VW owners impacted by the diesel scandal are running up against a deadline to get their cash.
The clock is ticking on Volkswagen owners who are eligible to receive compensation for their vehicles as a result of the diesel cheat scandal from 2015.
The owners of diesels with the cheat were essentially divided by engine size. The owners of 2.0-liter diesels were part of the first settlement reached between the automaker and the U.S. government.
Those vehicles account for about 95% of those owners qualify for the program since the deal was approved by a federal judge in October 2016, USA Today reported. In all, its nearly 475,000 cars that were eligible for that deal, which expires Sept. 1.
The settlement came in 2016, and since then 86% of the eligible claims have been made.
(Former VW executive involved in diesel scam sentenced to jail. Click Here for the story.)
“The great news is by far the majority of these cars are off the roads,” said Elizabeth Cabraser, plaintiff’s attorney. “They’re not polluting, they’re parked, they can’t be sold without being fixed.”
Former VW manager Oliver Schmidt pleaded guilty as part of diesel gate, but now says he was used by the automaker.
VW owners who had their vehicles in September 2015 have two options. They are generally eligible for a vehicle buyback ranging in value from $12,500 to $44,000. Or they can get their car fixed to make it legal and receive a payout ranging from about $5,000 to $10,000, USA Today reported.
(Click Here for more about VW offering big deals on fixed diesel leftovers.)
Most vehicle owners have chosen the vehicle buyback, even if they’ve been driving it ever since. More than 355,000 took the buyback with the rest selecting the repair and compensation, she said. Eligible vehicles are diesel versions of the 2013 to 2015 Beetle, 2010 to 2015 Golf, 2009 to 2015 Jetta, 2012 to 2015 Passat and both the 2010 to 2013 and 2015 Audi A3.
Cabraser recommends owners begin the process by Aug. 1 to ensure they have time to sort through any potential complications, such as a lack of paperwork. They’ll also have more time to complete the buyback or fix, which must be done by the end of the year.
(To see why VW was penalized again for diesel gate scandal, Click Here.)
Owners who haven’t yet filed a claim will receive direct notice by mail or email with all the details, the paper reporter.