European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 5, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday june 5, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 9aafes Auto salesmen stick to Rule retail Price labels found on most new cars offered by Randy Pruitt staff writer most new autos for Sale on . Installations in Europe now carry the manufacturers retail Price sticker a review by the stars and stripes shows. The finding based on checks of new cars offered for Sale in Germany Italy and England contrasts sharply with a Survey conducted by the newspaper in april that showed Many new cars had no stickers. The absence of the stickers violated Federal statutes and clauses in contracts Between car sales companies and the army and air Force Exchange service. On wednesday cafes officials responded to questions from the newspaper with a news release acknowledging that cafes cars Are not exempt from the . Law. The release stated that a in the future manufacturers involved in the new car sales program will comply with this  cafes has sole control of the new car Market on military installations around the world. A 1958 . Consumer Protection Law states that manufacturers must place stickers on the Side windows or windshields of All new cars prior to delivery to dealers. In addition the contract Between the cafes and Chrysler general motors and Ford states a fall automobiles for delivery to cafes customers in the United states or overseas and display show automobiles will have the manufacturers suggested retail Price Srp Label affixed to the automobile according to the automobile information disclosure act. Chrysler and general motors vehicle sales in Europe Are handled by overseas military car sales a subcontractor located in Kronberg Germany. Ford sales Are governed by Ford military sales a division of the Detroit based manufacturer. The new car sales contract also states that prices of cars sold through the cafes system must be at least $50 lower than the sticker Price. The stickers help verify that car sales companies meet this requirement. The stickers list Standard and optional equipment transportation costs and the autos make Model and serial or identification number. Cafes officials said in april that the stickers frequently get torn off and lost in shipping and that the . Law contains no provision dealing with missing stickers. But Bob Phillips who represents Ford in Vicenza Italy said he regularly removed stickers from cars on his lot because they done to reflect the military sales Price which he said is lower. Phillips also said he was unaware of the sticker requirement. Other salespersons said that cafes had authorized the removal of Srp stickers but cafes officials deny that charge. After learning of the requirement in the initial stars and stripes article Phillips said he immediately ordered new stickers from the factory. A i had fax copies on cars within five Days after the article ran a he said. Until the factory stickers arrived Phillips said he requested that cafes in Vicenza print temporary stickers. It took about three weeks before he obtained the actual factory stickers he said. A right now we have both stickers on the cars a he said. Gavin Devereux Northern regional manager for Chrysler and general motors cars sold in Italy said he put factory sticker replacements on All 15 vehicles on his lot in Vicenza about two weeks ago. The autos had arrived from the United states without stickers he said. Devereux said he has placed a protective screen around the stickers to keep them from being destroyed when customers Roll windows up and Down. A from now on there will be stickers on All cars a he said. Debra Cook cafes Vendor for Ford at Rhein main a in Germany said Ford has stepped up efforts to replace missing stickers. A there is a need for it the stickers requirement a she said. At Rhein main a All Ford Chrysler and general motors vehicles displayed the manufacturers stickers when surveyed in May. Two Mustangs however had the manufacturers original stickers but without the pricing information. Cook said vehicles occasionally arrive with stickers that contain no pricing details especially during the introduction of new models. Ted Battistone manager of Ford military sales in the United states said this happens when pricing information is not approved at the time the car is built. This also occurs in the United states he explained. Battistone said prices arc established by the time the car reaches the dealer. Dealers he said should request a new sticker. Cook said she had made a new sticker request when she noticed the prices were missing. She said cars sometimes come in with the manufacturers stickers in the warranty pack or stuffed inside the Glove compartment. Cook said stickers can ensure that buyers receive what they pay for. By examining the sticker one customer she recalled discovered his car did not have the tilt steering wheel and cruise control options that he had paid this is a Sample of a required manufacturers suggested retail Price sticker. For. The customer agreed to take the car without the options and was refunded the difference she said. In the past Cook said cafes had authorized the removal of stickers As Long As the replacement Price stickers a though not from the manufacturer a a looked  at the Dealership at Cambrai Fritsch Cavern in Darmstadt Germany All vehicles had the manufacturers stickers. One Ford Mustang however had a factory sticker but no Price. Factory stickers were on All vehicles at Mainz Kastl in Germany where no stickers had previously been displayed. In Stuttgart Germany All new cars carried stickers. Stickers were also on All cars offered for Sale at Raf Mildenhall in England. Of the approximately 100 cars on the lot near w o. Darby Cavern in Furth Germany Only a handful were missing window stickers. They included a Dodge Dakota truck an Eagle Talon a grand am and a Geo prize. The manager who declined to give his name referred All questions to executives at oms. Headquarters officials in Kronberg he said forbid All salespersons from talking to the press. A every car on the lot has a sticker a he said. Quot every missing or damaged sticker is  at Ansbach Germany a Chevrolet Cavalier that did not have a factory sticker carried a printed notice stating a replacement is on order. It read a the Price Label for this vehicle is presently not available. A replacement Label has been requested from our Kronberg administrative office on May 11, 1992. The replacement Label will be posted As soon As it is received. Your understanding and patience is  auditors examining cafes new car sales by Luke Britt staff writer a joint army air Force inspector general team from Washington d.c., is auditing the cafes new car sales program this week As part of a Tri annual review of the Exchange service. The audit is the first time in years that military officials have reviewed the program said the team Leader army it. Col. James Johnson who was in Ansbach Germany on thursday. Also cafes officials said the new car sales program would become part of the Exchange services annual internal audit. The new car program has not been the regularly audited in the past cafes officials said earlier this year. Johnson said that the recent controversy surrounding the new car program generated by articles published in the stars and stripes was not the reason for the inspector general audit. A we review cafes worldwide operations every three years a Johnson said. A to be quite Frank we did not know that there had been articles written about the program until a couple of Days  during its three week stay in Europe the team is auditing a a wide Range of army and air Force Exchange service operations in Germany and the United kingdom Johnson said. In reference to the new car program Johnson said a fall we have done at this Point is ask questions and gather data. We Haven to made any conclusions at  in Germany the team is reviewing cafes operations at Nurnberg Ansbach Frankfurt and at rein main a. The team leaves Germany june 13 and travels to England where it will review cafes operations at Lakenheath and Alconbury air bases Johnson said. The team will file a report of its findings after its return to Washington Johnson said