By Park Jin-hai
Volkswagen owners remain frustrated with the disgraced German carmaker despite its apology and announcement of a recall of vehicles containing emission rigging software.
Volkswagen Korea, which gave a belated apology 21 days after the emission cheating scandal was disclosed in the U.S., is still tightlipped on when the recall will begin and how long it will take.
It only said the recall will take place in a way that fuel efficiency will not be affected with the removal of the software.
Kim Han-young, 53, who has been driving a Volkswagen Passat for two years, is skeptical about the carmaker’s measure. “The carmaker said it will make the recall in a way that it will not compromise fuel efficiency, but I doubt how that is possible,” he said. “With the scandal, the credibility of the carmaker has crumbled. I’m concerned most about the mileage drop and the vehicle price drop in the secondhand market when I needed to sell my car.”
Kim said he is closely monitoring what the German company and other Volkswagen owners are doing, and if necessary will join in legal action against the carmaker.
Customers remain doubtful about the automaker correcting its wrong doing.
A Golf owner, surnamed Chung, said his trust in the firm has plunged deeply and he feels the official apology was half-hearted. “In comparison to Audi Volkswagen headquarters, which offered public apology four days after the scandal, its Korean office took over 20 days to apologize. How could it take so long? Does it look down on its Korean customers?” he asked.
Volkswagen Korea CEO Thomas Kuehl said “We betrayed our customers’ trust in us over the diesel-engine emissions issue. We sincerely apologize for that,” prior to being summoned as a witness during a National Assembly audit of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport last week.
However, he said Volkswagen cars sold in Korea didn't use the controversial software and thus were safe to drive and added that it will implement all possible measures including the consideration of a recall.
Others raise the issue of whether the service centers here may be overwhelmed in a recall.
The number of Audi Volkswagen cars affected is estimated at 120,000, however, Audi and Volkswagen only have 56 service centers nationwide.
Given the 20 to 30 average number of vehicles each service center can deal with any day, all centers should spend 100 workdays dealing with the recall.
Currently, an imported car takes 8.8 days for repairs on average, double the time needed for locally produced cars.