Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal affects on Cache Valley

SM Headline: If you own a Volkswagen in Utah, here are some things you should know

Headline: How Volkswagen’s emissions scandal affects Cache Valley

Murdock Volkswagen of Logan had only been open a few weeks when the scandal hit.

Now, as Volkswagen and the Environmental Protection Agency work toward an agreement on how the car manufacturer's emissions test-cheating diesel vehicles will be fixed, employees of the local dealership are working to rebuild trust with their customers.

"We bring this brand into the valley and the month that we open it up that’s all the media is,” said Derick Cox, the sales manager at Murdock Volkswagen of Logan. “It’s been something that hopefully we can overcome."

It hasn't been easy.

In September 2015 the EPA announced Volkswagen had been cheating emissions tests with their diesel powered vehicles since 2008.

“There’s been a lot of dialog created by it,” said Guy Baldwin, the service manager at Murdock Volkswagen of Logan. “There’s not any fixes out for it yet, and lots of people show concern. We haven’t been able to do anything, so we haven’t been able to make any repairs.”

Baldwin said that the majority of customers he has spoken with about the problem are more concerned with performance and gas mileage and not with emissions.

“I have not been upset about the emissions problem,” said Utah resident, and Volkswagen diesel owner, Scott Farrow. “It’s a little concerning VW felt the need to dupe the EPA, but at this point there has been zero impact. It isn’t a dirty car, and there are no visible emissions coming from it. The car still gets great gas mileage and performs great.”

Even with the majority of customers concerned about performance and gas mileage, it is still a problem that has impacted sales.

“It was something we didn’t cause as a retailer, but it has affected us,” Cox said.

The emissions problem is more concerning to some people than to others. It is harder for smaller dealerships to deal with this problem because of their smaller customer base. Dealerships who have large inventories can offer better discounts on their gas models, Cox said.

Even though the majority of Volkswagen customers in Cache Valley are only worried about mileage and performance, there are others that are upset.

“There is going to be your occasional customer that is upset about it, and they have a right to be upset,” Cox said. “Volkswagen wasn’t honest in certain areas and if that’s how they want to react then that’s 100 percent fine.”

Some people that feel wronged by Volkswagen are upset and waiting for an answer, while others have reacted to the problem in a different way.

Some people have had reservations about driving their vehicles because of what has happened. There was one man that was unhappy because his friends made fun of him because he drove a Volkswagen, Baldwin said.

With the adversity this Volkswagen dealership faces, it assures its customers their biggest priority is customer service.

“Our number one goal is to provide a no-regrets experience,” Cox said. “Murdock has been able to build trust and a reputation in the valley.”