Skip to main content

Judge tells VW diesel owners seeking buybacks not to strip parts off cars

Image used with permission by copyright holder
If you own a Volkswagen diesel car, you might want to step away from the wrenches.

Under the settlement approved at the end of October, owners of VW 2.0-liter diesel vehicles with illegal “defeat device” software have the option to sell their cars back to the company. But exactly what condition the cars should be returned in is becoming a subject of debate.

Recommended Videos

Last week, U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer, who is overseeing the Volkswagen diesel civil cases, advised owners not to strip parts off their cars, after a VW attorney complained that owners were trying to turn in cars with missing components. Addressing owners, Breyer said a “word of caution is appropriate at this time,” according to USA Today.

“Clearly the purpose of the agreement by Volkswagen was to accept these cars in the condition that they were in as they were being driven on the road, and not to strip the cars,” Breyer said. The comments by both Breyer and VW attorney Robert Giuffra were made shortly after Jalopnik published an article about a Cincinnati man who stripped body panels, doors, and airbags off his 2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI before attempting to turn it in for a buyback.

According to Jalopnik, the owner, Joe Mayer, had an appointment with a VW dealer regarding a buyback, but after news of his stripped car got out, he was contacted by a representative from the automaker who said the appointment was postponed. The representative did not offer a timeline for a new appointment, and instructed Mayer direct further questions to a VW attorney.

Mayer claimed stripping the Golf TDI did not violate the terms of the buyback agreement, citing a Federal Trade Commission Consent Order specifying only that cars be “operable,” and defining that condition as being able to run under its own power. However, at the same court hearing where Judge Breyer made his comments about stripped cars, an FTC attorney said the agency opposed “bad-faith behavior by consumers,” while noting that VW must still accept cars with normal wear and tear.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Eaton, Treehouse to boost home capacity for EV charging, energy storage
eaton treehouse ev charging news releases

Power-management firm Eaton likes to point out that when it launched in 1911, it invested in a new idea -- the very first gear-driven truck axle -- just at a time when both transportation and power management were on the cusp of dramatic change.
More than 113 years later, Eaton is again seeking to lead innovation in the current energy transition.
The power-management firm just signed a deal with Treehouse, an AI, software-enabled installation platform for electrification projects. The end goal: accelerating the electrification of homes for electric-vehicle (EV) charging, energy storage, or heat pumps, while seeking more efficiency and cost savings.
“At Eaton, we’re all-in on the energy transition and we’re making it happen at scale by delivering breakout technologies and industry collaborations needed to delight customers and make it more accessible and affordable,” says Paul Ryan, general manager of Connected Solutions and EV Charging at Eaton.
The partnership will ensure consumers are provided with accurate and fast pricing, as well as access to licensed electricians to deliver code-compliant installations, the companies say.
The collaboration also integrates into Eaton’s “Home as a Grid” approach, which supports the two-way flow of electricity, enabling homeowners to produce and consume renewable energy when they need it, Eaton says.
“For more than a century, power has flowed in one direction—from centralized power plants into homes,” the company says. “Today, there’s a new reality thanks to solar, electric-vehicle charging, energy storage, digitalization, and more.”
Projects to change homes and EVs into energy hubs have multiplied recently.
Last month, Nissan joined ChargeScape, a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) venture that is already backed by BMW, Ford, and Honda. ChargeScape’s software wirelessly connects EVs to power grids and utility companies, enabling consumers to receive financial incentives for temporarily pausing charging during periods of high demand. Eventually, consumers should also be able to sell the energy stored in their EVs’ battery back to the power grid.
In August, GM announced that V2G technology will become standard in all its model year 2026 models. And Tesla CEO Elon Musk has hinted that Tesla could introduce V2G technology for its vehicles in 2025.

Read more
Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and EVs offer big incentives as year nears its end
chrysler dodge jeep ev incentives record my24 hybrid gallery 04 exterior desktop jpg image 1440

It’s no secret that automakers and dealerships typically climb over each other to offer the best incentives before the year ends. But this year’s sales season is expected to be particularly competitive, with slowing sales translating to greater urgency to clear inventory.

According to research from Kelley Blue Book, the respected vehicle-valuation firm, overall incentives on new vehicle sales were up by 60% in October compared to the previous year.

Read more
Jeep, Ram EREVs will get 690-mile range with new Stellantis platform
A 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger sits in a vineyard.

Stellantis, the giant automotive group, is betting big on extending the range of both its hybrid and fully electric vehicles (EVs).

Last month, the company, which owns the Jeep, Dodge, and Ram brands in the U.S., invested nearly $30 million into an advanced wind tunnel at its research center in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The goal is to study airflow around a vehicle’s wheels and tires to further optimize its EVs and boost their range.

Read more