Volkswagen Group car-owners may be in a pickle.  

Volkswagen Group, which consists of Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche, is in the process of issuing a recall of a range of almost 500,000 “clean diesel” models -- but will the fixed car be what the car owners bought?

For those who bought their Volkswagen Group car to be environmentally responsible and chose Volkswagen for its image of being a green manufacturer with “clean diesel” technology, fixing their cars will be their priority come January. 

But, for those that bought their car for its performance and the way it drives, there might be some hesitation to get it fixed.

Essentially, to fix your car, the manufacturer will change the emission settings to meet legal emission standards and according to greencarreport.com some cases, like the Jetta TDI, emissions exceeded the legal limit by 15 to 35 times. Once the problem is fixed, the car’s original “clean diesel” qualities, like increased torque, good gas mileage and swift acceleration, will no longer be there.

With that knowledge, what will Volkswagen Group owners do? Perform the recall and be stuck with a non-performing diesel engine -- which is not what they bought. Or don't perform the recall so their car will keep the same performance, but continue to cause harm to the environment.

Recently, customers were presented with a third option. In an effort to keep customers, on Nov. 9  the automotive news website, Autonews.com informed the public of Volkwagen’s announcement of its “goodwill package” that will be offered to affected owners. The package includes a prepaid Visa card with $500 that can be used anywhere Visa is accepted, and a second prepaid card worth $500 that can be redeemed at VW dealerships, and three years of 24-hour roadside assistance.

With the public only finding out about this this issue in mid-September, it’s still unclear how or if Volkswagen Group’s car prices will be affected.