Oh No, The Car Won't Go!Challenge:That beautiful machine that you bought with your hard earned cash (and credit) makes a hideous, dull grinding sound and emits a bluish gray smoke every time you start it up. The warranty (if you had one) has expired. Being the prudent consumer, you went about finding a reputable repair shop following the advice of this brochure developed by the Attorney Generals' Office. You had the repairs done at a shop that your friend recommended. You felt reasonably assured the shop was reliable because there was no record of any complaints when you checked the Better Business Bureau . You paid the bill and drove the car home. Two days later the bluish gray smoke and the grinding sound returned. The challenge for you is to get the repairs done at no additional cost to you. Getting Organized:
STEP 2 Locate one automobile repair shop in the phone book. Copy down the company's name and address. Now make believe this was the company that did the repair. Check the company's record with the Better Business Bureau. Let your instructor know what you found out or report in your narrative (Step 1). These two steps dealt with the responsible steps to take when selecting and working with the mechanic. In the next section, the assumption is that you've received your car back from the shop and discovered the original problem has not been fixed.
Gathering Information:
STEP 4 Also, you may wish to refer to the advice in the Attorney General's pamphlet in STEP 1. STEP 5 Consider what you'll do if you write a letter and the repair shop still refuses to fix the problem. One recourse might be to file a complaint with the Attorney General's Office. Read about the complaint filing process . Download and fill out a "General Consumer Complaint Form. Show the completed form to your instructor. "There are other options for consumers like you who need a third party to help you. Examine each of these other options and consider which might be the most appropriate. Sorting and Analyzing:Which steps in the complaint process are appropriate for your circumstances?STEP 6 Write a brief statement that lists the steps you will take which are most likely to be effective. Consider what you read in steps 3-5. Include a third party or parties you will contact. Explain (1) how that party is an appropriate support and (2) exactly what you will need to do to enlist the organization's support and (3) how the organization will benefit you. Creating the Final Answer:
Evaluation:
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