European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 31, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday december 31 1993 the stars and stripes Page 3sale of Bow brings careful of trouble from Page 1 Ashmore said the Soldier violated the contract when he accepted then tried to reject delivery of thenard. In a letter dated june 3, 1993, the sales manager told Blazek that Quot the damage was there when Blazek ordered the car and would have been repaired at Bur expenses 1 Quot even when an automobile with the same color and Quot specifications was offered to Blazek at the same Price this option was also rejected after returning the car to Pentagon Blazek cancelled the financing and insurance on the $28,000 Bow. The dealer refused to return the $800 Down payment. Quot we Arentt in the business of withholding Down payments Quot Ashmore said. Quot but if a principle is at stake we will stick with it. If Blazek a assertions were the Case he  have accepted delivery of the  Blazek who contends that Pentagon car sales in Frankfurt should be put off limits to Quot help soldiers avoid being victimized Quot has ended his fight to get the $800  said he is Quot not willing to take these Guys to German court for $800.&Quot v corps Legal officials looked into Blazek Scase but details of their investigation Are not releasable said Hilde Patton a spokeswoman for the command. However there Are no plans to put the Dealership of limits she said. Much of the dispute centers on the delivery of the Bow. When Blazek returned the car to a Pentagon Salesman he was Given a certificate of nondelivery. Blazek said this verified that his car had not officially been delivered thus nullifying the Purchase agreement. The Salesman has since been fired from Pentagon Blazek Ashmore car sales for Quot misplacing funds Quot Ashmore said. The reason for the dismissal had nothing to do with Blazek a transaction the sales manager said. The certificate of nondelivery docs not cancel a Purchase agreement Ashmore said. A a if we schedule delivery and for whatever reason a customer can to accept delivery the certificate is Tor insurance  Ashmore contends that the Salesman erred by taking the car Back. Quot once a customer has taken delivery it is their car Quot he  had insisted that the car be delivered and Quot did no to give us a Chance to do the repair Quot Ashmore contended. T Quot this the damage was something that was booked for repair before it was  Pentagon car sales keeps several car spaces in a Quot strip lighted Quot underground garage beneath the Frank Furt office located across the Street from the Post Exchange Complex. Cars Are delivered to customers in the garage if the weather is bad or its late in the evening Ashmore said. However even in a dark garage there was no Way to miss seeing the damage he said. Blazek contends that Pentagon car sales was required to inform him of the damage before delivering the  said he believes he is within his rights to Quot relieve myself from the Purchase agreement based on it being  a Quot i expected to receive delivery of a clean car in. The dealers Patio area in full Daylight not in a dark underground garage Quot he said a whoever coined the term a let the buyer beware a was obviously trying to Purchase an automobile a. In it s Usu by Kevin Robinson business writer when a customer and an off base car dealer in Europe bang Heads Over a Purchase agreement its normally incumbent on the customer to prove any wrongdoing experts say. Germany in the absence of hard evidence the car Dealership probably will emerge the Winner especially if the fight is waged in court said Peter h. Feuerstein a German lawyer from Wiesbaden. Quot its always a question of proof Quot Feuerstein said. Quot the buyer who wants to get out of it a contract has the Burden of  there Are Many reasons a customer May want to Back out of a Deal inability to obtain financing death in the family conflict with the dealer or a better Deal elsewhere. When this happens its usually the dealers Call if the Down payment or Deposit will be refunded after the Purchase agreement is signed. Under Germa Plaw Feuerstein said a customer has seven Days to cancel a contract. A signed Purchase agreement is considered binding. A after seven Days a Case to break a contract depends on How specific the agreement is a what general business conditions Are written on the Back of the contract a and what evidence supports the customers Side he said. Quot in Germany the customer can t testify in a lawsuit brought against a company. Quot the courts decide who they want to hear As a witness Quot he  customers can Back out of a Purchase agreement a was Long As they have their Money in their pocket a a military Legal official said. Quot its very much a buyer beware Quot situation off base the official 4aid. Car dealers in Italy normally done to accept the car Back once it has been delivered he added. And they definitely done to refund deposits or Down payments if a customer decides to cancel a Purchase taking pains beforehand can avoid headaches according to several Legal officials and car dealers interviewed by the stairs and stripes customers a should realize the following when buying a car a any Quot promises Quot should be in writing on the Purchase agreement dated and signed. A never pay in Cash or personal Check to a salesperson. A certified Check is the safest payment method. If the Sale is processed through the Canadian forces Europe Lahr Post Exchange a certified Check should be made out to commanding officer Cosu a Amston. 1 a a a always get an official receipt a Complete with company logo a for any payment. A discuss any potential problems when the car is ordered not two weeks or six months later. A read the contract Purchase agreement before signing. If necessary Legal assistance officials in every military Community Are available to read such documents. A bring a witness during negotiations with a salesperson. A before accepting delivery inspect the car thoroughly. Once you drive off in most instances you have accepted delivery. Agreement. If an american  wants to sue in an italian court Quot Legal procedures often work in favor of the locals a he said. A lawsuit can go on for 10 years a also with a lawsuit a person must be represented by an italian attorney. That lawyer goes to court not the client. The Best Way to avoid potential problems is to Purchase a car direct from the manufacturer said the Legal official who asked that his name not be used Quot Cut out the middleman because sometimes they done to have the Best reputation. If you Deal with the manufacturer you can be sure you la get a new car with a warranty Quot take the time to go to the factory Quot the official said. A if you want a Volvo go to Sweden a Bow go to  United kingdom manufacturers and car dealerships can have their own rules about refunding deposits on new cars. Although most manufacturers allow seven Days to cancel an order without forfeiting a Deposit some manufacturers have clauses in their contracts that preclude the seven Day period. For example contracts for Ford cars specify that a Deposit will be forfeited after the company has accepted an order. In some cases this happens within seven Days. One source of assistance for Consumers is the British citizen advice Bureau in Newmarket England. It advises customers to have All promises and policies from car dealers documented in writing. The Bureau is an Independent Agency designed to help people with problems including contract disputes involving automobiles. Nearly every town has its own Bureau. Quot we Point people in the right direction Quot a Bureau spokesman said. If the Bureau Canh offer direct help it refers people to agencies and people who can help including British solicitors a lawyers a who can bring lawsuits against a car dealer. Contributing to thai report u k Bureau staff writer Nancy torn of Darmstadt credit Union to get handier with atm Frankfurt Germany a amps the Andrews Federal  Branch on Cambrai Fritsch a Fern in Darmstadt will have an automated Teller machine on line beginning monday credit Union officials announced. Andrews customers can pick up their atm cards called Quot Handy andys a at the Cambrai Branch Laurie Schwaesdall a spokeswoman for the credit Union said at its Headquarters in Frankfurt. Atm use is free for credit Union members who Access their Andrews accounts. However customers who want to Access non Andrews accounts must pay $1 for withdrawals and 75 cents for account inquiries. The Cambrai atm will be the fourth automated Teller for Andrews in Germany. Other credit Union arms Are located at the Frankfurt Post Exchange shopping mall the Rhein main a Passyn Ger terminal and the Haine Berg shopping mall in Wiesbaden. The credit Union plans to expand atm service to Hanau and Wurzburg in 1994