German carmaker Volkswagen has already approved in October a settlement agreement for Volkswagen 2.0-liter and 3.0-liter diesel cars with defeat device software resulting to the so-called global emissions scandal.
But what seems to be exciting owners of the controversial diesel cars from Volkswagen is the fact that the process of offering buybacks to affected owners from the carmaker is now underway and will start very soon, details the Green Car Reports.
Under the planned buyback terms, owners can sell their cars back to Volkswagen for a predetermined amount, or choose to wait for possible modifications to be approved that would allow the cars to comply with emissions standards.
However, owners have been advised to keep their cars intact during the buyback process. This became important when US District Court Judge Charles Breyer warned Volkswagen owners not to strip parts of their diesel cars before attempting to sell them back to the carmaker.
Breyer made the statement in light of a complaint from a Volkswagen lawyer who expressed the company’s apprehension over owners removing parts from their 2.0-liter and 3.0-liter diesel cars from Volkswagen. The judge said that a word of caution is appropriate at this time.
No stripping down of cars, please
The VW attorney expressed the apprehension in light of a recent report that an Ohio owner had stripped down his car before bringing it into a VW dealership.
The Ohio owner turned out to be Joe Mayer, who is a Cincinnati car salesman. He removed the doors, rear hatch, airbags, and body panels from his 2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI.
Judge Breyer explained in his official statement that the purpose of the buyback agreement by Volkswagen was to accept the cars on the condition that they were in as they were being driven on the road and not to strip the cars.
A motoring outlet ran a story showing the Golf TDI of Joe Mayer in its stripped-down condition so a Volkswagen representative called him and told him that his appointment had been postponed.
The representative did not offer a time for a new appointment and gave Mayer the phone number of an attorney to whom he was instructed to direct further questions.
Mayer maintained that stripping the car did not breach the terms of the buyback agreement, citing an FTC Consent Order specifying only that cars be operable.
The FTC Consent Order defines operable as a car that can be driven under its own 2.0-liter TDI engine power.
In response to the description of Mayer, Volkswagen issued a statement saying that only the 2.0-liter TDI settlement is governed by specific eligibility guidelines and other conditions.
The statement also noted that the great majority of affected owners take very good care of their vehicles and are returning them for buyback intact.
VW global emissions scandal
The Volkswagen diesel probe came as a result of the emissions scandal a few months ago by its diesel cars.
Europe’s largest carmaker got embroiled in a global gas emissions scandal that involves diesel and gasoline engines and could potentially cost tens of billions in fines and litigation, in addition to the need to install new software and hardware on the affected cars.
Late last month, the German carmaker promised that it will present the final findings to its investigation in the middle of this month, which Volkswagen was able to do so.
The promise was actually made by VW Chief Executive Matthias Mueller last month in his speech to about 1,000 managers at the company’s Wolfsburg headquarters, reports the Wall Street Journal.
Mueller reiterated that he considers the costs for refitting the cars technically, mechanically, and financially manageable.
He also told managers that proposed fixes for more than 90% of all group vehicles in Europe have been approved by authorities.
Early last month, Volkswagen presented to the German Motor Vehicles Authority KBA detailed plans for all technical fixes by the end of November.