Volkswagen recently notified diesel owners affected by its emissions scandal about their eligibility for $1,000 gift cards, courtesy of the automaker.
The TDI Goodwill Program, as it is known, was launched on November 9 and includes a $500 pre-paid Visa card that can be used anywhere, as well as a $500 gift card that can be used at any VW dealership.
However, the gesture has not exactly been met with open arms, reports Automotive News. Many owners took to social media to complain that the $1,000 value of the gift cards don’t fully compensate them for the depreciation hit their TDI cars have sustained.
Meanwhile, enthusiast-minded owners from the TDIClub.com forums, posted about taking the payout but avoiding getting whatever proposed fixes VW offers because they did not want to negatively affect their performance or fuel economy.
Volkswagen called the goodwill package a “first step to regaining our customers’ trust.” It also ran ads in over 30 major newspapers touting the program while pledging that they are “working to make things right.” The ad also implores, “As we work tirelessly to develop a remedy,we ask for your continued patience.”
It then provides a website, vwdieselinfo.com, where affected customers can go to redeem the package by entering a VIN.
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