Gift cards are a boon to retailers. Studies suggest anywhere from 6 to 10 percent of all gift cards NEVER get redeemed! If you have Christmas gift cards hanging around, make sure to use them. And make sure you know your rights in California about how to redeem them for cash and expiration restrictions. The…
Ever have a frustrating experience trying to get a business to fix a problem with their product or service? A car that they can’t fix? A hotel room that was not what was promised? Bad food or service? A friend passed a great Wall Street Journal article on to me (from Nov. 19, 2016). The…
Is your car a lemon? Are you considering going to the manufacturer’s (Ford, Toyota, GM, FCA, etc.) paid arbitration provider BBB Auto Line? Think again. Here are some HUGE problems: 1) if the arbitrator says your car is not a lemon, and you then have to go to Court to get the repurchase you deserve,…
We’d like to share some thoughts about a pioneer and icon of consumer rights, Clarence Ditlow of the Center for Auto Safety, written by another fantastic consumer warrior, Rosemary Shahan of Consumers for Automobile Reliability and Safety : “Tonight, Clarence’s colleagues, friends, and family are gathered together in Washington, DC to honor and remember Clarence…
Around 7,000 new, model-year 2017, Ford F-150 pickup trucks that were manufactured from Oct. 4 to Nov. 23, 2016 at the Dearborn Assembly Plant in Michigan and Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri, may have an instrument panel that does not light up the transmission position indicator. This could result in unintended vehicle movement causing injury…
Before buying any used car, obtain an independent vehicle inspection, get an NMVTIS Vehicle History Report via www.vehiclehistory.gov, and consult other available vehicle information resources such as CarFax and AutoCheck. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) provides several used car buying tips on their web site: www.ftc.gov. A summary “checklist” of these tips from the FTC…
The first few days after an accident are the most important for finding and preserving evidence of what happened — and documenting your injuries. You should take the following steps as soon as you are able, to make sure your personal injury claim is as strong as possible. Return to the Scene If an accident…
Regarding whether to go with the shops the insurers recommend, there is only one reason they recommend them: To cut costs. They are notorious for cutting corners on repairs. The BAR (Bureau of Automobile Repair) has a program where they check into repairs, upon request, and they have found instances where, for example, another $12,000…
Lemon law alert: 2009-2014 MINI Cooper may contain a defect concerning the lubrication of the engines. The MINI Cooper engine seals are made of a material that is prone to cracking. When the seals crack, fluids intended to lubricate the engine leak out of the system, which then causes overheating and engine damage. The MINI…
If you bought milk or dairy products in California from 2003 to now, you may be eligible for a refund. The deadline to file a claim is Jan. 31, 2017. A class-action lawsuit settled, alleging that milk-producing companies conspired to limit the production of milk by slaughtering cows prematurely, and thereby raising the price of…
