VW give US owners $1000 to “regain customers’ trust”. But what about the UK & Europe?

Volkswagen in the US is giving owners of cars wrapped up in the Defeat Device scam over $1,000 in an effort to regain trust. But nothing for the UK and Europe.

The news that Volkswagen in the USA is giving owners of cars fitted with the Defeat Device to scam emissions test a $500 voucher for diesel, a $500 voucher for servicing and free roadside assistance for three years does show they’re trying, in a small way, to make amends for their illegal actions.

There seem to be no legal strings attached to the offer, so owners will still be able to sue VW for losses and compensation, all of which should make US owners feel a little warmer to VW. But what about the UK and Europe (and elsewhere around the globe)?

A cynic might argue that keeping US owners on-side with diesel cars is so important for VW’s future that they’re bending over backwards to make them happy, whereas in the UK and Europe – where diesel sales account for more than 50 per cent of the market, and buyers are driven to buy diesels because of the tax breaks – VW can afford to sit back and wait to be forced in to giving compensation.

The fact that under 500,000 cars in the whole US are affected might also have something to do with it, because if VW were to stump up $1,000 (around £660.00) to every one of the 11 million cars fitted with the defeat device around the globe, they’d be facing a bill of $11 billion for this alone.

Which makes it highly unlikely that UK and EU owners of VW, Audi, SEAT and Skoda cars affected will see a similar offer to ‘Regain their trust”.