Volkswagen Starts A TDI Buy Back Program For Dealers

Volkswagen is beginning to buy back certain models equipped with the 2.0L TDI engine. The bad news is this program is only for dealers.

The Truth About Cars has learned from a source that the German automaker is buying up a number of TDI models from dealers’ certified pre-owned (CPO) inventories.

The source goes on to say Volkswagen is only buying up TDI models equipped with the first-generation EA189 engine. This comes down to the exorbitant costs of switching the lean NOx traps (LNTs) and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system to a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system.

Vehicles equipped with the SCR system are expected to be fixed whenever Volkswagen is able to come up with a plan that passes scrutiny from the EPA and CARB.

Has Volkswagen has done a buyback program for dealers before?

In late October, Volkswagen sent a memo out dealers announcing they would buy back some of the TDI vehicles at prices before September 18th - the day when the EPA announced Volkswagen's violations. Automotive News said at the time that Volkswagen would start working on an inventory of affected TDI models sitting on dealer lots. From there, the automaker would begin buying back models that have been sitting on lots for 60 days or longer.