta, can I change my status from Lessee to Owner without jeopordizing any monetary payout.

The reply today was sure, just let them know and they'll change my status from Lessee to Owner. So now this is looking interesting to me. the residual on my lease is $15,600. For the short term expense of paying off any auto loan I might be looking at a buyback of at least $20K when the agreement is ratified.

Are you sure you're not being represented by this law firm as part of a class action outside of the settlement agreement offered by VW?

breld

qbrozen said:

2014 with 27k miles.

So I didn't get a chance to enjoy it much last night since I didn't get out of there until 9:30, had an hour drive home, and was exhausted. The only thing I really noted was that I could throw it into turns pretty nicely and it soaks up noise and bumps better than any economy car needs to. This morning was a different experience since I could see what I was doing and play with the buttons and switches.

The motorized shade over the glass roof was a nice surprise. The stereo is pretty darned good. Transmission is amazingly quick in the gear changes, I just wish they had put paddle shifters on it. Annoying thing is that the redline is 5k but the tranny upshifts itself at 4500. Handling is pretty sharp. Steering very direct, in VW fashion. It leans a bit too much at first but then settles into a line. And as long as I shift it myself, it is pretty peppy. No problem passing people. Seating is not quite perfect for me. A motorized seat bottom would have been a welcome addition, but it is Ok enough. In short, it is no luxury car, and its not supposed to be, but for $16k, it is an amazing bargain.

Well said. I concur.

stever

breld said:

urbansurfer said:

urbansurfer said:

except that the owner of an Eligible Vehicle who
had an active lease issued by VW Credit, Inc. as of September 18, 2015, and purchased an
Eligible Vehicle previously leased by that owner after June 28, 2016, shall be an Eligible Lessee.

My lease is now up (2013 Jetta Sportwagen TDI 51,174 miles) and was wondering if I bought the car from VW Credit, could I change my status to owner. I see from the above statement that's not likely, and I'll remain in the Lessee category. Looks like a well sliced agreement with (many) possibilities pondered.

Even if I could get an attractive BUY NOW figure coming off this lease, and then if there is No Fix for the car in the future, would I be the recognized Owner of the car and be eligible to have them buy it from me at that future time?

Months ago I signed with one of the law firms as a claimant in the class action. I asked them my question on 'what if' I buy my Jetta, can I change my status from Lessee to Owner without jeopordizing any monetary payout.

The reply today was sure, just let them know and they'll change my status from Lessee to Owner. So now this is looking interesting to me. the residual on my lease is $15,600. For the short term expense of paying off any auto loan I might be looking at a buyback of at least $20K when the agreement is ratified.

Are you sure you're not being represented by this law firm as part of a class action outside of the settlement agreement offered by VW?

Someone spamming would have mentioned the law firm by now and @urbansurfer has been posting here for a few months without doing that.

breld

Oh no - I wasn't implying that HE is representing a firm. I just want to make sure a law firm is not representing to @urbansurfer that he could become an "owner" for the purposes of a class action suit that is outside of the proposed VW settlement.

So based on their advice, he goes and buys out his lease, thinking he'll become an Eligible Owner for the purposes of the VW Buyback, but this law firm is actually representing something else.

andres3

qbrozen said:

2014 with 27k miles.

So I didn't get a chance to enjoy it much last night since I didn't get out of there until 9:30, had an hour drive home, and was exhausted. The only thing I really noted was that I could throw it into turns pretty nicely and it soaks up noise and bumps better than any economy car needs to. This morning was a different experience since I could see what I was doing and play with the buttons and switches.

The motorized shade over the glass roof was a nice surprise. The stereo is pretty darned good. Transmission is amazingly quick in the gear changes, I just wish they had put paddle shifters on it. Annoying thing is that the redline is 5k but the tranny upshifts itself at 4500. Handling is pretty sharp. Steering very direct, in VW fashion. It leans a bit too much at first but then settles into a line. And as long as I shift it myself, it is pretty peppy. No problem passing people. Seating is not quite perfect for me. A motorized seat bottom would have been a welcome addition, but it is Ok enough. In short, it is no luxury car, and its not supposed to be, but for $16k, it is an amazing bargain.

$16K is a helluva deal. A '15 Golf wagon version SE model (one year newer) cost almost double brand new with no mileage of course.

kyfdx

So, there is a rumor that the Honda dealer in Indianapolis no longer has that A3 TDI for sale.