Beware of Other Drivers

A NHTSA report says 10% of drivers on the road during the day are using cell phones, which is up 2% from 2004. 6% hold phones to their ears, which is up from 5% last year.

Research suggests that drivers using cell phones are four times more likely to be in a serious injury crash. Is it any wonder? The roads are full of incompetent drivers to start with. Most drivers have no clue how to handle their cars when they get into a tight spot...and you get into a lot of tight spots when you are driving while being preoccupied with other stuff.

Now we've got all these new navigation devices for cars on the market. As if it's not bad enough now we've got all these people looking at maps on their car's dash and listening to these devices telling them when to turn or when to go straight. What ever happened to looking out of the windshield to figure out where you are?

Imagine some inexperienced driver (of which there are many) talking on a cell phone and trying to get around using one of these navigation devices. When will they have time to actually drive the car?

All I can say is give yourself plenty of room when around other cars. Be prepared for anything. It's going to get ugly out there with all these people behind the wheel doing everything but paying attention to driving!

Tony Iorio

Harping on Car Dealers to Pay Off Trade Loans!

I've written numerous times about the importance of getting a signed statement from the dealer where you trade in your car promising to pay off your loan by a certain date.

I've been accused by car sales people and dealership Finance Managers of harping on this subject too much. I've been told that of course dealers always pay off customer trade loans...even though I've seen evidence to the contray many times.

Well, here's a story I stumbled into recently at DealersEdge.com:

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Illinois sues Chevrolet, Pontiac stores for failing to pay off customer loans

Alleging that consumers were unnecessarily hounded by creditors and forced to make payments on vehicles they no longer owned, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has filed lawsuits against two Chicago-area car dealers for failing to pay in a timely manner the loan balances due on consumers' traded-in vehicles, according to Consumer Affairs.

In separate lawsuits filed in Cook County Circuit Court, Ms. Madigan charged Montell Chevrolet, and the Montell Corporation, doing business as Montell Pontiac, with violations of the Illinois Consumer Protection and Deceptive Business Practices Act. Both corporations are registered with the same principal.

In one case reported to Ms. Madigan's office, a consumer traded in her 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix when purchasing a 2004 Pontiac GTO at Montell Pontiac on April 5, 2005. The consumer handed over the keys to the Grand Prix and Montell Pontiac assured her that the dealership would make the $22,500 loan payoff within seven to 10 business days.

However, the consumer began receiving phone calls in May 2005 from her former loan provider, stating the payoff had never been made and the loan was delinquent. After multiple requests by the consumer, Montell Pontiac sent a payoff check to the loan provider on June 14, 2005. The check bounced and it wasn't until July 6, 2005, that another check was sent.

Finally, in late August, Montell Pontiac sent a check to pay the additional late payments and late fees due on the consumer's account. As of October 2005, the consumer's credit report included negative remarks regarding late payments on the 2004 Grand Prix auto loan.

According to the 11 complaints filed against Montell Pontiac, the dealership took between 45 and 167 days to pay off loan balances on the consumers' trade-in vehicles. The unpaid balances ranged from $1,193.89 to $22,500. Three complaints filed against Montell Chevrolet allege that the dealership took between 70 and 85 days to pay off loan balances, which ranged from $13,922 to $18,601.61.

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Now you know why I harp so much!