Car Quality Gets Better, Mostly

Looks like car quality is getting better and better. JD Power & Asc. released a new study that shows rising quality but at the same time it shows new model troubles.

It's the annual Initial Quality Study they do every year but this year is different.

This time 75% of the brands have made significant improvements in initial quality over last year, with Porsch keeping its #1 spot. But, and its a big "but", long standing Lexus was bumped from the #2 spot by the Nissan luxury label, Infiniti.

The brands that slipped in quality were those who pushed out new models a bit before they were ready. They include Scion, that dropped like a rock from 11th place to 27th, with the blame going to the redesigned xB and the new xD models.

Consumers' biggest beef? Voice recognition software that just doesn't work. Countless owners complained their voice and wireless phone systems just didn't work. Industry sources blame the difficult and sometimes confusing nature of the technology, but owners don't care where the blame goes.

And they're right. We've got a new SUV and must admit we have never been able to get that function to work right either.

The top 5? Porsche, Infiniti, Lexus, Mercedes, and Toyota. The first American home brand shows up at #6, Mercury, followed by Honda nd then Ford.

And the bottom of the heap in quality? Predictably, Jeep. Inches above Jeep is the Mini and the Land Rover. Surprisingly, Saturn is only slightly above that and actually comes in behind Suzuki.

We've seen nothing but good quality in Saturn when it comes to owners complaining about their lemon cars and trucks. The Jeep is no surprise to us at all, but Saturn? That comes as a real shocker to a lot of people.

If you've got a lemon Jeep, a lemon Mini, a Land Rover lemon, or another lemon car or truck, we're here to help. We know how to get rid of lemons. It's what we do. Everyday.

Call us at 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. Or email us right now by clicking here. Life is too short to put up with a bad car --- or a bad vehicle of any kind.

Burdge Law Office
www. New Car Lemon Law .com
Helping Consumers Squash Lemons Since 1978

Click here to see what your state's Lemon Law says.
To find a Lemon Law lawyer near you, click here.

Slickest Electric Car in the World

There's a company in California called Aptera that is building the slickest electric and hybrid cars in the world. Terrific mileage and range and extraordinary looking beyond belief. They're so good, they expect to be in the running for "The X Prize" --- the $10 million competition for the first mass-marketed 100 mpg vehicle. Heck, they might even win it.

We've talked about electric cars before and there are some terrific designs out there, but there's nothing like this. This is a 2 seater that looks and operates unbelievably.

The Aptera Typ-1 and Typ-1h are already for sale in limited production and priced at around $30,000. While the Tesla looks like a sportscar in the conventional sense, the Aptera is from another world.

It looks, quite literally, like something from the future. Think the Jetsons with wheels.

Remarkably, the gull-winged all electric rear wheel drive vehicle (it's not a car technically) runs on lithium ion battery packs and will hit 60 mph in just 10 seconds and rev up to 85 mph. All the while, it's quite as a mouse. The solar roof panels are designed to catch the sunlight and help power both the vehicle and electrically driven accessories like air conditioning, entertainment center, etc.

Unlike earlier hybrids and electric car attempts, this one was designed from square one as an electric vehicle. To do that they knew they had to have an aerodynamically slick exterior that was also lightweight but built of a structurally sturdy material. To compete for the X Prize, it also had to be a design that could be mass produced ultimately.

The resulting design meets many specifications for passenger vehicles and also specs for motorcycles and sometimes goes them better, including airbag, firewall, rollover strength and tough doors.

The all electric version of the Aptera, the Typ-1, should have a range of about 100 miles or better depending on your driving circumstances and that's about 70 miles better than what most of the ordinary competition gets in electric cars, and about three times the distance that the typical US car drives on a daily commute.

The hybrid version specs out at about 120 miles per gallon or better but has yet to prove itself.

We thought the Tesla was the car to get when we first heard of it back in 2006. Oh what a difference a year or two makes.

Until you get your reliable, dependable electric car, just remember. If your gas or diesel powered conventional car or truck turns out to be a lemon, call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free or email us right now by clicking here.

We know how to get your money back. And when you do, you can buy yourself one of these snazzy looking, no-gas electric wonders.

Burdge Law Office
www. New Car Lemon Law .com
Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemons Since 1978

Click here to see what your state's lemon law says.
Click here to find a Lemon Law Lawyer near you.

Tommy, what are you doing to us?

Tommy Lasorda is their advertising rep on their website but, Tommy appears to have been keeping some bad company lately.

While touting a quality level that more than one owner has questioned, what Explorer Van Company doesn't tell you (and what Tommy doesn't say either) is how they take away your rights whenever you buy one of their conversion vans.

Their owner manual brags that "you have just purchased the finest quality van on the market" but what they bury in the booklet is more than a little disturbing to some people.

Got a lemon Explorer van? Well, this is one company that is doing its best to make sure you can't do much about it.

Just when you think you've read the whole warranty in the owner manual, if you turn the page you'll find something new. A seperate page in the '06 owner manual (and maybe all of them?) that says when you buy their van, you give up your constitutional right to go to court if something goes wrong.

That's right. It's sort of like "buy our van and lose your rights" folks. How's that for a bargain? There may be a claim of quality in the nuts and bolts, folks, but there's a big screw in the warranty.

We've warned about the pitfalls of binding arbitration before. If enough people complain, maybe one of these days Congress will do something about it. In the meantime, send a message with your purchasing dollar. Friends don't let friends buy anything that requires you to give up your rights.

If you've got a lemon Explorer, a lemon conversion van, a lemon Rv, a lemon motorhome, or any kind of lemon, email or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. Getting rid of them is what we do. Everyday.

Burdge Law Office
http://www.rvlemonlaw.com/
Because life's too short to put up with a bad conversion van.

Find out what your state's lemon law says by clicking here.

Senators Scorn Federal Safety Department

US Senators at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing today scolded Bush administration officials over suspected interference with the federal government's safety investigators in Washington hearings June 4. White House officials were pushing a plan to "upgrade" roof strength safety standards when Senators apparently figured out that the real plan was to curb future lawsuits by people whose vehicle roofs collapse in rollover crashes.

The initial plan was said to be to "upgrade" the federal roof strength standards but Senators found a provision in the plan that would severely limit lawsuit damages for people who might be injured or killed by collapsing roofs if the new "upgraded" standards were adopted.

So when is an upgrade not really an upgrade? Apparently whenever federal safety investigators get into bed with big business interests. It's high time we got politics out of the safety process, folks.

Even the auto manufacturers trade group, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, reportedly said they were surprised to see the lawsuit loophole buried in the proposal's fine print. Of course, they were pleased as punch to see it. Just surprised, they said.

As it is now, roof strength standards haven't changed since 1971. Congress had long ago imposed a deadline of July 1, 2008 to improve the standards but federal safety officials at NHTSA (the federal safety agency in charge of automobile recalls) still have not gotten it done.

Industry insiders say that improving roof rollover crash safety would mean adding weight to the vehicle and that might make it tougher to meet the new fuel economy standards that come due in 2020. Come on, guys, fix the roofs now and you still have 12 years to fix the fuel economy. Who's kidding who here?

Meanwhile, long time consumer advocate Ralph Nader says that cozy ties between automakers and safety officials and the White House have gotten so bad that Congress should just shut down the regulators and start all over again with a new safety department that has teeth and is willing to use them.

Of course, that'll never happen. But there's no doubt Nader is right about the cozy relationship. Federal safety investigators need to get out of the manufacturer's bed and start enforcing safety laws again like they were meant to be enforced. You and I are the ones who ride in these cars with lousy roof standards. We don't need politicians deciding how strong the roof in your car should be.

If you've got a lemon, email or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. We can help you get rid of it. That's what we do. Everyday.

Burdge Law Office
www. New Car Lemon Law .com
Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemon Cars and Lemon Trucks Since 1978.

Click here to see what your state's Lemon Law says.

Alfa Leisure Rv --- Gone With the Wind

It's official. Alfa Leisure Rv has shut down apparently for good.

Their official statement, which was filed in federal court in one of their warranty lawsuits just days ago, blamed supplier Crane Composites and "Crane's unwillingness to stand behind their product" for the motorhome builder's demise.

Whatever you do, be very careful about buying any Alfa leftovers. Not only is there no factory warranty to back it up now, but you can expect Alfa dealers to be pitching expensive "extended warranties" as the way to cover future problems.

Those service contracts can run into thousands of dollars and dealers usually have about a 50% profit margin on them, so bargain over that price or you'll be wasting your money.

Burdge Law Office
www.RvLemonLaw.com
Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemon Rv's Since 1978

Click here to see what your state Rv Lemon Law says is a lemon motorhome.

Alfa Leisure Closing ?

Apparently this morning management at Alfa Leisure in Chino, California, passed out final paychecks and began sending people home and plan to shut down the operation.

If true, and it seems to be because there are several reports now, then Alfa Leisure joins National RV, Western Rv, the makers of Alpine Motor Homes and Alpenlite Trailers and Campers who have all closed in very recent times.

We've talked about the Rv industry slump before and things aren't getting better. It's time to be very, very careful as a motorhome buyer. Our recommendation? If you buy a new Rv, tell the dealer you want their personal guarantee that they will stand behind the manufacturer's warranty. But don't take their word for it either. Make them write in down on the sales contract itself.

But what if you own an Rv right now?If the builder is out of business then complain to your seller. We've even heard of some owners who argue that the seller should have known the builder was going under, and been able to at least get something from the seller to help cover their warranty problems.

If the builder is still in business, it could mean tighter controls on warranty costs and that can mean more runaround on warranty repairs, claim denials on debatable defects, and a dealer who has to argue more with you (the consumer) because the factory isn't paying the warranty claims as freely or often as before.

Note that nothing happened to your warranty rights. Legally, they are still there. You just may find yourself having to argue more to make them honor your warranty. Remember, the squeeky wheel is the one that gets the grease. So start squeekin', loud and long if you have to.

And when the factory or your dealer won't help you, when you feel like they are ignoring your problems, contact us or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. We help consumers fight back against bad Rv's and their manufacturers everyday. It's what we do.

Burdge Law Office
http://www.RvLemonLaw.com
Because life is too short to put up with a bad Rv.

Click here to see what your state's Lemon Law says.

Don't forget that the federal Lemon Law can help you even when your state law doesn't.

Get Ready for More Rebates ?

When sales get tough, the Big 3 throw money at it. The magic mantra seems to be "rebate." Whether it works or not is debatable.

GMAC has been a cash cow for GM for decades, sometimes outperforming any other arm in the GM octopus, but it's in big trouble according to Reuters newswire reports.

Seems the predatory lending and mortgage mess has seeped into the wonderful world of auto financing. A year ago GMAC turned in a whopping $305 million loss, nearly one third of a billion (with a big "B") dollar loss. Well, things got worse as time went by.

Now, GMAC's loss has jumped up to $589 million. Not a small chunk of change, folks. Somebody better get out the bandaids and stop the bleeding or they'll end up looking like Chrysler.

Much of the blame is being heaped on the huge mortgage division losses coming out of Residential Capital, now running 6 quarters of losses in a row. Seems like even they were trying to get in on the mortgage subprime mess to see just how quickly they could lose money.

GM's money mess is one of the reasons that GM sold off 51% of GMAC to private quity firm Cerberus Capital back in 2006, but apparently it was on a downhill slide way back then. We'd hate to think the smart guys at Cerberus were the ones who took that dive into the subprime disaster.

So how bad can it get? Well, we'll soon see. There's $17 billion of debt coming due this year and it'll probably shake GMAC up. Still GMAC has $18.6 billion of cash and claimed liquid assets so one would think that would look pretty healthy. Problem is, that number is down from $22.7 billion just a few months ago.

A $4 billion loss in just 3 months is kinda hard to make up no matter how long you take at it.

Could rebates be coming on the metal? Maybe they ought to be thinking about rebates on the mortgages too?

Meanwhile, if you've got a lemon GM car or truck, you might want to be thinking of trading it in on a Ford. At least they made a profit lately. If you can't or don't want to trade it it, email or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free and we'll help you make GM take it back and give you back your money, for free. That's what we do. Everyday.

Burdge Law Office
www. New Car Lemon Law .com
Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemons Since 1978.

Click here to see what your state's lemon law says.

Lemon Flowers for Professional Lemon Assistants

In this business, where we run into lemons constantly, you have to have a sense of humor. We try to share humor whenever we can, wherever we find it. Sometimes we even get to cause a smile to brighten up someone's day.

The Burdge Law Team is more than just lawyers. Each of our attorneys has an assistant, and an entire staff, of dedicated professionals who tirelessly work to squash every lemon and make every manufacturer pay for it.

For them, this week is dedicated. Today they each received a beautiful (and humorous) lemon flower arrangement like the one pictured above with the heartfelt thanks of our attorneys and our clients. Our professional assistants work hard every day to help our clients get rid of their lemon.

If you've got a lemon car or lemon truck or lemon motorhome or lemon boat or lemon motorcycle, email or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. Squashing lemons everyday is what we do (free lemonade available by clicking here).

Burdge Law Office
www. US Lemon Lawyers .com
Helping Consumers, and Consumer Law Attorneys, Since 1978

Click here to see what your state's Lemon Law says a lemon car or lemon truck is.

Top 5 Vehicles to Avoid

Today we do something unusual for us: we present an article from a guest writer. We may do this from time to time when we find someone that provides interesting and car-related thoughts that we can all benefit from. That's the case with Heather Johnson's article below that picks up where we left off recently in talking about Consumer Reports Magazine's recent annual car issue. Knowing the best and worst cars is one thing, but she makes a great point in also telling us the ones to just outright avoid altogether.

Consumer Reports' Top 5 Vehicles to Avoid

As a previous post reported, Consumer Reports recently published its annual "Best & Worst Cars" issue. Perusing the best car models is always fun, but it is equally important to pay attention to models that received the lowest scores. Consumer Reports rates each car on a 100-point scale, based on more than 50 unbiased tests and evaluations.

Considerations when testing vehicles include:

Safety – Each car is tested at its handling limit, determining how the vehicle will respond to emergency avoidance maneuvers and extreme road conditions.

Real-World Fuel Economy – Those who test the vehicles gauge the fuel economy of both everyday driving and driving on a controlled track.

Ride Comfort – Each vehicle is driven for thousands of miles and comfort is one of many important factors when rating an automobile.

With those considerations in mind, Consumer Reports' highest scoring vehicle (Lexus LS460L) earned a 99 on the 100-point scale. Below are the five lowest scoring vehicles for 2008:

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara
Score: 17
Main Areas of Concern: Braking, Noise Level, Reliability, Fuel Economy

Hummer H3 (5-cyl.)
Score: 27
Main Areas of Concern: Acceleration, Fuel Economy, Emergency Handling

Jeep Liberty Sport
Score: 27
Main Areas of Concern: Fuel Economy, Noise, Agility

Chevrolet Aveo LS (Manual)
Score: 30
Main Areas of Concern: Acceleration, Handling

Chevrolet Aveo LS (Automatic)
Score: 32
Main Areas of Concern: Acceleration, Handling

While Consumer Reports isn't the only organization that is currently testing vehicles, it is important to remember that these evaluations are completely unbiased. Consumer Reports receives no money for advertising or any other services. For that reason alone, it would be shrewd for drivers to consider the magazine's opinions when purchasing a new vehicle.

Heather Johnson is a freelance business, finance and economics writer, as well as a regular contributor at Business Credit Cards, a site for best business credit card and best business credit card offers. Heather welcomes comments and freelancing job inquiries at her email addressheatherjohnson2323@gmail.com .

If you're driving one of the Top 5 Vehicles to Avoid, and it's a lemon, email or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. Getting rid of lemon cars and lemon trucks is what we do for people. Everyday.

Burdge Law Office

http://www.uslemonlawyers.com

Helping Consumers, and Consumer Law Attorneys, Since 1978

Click here to find out what a lemon car is in your state.

To find a Lemon Lawyer near you, click here.

Please Steal Our Cars Ad Offends Police Dept

Boy, some car dealers are really stupid. This just in from the Winnepeg Free Press:

Winnipeg police are condemning a car dealership flyer delivered with a city tabloid newspaper today that depicts an officer and a pedestrian getting run-down by a crazed motorist.

The full-colour, letter-sized cartoon insert depicts five red-nosed people partying in a car being driven irresponsibly by a wild-eyed man.

As the driver speeds through a red light at a crosswalk, a police officer appears to be fleeing for his life as the vehicle tries to run him down.

Passengers in the vehicle are also depicted to be consuming what appears to alcohol and smoking- others vomit out the car’s window into the street.

The flyer, placed in the Winnipeg Sun by McDougall Auto Superstore, a city used auto dealership asks readers to “steal a deal off our lot.”

The advertisement comes barely a week after a Winnipeg cab driver was killed at Portage Avenue and Maryland Street when a stolen SUV ran a red light and smashed into it.

In a statement, police said they had contacted the car dealership to let them know how they felt.

“We feel it’s very inappropriate in light of events in the city over the last few months,” a police spokeswoman said, adding the dealership was receptive to their concern.

McDougall Auto Superstore’s general sales manager, would only give his first name, “Sam,” said the ad was developed by an outside agency, and plans to run the ad in the future had been pulled.

Winnipeg Sun publisher Kevin Klein, apologized to readers offended by the content of the ad and said the newspaper would be reviewing its policy and procedures in respect to advertising inserts.

If you've got a stupid car dealer running roughshod over your rights, contact us or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. We've helped clients run over a few car dealers ourselves, so to speak. Sometimes that's what Justice is all about.

Burdge Law Office
www. New Car Lemon Law .com
Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemon Cars and Lemon Trucks Since 1978

Click here to see what your state's Lemon Law says a lemon car is.

Flaming Fords

Their names were Billi, Ami and Caleb. She was a mother and a wife. Ami and Caleb were just 16 and 12 year old kids.

It hits close to home. Fords that go up in flames.

A 2002 Ford Expedition parked in Peter Romans' carport in Madison County, Ohio is suspected to be the cause of a house fire that killed a woman and her two minor children. Romans survived the fire and told investigators that the fire started in his parked Ford SUV according to The Columbus Dispatch newspaper a few days ago.

If you've got a Ford in your garage, you might want to park it on the street tonight.

Romans' Ford was one of over 9 million Fords included in a recall that started in 2005 but which dragged on and on because of the sheer quantity of vehicles involve and a shortage of parts. But most of all, federal regulators show no urgency to push Ford to get the job done faster.

Several homes have burned and people have died. Many believe a direct link exists between the fires and faulty cruise control switches that can overheat and erupt into flames. Years of recalls and fires involving Ford vehicles caused federal safety investigators to issue an extraordinary public warning that Ford and Lincoln and Mercury owners could have hidden fire hazards in Fords that have not been repaired.

A flaming Ford inferno hit a homeowner in Chisago City, Minnesota in January when her 2000 Ford Expedition “started on fire parked in our attached garage. We have now lost everything we owned,” wrote the Ford Expedition owner. “The home we built not even 2 years ago burned to the ground,” she said.

Ford says a parts shortage is delaying repairs of the fire prone cruise control system in the recalled vehicles until later in 2008. Meanwhile, they keep building new cars and trucks. There's something fundamentally wrong about a federal safety bureau that will let them keep selling new trucks without making them fix the old ones that are burning down consumer's homes.

If you've got one of the recalled Fords, take it to your nearest Ford dealer right away and tell them to disconnect the cruise control system immediately. If they tell you to just wait for the parts to come in, don't. Insist the dealer do it right then. Don't drive it home until they fix it.

We've blogged about this deadly defect before. These Fords will keep right on burning and people will keep right on getting hurt. Federal safety investigators should force Ford to notify each and every owner of the affected vehicles immediately. With their recall records, Ford can easily tell what vehicles have been fixed for the recall and what ones have not. All they need is someone to make them do it. Wimpy federal safety officials, catering to Big Business and big bucks, are costing lives.

Their names were Billi, Ami and Caleb. She was a mother and a wife. Ami and Caleb were just 16 and 12 year old kids.

Don't let it happen to you. If your Ford dealer gives you a runaround or any stall or delay, contact us or call us right away, 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. We know what to do.

Here's a list of the affected vehicles.

1. 1993 – 2004 F150
2. 1993 – 1999 F250 (gasoline engine)
3. 1993 – 1996 Bronco
4. 1994 – 1996 Econoline
5. 1997 – 2002 Ford Expedition
6. 1998 – 2002 Lincoln Navigator
7. 1998 – 2002 Ford Ranger
8. 1992 – 1998 Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car
9. 1993 – 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII
10. 1993 – 1995 Ford Taurus SHO with automatic transmission
11. 1994 – Mercury Capri
12. 1998 – 2001 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer
13. 2001 – 2002 Ford Explorer Sport and Explorer Sport Trac
14. 1992 – 1993 and 1997 – 2003 Ford E-150-350 gasoline or natural gas vehicles
15. 2002 – E-550 gasoline engine vehicles
16. 1996 – 2003 E-450 gasoline or natural gas vehicles
17. 1994 – 2002 F-250 through F-550 super Duty trucks (gasoline engine)
18. 2000 – 2002 Ford Excursion (gasoline engine)
19. 2003 – F250 – F550 Super Duty, Ford Excursion
20. 1995 – 2002 Ford F53 Motor home chassis
21. 2002 – 2003 Lincoln Blackwood

Don't let it happen to you. If your Ford dealer gives you a runaround or any stall or delay, contact us or call us right away, 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. We know what to do.

Burdge Law Office
www. US Lemon Lawyers .com
Helping People Protect Their Families from Flaming Fords Since 1978

Click here to see what your state's Lemon Law says.

Rumor has it

The engineers from GM (who thought they could convert a gasoline engine into a diesel engine back in the 1980's) got together with the engineers from Navistar (who designed the engines for Ford’s pickup trucks that resulted in hundreds of lawsuits in the last few years) and the style experts from the old Yugo plant (refugees from Yugoslavia), to design a new car for retiring Russian President Putin. One that could go one direction while looking like it was going another. Here it is.

If your new car looks like it was built right but runs like it was built wrong, contact us or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. Getting rid of lemon cars and lemon trucks is what we do. Everyday.

Burdge Law Office
www. New Car Lemon Law .com
Squashing Lemons Since 1978

Click here to see what your state's Lemon Law says a lemon car is.

To find a Lemon Law lawyer near you, click here.

Car Recall News

Recalls aren't always well publicized. Many go completely unnoticed, although the massive recalls of hundreds of thousands of cars at one time often show up on the evening news or in the paper. But for the average recall, you may never hear about it.



Trying to find out if there's been a recent recall can be difficult and a real pain. The federal government has hundreds of web sites and the internet has more than anyone can probably count.



Well, we decided to cut to the bone. If you want to know if there's a recent recall on a particular vehicle, we are posting them all in one spot as soon as they come out.

There's a new place to find Car Recall Info, News and Notes. If it's a car, and there's a recall on it, you can find it by clicking here. http://carrecalls.blogspot.com/

It's where car recalls are. Why? Because it ought to be easy to find out if you've got a lemon, and it ought to be easy to avoid buying one too.

Burdge Law Office

http://www.newcarlemonlaw.com

Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemons Every Day, Since 1978

Click here to see what your state's Lemon Law says a lemon car is.

Click here to find a Lemon Lawyer near you.

Rv Industry Continues Slump

In another sign of the continuing slump in the motorhome market, industry giant Fleetwood cut four dozen jobs and demoted dozens of employees at its Riverside, California plant yesterday.

With revenue down 20% and posting a $16+ million loss last quarter, Fleetwood had little choice.

Fleetwood reported that supervisors were offered assembly line jobs with as much as 23% pay cuts. We recently reported Weekend Warrior's layoffs and National RV's bankruptcy demise. In fact, large law firms expect bankruptcy to be the hottest growth area for law firms this year, according to a recent Wall Street Journal survey of corporate lawyers.

Thor California, maker of , recently shut down its California plant for 3 weeks to prevent a bloat in built motorhome inventory that dealers are having a hard enough time getting rid of. And when it reopened, workers came back to 4 day a week jobs and a scaled back production schedule.

We've said it before. From all this Rv doom and gloom you can probably expect two things.

The first is likely to be a harder time getting debatable repairs done under the factory warranty as the factories look for ways to cut corners and cut costs. And that may also mean workmanship problems as employees are cut back, moved around, demoted, and generally disgruntled. Both of those are issues that may have longer lasting effect than some Rv makers intend (or expect).

The second news is, though, the silver lining here. If you want a new motorhome, you may not see a better time to get a good price for a long while. Dealers are stuck with inventory that is aging and that they are paying for every day with floor planning finance rates that are eating into profits. To put it blunt, they gotta move the boxes or they will go broke.

With the market shrinking though, the fit are the survivers. Those with less cash in their coffers will find it harder to get through these tough times.

So for consumers it means that you need to be careful about the brand you buy right now too. After all, you can just imagine what it must have been like to buy a brand new $100,000 National Rv brand motorhome the day before they shut the plant down.

And you may not want to be the one to own the Rv that was built by the ticked off supervisor who now works on the line and takes home only 3/4 of what he earned last week. A demotion without a loss of pay is one thing, but a demotion that costs you a big chunk of income is a whole different thing.

It's time to be very, very careful as a motorhome buyer. Our recommendation? If you buy a new Rv, tell the dealer you want their personal guarantee that they will stand behind the manufacturer's warranty. But don't take their word for it either. Make them write in down on the sales contract itself.

And remember, if you get a bad Rv, contact us or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. Helping consumers get rid of lemon motorhomes is what we do. Everyday.

Burdge Law Office

http://rvlemonlaw.com/

Because life is too short to put up with a bad Rv or a bad Rv dealer.

Click here to see what your state's Rv Lemon Law says is a lemon motorhome.

The Car I Wanted. The Car I Got

A friend of mine sent me this hilarious message that's worth taking a break to pass on...

"This is the car I wanted."

It's a Novitec modified Ferrari Enzo in screaming yellow. Zero to 100 mph in 3.5 seconds (no G-force ratings disclosed). Top speed rated at 348 kph (no mph rating disclosed because you need a pilot license). Let's face it, this car probably even has "macho man" chiseled into the frame.

"This is the car I got. And it only goes downhill."

It's a King Midget that was basic transportation with soap box derby styling. It was sold back in 1946 as a kit car with a 6 horsepower, one cylinder engine with a 2 speed automatic gearbox but with no reverse. It could actually get up to 45 mph (probably just downhill), and had a base price of just $270.

Sometimes life just works out that way. You want a Ferrari and you get a King Midget that only goes downhill.

If you get stuck with a car that only goes downhill, contact us or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. As long as it's got an engine (and the King Midget did) we can help get rid of your lemon.

Burdge Law Office
www. Us Lemon Lawyers .com
Helping Consumers, and Consumer Law Attorneys, Since 1978

Click here to see what your state's Lemon Law says a lemon car is.

Motown's Tough Times

Times are tough in Motown.

Factory stats are out and the picture isn't good in Detroit. With the Mayor having his own tough times, things aren't good in Dearborn either.

Sales at GM and Chrysler dropped 19% in March and Ford fell 14%. Even Toyota was down 10% compared with last March. Nissan was off 4% and Honda reported a 3% drop.

If those numbers hold true course for the year, then US sales will top out at just over 15 million vehicles in 2008 and that's a big drop from last year's 16.2 million.

For consumers, it means that factories will be getting tighter as profits shrink. And that can mean less generosity when it comes to covering borderline warranty work. You may have to argue more to get things fixed that are not clearly covered by your warranty.

Click here for a list of Automotive Manufacturer's Phone Numbers and Fax Numbers and Web Sites. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, so start squeakin'

When you get tired of arguing, though, contact us or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. The factory should build it right or pay for it when it's wrong, that's our motto.

Burdge Law Office

http://www.uslemonlawyers.com

Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemon Cars and Lemon Trucks Since 1978.

Click here to see what your state's Lemon Law says is a lemon vehicle.

Ohio Attorney General's Consumer Law Advisor eNewsletter

You gotta give credit where credit's due.

Ohio consumers are finally diggin their way out from lackluster and careless government now that Marc Dann is Ohio's Attorney General. His choice of Nadine Ballard is a great example of putting someone in charge who cares (like he does) about consumers and who knows (like he does) Ohio's consumer protection laws.

Now they're doing even more for you.

Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann has started a Consumer Law Advisor newsletter to help Ohio's consumer advocates keep up to date on changes in the law and new cases that can help them help their clients even more. It's a great idea that was long overdue and it took someone who cared to get it done. Marc Dann deserves a big thanks for this one, folks.

A recent issue included a list of new cases that were put in the Attorney General's Public Inspection File (which helps establish what acts and practices are declared unfair to Ohio consumers). Case discussions ranged from arbitration, home improvement, motor vehicle cases, prepaid entertainment deals, mortgage issues, telemarketing and more. Clearly, subscribing to this newsletter is necessary to keep up to date.

I've often gone searching online to find cases in the PIF that dealt with an issue and silently bemoaned the lack of any way to find out what was new. Well, no more.

The newsletter also covered some new consumer cases filed by the Attorney General and some new pending consumer legislation alerts. The pending legislation list is particularly helpful since it's a great way for consumers and consumer advocates to learn what bills are pending before the legislature so that you can help garner support for laws that will protect consumers more. That's something to keep your eye one.

Another part of the newsletter covers class action notices that affect Ohio consumers and which Ohio attorneys need to be aware of too.

The Attorney General's office should get 5 stars for this newsletter, folks. It's a "must subscribe" for anyone who cares about consumers or who wants to learn new ways to protect themselves from deceptive and unfair business practices.

You can subscribe by sending an email to ConsumerEnewsletter@ag.state.oh.us or telephoning 614.752.6729. Remember when you were a kid and your mom said "you snooze, you lose" ? Well that's the deal here. With every issue you don't read, you are missing out.

Burdge Law Office

http://www.ohioconsumerlaw.com/

Helping Consumers Protect Themselves Since 1978

Rv Warranty Problems Rising ?

Blue news for Rv builders. The economy sucks not just for you and me but also for them too.

Although Fleetwood took the award for market share in 2007 the faltering economy is hurting all Rv builders, including Fleetwood.

Weekend Warrior was reported last week to have cut 100 workers at its Perris facility. This comes in the same month that Riverside-based Fleetwood Enterprises reported another financial loss for another quarter ($16 million is no chump change to lose in just 3 months --- you'd think they went to Vegas). Thor California cut its work back to 4 days a week to keep dealers from having a glut of inventory (and to keep that same inventory from stacking up at the plant).

Add to that the mess from National Rv's bankruptcy and it's easy to see that Rv builders have the blues.

Some economists say that numbers in the last 30 years show that when the Rv industry suffers two sales downturn years in a row then it means a recession is about to hit the economy. There was a 10 percent loss in numbers last year and some industry insiders are saying the numbers will hit 14 percent down this year. Time for all of us to tighten our belt, so to speak, if we haven't already been doing that.

Paul Eskritt, Fleetwood Enterprises Inc.'s RV Group president, was reported to have said that when the industry hits a lull, it is time for RV companies to focus on managing their expenses.

"Every dollar counts," Eskritt said. "We get really good at that."

So what does that mean if you own an Rv right now? It could mean tighter controls on warranty costs and that can mean more runaround on warranty repairs, claim denials on debatable defects, and a dealer who has to argue more with you (the consumer) because the factory isn't paying the warranty claims as freely or often as before.

Note that nothing happened to your warranty rights. Legally, they are still there. You just may find yourself having to argue more to make them honor your warranty. Remember, the squeeky wheel is the one that gets the grease. So start squeekin', loud and long if you have to.

And when the factory or your dealer won't help you, when you feel like they are ignoring your problems, contact us or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. We help consumers fight back against bad Rv's and their manufacturers everyday. It's what we do.

Burdge Law Office
www. Rv Lemon Law .com
Because life is too short to put up with a bad Rv.

Click here to see what your state's Lemon Law says.
Don't forget that the federal Lemon Law can help you even when your state law doesn't.

Different Strokes

Know what size Rv you want before you ever go shopping. Check out the size and equipment and make sure you know what you are getting into. Prices run all over the place so be careful of what you are getting into. Keep in mind that the retail markup is huge. You can figure that if the Rv has an MSRP of $100,000 then the dealer probably bought it for about $65k and the factory probably built it for about $35k more or less. So argue over price big time because the money you save is your own.

Meantime, here's a description of the different types of recreational vehicles:


And if you end up with a lemon motorhome, contact us or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. Remember, life is too short to put up with a bad Rv. Getting rid of lemon motorhomes is what we do. Everyday.

Burdge Law Office
www. Rv Lemon Law .com
Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemon Rv's Since 1978.

Click here to find out what your state's Rv Lemon Law says.

Brunner Wins Kennedy Profile in Courage Award

Ohio has something a lot of states don't have. A Secretary of State who does the job right and cares about doing it right. And Ohio voters should appreciate it because the honesty and reliablity of our voting system depends on it.

Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner was named a recipient of the John F Kennedy Profiles in Courage Award for her brave work in fighting to protect the rights of Ohio voters to an honest and reliable vote count. It is the singular highest award a public servant can obtain in the United States. Only those with courage and committment are ever recognized. Ohio's Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner is one of those.

"Our democracy depends on voter trust. Jennifer Brunner's efforts to earn that trust have made them true profiles in courage," Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late president and head of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, said in a statement.

While some states wondered if they had voting problems or what to do about them, Brunner took action. She fought to stop what some euphemistically called "voting irregularities" by ordering that a paper ballot be provided to any voter who requested one during this year's presidential primary. She also has called for the replacement of all of the Ohio's electronic voting systems with paper ballots and optical scan technology before the November 2008 presidential election, in order to assure the integrity of Ohio's voter results.

The electronic voting machines are used in 53 of Ohio's 88 counties and have long raised eyebrows by many independent professionals who questioned how easy it was to hack into the results and modify the vote talley.

Ohioans should be proud to have a Secretary of State who has been willing to fight entrenched local politicians to make sure that Ohio voters' ballots are counted fairly and accurately. We don't want to look like Florida here, folks.

The John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award is presented annually to public servants who have made courageous decisions of conscience without regard for the personal or professional consequences. The award is named for President Kennedy’s 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Profiles in Courage, which recounts the stories of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers, incurring the wrath of constituents or powerful interest groups, by taking principled stands for unpopular positions. The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation created the Profile in Courage Award^TM in 1989 to honor President Kennedy’s commitment and contribution to public service. It is presented in May in celebration of President Kennedy’s May 29th birthday. The Profile in Courage Award is represented by a sterling-silver lantern symbolizing a beacon of hope.

Brunner has stood up to a lot of criticism from politicians who have enjoyed a free ride in Ohio for years and whose concern for the rights of Ohio voters has not been up to snuff (to say nothing for the integrity and honesty of the voting system itself). What she has proven is that she can stand up to protect the rights of Ohio voters to cast their ballots and to have their ballots counted fairly, accurately, and honestly.

Courage in a public official, to do what is right, ought not to be so rare. But it is. Thank goodness we have Brunner.

Burdge Law Office
www. Ohio Consumer Law .com
Helping Consumers to Protect Themselves Since 1978

Click here to find out how to complain effectively to your government officials and others who can give consumers help.

If complaining doesn't work for you, then contact us for legal help.

Dealers Busted for Fake Id's

Buy a car, get a fake Id . . . it's a two for one sale, folks!

Butler County, Ohio Sheriff Rick Jones' deputies busted 3 local car dealers after an extensive undercover investigation that turned up fake identification materials being provided to illegal aliens to process fake documents for auto sales.

Turns out that if a car dealer wants to sell a car bad enough, apparently some of them are willing to even provide you with the fake I.D. needed to get a car loan. Now that is going the extra mile folks!

Also in the accusations was impersonating a police officer. Multiple indictments are being served or prepared for several felony arrests, officials say.

7 people were arrested after an investigation that some officials say was going on for almost a year.

"The grand jury was almost in shock that this was going on," Butler County Sheriff Rick Jones said. "It's happening all over the place, not just here, but we're the ones calling attention to it. It's rampant." To view the Sheriff Department's news conference, click here.

Acting on a tip that Jones himself got, undercover deputies began posing as illegal immigrants wanting to buy vehicles.

"On their very first attempt, the undercover officers were sold fake identification cards," Jones said. The dealership then used the fake IDs to process car titles and registrations.

Apparently the car dealer thieves (errrr, car dealer management?) would sell junk cars at inflated prices with high interest rates and then when the illegal alien would miss a payment or complain at least one car dealer would threaten to report the alien to Immigration or Sherrif Dept. officials to force payment or shut up the complainer.

All 3 accused car dealerships are owned by natives of India with the last name of Singh: brothers Sukhvinder and Sinderpal, who live in a $443,000 home in Deerfield Township, and Rajvinder, who lives in a $714,000 home in Liberty Township, officials said.

Officers arrested two of the brothers - Sukhvinder "Sam" Singh, 37, and Sinderpal "Paul" Singh, 34 - along with five employees, at the dealerships: Dozier; Samuel Roque-Guillan, 27; Jesus Vasquez, 27; Mary Reyes, 27, and Sylvia Pastrana, 23, all of Hamilton. Late Thursday, two others were still being sought on warrants: the third Singh brother, Rajvinder "Roger," 35; and Maria Martinez, 41, of Hamilton County.

Five suspected illegal immigrants who just happened to be at the dealerships also were arrested by federal immigration officers.

Okay, so we've got a case of immigrant used car dealers living it up while they rip off illegal aliens. It's not exactly a case of living the American dream, folks.

If you've been ripped off by a used car dealer (or a new car dealer), contact us or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. Helping consumers get back their hard-earned money is what we do. Everyday.

Burdge Law Office

www. Car Sales Fraud .com

Helping Consumers Protect Themselves Since 1978

To find out more about Fraud, click here.

Truth, Justice & the American Way

A frustrated Volvo owner has been vindicated. Yes, Virginia, in America you do still have the right to say what you think. Heck, you can even sell bumper stickers that say it (available for $3.99 each).

In 2000, Seth Turok bought an Audi from Elk Mountain Motors in Aspen, Colorado. He became frustrated with the car's lemon tendencies and the dealer's inability to get it fixed. Feeling "enough is enough" he started posting signs that read "Friends don't let friends shop at Elk Mtn. Motors." That got their attention.

The service department, however, apparently didn't pay any more attention
to Mr. Turok, but the car dealer's management did. They hired lawyers and sued, asking the court to make him take the signs down, claiming that the signs implied the car dealership was dishonest or engaged in fraudulent sales tactics. That's not the way the court saw it.

In 2006 the trial judge ruled in favor of the consumer, calling it protected free speech under the First Amendment. No, No, cried the car dealer, so they appealed. Well, Yes, Yes, said the court of appeals.

The 3 judge panel on the court of appeals ruled in favor of the consumer also. "Read in context, the use of the language indicates that [Turok] was merely demonstrating his dissatisfaction and frustration" said the court.

It cost this consumer tens of thousands of dollars to defend himself (he may recoup a small amount of the cost from the sale of his bumper stickers that can be purchased by clicking here), but in the end he was vindicated and proven right. Americans have a long history of saying what they think and being allowed to do it. It's what the First Amendment is all about.

A short time back, when we learned that Hyundai was now sticking binding arbitration clauses in its warranty booklets, in an attempt to keep its customers from being able to sue them over lemon Hyundai cars and warranty fights (by the way, that tactic probably won't hold up). We wrote about that here and thought at the time about putting up a billboard that said "Friends don't let friends buy Hyundai" but, being lawyers, decided it would look too self-promoting. Maybe we should sell the bumper stickers instead?

If you've got a lemon, don't put up with it. And don't put up with a car dealer who doesn't care either. Bumper stickers and signs are a clever way to start out. But when you want the Truth to come out, when you want Justice to prevail, get even the American way: complain and complain and complain. You have a right to express your opinion, but be careful not to libel or slander anyone. How you say what it is you are saying, can make all the difference.

And if complaining doesn't work, call us. We sue car dealers and manufacturers every day over lemon cars and lemon trucks and fraudulent car dealer sales practices. It's what we do.

Contact us (click here) or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free.

Burdge Law Office
www. Car Sales Fraud .com
Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemons Since 1978

Click here to see what your state's Lemon Law says.

Cars as Art

There are some cars that are so remarkable that they border on being works of art. Take the Delahaye (and we wish we had one to take, too).

Even among the cars that made French design beautiful works of art between the World Wars, the 1937 Delahaye Type 135 Competition stood out from the pack. It actually didn't have that much horsepower for its size and engine but what it lacked in horsepower it more than made up for in style with coachwork by Figoni & Falaschi. But, it had enough horsepower to make a great run on the day's racing circuit.

The Type 135Ms are an absolutely prestigious masterpiece with a surprising racing history and heritage that was formed on stability, robustness, and stamina. The eleven cars (now that's rare) that were made were originally each powered by a water-cooled, inline, six-cylinder, 3.6-liter engine, fitted with a single Solex carburetor, coupled to a four-speed manual transmission.

Another work of art, in a more business vein, was the sedan version of the 135, which now stirs memories of the Batmobile, no less. All of the Delahaye cars did well both on the racing circuit and in the new car showroom of the times, but they didn't last. What I wouldn't give for one of those to be sitting in my garage...

If your car was bought for reliability (stylish or not) but it spends more time in the dealer's garage than your own, contact us or telephone 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. Let us get rid of that lemon in your garage. We won't be able to put a Delahaye in your garage, but we can at least help put a car in there that runs right again.

Burdge Law Office
www. New Car Lemon Law .com
Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemon Cars and Trucks Since 1978

Click here to see what your state's Lemon Law says.

Worthless Gift Cards

Everyone got a lot of gift cards at Christmas, no doubt, but some of those are already worthless and others are about to be.

The Shaper Image gift cards, for instance, aren't worth the plastic they were made with now and others could get wiped out too. There are over $1 billion in gift cards floating around at any given time and many of them are at risk of becoming worthless this year. Why?

Sharper Image filed bankruptcy and that killed their gift card responsibility. As more businesses file bankruptcy this year, more cards are at greater risk than ever before. The moral? Use it or lose it, folks.

In February Sharper Image announced that acceptance of gift cards was being suspended. Kaput. Out of luck. Worthless.

Consumers spent an estimated $26 billion on gift cards last holiday season and $24 the year before, according to the National Retail Federation.

So is there a big risk of gift cards in your pocket becoming worthless? The number of retailer bankruptcies this year is forecast to rech the highest levels in 17 years - ever since since the 1991 recession. Who says we aren't in a recession?

Some estimates are that shoppers could lose more than $75 million just from stores and restaurant closing in 2008. And that doesn't include smaller local stores and retailers and service providers. What can you do?

Be careful. Your best best is to avoid the "branded" gift cards and only buy a Mastercard or Visa or American Express gift card. Like their credit cards, they are more universal than the smaller company gift cards anyway and you've got a company behind the plastic that is much more likely to be around next year.

Burdge Law Office
www. Burdge Law .com
Helping Consumers Protect Themselves Since 1978

What's New in 1954 Cars

What was the #1 accessory that people wanted in their car in 1954? A heater.

It's quite surprising what was new in 1954 on automobiles. And what people wanted most and least. But first the new...

Mercury (a make long gone) and Ford had a hardtop with a transparent plastic roof section. Sort of a sun roof that didn't open.

Chrysler had a new instrument panel with red indicator lights for oil pressure and battery warnings. Before long people called them "idiot" lights in derogation of people who couldn't understand how to read the gauges and just wanted something simple. Then again, it is possible that Ford and GM owners called them that more as a descriptive term for the people who bought the brand.

Nash Rambler came out with front seats that would swing down to make a comfortable bed. They were apparently so far ahead of the reclining seat idea that the company went out of business later.

The February 1954 issue of Popular Mechanics also reported the results of their survey on what the average driver wanted.

First the averages. In 1954 the average car was driven 15,480 miles a year (just about the same as now, over 50 years later). The average family kept their car 3 years, mostly trading it off due to declining mechanical condition. Less than 10% said they traded in their old car because of new styles. Nowadays people trade a little more often, on average, but the style issue is a much bigger percentage of the cited reasons for getting a new car. But what did the average buyer want in a new car?

53% wanted economy. 47% wanted power.

76% thought comfort was more important than style while 24% went the other way.

58% wanted a big 8 cylinder engine under the hood. 42% wanted a small engine.

61% wanted a car that would seat 6 or more people. There was a hunger for SUVs even then, I guess.

45% of drivers said they would never use a seat belt. Little did they know that seat belts would become mandatory for all drivers 20 some years later.

You can bet those numbers have changed over the years, but one thing hasn't. They still make lemon cars.

And as long as they do, we'll be here to help you get rid of them.

If you've got a lemon, contact us or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free. Squashing lemons and returning them to the factory is what we do. It's what we've done for 30 years, long before there was a Lemon Law. And we'll keep right on doing it too.

Burdge Law Office
www. Burdge Law .com
Helping Consumers Get Rid of Lemons Since 1978.

Click here to find out what your state's Lemon Law says.

Triad Service Contract Triage

If you got a Triad Vehicle Service Contract, we'd bet you probably got ripped off. Not just because the company is gone, perhaps, but because now all you get is the runaround on coverage. Maybe there's hope.

The Triad oepration has gone thru several evolutions, leaving consumers high and dry, trying to figure out what they can do. Triad Advantage isn't the first extended warranty company to give grief to consumers; we wrote about others not too long ago and others have too; you can check it out by clicking here.

Take a look at the front page of your service contract, about two inches from the bottom of the page. You'll see where it says "Contract obligor" followed by two boxes, one saying "selling dealer" and another saying "administrator." Look to see which one is checked. Whichever it is, that's who is primarily responsible under the service contract.

In many cases, the dealer box might be checked and if it is then your dealer is the one who owes you all legal obligations under the service contract. So if your dealer gives you the runaround or tries to blame it on Triad, don't put up with it. Show them the contract with the "Selling Dealer" box checked. If they still don't agree to cover you, then call us.

Don't put up with a car dealer who gives you the runaround because when the time runs out your legal rights run out too. Don't wait. Contact us now or call us 1-888-331-6422 Toll Free.

Helping you to get your money back is what we do for consumers every day.

Burdge Law Office
www. Burdge Law .com
Helping Consumers Fight Ripoff Car Dealers Since 1978
www. Car Sales Fraud .com

Click here to learn more about car dealer sales fraud.