Volkswagen facing multiple US probes

[Jack Knave]

I am going to be mightily pissed if my car gets pulled off the road because of this. 

Just as long as you are not driving whilst pissed then you will be pulled over and off the road.

I won't have a bloody car, will I?

I'm not sure how things will be carried out but you may hear about this action to remove your car before it is actually implemented...

I've been notified about getting it 'fixed', which is no problem - I just want to be able to use it in the meantime.

I think it will depend on whether our government implements EU law or does its own thing.

What does 'fix' mean, software and/or hardware? The hardware that I've heard sounds like a fairly major job and so will take time.

In the mean time your car still works, I don't understand why it would be docked until the work is done, which could be ages if it is hardware.

[Rhiannon]

I am going to be mightily pissed if my car gets pulled off the road because of this. 

Just as long as you are not driving whilst pissed then you will be pulled over and off the road.

I won't have a bloody car, will I?

I'm not sure how things will be carried out but you may hear about this action to remove your car before it is actually implemented...

I've been notified about getting it 'fixed', which is no problem - I just want to be able to use it in the meantime.

I think it will depend on whether our government implements EU law or does its own thing.

What does 'fix' mean, software and/or hardware? The hardware that I've heard sounds like a fairly major job and so will take time.

In the mean time your car still works, I don't understand why it would be docked until the work is done, which could be ages if it is hardware.

According to the letter they are working on 'technical solutions' but it isn't expected to be a big job.

The recall in Germany bothers me because as I understand it, a recall means a car isn't legal to drive for safety or security reasons, at least in the UK. If a recall is issued rather than just a request for getting this issue fixed then in my understanding that means taking all affected cars off the road, either until the issue is sorted or otherwise indefinitely. Presumably the worst case scenario would be if the issue can't be sorted then they'll be scrapped, which would be a hideous waste of energy and resources.

[Jack Knave]

I am going to be mightily pissed if my car gets pulled off the road because of this. 

Just as long as you are not driving whilst pissed then you will be pulled over and off the road.

I won't have a bloody car, will I?

I'm not sure how things will be carried out but you may hear about this action to remove your car before it is actually implemented...

I've been notified about getting it 'fixed', which is no problem - I just want to be able to use it in the meantime.

I think it will depend on whether our government implements EU law or does its own thing.

What does 'fix' mean, software and/or hardware? The hardware that I've heard sounds like a fairly major job and so will take time.

In the mean time your car still works, I don't understand why it would be docked until the work is done, which could be ages if it is hardware.

According to the letter they are working on 'technical solutions' but it isn't expected to be a big job.

The recall in Germany bothers me because as I understand it, a recall means a car isn't legal to drive for safety or security reasons, at least in the UK. If a recall is issued rather than just a request for getting this issue fixed then in my understanding that means taking all affected cars off the road, either until the issue is sorted or otherwise indefinitely. Presumably the worst case scenario would be if the issue can't be sorted then they'll be scrapped, which would be a hideous waste of energy and resources.

From what I have heard, or gather, all cars can be fixed and it would seem to me to not be a recall issue, but I'm no lawyer. I can appreciate your annoyance, it would piss me off too if I'd been affected.

[Rhiannon]

Especially as I haven't even got a bloody Volkswagen.

I hope you are right and thank you for your sympathy. 

[Harrowby Hall]

I am going to be mightily pissed if my car gets pulled off the road because of this. 

Just as long as you are not driving whilst pissed then you will be pulled over and off the road.

I won't have a bloody car, will I?

I'm not sure how things will be carried out but you may hear about this action to remove your car before it is actually implemented...

I've been notified about getting it 'fixed', which is no problem - I just want to be able to use it in the meantime.

I think it will depend on whether our government implements EU law or does its own thing.

What does 'fix' mean, software and/or hardware? The hardware that I've heard sounds like a fairly major job and so will take time.

In the mean time your car still works, I don't understand why it would be docked until the work is done, which could be ages if it is hardware.

According to the letter they are working on 'technical solutions' but it isn't expected to be a big job.

The recall in Germany bothers me because as I understand it, a recall means a car isn't legal to drive for safety or security reasons, at least in the UK. If a recall is issued rather than just a request for getting this issue fixed then in my understanding that means taking all affected cars off the road, either until the issue is sorted or otherwise indefinitely. Presumably the worst case scenario would be if the issue can't be sorted then they'll be scrapped, which would be a hideous waste of energy and resources.

From what I have heard, or gather, all cars can be fixed and it would seem to me to not be a recall issue, but I'm no lawyer. I can appreciate your annoyance, it would piss me off too if I'd been affected.

And my understanding is similar to Jack Knave's.

As far as I know, no-one has said that the cars are producing levels of pollutant which are illegal (thus making vehicles unroadworthy) but that the software presents lower levels than actually exist when the engine runs under test conditions. My guess is that the recall will involve  just a software partch so that the car no longer tells a lie.

So, after the recall your car will behave exactly as it had before except when being tested. HM Treasury may find the opportunity to reorganise the Motor Vehicle Tax to its advantage to be irresistable.

And that will be that.

[Rhiannon]

I hope so. I love my car - she's called Mathilde after a metal horse on wheels from the Agatha Christie novel Postern of Fate.

The thing with taxes is that any government can change them at any time. Buying because of tax banding thinking nothing will change is madness anyway.

[jeremyp]

I'm not overly fussed about my road tax and my intention is to keep it for as long as possible, so resale value doesn't matter. But having finally found a car I feel comfortable driving I will be really cross if I have to lose it. I can't afford to replace it.

They won't take it off you but if they did, Volkswagen would have to pay you compensation.

The worst that will happen is that the car gets recalled and when you get it back it had less performance and is less economical.

Incidentally, a friend of mine is now thinking of buying a nearly new Volkswagen diesel because he has reasoned that the second hand prices are going to tank now.

[Udayana]

The recall + fix will be voluntary. The government has also stated they they won't increase the tax due to increased CO2 emission from fixed vehicles.

Jeremy's friend and the like minded are obviously helping to stop the second hand prices falling.

Has everyone stopped following the news in fear of hearing upsetting items?

[Rhiannon]

The recall + fix will be voluntary. The government has also stated they they won't increase the tax due to increased CO2 emission from fixed vehicles.

Jeremy's friend and the like minded are obviously helping to stop the second hand prices falling.

Has everyone stopped following the news in fear of hearing upsetting items?

Why would anyone do that?

[Rhiannon]

I'm not overly fussed about my road tax and my intention is to keep it for as long as possible, so resale value doesn't matter. But having finally found a car I feel comfortable driving I will be really cross if I have to lose it. I can't afford to replace it.

They won't take it off you but if they did, Volkswagen would have to pay you compensation.

The worst that will happen is that the car gets recalled and when you get it back it had less performance and is less economical.

Incidentally, a friend of mine is now thinking of buying a nearly new Volkswagen diesel because he has reasoned that the second hand prices are going to tank now.

Don't blame him. My Skoda's a VW cousin and it's a great little car.

[floo]

I'm not overly fussed about my road tax and my intention is to keep it for as long as possible, so resale value doesn't matter. But having finally found a car I feel comfortable driving I will be really cross if I have to lose it. I can't afford to replace it.

They won't take it off you but if they did, Volkswagen would have to pay you compensation.

The worst that will happen is that the car gets recalled and when you get it back it had less performance and is less economical.

Incidentally, a friend of mine is now thinking of buying a nearly new Volkswagen diesel because he has reasoned that the second hand prices are going to tank now.

Don't blame him. My Skoda's a VW cousin and it's a great little car.

Many years ago when our youngest girl was a teenager, we consider getting Skoda as a third car. She said she wouldn't be seen dead in it, as it was uncool or something in those days!

[Rhiannon]

I'm not overly fussed about my road tax and my intention is to keep it for as long as possible, so resale value doesn't matter. But having finally found a car I feel comfortable driving I will be really cross if I have to lose it. I can't afford to replace it.

They won't take it off you but if they did, Volkswagen would have to pay you compensation.

The worst that will happen is that the car gets recalled and when you get it back it had less performance and is less economical.

Incidentally, a friend of mine is now thinking of buying a nearly new Volkswagen diesel because he has reasoned that the second hand prices are going to tank now.

Don't blame him. My Skoda's a VW cousin and it's a great little car.

Many years ago when our youngest girl was a teenager, we consider getting Skoda as a third car. She said she wouldn't be seen dead in it, as it was uncool or something in those days!

They've had a serious makeover since then. 

[floo]

I'm not overly fussed about my road tax and my intention is to keep it for as long as possible, so resale value doesn't matter. But having finally found a car I feel comfortable driving I will be really cross if I have to lose it. I can't afford to replace it.

They won't take it off you but if they did, Volkswagen would have to pay you compensation.

The worst that will happen is that the car gets recalled and when you get it back it had less performance and is less economical.

Incidentally, a friend of mine is now thinking of buying a nearly new Volkswagen diesel because he has reasoned that the second hand prices are going to tank now.

Don't blame him. My Skoda's a VW cousin and it's a great little car.

Many years ago when our youngest girl was a teenager, we consider getting Skoda as a third car. She said she wouldn't be seen dead in it, as it was uncool or something in those days!

They've had a serious makeover since then. 

So I believe. However the Honda Jazz is my car of choice these days.

[Rhiannon]

Rubbish on the lanes round here though. Some of them are so bad it's like taking part in a rally. I would have looked at a Qashqai but they are hard to find with 4WD in the UK.

[Udayana]

The recall + fix will be voluntary. The government has also stated they they won't increase the tax due to increased CO2 emission from fixed vehicles.

Jeremy's friend and the like minded are obviously helping to stop the second hand prices falling.

Has everyone stopped following the news in fear of hearing upsetting items?

Why would anyone do that?

Just that most the questions and concerns in this thread have been comprehensibly dealt with  in the media.

[Rhiannon]

The recall + fix will be voluntary. The government has also stated they they won't increase the tax due to increased CO2 emission from fixed vehicles.

Jeremy's friend and the like minded are obviously helping to stop the second hand prices falling.

Has everyone stopped following the news in fear of hearing upsetting items?

Why would anyone do that?

Just that most the questions and concerns in this thread have been comprehensibly dealt with  in the media.

So you mean you are asking me directly if I have stopped following the news because I don't want to get upset, am I right?

That is to misunderstand my point about not watching the news, which is about maintaining perspective - not wanting to be upset or worried is a bad reason for avoiding news media in the same way that avoiding dogs increases the fear of dogs.

Secondly, where did you think I got the info on the German recall and what a recall means in English terminology? (Which isn't the same thing as the voluntary scheme currently proposed, at least according to the BBC website the last time I looked - things have only been recalled in the UK if they are unsafe, although from what I can gather this instance is now changing that).

[Udayana]

Rhi, no idea where you get your news but you did seem concerned about your car being taken away from you. If you have followed the news (eg BBC or the papers) it should have been clear that it would not.

In fact VW, associated manufacturers and the owners have gotten off very lightly considering possible effects of cheating on specifications, regulations and tests. Definitely time to tighten up on these, imo.

[jeremyp]

Don't blame him. My Skoda's a VW cousin and it's a great little car.

I totally agree, in fact, your Skoda is a VW, but it is one whose rep is tarnished which means that resale prices will be depressed for a while and therefore is a bargain.

[jeremyp]

I would have looked at a Qashqai

That's a gourd isn't it or a squash.

[Rhiannon]

Rhi, no idea where you get your news but you did seem concerned about your car being taken away from you. If you have followed the news (eg BBC or the papers) it should have been clear that it would not.

In fact VW, associated manufacturers and the owners have gotten off very lightly considering possible effects of cheating on specifications, regulations and tests. Definitely time to tighten up on these, imo.

I was only going by the fact that the BBC said that a recall isn't (or wasn't) the same thing as recommending a modification, and also that governments change their minds. What they say today isn't always what they will do tomorrow.

[Rhiannon]

Don't blame him. My Skoda's a VW cousin and it's a great little car.

I totally agree, in fact, your Skoda is a VW, but it is one whose rep is tarnished which means that resale prices will be depressed for a while and therefore is a bargain.

Yes, I'd gathered it was a VW with a Skoda badge but I don't really know how that works.

Really not fussed about the resale value at all.

[Harrowby Hall]

Don't blame him. My Skoda's a VW cousin and it's a great little car.

I totally agree, in fact, your Skoda is a VW, but it is one whose rep is tarnished which means that resale prices will be depressed for a while and therefore is a bargain.

Yes, I'd gathered it was a VW with a Skoda badge but I don't really know how that works.

Really not fussed about the resale value at all.

A little known fact ....

The main VW assembly plant at Wolfsburg was old and creaking at the seams. Up to 60% of its output on any day had to undergo reworking to overcome quality control inspection failures.

When VW acquired Skoda, the Skoda assembly plant was completely rebuilt. Skoda vehicles are now essential VW vehicles with Skoda badging and some trim differences, with both brands being produced on the same assembly lines. The output from Skoda was virtually perfect with very, very few inspection failures.

Skoda-built VWs were better quality than Wolfsburg VWs.

[jeremyp]

News just in: the VW scandal will cause 60 extra premature deaths in the USA, with more if they don't get the cars fixed.

http://arstechnica.com/science/2015/10/vw-emissions-fraud-will-cause-about-60-premature-deaths-in-us/

[Udayana]

And in Europe, where their diesel cars are used more widely?

[jeremyp]

And in Europe, where their diesel cars are used more widely?

I haven't seen a report on that yet.