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| Help! I'm a VW car owner, what should I do? | Help! I'm a VW car owner, what should I do? |
| (5 days later) | |
| Drivers of Volkswagen diesel cars - watching the emissions scandal engulfing the company - will naturally want to know whether they have bought a car with the performance they expect. | Drivers of Volkswagen diesel cars - watching the emissions scandal engulfing the company - will naturally want to know whether they have bought a car with the performance they expect. |
| Add to that worries about the original cost of the car, and its value should they come to resell it, and the effect of this scandal becomes clearer in terms of pounds and pence. | Add to that worries about the original cost of the car, and its value should they come to resell it, and the effect of this scandal becomes clearer in terms of pounds and pence. |
| And yet, absolute financial clarity remains a distant prospect. | And yet, absolute financial clarity remains a distant prospect. |
| Experts are divided as to whether the price of second-hand VWs will be affected. Despite lawyers circling, there are not enough details to conclude whether drivers will, or won't, have a claim for compensation. | Experts are divided as to whether the price of second-hand VWs will be affected. Despite lawyers circling, there are not enough details to conclude whether drivers will, or won't, have a claim for compensation. |
| What do we know so far? | What do we know so far? |
| The German car giant - the biggest global carmaker in terms of sales - has admitted it had used software in the US to provide false emission test results. The firm's US boss said it "totally screwed up". | The German car giant - the biggest global carmaker in terms of sales - has admitted it had used software in the US to provide false emission test results. The firm's US boss said it "totally screwed up". |
| The Jetta, Beetle, Golf and Audi A3 models in the US from 2009 to 2015 and the Passat from 2014 to 2015, had the devices which produced doctored results. | The Jetta, Beetle, Golf and Audi A3 models in the US from 2009 to 2015 and the Passat from 2014 to 2015, had the devices which produced doctored results. |
| Some 500,000 vehicles in the US have been affected. | Some 500,000 vehicles in the US have been affected. |
| This is a fraction of the 11 million VW Group cars - including Audi, Seat, Skoda and VW Commercial vehicles - around the world that have the same equipment. | This is a fraction of the 11 million VW Group cars - including Audi, Seat, Skoda and VW Commercial vehicles - around the world that have the same equipment. |
| The company has been outlining the breakdown of this total around the world. For example, 1.2 million of its vehicles sold in the UK are fitted with the software involved. | The company has been outlining the breakdown of this total around the world. For example, 1.2 million of its vehicles sold in the UK are fitted with the software involved. |
| The highest total so far has been the 2.8 million vehicles in Germany that are fitted with the device. | The highest total so far has been the 2.8 million vehicles in Germany that are fitted with the device. |
| It is also far from clear as to whether these vehicles, despite having this device, would break any emissions rules in the UK or EU. It is also not clear whether this device was active in every vehicle into which it was fitted. | It is also far from clear as to whether these vehicles, despite having this device, would break any emissions rules in the UK or EU. It is also not clear whether this device was active in every vehicle into which it was fitted. |
| What do UK drivers say? | What do UK drivers say? |
| Robin Cole, a medical physicist from Surrey, says low emissions were a key factor behind his decision to buy a diesel VW Golf BlueMotion. | Robin Cole, a medical physicist from Surrey, says low emissions were a key factor behind his decision to buy a diesel VW Golf BlueMotion. |
| The 33-year-old is worried that the performance statistics were too good to be true. | The 33-year-old is worried that the performance statistics were too good to be true. |
| "I am confident that VW will do the right thing when it comes to compensating consumers if it turns out they were misleading us into paying a premium," he says. | "I am confident that VW will do the right thing when it comes to compensating consumers if it turns out they were misleading us into paying a premium," he says. |
| "They will want to keep us as faithful customers." | "They will want to keep us as faithful customers." |
| Oliver Ealey, a VW Golf owner from Oxfordshire, wants more information from the company. | Oliver Ealey, a VW Golf owner from Oxfordshire, wants more information from the company. |
| "I want to know as soon as possible if my car has been affected and, if so, what are the actions from this point on," he says. | "I want to know as soon as possible if my car has been affected and, if so, what are the actions from this point on," he says. |
| Will Mr Ealey get his wish? | Will Mr Ealey get his wish? |
| VW has been outlining which brands and models are affected and the next steps to be taken by the company and drivers. | VW has been outlining which brands and models are affected and the next steps to be taken by the company and drivers. |
| It will cover any costs involved, having already set aside €6.5bn (£4.7bn). | It will cover any costs involved, having already set aside €6.5bn (£4.7bn). |
| The company in the UK is giving the vehicle identification numbers (VIN) to retailers and will be contacting affected owners directly. Those affected will be drivers who own VW diesel cars and vans registered between 2009 and 2015, but not the very latest Euro 6 models. | |
| In the meantime, owners can check if their vehicle is affected by entering the VIN details found in their log book or on the windscreen into online checkers on the relevant brand's website. | |
| The 11 million vehicles will have to go through a service procedure in the new year to rectify software that caused the scandal. VW says this is not technically a recall, which would have meant there could be safety or security implications. | |
| The company says this procedure will be relatively quick, so cars will not be going into garages for days. | |
| There is no suggestion that the cars are in anyway unsafe to drive, so owners can carry on motoring as normal. | There is no suggestion that the cars are in anyway unsafe to drive, so owners can carry on motoring as normal. |
| That is particularly important in the UK where diesel cars account for 50% of sales. About 16% of cars on UK roads are VW Group cars. | That is particularly important in the UK where diesel cars account for 50% of sales. About 16% of cars on UK roads are VW Group cars. |
| Will this scandal affect the resale price of the car? | Will this scandal affect the resale price of the car? |
| That is very much a matter of debate. | |
| Jim Holder, editorial director at Haymarket Automotive which publishes WhatCar and AutoCar, told the BBC: "In the short-term there will be an impact on the value of these cars and their desirability." | |
| The longer term picture might be better news for owners. | The longer term picture might be better news for owners. |
| Dylan Setterfield, senior editor at CAP Black Book - a manual referred to by professional used-car dealers, says: "We do not expect there to be any significant impact on used values in the UK as a direct result of the US emissions scandal. | Dylan Setterfield, senior editor at CAP Black Book - a manual referred to by professional used-car dealers, says: "We do not expect there to be any significant impact on used values in the UK as a direct result of the US emissions scandal. |
| "The last global recall was the Toyota/Lexus issue, and despite the fact that this had serious safety implications, there was no discernible impact on used values." | "The last global recall was the Toyota/Lexus issue, and despite the fact that this had serious safety implications, there was no discernible impact on used values." |
| He says there are reasons - other than emissions - that make diesel cars popular such as the pulling power of these engines. | He says there are reasons - other than emissions - that make diesel cars popular such as the pulling power of these engines. |
| "The overriding view is that diesel vehicles are more economical than their petrol equivalents - even if this is not always the case - and the torque characteristics of diesel engines are generally popular with drivers," he says. | "The overriding view is that diesel vehicles are more economical than their petrol equivalents - even if this is not always the case - and the torque characteristics of diesel engines are generally popular with drivers," he says. |
| Is compensation a possibility? | Is compensation a possibility? |
| Again, it really is too early to say, but lawyers in the UK believe there is a chance. | Again, it really is too early to say, but lawyers in the UK believe there is a chance. |
| "If UK cars are found to contain defeat devices, this would give rise to a claim by car owners and car dealerships who bought VW vehicles on the basis of false information and whose asset has now devalued," says Jacqueline Young, head of group litigation at law firm Slater and Gordon. | "If UK cars are found to contain defeat devices, this would give rise to a claim by car owners and car dealerships who bought VW vehicles on the basis of false information and whose asset has now devalued," says Jacqueline Young, head of group litigation at law firm Slater and Gordon. |
| Lawyers in the US are already considering bringing cases. | Lawyers in the US are already considering bringing cases. |
| Will my vehicle tax be affected? | Will my vehicle tax be affected? |
| The UK government has announced a testing programme on a range of diesel cars to check whether the emissions dupe is more widespread. | The UK government has announced a testing programme on a range of diesel cars to check whether the emissions dupe is more widespread. |
| This could develop into a test for other types of emissions, rather than just the nitrogen oxide readings which were covered up in the US. | This could develop into a test for other types of emissions, rather than just the nitrogen oxide readings which were covered up in the US. |
| Emissions quoted by the manufacturer are key to the level of tax levied on these vehicles when bought and thereafter. They are also key to the tax paid by employers and employees who have diesel vehicles as company cars. | Emissions quoted by the manufacturer are key to the level of tax levied on these vehicles when bought and thereafter. They are also key to the tax paid by employers and employees who have diesel vehicles as company cars. |
| Chas Roy-Chowdhury, of the ACCA accountancy body, says similar tax rules apply across Europe. | Chas Roy-Chowdhury, of the ACCA accountancy body, says similar tax rules apply across Europe. |
| Should it be proved that tax has been underpaid owing to emissions readings being cheated, then governments may seek to recoup that money from the car company involved. | Should it be proved that tax has been underpaid owing to emissions readings being cheated, then governments may seek to recoup that money from the car company involved. |
| If the car company can prove that its in-lab testing met the European regulator's requirements, then such a move would be difficult to win legally. | If the car company can prove that its in-lab testing met the European regulator's requirements, then such a move would be difficult to win legally. |
| The government has said it will ensure no drivers will end up paying higher tax costs as a result of this scandal. | The government has said it will ensure no drivers will end up paying higher tax costs as a result of this scandal. |
| Drivers may see changes to the levels of tax levied in the future, although the rules are set to change anyway. | Drivers may see changes to the levels of tax levied in the future, although the rules are set to change anyway. |
| Will my VW pass the UK's MOT emissions test? | Will my VW pass the UK's MOT emissions test? |
| Yes, it will. Or rather it won't fail as a result of nitrogen oxide emissions. | Yes, it will. Or rather it won't fail as a result of nitrogen oxide emissions. |
| The UK Department of Transport's (DoT) MOT emissions test for diesel cars measures the density of the particulates in the exhaust fumes, not the nature of the gasses produced. | The UK Department of Transport's (DoT) MOT emissions test for diesel cars measures the density of the particulates in the exhaust fumes, not the nature of the gasses produced. |
| A DoT spokesperson said "This is a smoke opacity test. It is not comparable to the laboratory or road emissions tests." | A DoT spokesperson said "This is a smoke opacity test. It is not comparable to the laboratory or road emissions tests." |
| The test is carried out using a calibrated smoke meter which measures the soot content in the exhaust. | The test is carried out using a calibrated smoke meter which measures the soot content in the exhaust. |
| VW has also stressed that vehicles will not fail MOTs owing to the cheating software. | |
| Will this happen again? | Will this happen again? |
| There are plenty of questions as to whether this scandal will expose further emission testing failures and, in turn, whether this affects prices. | There are plenty of questions as to whether this scandal will expose further emission testing failures and, in turn, whether this affects prices. |
| The RAC Foundation says that new diesels are performing as they are expected to. | The RAC Foundation says that new diesels are performing as they are expected to. |
| More robust testing of car emissions across Europe is likely to be brought in sooner to bolster confidence. These proposed tests reveal emissions of pollutants in real driving conditions, rather than in the lab, and had been expected to start in 2017. | More robust testing of car emissions across Europe is likely to be brought in sooner to bolster confidence. These proposed tests reveal emissions of pollutants in real driving conditions, rather than in the lab, and had been expected to start in 2017. |
| How VW rebounds from this crisis for the company will be important not only for drivers, but also for investors in the company who have watched the value of their shares tumble. | How VW rebounds from this crisis for the company will be important not only for drivers, but also for investors in the company who have watched the value of their shares tumble. |