From TDI to Tesla

[NoTDI]

Lease holder of an 2015 A3 TDI and reservation holder for 2 M3s (stood in line 3-31) in California. Leased TDI late July 15 and was close to leasing s3. Will return the TDI as soon as possible and will drive the extra car we have till M3 is ready. If I had to buy a car other than M3 choices would be Cayman, S3, TTS, RS3, or TTRS. MS too expensive for me!

 

[Saghost]

My Jetta Sportwagon TDI will be exchanged for a Model 3. But what should I buy for the next year or two while I wait?

What do you need the car to do?

Used Volts and Leafs are beginning to be cheap enough that you won't lose a fortune on depreciation, and are solidly reliable if either fits your needs.

 

[EV-lutioin]

What do you need the car to do?

Used Volts and Leafs are beginning to be cheap enough that you won't lose a fortune on depreciation, and are solidly reliable if either fits your needs.

Used may be the way to go. I test drove a 2016 Volt and for $40,000 I was not impressed. It felt like a under powered eco-box with a flashy unintuitive infotainment system, uncomfortable seats and poor visibility. Of course, I am completely Tesla-spoiled at this point

 

[Saghost]

Used may be the way to go. I test drove a 2016 Volt and for $40,000 I was not impressed. It felt like a under powered eco-box with a flashy unintuitive infotainment system, uncomfortable seats and poor visibility. Of course, I am completely Tesla-spoiled at this point

You may have unreasonable expectations these days (for a sub $50k compact-mid-sized car, anyway.)

I was wondering as I read your post because these are very much not the typical responses from a Volt test drive, but your last sentence may explain it - after a month of driving my X I suspect I'd have similar impressions, though my Volt was a great car when I got it and quicker off the line and more comfortable than the cars I'd driven before it.

 

[winfield100]

Used may be the way to go. I test drove a 2016 Volt and for $40,000 I was not impressed. It felt like a under powered eco-box with a flashy unintuitive infotainment system, uncomfortable seats and poor visibility. Of course, I am completely Tesla-spoiled at this point

i got a Volt instead of a Tesla in Nov, 2014 {only because the Doc said i might not wake up after surg}
I can attest
the Volt has very uncomfortable front seats,
there is no room in the back for passengers unless the y are tiny,
Visibility is back, out the sides and back
You cannot go over 25mph with open windows without a very painful pulsing on your ears
You can "smoke a 3 series BMW off the line" though {but all electrics can }
It has the electric acceleration, but they all do

overall, I should have got an S60

 

[Warden182]

2015 Audi A3 TDI owner here. ordered my Model 3 on Friday April 1st, just after midnight (so technically April 2nd). I had planned to just keep driving it for another 2 years before the sellback period expires in Aug '18, but i'm getting more concerned that I won't have my M3 by then. So....I'm not sure what to do. I really don't want to drive around a used car for that long. Waiting on the Tesla is hard enough as it is when I actually love my current A3. And a new car just seems like a terrible waste of money that I can instead save for speccing out the M3.

Very curious what the size of the M3 ends up being. I'm assuming it'll be externally the size of my A3 but with much better interior room.

 

[AustinPowers]

I do kinda wish I'd thought of buying up a few cheap TDIs and reselling them back to VW though.

But you wouldn't get more than you paid for them anyway, so what would be the advantage?

 

[Volare3]

2015 Audi A3 TDI owner here. ordered my Model 3 on Friday April 1st, just after midnight (so technically April 2nd). I had planned to just keep driving it for another 2 years before the sellback period expires in Aug '18, but i'm getting more concerned that I won't have my M3 by then. So....I'm not sure what to do. I really don't want to drive around a used car for that long. Waiting on the Tesla is hard enough as it is when I actually love my current A3. And a new car just seems like a terrible waste of money that I can instead save for speccing out the M3.

Very curious what the size of the M3 ends up being. I'm assuming it'll be externally the size of my A3 but with much better interior room.

Isn't the return period thru Dec 2018? Maybe different for Audi?

 

[diamond.g]

So who is taking the $ in December? I started to fill out the form online, but stopped after it started asking for proof of ownership.

 

[Volare3]

I will be dragging it out as long as possible- hoping Tesla can arrive before I have to turn in the TDI.

 

[RangerRick]

So who is taking the $ in December? I started to fill out the form online, but stopped after it started asking for proof of ownership.

I haven't seen anything that actually says a timeframe other than them originally saying they would "start november 1st" but I intend to trade it in as soon as I can. In the meantime I'm Civic/Accord shopping.

I'm due my 120k maintenance Any Day Now so I'd rather not have to do that.

 

[FloridaJohn]

I will be dragging it out as long as possible- hoping Tesla can arrive before I have to turn in the TDI.

That's what I'm doing, too.

 

[EV-lutioin]

I want to drag it out too; knowing VW and their timelines (and people think Tesla is bad!) it will be easy to delay We have been looking for a tweener car, if necessary, but everything we test drove was oh-so-sad, except the new Civic, which was sorta ok I guess. Tried a Volt... meh.

 

[diamond.g]

I haven't seen anything that actually says a timeframe other than them originally saying they would "start november 1st" but I intend to trade it in as soon as I can. In the meantime I'm Civic/Accord shopping.

I'm due my 120k maintenance Any Day Now so I'd rather not have to do that.

The earliest date the site had for me was December 15th.

I want to drag it out too; knowing VW and their timelines (and people think Tesla is bad!) it will be easy to delay We have been looking for a tweener car, if necessary, but everything we test drove was oh-so-sad, except the new Civic, which was sorta ok I guess. Tried a Volt... meh.

oh no. The Volt is the in-between car I was looking at getting. What was missing compared to the TDI?

 

[EV-lutioin]

The earliest date the site had for me was December 15th.
oh no. The Volt is the in-between car I was looking at getting. What was missing compared to the TDI?

I know there are some Volt lovers out there so I don't want to offend anyone, but this was my experience with test driving the Volt...


Cost: It is basically a $20,000 car that costs $40,000. It's interior, exterior, ride quality etc. is comparable with low priced compact cars.
Seats: Basically horrible, even on the loaded models. I am not sure why they don't understand that comfortable, supportive seats are important to consumers? No lumber support offered on any models.
Space: I am 5'8" 135 lbs so I don't require much space, but I felt cramped in the Volt, the high middle console (where they put the battery) makes the interior feel claustrophobic.
Visibility: Small windows, low seats and many blind spots.
Infotainment System: It possesses all the tasteful bling and functionality of a Vegas casino.
Gas engine: The entire time I was test driving the Volt the gas engine kept coming on for "engine maintenance", the battery was charged so I am not sure why it was cycling, but when it did, it sounded like a 1990 Corolla.

On the bright side, it did have smooth EV acceleration (although tepid) and decent regen braking (about half of Tesla regen).

In the end, I was more impressed with the $22,000 2016 turbocharged 1.5L Honda Civic, but, of course, it is hard to very impressed with any car once you have driven a Tesla.

 

[diamond.g]

I know there are some Volt lovers out there so I don't want to offend anyone, but this was my experience with test driving the Volt...


Cost: It is basically a $20,000 car that costs $40,000. It's interior, exterior, ride quality etc. is comparable with low priced compact cars.
Seats: Basically horrible, even on the loaded models. I am not sure why they don't understand that comfortable, supportive seats are important to consumers? No lumber support offered on any models.
Space: I am 5'8" 135 lbs so I don't require much space, but I felt cramped in the Volt, the high middle console (where they put the battery) makes the interior feel claustrophobic.
Visibility: Small windows, low seats and many blind spots.
Infotainment System: It possesses all the tasteful bling and functionality of a Vegas casino.
Gas engine: The entire time I was test driving the Volt the gas engine kept coming on for "engine maintenance", the battery was charged so I am not sure why it was cycling, but when it did, it sounded like a 1990 Corolla.

On the bright side, it did have smooth EV acceleration (although tepid) and decent regen braking (about half of Tesla regen).

In the end, I was more impressed with the $22,000 2016 turbocharged 1.5L Honda Civic, but, of course, it is hard to very impressed with any car once you have driven a Tesla.

Ah. Yeah that is why I refuse to test drive a tesla. Afraid I wouldn't want to drive my TDI back home.

 

[diamond.g]

So has anyone turned in their TDI in yet? I filled out the paperwork, but am awaiting the offer email.

 

[EV-lutioin]

So has anyone turned in their TDI in yet? I filled out the paperwork, but am awaiting the offer email.

I am in the same boat, VW is dragging their feet again! I can't imagine they are in a hurry to pay out $10 billion. My guess is they will recall them in batches to lessen the financial blow. Another issue at hand is that the local dealers are not really prepared to have thousands of customers walk in the door and buy new cars from previous VW owners. My local VW lot said there are several thousand local TDI customers and only about 75 cars on their lot. If VW has any hope of selling gas VW's to TDI customers (assuming the customers want to come back to VW!), they will have to batch out the refunds.

 

[EVCollies]

Our feeling is the same. At one time owned an Audi A6, Audi TT, and currently own a 2010 and 2013 Jetta Sportwagon. Both Jetta's are going back to VW. Don't see us owning a VW in the foreseeable future. Currently driving our Leaf and S90D but will trade the Leaf for a Model 3 -- if the Leaf retains any trade-in value.

Yep, I own a 2105 Leaf and not worth much, I'm betting it will be a backup car for a long time.

 

[EVCollies]

So who is taking the $ in December? I started to fill out the form online, but stopped after it started asking for proof of ownership.

So has anyone turned in their TDI in yet? I filled out the paperwork, but am awaiting the offer email.

I am in the same boat, VW is dragging their feet again! I can't imagine they are in a hurry to pay out $10 billion. My guess is they will recall them in batches to lessen the financial blow. Another issue at hand is that the local dealers are not really prepared to have thousands of customers walk in the door and buy new cars from previous VW owners. My local VW lot said there are several thousand local TDI customers and only about 75 cars on their lot. If VW has any hope of selling gas VW's to TDI customers (assuming the customers want to come back to VW!), they will have to batch out the refunds.

My 2014 TDI Jetta Wagon is scheduled for sell back 1/5/17, my local dealer offers 3 sell back appt per week and this was the earliest date that I was available.