2013 VW Jetta TDI Buyback--Buyback or Not?

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Ex g/f (and good friend) has a 2013 Jetta TDI subject to the buyback. 71K, never a problem with the car in 4.5 years.

If she takes the buyback, she gets mid 24's. Just say 24500 for this argument.

If she keeps the car, she gets around 6K. Just say an even 6000 for this argument.

So, if she sells the car, she's essentially gotten the use of a Jetta for 4.5 (and a full 5 years if she waits until september, which is the cutoff) years for approximately $3000. The buyback is the obvious choice--there seems to be no better deal than that going.

The problem is, she loves the car. She loves the mileage. She loves the wagon style/shape. Here in Colorado, the turbo diesel really pulls up mountains. Compounding the problem is that there's not a car out there that she's really in love with, and cars in that price segment seem to be getting more and more underpowered given the EPA mileage standards. The TDI was selected for those two reasons--good mileage coupled with some juice to get up the mountain grades, and it has excelled at both.

The obvious replacements are a VW Alltrack or a Subaru Crosstrek. While the diesel VWs are great, the gas models don't exactly blow the consumer reports reliability ratings out of the water. The Crosstrek is notoriously underpowered--and she has driven one in the mountains and it lags.

Wagon/usable hatchback is non-negotiable, so that limits the choices. For some reason, she doesn't like small SUVs (to me the RAV4 is the clear choice). AWD is desired, but not a deal killer (she went from a Subaru to the VW and notes that traction difference in snow, even with snow tires, is significant)

Is it crazy to consider keeping the car given these numbers? (another option is to sell hers and buy another TDI with the proceeds)
 
I test drive an Alltrack with a stick and found it fantastic. My dealer sold it the next day and no sticks are available near me. I would have bought it if it had cloth seats. The Subaru Crosstrek is a sled. Lots of complaints that it lacks power. If she is a worry wort about reliability. The VW is a better driver I'm sure
 
Buyback is the way to go. Although TDI engines are reliable, but not as reliable as gasoline engines especially after 100k, and more expensive to fix.

There are great SUVs on the market with turbocharged engines, such as the CR-V or Forester Turbo and you will still get great mileage.
 
If they just left the engine alone and let you drive it as is, it would make sense to keep it. But they detune it and add some stuff that decreases the power and mileage, but I also assume the extend the warranty for all the new stuff so maybe that makes it worth it?
Do some reading on a tdi forum to see how people are making out with the updates.
For a replacement, you can get the normal VW wagon with awd, without having to go to the alltrack. The regular wagon should be a bit more fuel efficient but probably not quite as good as the diesel, but atleast its turbo'd for the passes and altitude.
 
The 1.8tsi or it may be now a 2.0tsi engine found in gasoline version is very close to the TDI in terms of gas mileage and drivability. Plus VW has some very good deals now.

I bet that your GF can buy a brand new one below the $24k she will get from VW. I would take the money. How often in your lifetime can you trade in a 5 year old car for a brand new one with no out of pocket expenses?
 
The trade in deal is very tempting. I am guessing that the new models have more in the line of safety and driving options depending on what she currently has? Stuff like auto braking and such could be a reason to upgrade with very little cost.
 
To me it's a no brainer. I'm giving them the car unless she owes alot of money on it. If she keeps it stuff that money away for repairs down the road. Sounds like she doesn't want anything else but take time to look around and find out what else is out there. She may be surprised about what she finds and she'll have a fresh car with a full warranty. Them diesels are fun to drive tho but may not be after the detune.
 
Take the $6K and keep right on driving it. It's a good car, she really likes it ans that is the only reason to have a car. Money will come and go. She will miss that car as soon as it's gone. She may miss the money, or not...

You can never go back. If she sells the car that she likes, she may go on the hunt for another and never be as happy. Never sell a car you like. Just drive the wheels off it.

In the coming years there will be upgrades and tweaks to make it better from the aftermarket. She'll own a cult car. She may drive it to 500,000 miles and like it the whole time.

If she sells it, she will always be looking over her shoulder ...
frown.gif
 
Take the buyout and pick up a new Sportwagen 1.8t.

You'll still have a good chunk of change left over when it's all said and done.
 
Originally Posted By: KrisZ
The 1.8tsi or it may be now a 2.0tsi engine found in gasoline version is very close to the TDI in terms of gas mileage and drivability. Plus VW has some very good deals now.

I bet that your GF can buy a brand new one below the $24k she will get from VW. I would take the money. How often in your lifetime can you trade in a 5 year old car for a brand new one with no out of pocket expenses?


Yeah, that's exactly the situation--it's virtually a once in a lifetime thing. At first blush the buyback was the obvious choice, and still is, but there had been a bit of "creep" of the keep it/payout option.
 
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Take the buyout and pick up a new Sportwagen 1.8t.

+1

And if you still want more HP/torque, chip it.
 
Sell it back. The high pressure fuel pump is a known problem around 120k miles. As well as the DPF. Both very, very, expensive parts. If it has a DSG transmission they aren't the best either.

My aunt had a 13' Beetle TDI that was a nightmare, she sold it back a year ago, coincidentally 1 year ago today.
 
It's a hard choice. If it was me, I'd take the $24K VW is giving her, but I think more emissions is less harmful than a Claymore mine in your face(I'm looking at you Honda) with how the recall is being handled. Hence why the $6K and saving that for repairs might be better, if the high-pressure fuel pump and DPF does have a bad record on those.

Subaru has dropped the ball on the Crosscheck for power, and the new Forester already has a power deficit off the bat compared to the CR-V and even the current RAV4! $24K would be a good down payment on a WRX(if it was offered in wagon form) or Golf Alltrack. I get it, the CR-V and RAV4 are "normcore" compared to a Golf or a Subaru and scream soccer mom who wouldn't want to be caught dead in a Pilot/Highlander/Sienna/Odyssey - the CR-V with the 1.5T might do better in the Colorado mountains compared to the RAV4, but Toyota just upped the 2019's power with a version of the Camry's Dynamic Force A25A engine at 200+ HP.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Take the buyout and pick up a new Sportwagen 1.8t.

You'll still have a good chunk of change left over when it's all said and done.


This! ^^^

The 2017s are on sale right now including the AllTracks.
Saw a Ford dealer in IN last week trying to sell a '17 GSW with 16k miles for $15,000+taxes. I bet they would have take any reasonable offer to clear up the spot....

The 2018 will have longer warranty.
 
Watch the Netflix Show Dirty Money- It shows your car and how VW lied and cheated emissions..and the lots full of buybacks just sitting.
 
I'd keep it. If I remember correctly there's a few shops in the Denver area that specialize in only VW cars. (Off topic- my 80 y/o dad still drives an '87 Saab 9000 turbo with a stick and he only takes it to Swedish Auto- somewhere near Centennial). Like others had said, it may be hard finding a car your ex g/f likes.
 
She is crazy not to take the buyback. Even though the mileage is great, don't forget that she is paying 20-30% more for diesel fuel over regular in most of the country. That negates a good bit of the advantage. Just about any similar vehicle will get around 35-40Mpg on the highway - so her actually operating costs for fuel are about the same.

She could purchase an AWD Subaru Impreza or Crosstrek for $25K or so. For another 5K she could get a loaded Forester or Outback, which are both nicer than the VW, and are AWD. If she wants really good mileage, a Prius, and if she is OK with a sedan, a Camry Hybrid or Accord Hybrid are under 30K and get 45-50 mpg combined.

The latest safety gear is optional on the Subaru's and standard on the Toyotas and Honda.

Don't adviser her to keep the VW, it is going to be a money sink shortly. A DSG transmission fluid change costs $400! That is crazy!
 
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