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GM's return policy may not be worth the hassle

detnews.com -- Sunday, September 27, 2009

You fell in love with that $22,000 Chevy Malibu because of its color, style and price. After driving it home, you realize it's not what you wanted. Maybe it's the way it handles on the highway, the location of the cup holders or the shape of the seats.

Don't worry. Bring it back for a refund, no questions asked, says GM's Chairman and new TV pitchman Edward Whitacre Jr.

As with any deal, it's a good idea to read the fine print. As your love affair with the new car turns to hate, you'll need to drive very carefully and make sure to limit how many miles you put on the car. And don't expect your wallet to be made whole even if you follow the fine print to the letter.

Q : So, I can bring back my car or truck to the dealer anytime?

A : Not so fast.

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Submitted Sep 27, 2009 By: yours16

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kelsielee Champion Author Atlanta Posts:3,266 Points:629,815 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2009 6:55:03 PM Ignore kelsielee Report Abuse GM has to protect against scam artists - but in the process they may create rules that seem unfair to legitimate buyers.
remay Champion Author Houston Posts:2,037 Points:1,117,340 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2009 7:16:12 AM Ignore remay Report Abuse there's always a "catch"...
VDubBill All-Star Author Jacksonville Posts:946 Points:459,810 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2009 6:03:01 AM Ignore VDubBill Report Abuse Caveat GM-tor.
NJColt Champion Author New Jersey Posts:7,650 Points:1,633,955 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Sep 28, 2009 5:45:33 AM Ignore NJColt Report Abuse of course "not so fast"... this is GM, bail THEM out and get SQUAT!
gasisaggi Veteran Author Houston Posts:400 Points:258,225 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 9:29:42 PM Ignore gasisaggi Report Abuse I think its worth a try if one is careful....it is like renting a car without taking their CDW or any of the coverages offered by the rental company...
PizzaMon Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:2,183 Points:922,985 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 8:29:01 PM Ignore PizzaMon Report Abuse Caveat emptor!
MUSTANGSRUS Champion Author Ontario Posts:4,534 Points:961,320 Joined:Sep 2006	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 8:21:34 PM Ignore MUSTANGSRUS Report Abuse This policy could be abused by those that want to.
AnObserver Champion Author New Jersey Posts:4,104 Points:1,385,970 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 8:10:52 PM Ignore AnObserver Report Abuse Reason has to prevail - GM's offer is far more generous than any other policy but it must be tempered with reason
seeyardee Champion Author Sacramento Posts:4,190 Points:800,410 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 7:47:58 PM Ignore seeyardee Report Abuse Funniest part of that article is to make sure you don't die.
DosEquis26 Champion Author Chicago Posts:1,782 Points:1,056,310 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 7:46:09 PM Ignore DosEquis26 Report Abuse just don't buy GM in the first place. just say no. it worked for Nancy Reagan
Daddybud Champion Author North Carolina Posts:1,943 Points:403,115 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 7:39:13 PM Ignore Daddybud Report Abuse Should it be worth the hassle?
packards42 Champion Author Washington Posts:1,456 Points:266,575 Joined:Feb 2005	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 7:35:10 PM Ignore packards42 Report Abuse Yes it look like a tight return policy, but why should GM eat licences and other local add on, the state don't give money back, but $200 on damage is hosing the public. They had to put a number in their or the lawyer wwould suit them over every return, look like a class action suit in the making.
DeeZill Champion Author Tucson Posts:2,159 Points:468,440 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 7:31:15 PM Ignore DeeZill Report Abuse ridiculous that they get to determine what constitutes 200 or more in damages!
goodbuy Champion Author Michigan Posts:3,003 Points:504,885 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 7:30:38 PM Ignore goodbuy Report Abuse Read this article days ago. Time for something new.
Zonk Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,397 Points:1,114,540 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 7:30:15 PM Ignore Zonk Report Abuse Hey folks, GM isn't totally dumb.
TECH500 Champion Author Alberta Posts:3,141 Points:654,655 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 7:30:07 PM Ignore TECH500 Report Abuse Stand behind what you say is my motto.
Jo120 Champion Author Arizona Posts:3,339 Points:1,289,100 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 7:25:41 PM Ignore Jo120 Report Abuse I don't see many returns being made.
MVP1 Sophomore Author New York Posts:229 Points:647,480 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 7:21:16 PM Ignore MVP1 Report Abuse Take the nickel...
AC-302 Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:14,487 Points:1,907,010 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 7:18:14 PM Ignore AC-302 Report Abuse Chrysler had something like this in the 70s or early 80s. But a lot of the dealers didn't participate. They felt they were going to be left holding the bag.
Ken2OD Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:3,897 Points:959,910 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 7:18:02 PM Ignore Ken2OD Report Abuse That fine print will bite you every time. They print it so small that you need a 20X magnifier to read it. GM takes out that insurance policy from CynoSure Financial, who is listed as a private ownership insurer located just North of Ten Mile Rd. (St. Clair Shores) with total sales between One-Half Million and One Million Dollars. That is not very much sales volume for insuring GM. The owner of CynoSure Financial is listed as "private" and I will bet you dollars to a donut that some "GM Big Wig" is the actual owner. He gets paid from the left pants' pocket into the right pants' pocket. How Convenient! Another case of the fox watching the hen house, and all decisions are final. Now isn't that special?
DellDude2 Champion Author Nashville Posts:3,789 Points:1,112,860 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 6:44:11 PM Ignore DellDude2 Report Abuse I test drove the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu enough times to know I liked it, and took the $500 rebate instead. I have no complaints about the car so far. The dealership was running an additional discount one weekend, and that clinched the deal. American car dealers are anxious to sell.
djgunrunner Champion Author Salt Lake City Posts:4,618 Points:1,345,215 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 6:21:57 PM Ignore djgunrunner Report Abuse Anyone with the sense the lord gave a soda cracker should have said, If it sounds to good to be true, it is.
Sneakers55 Champion Author Houston Posts:31,135 Points:1,257,695 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 6:14:36 PM Ignore Sneakers55 Report Abuse Nofries wrote: >Unreal! I saw the slick GM CEO on TV spinning his great >program If I had to come up with a term to describe Ed Whitacre, "slick" would not be one of them. Especially not for somebody coming from the phone company. "Sexy" and "AT&T" are mutually exclusive. >reminded me of Obama spinning his socialized health >insurance. What you're going to get out of Obama on health care will probably be too little too late. There sure won't be any huge changes. There may be some restrictions on what private insurance can and cannot do (nearly all of which were previously enacted by one state or another) and maybe individual mandate (already enacted by at least one state). Single payer isn't going to happen despite the simple fact it would drive overhead way, way down. The way the system works now you've got more than one bookkeeper for each clinician. Interestingly enough, pdocs seem to be able to get by with fewer bookkeepers but they only have a small number of procedure codes and diagnoses. I have never seen one draw blood in their office but they sure like to verify that their meds aren't causing any problem, and a lot of them require therapeutic drug monitoring. Most medical insurance carves out behavioral health problems to a small number of specialty companies. [Edited by: Sneakers55 at 9/27/2009 7:16:54 PM EST]
Plebe2001 Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:2,065 Points:371,300 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 6:11:45 PM Ignore Plebe2001 Report Abuse As always you need to understand all of the terms. What's new?
guzlinsuv Champion Author Sacramento Posts:4,731 Points:1,047,220 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 6:09:57 PM Ignore guzlinsuv Report Abuse the terms and conditions aren't that bad, though the $200 damage clause could easily bite you. Sad thing is, it probably has to be done like this to prevent all the jackholes from trying to get one over. anyone making a purchase this large should know what the heck they want anyway...
captngasTN Champion Author Tennessee Posts:1,717 Points:392,005 Joined:Jun 2009	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 6:05:07 PM Ignore captngasTN Report Abuse Good in concept til you read the stipulations.
Sneakers55 Champion Author Houston Posts:31,135 Points:1,257,695 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:59:56 PM Ignore Sneakers55 Report Abuse If you want to check out a car for more than the three or four miles you get in the typical test drive, it's MUCH easier to rent one for a trial spin. Of the six cars that I have bought, two of them I had rented before. And I didn't even have to pay for the rentals, I was doing business travel. When I'm renting one on my own, I seem to get Mopar stuff, a Ford, or a Toyota. No GM stuff if I can avoid it. My Mom comments about me renting a minivan on vacation because I don't have kids or stuff to haul around but then she'll turn around and say it's so comfortable and you can see all around. A lot (but not all) Toyota dealers have a Toyota rent-a-car department so you can get a spin behind the wheel. And if you happen to get a car you like most of them will sell you the vehicle. [Edited by: Sneakers55 at 9/27/2009 7:02:12 PM EST]
Nofries Champion Author Atlanta Posts:1,336 Points:480,095 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:57:22 PM Ignore Nofries Report Abuse Unreal! I saw the slick GM CEO on TV spinning his great program, reminded me of Obama spinning his socialized health insurance.
MustangKen Champion Author Denver Posts:3,765 Points:631,950 Joined:Apr 2007	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:54:03 PM Ignore MustangKen Report Abuse They NEVER are!!!
Bonanza Champion Author Boston Posts:6,001 Points:1,537,040 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:53:14 PM Ignore Bonanza Report Abuse Always read the small print
mvosevich Champion Author St. Louis Posts:4,121 Points:834,055 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:48:11 PM Ignore mvosevich Report Abuse Just another marketing ploy by dealers to move iron, SSDD.
ChuckGVT Champion Author Vermont Posts:1,907 Points:694,870 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:45:11 PM Ignore ChuckGVT Report Abuse Dealers are now offering an extra $500 off on top of all other incentives to not take the return guarantee.
JoeKR Champion Author New Jersey Posts:4,806 Points:1,082,745 Joined:Feb 2006	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:41:08 PM Ignore JoeKR Report Abuse Read the fine print - Always read the fine print!
mplato Champion Author Columbia Posts:4,102 Points:988,780 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:38:07 PM Ignore mplato Report Abuse just another scam to get you to buy a government motors.
Dancin Champion Author Toronto Posts:4,124 Points:1,752,530 Joined:Mar 2004	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:37:25 PM Ignore Dancin Report Abuse Exactly. and they hold all the cards when it comes to evaluating the wear and tear. No sale, here.
defcon7 Veteran Author St. Louis Posts:405 Points:57,605 Joined:May 2009	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:23:39 PM Ignore defcon7 Report Abuse Anybody offering a money back guarantee has to have a way of protecting themselves from some people who abuse these offers. In retail you have to have a restocking fee or else people just rent and abuse the offer,and mess things up for honest citizens. So its just common sense to have clauses in your promotion,to keep things on the up and up as they say. Thanks, defcon7
ironbox_sara Champion Author Albany Posts:4,520 Points:1,258,025 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:22:08 PM Ignore ironbox_sara Report Abuse It makes sense. What - you want to beat the heck out of it then bring it back?
matman01 Champion Author Detroit Posts:8,937 Points:974,795 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:19:56 PM Ignore matman01 Report Abuse This is an old article!
jb107 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:4,503 Points:1,607,495 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:19:47 PM Ignore jb107 Report Abuse Your chances of collecting from this program are slim to none.
BurntOrange Champion Author Austin Posts:2,294 Points:578,240 Joined:Nov 2007	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:11:54 PM Ignore BurntOrange Report Abuse Of course they put restrictions on it. They don't want some moron buying it on Friday, tearing it up for the weekend, and returning it on Monday. GM may be dumb, but they ain't stupid.
dhnbBUG Champion Author Pennsylvania Posts:2,619 Points:704,290 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:11:35 PM Ignore dhnbBUG Report Abuse Fine print is made fine print for a reason.
arvo87 Champion Author New Mexico Posts:2,940 Points:584,415 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:05:55 PM Ignore arvo87 Report Abuse no offer is as simple as it seems
serrog Champion Author Nova Scotia Posts:1,799 Points:584,225 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:04:44 PM Ignore serrog Report Abuse It's not Wal~Mart we're dealing with here. What would you expect. honest consumers can access this program without worry. Car bangers and drivers with a "rental car" mentality ore going to be SOL.
Pete12 Champion Author Albany Posts:1,855 Points:771,790 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 5:01:11 PM Ignore Pete12 Report Abuse I guess it's not as simple as you would think.
planetmail Champion Author Calgary Posts:1,490 Points:308,410 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 4:49:01 PM Ignore planetmail Report Abuse Not as simple as advertised but did people really expect no questions asked and an easy no-limits return?
lightbulbman2008 Champion Author Worcester Posts:41,312 Points:614,710 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 4:32:30 PM Ignore lightbulbman2008 Report Abuse is it really worth it?
14of45SSR Champion Author Saskatchewan Posts:2,007 Points:443,455 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 4:26:20 PM Ignore 14of45SSR Report Abuse So it is a bunch of hot air!
TBRR Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:1,267 Points:225,525 Joined:Dec 2007	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 4:23:28 PM Ignore TBRR Report Abuse music to a car salesman's ear. "I just love this car" that the best sign of a sure sale. research, research, research before you buy. after all it is only transportation to carry your butt from point a to point b.
CoffeeTrader Champion Author Victoria Posts:2,412 Points:443,680 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 4:23:20 PM Ignore CoffeeTrader Report Abuse I would question the fine print...it kills you every time.
TomT2Lee Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:3,470 Points:1,091,790 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Sep 27, 2009 4:22:56 PM Ignore TomT2Lee Report Abuse Government Motors in action. How fitting.