Aaaaaannnndddd...
The people who sold their cars are getting screwed, while the people who bought those cars are getting a windfall?
US judge rubber-stamps Volkswagen's 'Dieselgate' settlement
Volkswagen's proposed US “Dieselgate” remedies can go into effect, a US judge said, approving the disgraced auto-maker's US$14.7 billion settlement. Charles Breyer of the US District Court in San Francisco signed off on VW's offer to around 475,000 owners of 2-litre diesel Audis and Volkswagens that ran software to deliver low …
-
-
Wednesday 26th October 2016 08:33 GMT AIBailey
Re: Aaaaaannnndddd...
The people who sold their cars are getting screwed
Not really. The people that sold their cars simply got exactly what they're worth. They didn't get screwed, they just didn't get handed a bundle of free cash. That's the problem with litigation-happy nations: people always want to benefit in some way.
Meanwhile in the UK, we just got a recall notice and some remedial work.
-
-
Wednesday 26th October 2016 02:36 GMT Anonymous Coward
Re: AND....
And in the UK, we get Sweet FA.
In fairness, I've had more issues with the Electronic Gizmos than the Engine (the latest, the interior aircon/heater blower/fan has packed up, a £500 repair due to integrated parts/electronic climate control) . For what amounts to replacing a fan, held in place by 3 fixings.
-
Wednesday 26th October 2016 04:31 GMT Voland's right hand
Re: AND....
For what amounts to replacing a fan, held in place by 3 fixings.
But... But... But... Sir... This is a Canbus driven fan and only a VW servicedroid dolt in possession of VW service software can magic said fan into life. Surely, you do not understand the greatness of the idea of stuffing everything up to and including lightbulbs with active electronics and losing any potential efficiency from replacing a lightbulb by having to have a load resistor added to the circuit. It is such a great design, you should be proud of buying it. CustomerShaftung durch Technik.
VW - no thanks. While I understand the idea of having CAN in a few places like engine, ABS and airbags, but the rest can happily work of a conventional wire harness. In fact, once both manufacturing and runtime (customer) costs are taken into account over the lifetime of the car CANBUS for sh*t like aircon, lights, etc is neither cheaper nor better.
-
Wednesday 26th October 2016 13:18 GMT John Brown (no body)
Re: AND....
"While I understand the idea of having CAN in a few places like engine, ABS and airbags"
Just wait until WiFi is cheaper than a wiring harness, or marketing can make it a selling point, and CANBUS will be dead in favour of a local wireless network for all those safety critical systems.
(only sort of joking - I bet it's been kicked around in meetings)
-
Wednesday 26th October 2016 10:35 GMT Snar
Re: AND....
I had a similar event with a Vectra - Fan packed up and conveniently took out the controls, again costing £500 to fix. Of course, any designer worth his salt would have designed the electronics to detect a failed motor and fold back. But we are talking about an industry that is geared around hammering suppliers down on price and arse-raping their customers when something fails.
I also have major financial woes with various computers, handbrake, suspension, wipers and wing-mirror faults on the same car with a total repair bill of over £4k in about 3 years once the warranty had run out.
-
-
-
Wednesday 26th October 2016 07:45 GMT erhumdm
Once was a Fan ...
It seems equally scandalous that VW/Audi get off essentially scott-free in the UK (and guessing Europe too) where the same vehicles come in for a quick software makeover.
Mine is finally booked in for that in a few weeks. No doubt my great economy goes out the window entirely, value of the car falls significantly ...
While regulators will sit on the fence while they look for lobbying [more lies] from the perpetrator of the fraud ...us poor consumers are left to pickup the difference.
-
-
Wednesday 26th October 2016 08:24 GMT Dan 55
Re: Once was a Fan ...
Also petrol cars made until 2019 will be allowed to exceed emission limits by 50% under EU rules. Manufacturers (i.e. VW Group) want to save money on a filter.
-
Wednesday 26th October 2016 10:12 GMT 8Ace
Re: Once was a Fan ...
Also petrol cars made until 2019 will be allowed to exceed emission limits by 50% under EU rules.
To be fair that's because petrol particulate emissions are already an order of magnitude lower than Diesel. Meeting new even lower levels has proven to be a bigger techical challenge than first thought, slapping on a filter as the Gruniad implies is not the whole story.
-
-
-
Wednesday 26th October 2016 08:36 GMT AIBailey
Re: Once was a Fan ...
Mine is finally booked in for that in a few weeks. No doubt my great economy goes out the window entirely, value of the car falls significantly ...
Mine was done about 6 weeks ago. TBH their claims so far appear to have been right - I've not noticed any difference in either performance or economy. As for the value of the car, that will only reveal itself when I eventually come to change it.
-
Wednesday 26th October 2016 12:09 GMT Anonymous Coward
Re: Once was a Fan ...
There are plenty of reported performance/economy issues with "fixed" EA189 engines in the UK.
The VW / VOSA *voluntary* recall notification letter is a pure masterclass of ignoring the elephant in the room - lots of comforting, reassuring words about how acoustic noise levels won't increase, service intervals remain unaffected, and how dealers are always there to help you.
Not a single word about performance or economy. Unless they've magically redefined the stoichiometric cycle of a reciprocating internal combustion engine, something *has* to give.
They ain't never gonna get their grubby little mitts on mine...
-
Thursday 27th October 2016 09:48 GMT Anonymous Coward
Re: Once was a Fan ...
There are some reports of problems with post-recall engines, but compared to the number of vehicles that have been fixed, they're little more than background noise.
You obviously got a different letter to me. Mine specifically stated that there was to be no change in performance and economy, and since the work was carried out the car drives exactly as it did before.
It did "claim" that this was down to advances in diesel engine technology that wasn't available at the time the car was made (2011 in my case), and that does have a whiff of BS about it. However I my case I've noticed no change in the characteristics of the car at all.
-
-
Wednesday 26th October 2016 13:25 GMT John Brown (no body)
Re: Once was a Fan ...
"Mine is finally booked in for that in a few weeks. No doubt my great economy goes out the window entirely, value of the car falls significantly ..."
You could always take it to the small claims court for whatever the maximum is now based on fraudulent advertising claims and loss of value, both of which would be hard to defend against. Most likely they'd settle up with you rather than set a precedent.
-
Biting the hand that feeds IT
