GM 60 Day Guarantee - The Scoop

How do you win back unhappy customers? You try to build credibility. In the case of General Motors, this means providing the GM 60 day guarantee. Here's the scoop on it.

GM has seen its market share bump up 3 percent against other companies in the United States car market. The 60 day guarantee certainly has to be a part of that. So, how exactly does it work? Well, the devil is in the details and it is not exactly what it sounds like. GM is not pulling a fast one with the program, but is trying to make sure people actually give the vehicle a try.

The program works this way. You can buy a GM model and get the 60 day guarantee. For it to work, however, you must keep and drive the car for the first 30 days of the period. Put another way, you can't bring it back after a week. Once you get to the 31st day, you can bring the vehicle back at any point during the remaining 29 days. Alternatively, you can just skip the entire program and take a $500 incentive when you buy the vehicle.

As with any program like this, there are some limitations and restrictions. The first is the program does not apply to medium size trucks. Second, you must buy a 2009 or 2010 model. Third, you must buy the vehicle between September 14, 2009 and November 30, 2009. Fourth, the car can't have more than 4,000 miles on it when returned. [It is the rare person that drives 2,000 miles a month!].

Then we get to the weird things. The first has to do with a trade-in. If you trade-in a car, GM will not give it back to you if the GM vehicle you pick is returned. Huh? There is no clear answer to how this is handled, but one suspects a check is cut or various attorney general's would be breathing down the neck of GM. Further, the "extras" you pay for when buying the car like licensing, title transfer, dealer fees and so on are not refunded either. These can add up to a couple thousand dollars in some states, so make sure you understand what is involved in your purchases.

The GM 60 day guarantee is a good ploy by GM to rebuild customer confidence. Just make sure you understand what you are getting into.

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