Sunday 15th January 2017

TDI the new PPI?

Dieselgate has cost VW Group $15bn in America but could Brits now be in line for a pay-out?

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Were you mis-sold a VW Group TDI in the UK? Then YOU could be in line for compensation of several thousand pounds - even if you bought the car second-hand, and even if you have since sold the car. Sign up TODAY and make a claim: it's no win, no fee, so what have you got to lose? And if you think this sounds a bit like trying to 'do a PPI' for TDI, then you're not wrong. There's even a dedicated website to make it as easy as possible to put in a claim.

Harcus Sinclair Ltd is leading the charge in the UK, seeking compensation for owners of 1.2-litre, 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre TDI diesels sold in the UK between 2009-2015. Now, you'll probably have noted that $15bn has been awarded to US Volkswagen owners. That's up to $10,000 per person, reckons the firm. So naturally, Brits are automatically in line for a big cash payout too? Well, no. Volkswagen has admitted the software bypassed tough US emissions regulations. It has not admitted Euro 5 legislation was similarly tricked. The firm thus intends to "defend such claims robustly". It's up to the lawyers to prove the software was a functioning defeat device over here too, and helped cars get Euro 5 certification they shouldn't otherwise have received.

Volkswagen suggests they may struggle because, for most of the affected models, making the changes necessary to purge the defeat device from the software does not affect MPG, CO2 or engine performance. What's more, experts reckon retained values are unaffected, and it's thus unlikely any UK customers will have suffered any financial loss for which compensation is due.

But that's not quite the line the lawyers are focusing on. They're arguing, simply, that "Volkswagen engaged in deceit" because defeat device software was needed to meet Euro 5 levels of NOx emissions. If they are able to prove that, when selling the cars, the cars don't meet regulatory standards, then owners (plus former owners - and there are 1.2m UK VWs, Audis, Seats and Skodas affected) are due compensation (of which the lawyers will take a 30 per cent cut).

There's a long way to go. First, the High Court must give the go-ahead for a pre-trial hearing of this so-called 'group litigation order' (similar to a US class action lawsuit). Then, there would be a full trial, which could be a good two years away. But 10,000 people have already signed up, and Harcus Sinclair is today publically encouraging many more to do the same. If successful, it could cost VW another few billion pounds.

"Don't do it for the money," said Harcus Sinclair's Damon Parker on Radio 4's Today (to which Humphrys could barely conceal a snort), and "don't get your hopes up". But the firm insists that owners of affected vehicles may have overpaid, and may thus be entitled to compensation. So, if you own (or have owned) an affected VW Group car, will you be joining?

[gweaver]

It strikes me that the real victims are the asthmatics in heavily polluted areas, and VAG owners haven't suffered as much as might have been expected. I wouldn't be surprised to see a similar sueball on behalf of asthmatics.

There have been reports of impaired driveability and fuel consumption on some vehicles that have received a software fix, so some owners are understandably holding off. IMHO VAG should be forced to make *all* of their vehicles fully emissions compliant. If fuel economy, performance and maintenance costs are adversely affected then owners should be compensated.

[gweaver]

Jonnny said:

So if VAG Group go bankrupt, is that one up for the people? And hundreds of thousands out of jobs..

If VAG went bankrupt other manufacturers would fulfil the demand, and other jobs would be created.