AN d1 V. 4 lA 75, 9-F PLAIN DEALER, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1986 AUTO SHOW 86 FTC program arbitrates GM car, truck repairs eral nder order, the Trade all terms owners of Commission a of 1983 General (FTC) FedMotors (GM) cars and light trucks with certain engine or transmission problems have an opportunity back money spent on repairs, or to get repairs by GM at no charge. According to the FTC you can seek repairs or repayment by participating in an informal arbitration program run by the Better Business Bureau (BBB). According to the FTC, here is how the program works: 3.1 1 ON into so, 14 a 4 to one the 00: 26, the 200 1.8 350 12 350 the 3 arbitrate this particular problem (unless the problem happens again). However, if you are not satisfied with the GM offer, you have the right to have your claim heard before a BBB arbitrator.
You may wish to estimate your chances of winning more in the arbitration. program Call the nearest BBB office to get this program. It will send you a complaint form to complete and return. If you have not already done you may wish to contact your dealer or nearest GM zone office and discuss your problem with them. For free handbook about the program, call 1-800-824-5109.
For most engine and transmission problems, you must still own your car be eligible for the arbitration program. However, if the repair involved of the following components (and component was built before April 1983), you need not currently own car to be eligible. Those components are: the THM automatic transmissions used on many rear-wheel-drive vehicles since 1975; camshafts or lifters on 305 or cubic-inch-displacement (CID). gasoline engines produced by the Chevrolet Division since 1974; or fuel injection pumps or fuel injectors in CID diesel engines produced by Oldsmobile Division. 21.
Mediation The BBB arbitration program actually has two phases: mediation arbitration. Decide early what relief you want. When you call the BBB to request arbitration, they will send you a complaint form to complete and return. The BBB will then try to see if a settlement can be worked out between you and GM, without having an arbitration hearing. The BBB staff may ask you to talk to the dealer one more time.
Or they may suggest that you contact your GM zone office about. your problem. Sometimes, the BBB talks to each party and tries to arrange a settlement. This so-called mediation process may result in GM making an offer that satisfies you. If you accept the settlement, you give up your right to Arbitration Essentially, arbitration is an informal way of resolving a dispute between you and GM through a meeting with an impartial third party, called an "arbitrator." The arbitrator listens to both sides, asks questions, and ultimately makes a decision whether GM must repair the car or repay the customer for all or part of the repair costs.
Arbitration is quick and informal; you do not need a lawyer; there are no complicated legal rules; and there is no charge. If you decide to arbitrate, your local BBB will provide you with further explanations about the rules of the program. 4. The Award Request Before your arbitration hearing, you will be sent an Agreemen Arbitrate form to sign that requires you to state exactly what you want. The arbitrator cannot give you more than you have asked for on this form.
If you already have had your car repaired, you may wish to ask for the amount of your bill. If your car has not been repaired, you may wish to ask the arbitrator to order GM to make the repairs at no charge to you. Or, if your case justifies it, you might ask for a combination of these. In an extraordinary case for example, if the dealer has been unable to fix serious problems with the car after several tries you may wish to ask the arbitrator to order GM to buy back the car. In this case, GM may ask the arbitrator to subtract an amount from the purchase price for mileage or use.
The arbitrator does not have to make any deductions from the award, but might do so based on individual circ*mstances. Selecting the Arbitrator 4 The next step is selecting an arbitrator. You will have a role in picking the arbitrator for your hearing from a list of volunteers from the community. The BBB recruits and trains a wide cross-section of people who arbitrate cases. An arbitrator is never.
paid, except for occasional travel expenses. 7 '86 TOYOTA 4 WD Standard bed, power steering. $8467 60 TRUCKS IN STOCK FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY MOTORCARS ET TOYOTA VOLVO, 123 Broadway, Bedford 439-8600 Troubles? Call auto police onsumers who want information safety-related about recalls on their cars or who wish to complain about what they feel is a safety defect can reach out and touch the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The NHTSA is the federal agency made responsible by Congress for The Arbitration Hearing Once the arbitrator is selected, a date will be set for the hearing. If you live a long distance from the BBB office, they will try to arrange a hearing location closer to your town.
The arbitration hearing is an informal proceeding. You have an opportunity to tell your story. You can present any documents and witnesses you want. Essentially, you have to convince the arbitrator that what you are asking for is fair. The arbitrator may help you by asking questions about matters you forget to raise, but this is not required.
GM, through one of its local employees, will have the same opportunity. Usually the arbitrator will look at or listen to anything that either side presents that has something to do with the case. If necessary, the arbitrator may decide to ask the BBB to supply and pay for an expert, or you can bring your own expert the mechanic who worked on your car, for example. Preparing for the Hearing The' BBB has used arbitration for over 10 years; and it has found that a key factor in the outcome is preparation. Remember, the arbitrator is just another consumer.
If you are wellorganized, your case will be easier to understand. Documents regarding the car and the repair, such as the repair receipt, are usually the best type of information to present at the hearing. But letters from people such as the mechanic who repaired the car, or other people familiar with the details are good substitutes. At the hearing, of course, you or others can tell the arbitrator about any details for which you do not have documents. safety problems pertaining to cars.
Its toll-free number in Washington, D.C., is 1-800-424-9393. Callers should be able to give the year, model and the vehicle identification number (VIN) number of their cars. The VIN number is found not only on the car, usually near the steering column, but also on the title and registration papers. Repair Information You should have all of the details about the car and each problem for which you a are seeking a refund or repair: identification of the car by VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), make, model, and year, the date(s) of any repair(s); the mileage on the car, parts that are involved; cost of the repair; and, if already repaired, some indication that you (rather than someone else) paid the bill. A receipt often can show much of the necessary information.
1 If you no longer have a receipt, ask your mechanic for a copy of the repair record. In addition, the mechanic who repaired car may be willing to come to your hearing or write a letter to indicate: what was wrong with the car; what caused the failure; and whether you have properly maintained your car. Of course, if a repair has not yet been done, an estimate or work order indicating the above information should suffice. If you no longer own the vehicle and are arbitrating for one of the three components specified above (the THM 200 transmission, camshafts and lifters, or diesel fuel injection pumps or injectors), in addition to repair information you should have some proof of past ownership for your arbitration, such as a copy of the title, registration, an insurance policy, purchase contract, or financing documents. The repair receipt itself may show ownership as well as the necessary repair information.
Maintenance and driving habits GM may argue that your problem was caused by poor maintenance or improper driving habits. If you can show that you followed the recommended maintenance schedule, and that you avoid driving practices the manual cautions against, you have a better chance of winning. TRUCK YOUR GMC CENTER TRUCK OF CLEVELAND STOP 13800 BROOKPARK RD. COOLLY I APR most GMAC 48-month MEDIUM on FINANCING GENERAL' HEAVY TRUCKS Choose from over 50 Units GM QUALITY GM SALE ENDS MARCH 26. SERVICE PARTS NEW TRUCKS USED TRUCKS PARTS SERVICE 265-5716 265-5722 265-5730 265-5740 TIE WILLIAMS FORD Hall's SHOW Auro Specials STOCK INSTOCK IN STOCK 20 15 IN 12-421 NEW '86 TEMPO GL NEW '86 ESCORT 2-DR.
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dealers nationally 739 FRONT 234-2770 STREET WILES MS 1985 AC DEALER FOR CUSTOMER AUTO REPAIR -Berea SATISFACTION SERVICES 1 Mile South of IX Center and Hopkins Airport For example, if the problem involves an internal engine part like a camshaft, you will want to show that you changed the engine oil at the of driving you do and that you used the intervals recommended for the type type of oil recommended in the owner's manual. To demonstrate maintenance, written records such as receipts, stickers that mechanics put on doors, or notes you keep usually are the best. On the other hand, to show proper driving practices, your oral statements to the arbitrator may be the only evidence possible. Other Information Sometimes, showing the arbitrator that others have had similar car failures can help indicate that the problem was GM's fault and not yours. For example, your mechanic may know of many similar failures; you may have seen (or be able to find) articles about similar problems in your local newspaper or in car magazines (check columns written by expert mechanics); and your state or city consumer protection offices may be aware of others with similar problems or may have other helpful information.
Also, GM sends service bulletins on certain problems to its dealers. Although many service bulletins just inform the dealer about changes in part numbers and such matters, other bulletins may indicate that your repatr was not an isolated problem, but one shared by many If you obtain a copy of a relevant service bulletin and find a mechanic who will verify that the bulletin Motor can heat house ASSOCIATED PRESS Your car's engine produces enough heat, 450 degrees, to keep a six-room house warm in zero-degree weather, according to the Car Care Council of Detroit. The engine would melt if not for the cooling system, which absorbs of the generated heat, the association said. Another is absorbed by the engine and passed on to the oil in the crankcase, while much of the rest the heat goes out the exhaust pipe. Rolls-ing in Monaco ASSOCIATED PRESS The principality of Monaco, about half the size of New York's Central applies to your problem, you might want to show it to the arbitrator.
For information about how to order some or all of the bulletins that may apply to your car, call 1-800-551-4123. If your complaint involves one of the three specified components listed above, there are "background statements" about these problems available from GM zone representatives or from the FTC. A consumer with one of these three problems can show the background statement to the arbitrator and point out that GM has agreed with the information. For example, the background statements say that the length of the warranty need not necessarily control the outcome of the arbitration. The Arbitrator's Decision Usually a few days after the hearing, the arbitrator will write a decision, call an "award." GM must do what the arbitrator decides.
You, on the other hand, do not have to accept the award. If you do not like the award, you can reject it. The award is binding on GM, but not on you. For example, you may ask for $700, but the arbitrator awards you $500. You can take the $500 award, which ends your claim, or reject the $500 award and pursue your case through other avenues, such as a small claims court.
If you have problems or questions about the arbitration program, contact your local BBB or the FTC. Although the FTC cannot act directly to resolve your problem, the staff is interested in learning how the arbitration program is working. Write: Federal Trade Commission, 6th and Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. Park, has the highest number of RollsRoyce motor cars per capita in the and world.
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