Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety & CALPIRG
For
immediate release: Monday, June 12, 2000
Press contacts:
Rosemary Shahan, CARS, 530-759-9440
Dan Jacobson, CALPIRG, 916-448-4516
More info. at www.carconsumers.com
June 26, 2000 -- Correction pending. Ford submitted false,
misleading information to the government regarding its new car sales.
That may affect the outcome of the Year 2000 Lemon Index. CARS accurately
reported the data submitted by Ford. Unfortunately, Ford did not tell
the truth about how many new vehicles it sold in Califoria during 1999,
cheating the government agency responsible for overseeing Ford's dispute
resolution program. That agency receives a few cents for each new vehicle
sold, paid by the auto manufacturers. CARS will re-issue the Year 2000
Auto Lemon Index soon, based on new, accurate sales data. Stay tuned!
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California Auto Lemon Index Finds Saturn Stellar in Satisfying Customers
Ford owners squeezed in lemon disputes VW, Hyundai "Most Improved"
SACRAMENTO-Flanked by the owners of exasperating, sometimes
unsafe, new-car lemons, lawmakers and consumer groups today released the
5th annual California Auto Lemon Index, ranking auto manufacturers on
their performance in satisfying customers without lemon disputes. They
also called for passage of legislation to improve consumer protection
for small business owners and for all consumers who are sold new vehicles
that have life-threatening safety defects.
Saturn*, consistently the best manufacturer in the Lemon Index, once again
outshines its competition in satisfying customers and avoiding disputes
over lemon automobiles. During 1999, Saturn sold 13,764 cars per lemon
dispute. VW and Hyundai, both companies that scored poorly in past indexes,
showed remarkable improvement. VW sold 1,026 per lemon dispute, and Hyundai
sold 969-performing better than GM, DaimlerChrysler, and Ford.
Ford ranks worst in the new Lemon Index. Ford owners were about 37 times more likely to end up in lemon disputes than consumers who bought Saturns.
