The second-worst one involved GM and has just been resolved. In GM's case, the problem was identified. But when they identified it they didn't do anything about it, and as a result there were injuries and deaths. The US Department of Justice has just cut a deal with GM in which they wrote a cheque for US$900 million ($1.37 billion) to put it right.
There is much anger over their inability to take it to court given GM's role and their deliberate decision to try and bury the problem.
If there's an upside to VW's problems, it's that no one has been hurt or killed, no one was ever in danger. But that doesn't take away from the cold, hard truth that some people in Germany made the call to cheat, and that, for the car industry, is a first.
There remain many unanswered questions around all of this. Who knew, when did they know, how many knew, how did it get signed off? Other questions for the industry: Are they alone? If they are, how is it that they're the only manufacturer that can't produce diesel engines that pass tests?
The implications, of course, are massive - if they're not alone that potentially means the diesel engine is in deep trouble, and that's before you get to emissions testing itself. It's widely accepted, especially in Europe, that the tests aren't "real world" tests, that once you get a car on the road driven by real people its emissions don't come close to what the car produced in the factory.
The damage is two-fold. First, the specific damage, the fines and the class actions, and there will be plenty. The loss of value to the cars by punters in places like Britain, who presumably have vehicles worth a fraction of what they were ... who pays for that?
And second, brand damage. What dollar value can you put on the loss to a company who sets out to deceive? Well, the market answered that question reasonably quickly - billions were wiped off in two days as backers fled. But that was the immediate damage - the long-term damage will be fascinating to watch.
These days, cars are cars are cars.
Whether you buy a VW, a Renault, a Toyota, doesn't matter. If you have, say, $40,000 to buy a new car and you're comparing apples with apples, they all do the same thing - what you're buying is a reflection of how you see yourself. Which is why VW has always done so well - it's been the affordable European, it's been that bit of flash that cost a bit more but not break-the-bank more.
The Golf is one of motoring's great success stories, it's accessible luxury. So how much of all that is now out the window because you don't want to be seen in a car made by cheats? As it turns out, we have a VW at home. It's not a diesel, but even if it was I don't think I'd feel any different.
Why? Because in New Zealand we don't have emissions tests ... so no one got ripped off. No one buys a diesel for emissions here, they buy them because diesel is cheaper than petrol and you get more miles to the gallon.
And more importantly than that ... and this is why having a VW has changed nothing for me ... the people who sell them here haven't done anything. They are the victims of the actions of people half a world away who they have never met. They didn't make the decisions to stick the software in - they didn't know about the software. They told no lies, they made nothing up.
And if you happen to own one of these cars with the software, and there seems to be anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred, then nothing is different about your car, unless of course they get a rep for being one of "those" cars, in which case they may lose value. But if they do, I'm sure VW, if they've got any sense, will stand behind them.
Globally, though, this is as bad as it gets for a corporate. This will go down in the annals of not just the car industry but any industry, as about the worst piece of dishonesty.
Will they survive? Yes. If they play it right, which so far they are. Say sorry and keep saying sorry, hunt out the bad guys and sack them. Go to court and pay the fines. Stand by the customers.
Time fixes most things, including this, hopefully.
