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4The Daily Tar HeelFriday, September 7. 1984 ought a lemon? Know the law By ANDY TRINCIA Staff Writer If you're in the market for a new or used car, it pays to know your rights if the car you buy turns out to be a "lemon." Under North Carolina's Automakers Responsibility Act the so-called "lemon law" a consumer who has purchesed a defective new car on or after June 23, 1 983, has the right to a hearing before an arbitration panel or even to sue the automaker. For the lemon law to help the consumer, the manufacturer and dealer must be unable to repair the defects after a "reasonable" number of attempts, and the consumer must be deprived use of the car because of defects for a reasonable time. Although the N.C. law doesn't define "reasonable," experts say there are some guidelines consumers can follow to know when to take action. "Four repair attempts and 30 days without use of the car would probably be viewed as reasonable," said Jane Grimes, consumer protection specialist with the Attorney General's office. "The first step you would take is to check the warranty to see if the manufacturer has a disputer resolution procedure which meets federal requirements," said Grimes. The resolution procedure includes arbitration panels set up by automakers often in conjunction with the Better Business Bureau. The next step is to write the dealer and manufacturer notifying them of intent to revoke acceptance of a new car. "If consumers dont get an acceptable result within 60 days of the letter, we recommend consumers consult attorneys and stop car payments," said Grimes. Because the lemon law is relatively new, no figures were available on successful cases involving arbitration or lawsuits. "We know of some successful cases and we get7 many inquiries, but I can't tell you numbers. There are just no figures," Grimes said. - Unfortunately for used car buyers, the lemon law covers only new car sales. "The situation with used cars is very bad," said George Leggett, another consumer protection specialist with the N.C. Attorney General's office who deals with used car sales, repairs and odometer rollbacks. "There's a misconception with the public with the time in which you can rescind the Sctle of the car and there are a large number of used cars being sold 'as-is' that is, the dealer's not responsible after the car leaves the lot." Although the lemon law only covers new cars, there is hope for those owning a defective used car. A federal statute, the Magnus-Moss law, says a used car must be able to pass inspection and be "fit for the purpose of a used car." Used car dealers are required by law to inspect their cars. "Magnus-Moss gives buyers legal ground to sue used-car dealers or rescind a purchase. However, it's not always easy to do so. It depends on the dealer's warranty or service contract. Legal rights vary from dealer to dealer," Leggett said. "Deal with a reputable dealer. Always have a used car checked out by an independent mechanic. Dont simply rely on the dealer's mechanic. Get all promises in writing, too," he said. Chapel Hill used-car dealer Buck Copeland says no customers have approached him about the lemon law. "I haven't had anybody ask me about it. There's not a thing in the world he can do if he's signed an as-is agreement," said Copeland, sales manager of Yates Motor Co. at 419 W. Franklin Street. i -J$ i ; I ' L-A- r . - "7 " " Vr fv y St-XN r ci , UboV " j fin 1 li , r- 'ft&f, - H I .f , y mrnrn f I JV CSZEE. " -w- jJJ ''' " ""ww -n: fcM v S liv- vj:- P bvrZ-Z 7LL.dL . I I ; ' " '.,v , i "i i nr"L "...I, :-mmm'' DTHJamie Moncnef - - -- ,,:.-. , s,s x - . , . , Of - "I-l ? X " - - ' I - i u v i & n, inrmSto, tffc f .-f O )Tf ..rmii.im. ) r r r n , i -,,ti ,-, r r I -tit-"" i- n.l l - r . i Some laws in North Carolina can provide a degree of protection to unfortunate dud car buyers Volunteers bring inmates fresh air DTHCharles Ledford Debbie Wells (right), a member of a chapter of Yokefellow Prison Ministry, talks with three inmates in a Hillsborough prison VALUABLE COUPON Bring this coupon to Foister's and get a I- mm 0 I 0 5 When you receive processing by Kodak of any KODAK Color Print or Slide Film. Offer Runs Aug. 20 thru Sept. 8 "How to Take Good Pictures" is packed with photos, information and helpful picture-taking advice. A $5.95 Value IF(DIISirES Festifall applications now being accepted The Chapel Hill Parks and Recrea tion Center is now accepting regis tration for Orange County residents who want to participate in the annual Festifall Street Fair, to be held Oct. 7 from 1-6 p.m. Only residents of Orange County will be able to participate in the fair, and proof of residency will be required at the time of registration. Registration forms may be picked up at the Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Department offices located on 200 Plant Rd. Registra tion began Sept. 4 and continues through Sept. 21. For additional information, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 968-2784. UlsX place 3 I : 71 MMiMMMMnwBHMMMMMtMMUMM mm ijiM ii riiii-ri iif i i r-in-mrBfMiMMJMMirMimairtfi Mi iiri" iiiBiiiiiiiiMiTMTririniii n 1 " ... t mmt tlni qt" j ifnniMliiiMlMiMinfciMBii-ttiiriir nil "if " "" ' - ! ,.i iwin ..ii.-lh. i.Wi i.Iiniiiiiiiw iW.ww w. ni-Mijui ji i i.i mm, iiiii i I mi ,n, i ii nun i. ..ilB . n iiwwbiiiuii mmvme miMiiMtwwwiniirtmiiiiMiairnii.MtffMifi iimimmirtaiiwiwi nwiniin'WI nihiwWi ilrmnii iWrf mmmmmmm-mmim'mrmwmmmmmwmmmi n iiiiniiMiim iifnniMfcainiii'Wi W1W1 linwy-ftmiMi'iniiimat' mmrt WEST FRANKLIN CHAPEL HILL LHrLte 03 Manufacturer's suggested list price: $78.50 We're bustin' high prices st Surveyors Supply! We're offering this Koh-I-Noor seven rcpidogreph pen set with numbers 3x0. 00. 0. 1. 2. 3. and size 4 stainless steel points for only $27.95. That's 64 off! And save big on sizes 3x0 through number 6 jewel replacement points while they're only $9.50 each. That's SOS off I KOH-I-NOOR Jewel Replacement Points 720J-3X0 72DJ-3 720J-O0 720J-4 72DJ-0 72DJ-5 72DJ-I 720J-6 72DJ-2 Manufacturer's suggested list price: $19.00 each Who are you going to call? Surveyors Supply in Apex - where we're bustin' high prices every day on Hewlett-Packard, Texas Instruments. Apple. IBM end Wcng - with our reguler low prices! Well ship anywhere. Payment must accompany order; sorry - no charge cards or open account orders at these low prices. Please add $3.50 for shipping end handling. In Wake County, please add 4 12 sales tax; outside Wake, please add 3 sales tax. Offer expires September 21. 1904. SURVEYORS SUPPLY CO. HIGHWAY ft4 APEX.NC 27SQ2 TELEPHONE 362 7QOO HOURS MOIM - Fit I 8:00 - 5:OQ SAT 9:00 -12 NOON By SHARON SHERIDAN Staff Writer - The Orange County minimum secur ity prison in Hillsborough lacks the barbed wire, armed guards and barred cells of a Hollywood-style prison. Many inmates work or study outside the prison. Sometimes inmates spend a day or weekend "outside" with an approved sponsor. But always, when the day's work or the weekend's leave ends, they must return to the prison buildings behind a wire fence in Hillsborough. A local volunteer group, a chapter of the Yokefellow Prison Ministry of North Carolina, visits the prison Tuesday evenings and allows inmates to talk to concerned outsiders. "There're a lot of guys who look forward to this night," said Oliver Phillips, inmate or "inside" Yokefellow coordinator at the prison. "Any time you can communicate with somebody from the free world, it makes a big difference. Yokefellow gives us a chance to meet people who seem to be con cerned, they have some sort of caring for what you're going through." Founded in 1955 by Dr. D. Elton Trueblood, a Quaker, Yokefellow is an interracial, interdenominational Chris tian organization that ministers to inmates in prisons throughout the United States. "Our job is to be 'yoked' with "prisoners and, to take on part of jtheTr burdehat least to care about them and" with them, said Patrick Grace? ''out-1 side" coordinator of the local Yokefel low chapter and Ph.D. student in Italian Medievial Studies at UNC. "Our main thrust is a conversational ministry to topics and situations brought up by inmates," he said. "The key thing is that it's a responsive ministry. It's modeled on the fellowship concept of what happens after church services." Yokefellow volunteers do not lead Bible studies or church services at their weekly meetings, although they would be supportive of such programs at the prison. Religion only is discussed if inmates introduce the topic. "They have other components of Christian life available to them," Grace said. "Our job is to provide the fellowship atmosphere and to stay away from being preachy. We reach a lot of prisoners who would not come to the other Christian activities." A.J. Bubnis arrived at the prison a month ago and attended his second Yokefellow meeting there Aug. 28. "Of all the events they offer, this is the one event that I don't miss," he said. "I'm very negative on most of the activities, but this is different." Yokefellow volunteers 'listen to the inmates, while other groups want inmates to listen to them, Bubnis explained. The prison houses between 95 and .110 male inmates, program assistant Bradley Rudd said. Generally about 30 inmates and 12 to 15 volunteers attend each Yokefellow meeting, Grace said. Meetings begin with an hour of conversation on topics introduced by inmates in groups of five or six inmates and two or three volunteers. A church or student group then serves refresh ments. Students from the Newman Center in Chapel Hill provided refresh ments Aug. 28, for example. The inmates and volunteers spend about half and hour consuming refresh- ments and socializing. Sometimes groups provide music. At the evening's end all join hands for a prayer. "I think you can look around for yourself and see people enjoying them selves," Phillips said. "They are just free to talk about anything they want to talk about. "You sort of look forward to seeing people Tuesday night," he said. "They act like they're glad to see you, too." The chance to talk with new people at Yokefellow meetings is important because talking with people in the prison becomes redundant, inmate Chuck Shadduck said. "You only have "so mucK"hew"Tnformation yoiTcan talk -"-about:" ' -'-And talking relieves tension ' "If you kept your frustrations bottled up in you, you'd just end up getting in more trouble," inmate" James Suggs said. Some inmates can talk to outsiders more easily than other inmates or prison staff. , "People will often open up to you and tell you things they won't even tell their families," Grace said. "They have a great need to talk, and sometimes they don't quite know who to trust in the prison among their peers." Several inmates said they think it is important for outsiders to talk to inmates and see what prison is like. "I think it would be a good learning experience for people from the outside," Shadduck said. "They tend to stereo type the type of people that are here. We've got every type of individual here." David Fleischfressen said he would like young people, beginning in the fourth or fifth grade, to learn what prison is like. "If I really realized what it was like, I probably would have thought twice," he said. Anyone interested in the Yokefellow program can get more information at the Campus Y. DOES YOUR DORM, FRAT OR SORORITY LEAVE YOU TO FEED YOURSELF ON SUNDAY NIGHT? F I I Then consider THE HJLLEL DELI Beginning Sunday, September 9 5:30-7 :00 pm 210 W. Cameron Avenue (behind Granville Towers) Chapel Hill New York Style Deli corned beef, pastrami, salami, roast beef, hot dogs all served on fresh rye or pumper nickel. Condiments bar. Dr. Brown's sodas. Ten percent discount for Ilillel members. COME AND ENJOY! Deli Schedule September 9 November 4 September 16 November 18 September 30 December 2 October 21 9th October 21 Bring this coupon with you to The Hillel Deli on September and get 500 off on any sandwich! B'nai Brith Hiffet Foundation in North Carolina 2 10 West Cameron Avenue Chapel Hill. North Carolina 27514-4090 Si Courtyard
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Sept. 7, 1984, edition 1
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