This is complete opposite of what I saw in Germany in Wolfsburg where VW plants are located. We were practically the only ones not driving VW there with exception of few Audis.
I think in car industry there are more benefits for using your own product than just being your own tester. It's also advertising (even such VW hater as me could not shake off a feeling that it has to be a good car after seeing a whole city is FULL of them) and increased product volume.
I get the feeling that the folks at VW don't maintain or pay for repairs of their vehicles. A bunch of former co-workers of mine had Beetles and Jettas and the price of maintenance / repairs was obscene. The broken door handle and the non-customer replaceable $300+ headlight swore me off buying the diesel Jetta I wanted.
I think in car industry there are more benefits for using your own product than just being your own tester. It's also advertising (even such VW hater as me could not shake off a feeling that it has to be a good car after seeing a whole city is FULL of them) and increased product volume.