European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 24, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Consumer watch Byma Plyneth consumer editor it was the super car the oar you always dreamed of owning. The Dollar was High. It would be tight but As the Salesman assured you twas the Opportunity of a  signed tie contract. Then the Dollar plunged and there was no Way to make those payments. The Dunning letters began stacking up. A phone can. However gave new Hope. The Man on the other end of the line said that if you let your car be voluntarily repossessed by his company you d be Home free cleared of an you owed. It sounded like the solution to All your problems. Dream on. Voluntary repossession of a car won t erase your debt says attorney Jeny Shirlea of the office of the staff judge advocate. 21st sup com in Kaiserslautern. There Are a couple of firms operating in Europe now that verbally Promise such a Way out of automobile payment problems. Nothing however is Given in  what happens explains Shirlea is that the repossession company setts the car for state More than half its value. Later the former owner receives a notice saying he Slid owes virtually the whole amount of his original debt and furthermore it is due immediately. People Are losing their shirts on these deals says Sites. He mentioned me Case of an army Epact tet who Turr tits cd vow to a repse�sirn1 n dont lose your car and you shirt into Letuno e car. Try Edt Obe careful Aboa whet in off Tab and who they we dealing Jbv state Tot Resa Ena Buu Khi mbatnpv1 from the amount actually readied for Tow. Worth about . The car brought Only $400 at the auction h the state Toad to the Soldier owing Wen vow $4.000. With no car to show it it. In another Case a sergeant who was unable to make is monthly payments decided to return the car to to Bank that had financed Thelmaa the bar sold the car or $1,500. Half the amount the sergeant Elk owed. It then deducted the Cost of paperwork of driving the cat to the auction Tot. The Buttoner Sefos and a inn Csc charge. _ when the transaction was completed the sergeant Sliff owed More than $2.000 and the tank demanded monthly payments larger than the Orif Jinan payment he had been Brymo to avoid the Law says that Force cannot be used in repossession of an automobile. A repossession company can come in the Middle of the night and pop the Tock and take the car quite legally Saya Shultes. Of however you Are there and teb them to leave they must do so. I had a Lebow in Here last week who was extremely upset. He had a s13.0m car that had been repossessed because he was two months behind in his car payments. The car was slate in somewhere on the Eastern Seaboard and he had been notified by the company thai he had x number of Day to reclaim it or it would be sold at Public  the nun had written a letter saying he wanted to resolve the problem Shiles said however the letter was ignored. Instead the company shipped the car to Arizona where it had been originally purchased and sold it at a sheriff s auction for approximately a its value. He originally owed about s1 3,000. After it was repossessed with transportation and expenses he still had a Bill for $7.200 which was due immediately. A came Inlo the Legal assistance off ice very upset. He thought it was a fraud and he should be  Shirlea says he had to Tell lha Man he did t have a Case. Obviously had he sold the car himself he could have sold it for a higher Price and reduced the amount of what he owed. I think that la Amajor Point people must Thinh about before they get involved in a repossession. They Shouki see an attorney and set up some program thai what a them to either have i he car sold privately or alow them to finance it Afa reduced rate even if it takes a chapter 13 of the bankruptcy code. " a chapter 1 3. Wage earner s bankruptcy is not considered a dishonourable failure to pay debts it is a voluntary a voluntary bankruptcy exp fans shies noting that it has to be Ini bated by a lawyer n the United states. There la no such Ihling As a personal bankruptcy in Germany he explains. Term chapter 13 is set up to the wage earner in debt to a Eotvos of any further obligations it the not a format bankruptcy. With a chapter 13, the debtor submit to the court s jurisdiction. The court appoints a twee to adds up Al Otto demand Irmine and set up repayment program. The program not Manly la for a. Knee year period. It can be extended though up to five years. The court Acton stops further interest or finance charges scorn accruing and also prohibits the incurring of any  credit extensions. The Mmary Perton s Check is  sent  " a fils. Leaving duty what he deems Ira sewary of Bradly being say Shiles. Tho who Are Bend in car payments new to be t cart Tom Tatt by end up with even mow trouble advise swes. The by Ine a ii be