Re: VW Visa Cancellation

[Robert Malinka <rmalinka@spec.net>]

At 12:45 PM 1/3/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Arthur Emmerson Wrote:
>
>>> Kevin Collins wrote:
>
>>> Without cause?  They must have *SOME* reason for discontinuing the
>program.. might
>>> well not be a "good" reason in the eyes of us customerse, but
>nonetheless there is
>>> SOME reason..
>
>>Of course there's a reason!  The A4's and Concept-1 will be out
>>soon, and they don't want to have to pay out when we all go
>>to trade up.  I challenge anyone to disprove this
>>explanation..... :-)
>
>	I'll disprove it for the heck of it, but I have an edge you probably do
>not. The letter from MBNA I just got yesterday also, and it says you can
>accrue points until June '98. Not only that, but the points are good as
>long as you keep your credit card in good standing until June of 2001. By
>2001 you can probably use your points for a '01 Passat Plus VR8, so I
>wouldn't worry about being stuck having to use them on a Jetta Trek
>leftover or anything.
>	Be careful though, "good standing" means making all of your minimum
>payments on time.
>	As for why they did it, they "claim" that this was because most VW
>cardholders were wanting other features the card did not have. They
>couldn't please all of the people supposedly and a small percentage of
>people were using the points.
>	I personally have a feeling on this one. I got the card the first month it
>was available, back in college. I have yet to spend it, and you could have
>accrued points over the period of 7 years and up to like 4000 bucks. I have
>about 1600 accrued, and I would bet that most cardholders were saving some
>nice discounts. That 1600 will be paying for the Syncro option on my Passat
>GLX when next I buy. Later-G
>
>PS I think it was too good a deal, and banks are starting to become more
>stingy with benefits. My dad had the Shell gas card that offered 5%
>discount on Shell gas, which is now down to like 2% off. I had a Citibank
>Driver's Edge card that gave me 5% off all gas I bought, which is all I
>used it for. This card program was grandfathered a year and a half ago to
>cardholders only, and cancelled as of the 1st of the year. That's okay,
>I'll just switch to someone who will give me something useful for my
>interest dollars. LAter
>
>
>


I just paid my MBNA visa and they made no mention of cancelling the VW Visa
program.
When were you notified of this by MBNA?  


Bob