HELD HOSTAGE BY VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA

Back on October 5, 2015, I posted the article, "Unwittingly Considered An Eco-Terrorist Since August 5, 2013". I was shocked, upset, hurt, and a bit humored by the events surrounding Volkswagen Turbo Diesel debacle. Little did I know what to expect from this maniacal German car manufacturer, for you see, I am now being held hostage by Volkswagen Group of America [cue bad guy music].

Allow me to explain. That's me in what was my dear 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible TDi turbo diesel. I loved that little convertible. The morning the 'selfie' was taken it was yet another 40 degrees morning. Truly, if it wasn't raining, I had the top down. As explained clearly in the previous article [click below] I never meant to be an eco-terrorist. I loved that little convertible. Never could I have imagined what else Volkswagen Group of America [cue bad guy music] had planned for me...never could I have imagined.

November 11, 2015, my wife and I received our "goodwill packages activation kit" and "activation emails" from Volkswagen Group of America [cue bad guy music] TDi settlement group to get the wheels rolling on the buyback of my beloved 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible TDi turbo diesel and my wife's 2013 Volkswagen Passat TDi turbo diesel. Her Passat had been used as a trade-in on her 2016 Nissan Titan XD during the Spring of 2016. That's a great story [cue good guy music], yet I digress. We settle amicably with Volkswagen Group of America [cue bad guy music] on the Passat (we received restitution due to the poor resale value of the Passat) and move on to the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible TDi turbo diesel. I must warn you all, from here forward it gets pretty gosh darn ugly!

I must warn you all, from here forward it gets pretty gosh darn ugly!

November 1, 2016, I drop the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible TDi turbo diesel off at Volkswagen of Beaumont and purchase this little beauty; my new 2016 Volkswagen GTI Autobahn with performance package, lighting package, and dynamic chassis control...SWEET! Of course, I fully believed that VWGoA would act swiftly in caring for the buyback of my 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible TDi turbo diesel. Yikes, was I mistaken.

January 28, 2017, my wife and I visit the local Volkswagen of Beaumont dealership to turn over the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible TDi turbo diesel and meet with our settlement person with the following offer:

SELECTED OPTION - BUYBACK. Under the buyback option, Volkswagen of America, Inc. repurchased your vehicle for a total of $24,376.73 as broken down below:

 $ 17,825.00 Vehicle Return Amount

 $ 6,551.73 Additional Restitution Payment

 $ 24,376.73 Total Amount Before Loan PayOff

 $ 11,071.59 Total Outstanding Loan Amount on 12/31/2016

 $ 11,071.59 Amount VW Will Pay Your Lender

 --------------------------------------------------------

 $ 13,305.14 Amount VW Paid You

Interesting offer as my current 'Total Outstanding Loan Amount on 12/31/2016' on the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible TDi turbo diesel was more than $20,000.00...not $11,071.59. Yet we went along with the direction they provided. These were their numbers. We figured they knew what was happening with their payback, right? WRONG!!!

Now a "HIGH LEVEL" series of events:

• We accept the offer and are electronically sent $13,305.14 (more on this later)
• We wait for confirmation that VWGoA has sent the $11,071.59 to our lender in December
• We wait for confirmation that VWGoA has sent the $11,071.59 to our lender in January
• I receive a tracking number to confirm the payoff was sent to my lender...problem is, the check is not sent to my lender in Michigan but to an unknown payment center in California
• I contact VWGoA and inform them of mistake
• VWGoA assures me they have recalled the check from the mistaken lender
• We wait for confirmation that VWGoA has sent the $11,071.59 to our lender in February
• We wait for confirmation that VWGoA has sent the $11,071.59 to our lender in March
• I receive a tracking number to confirm the payoff was sent...lender has no record of check
• VWGoA admits to sending the wrong amount to lender due to lender account number mistake. The $11,071.59 was payoff for a Ford P/U, not for my 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible TDi turbo diesel
• We wait for confirmation that VWGoA has sent the revised payoff amount of $20,095.00 to our lender in April
• VWGoA contacts me and states, "Before we can pay off your loan to your lender you must return $9,023.00 (certified check) of the original $13,305.14 due to VWGoA mistakenly overpaid to you." Now you know why I'm being held hostage by Volkswagen Group of America!!!

NOW YOU KNOW WHY I'M BEING HELD HOSTAGE BY VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA!!!

Due to the decision to vilifying my little 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible TDi turbo diesel and the total mismanagement of the arrangements the court ordered them to carry out, I'm being held hostage. My lender will not be paid off until I return monies mistakenly attributed to me by VWGoA. How's that for justice?

As of Friday, April 21, 2017, we have sent, via FedEX and certified check, the amount of $9,023.00 to VWGoA. We have paid the dirty ransom money. I've just now checked my lenders account to see if it has been cleared...what do you think?

WE HAVE PAID THE DIRTY RANSOM MONEY

Did I mention we have continued to make payments on the car I returned to Volkswagen of Beaumont, January 28, 2017? VWGoA seems confused as to how I will be reimbursed for these monies.

In summary, I love my Volkswagens. The 2016 Volkswagen GTI Autobahn with performance package, lighting package, and dynamic chassis control is the finest 'HOT HATCH' money can buy. I take umbrage with Volkswagen Group of America and the horrific stress and mental anguish they have put my wife and me through.

UM-BRAGE - take offense, take exception, be aggrieved, be affronted, be annoyed, be angry, be indignant, be put out, be insulted, be hurt, be piqued, be resentful, be disgruntled, go into a huff, be miffed, have one's nose put out of joint, chafe

My advice to you, dear reader, is this: Buy your VW's, enjoy the vehicle and the German engineering that went into its planning, engineering, and construction. Yet, beware...beware of the BIG, BAD, GERMAN WOLF that calls itself VWGoA! Beware the treachery, the misleading statements, and most of all, the unholy confiscation and ransom of things held precious to you! Hide your children! Hide your wives! They will find you...they will take from you, they will get to you and there is little to be done. Learn from our story, dear reader...and fear VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA!

FEAR VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA!