Aviator47 wrote:
xantufrog wrote:
According to some others above a computer code flash should suffice to bring it into compliance
I wonder what the performance and fuel economy of the reprogrammed vehicle would be? The consumer bought these cars in good faith. VW did not sell them in good faith. Should the consumer be forced to accept lower performance and economy than advertised to correct VW's fraud? The fuel cost difference could possibly be priced out for a cash settlement, but if performance is dodgy, how do you compensate the consumer for that?
Can the environmental protection agencies really allow indefinite operation of uncorrected cars without effectively being hypocritical. This is not a matter of weighing societal costs and benefits before the fact. This is a matter of a corporation admitting that it willfully designed and marketed a product that was going to pollute at higher than allowed levels.
I think it's going to get more complicated before it is settled.
Al, you are exactly right. I purchased a 2015 Golf Sportwagen TDI, which uses the AdBlue system. That engine is on the list as well. I suspect it will be simpler to "fix" through a software flash that probably will use AdBlue at a higher rate. Right now, the tank is designed to be refilled ever 10K when the car is serviced for an oil change. My guess is if the system was working properly, the interval will be 3-5K on AdBlue fill ups.
The larger question is compensation. I was defrauded. I paid a premium for a "clean" diesel. That value is now gone through no fault of my own. Similarly, if the software reprogram affects performance (I mean acceleration and torque), I don't have the car i "purchased." At the very least, I should be compensated for loss of value caused by the fraud, and, if the car's performance is degraded, VW should buy the car back from me for what I paid for it. They have no defense here, because they engaged in fraud, pure and simple. In a civil action, they would owe compensatory damages and probably get hit with punitive damages because of their knowing and long running bad behavior.