Q: Will GM’s Saturn Operations Continue to Function?

A: General Motors and Penske Automotive Group have entered into an agreement whereby Penske, which is the nation's second-biggest automobile dealer, will purchase the Saturn operations from GM including its inventory of Saturn cars and parts.

Q: Will GM’s Saab Operations Continue to Function?

A: Yes, but as part of a Swedish manufacturer’s group owned by Koenigsegg which manufactures high end sports cars. Presumably, Saab dealers in the United States will continue to service and perform warranty service for Saab owners.

Q: Will Chrysler Warranties Be Honored?

A: The federal government has previously announced that it would back Chrysler warranties of those new vehicles sold while the company was in bankruptcy. Chrysler has emerged from bankruptcy and is now called the Chrysler Group LLC. The new company has stated that it will assume that responsibility, and warranties on Chrysler cars purchased before Chrysler filed for bankruptcy will likewise be honored.

Q: Will GM Accept Legal Responsibility For Future Claims

A: General Motors and the federal government have announced that GM will assume responsibility for future product liability claims which will be filed after the GM emerges from bankruptcy

Q: What Is The “Cash for Clunkers Program?”

A: The federal government has announced that the Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) will go into effect in mid-to late July, 2009. The purpose of the program is to get rid of older gas guzzling vehicles. The program gives consumers $3,500 or $4,500 towards the purchase of a new truck or car. The determination as to whether a consumer receives which of these two amounts will depend upon the EPA’s fuel efficiency rating of the new vehicle being purchased.

Q: Are GM And Chrysler Still Processing Lemon Law Claims?

A: Yes, Chrysler is again processing lemon law claims and GM, even though it is still in bankruptcy, is now resuming the processing of lemon law claims from California consumers

Q: How Do I Know Whether I Am Buying American?

A: 3 million of the 8 ½ million cars and light trucks assembled in the United States last year were built for foreign manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Honda, Toyota, and BMW. The Big Three American automakers also have assembly plants in Canada and Mexico. Therefore it is difficult to determine whether a car manufactured by a company with its headquarters in a foreign country, but which has assembled a car in the United States, is more or less American than a car manufactured by the Big Three in one of its foreign assembly plants which they have been doing since the 80s and 90s. Ford’s Fusion is manufactured in Mexico while Honda has been assembling its vehicles in the United States since 1982. To make it evenmore confusing the labor involved in manufacturing a vehicle is excluded from determining whether a car is foreign built or American-built. Also if a major component is imported into a part assembled in the United States, as for example the turbocharger in the engine used in the Acura RTX, then the entire engine may be deemed to have been manufactured in Japan even though it is assembled in a plant in Ohio. Therefore it is not easy to determine whether a car is American or foreign.