No subject

out the website, CAMVAP is an "arbitration" program that can help you
resolve disputes with an automobile manufacturer about the quality of your
vehicle or how the manufacturer is interpreting or implementing its new
vehicle warranty. Most domestic and imported passenger cars, light trucks,
sport utility vehicles, vans and multi-purpose passenger vehicles that are
purchased or leased in Canada are covered by CAMVAP. The vehicle must be
from the current or the previous four (4) model years.   They cover disputes
about manufacturing defects or you feel that the manufacturer is not
honouring its new vehicle warranty.
It's an alternative to taking the manufacturer to court, and in more than
half the cases (63%), it sided in favor of the consumer.  What have we got
to lose.  While it won't cover everyone's problems (only cars in the
pervious 4 model years, with < 160,000km)

Anyways, I'm passing this along in the hope that it helps at least one
person (in Canada) who's had their timing belt fail and they qualify (their
car isn't too old) for the arbitration.  I think we all agree that this
problem should qualify as a manufacturing defect, and that while it may have
happened out of warrantee, it may be covered by this arbitration panel.  I'm
just sorry we didn't know about this sooner, to help everyone in the past
who's already had the problem.  Perhaps you can still apply for compensation
with this panel.

The following is the text from the newpaper article, which contains a link
to the website.  If this helps you out, please let us all know.
Mitchell Segal
2001.5 A4 1.8TQ Sport

-------------------------

Few lemons reported to car-arbitration plan
Montreal Gazette
Friday, August 02, 2002
Automakers spent more than $1.5 million last year buying back 88 vehicles
from Canadian motorists in defect and warranty disputes settled under an
arbitration plan set up to avoid expensive court cases.
The Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration Plan said yesterday it handled 715
cases during 2001, mostly over alleged defects or shoddy repairs in engines,
transmissions, steering and suspension systems, and brakes.
"This low number of cases is indicative of the quality of today's motor
vehicles," stated the arbitration plan, a non-profit program that helps
settle disputes between vehicle companies and drivers.
Those 715 cases represent less than 0.02 per cent of the more than 4 million
vehicles on Canadian roads that were eligible for the program last year.
Vehicles from the previous four model years that have traveled less than
160,000 kilometres are eligible for independent arbitration under the plan.
Decisions were in favour of consumers 63 per cent of the time, the
arbitration plan said, although the 10 per cent of cases that went through
full arbitration marginally favoured manufacturers, at 51 per cent.
In addition to the $1.5 million in buybacks, averaging just over $17,000 per
vehicle, the auto companies reimbursed consumers for nearly $59,000 in
repairs and $3,900 in out-of-pocket expenses. Repairs to vehicles at the
manufacturer's expense were ordered in 151 cases.
The vehicle-arbitration plan, an 8-year-old program that aims to settle
disputes within 70 days, is intended for settlements concerning
extraordinary defects, as opposed to problems that might affect an entire
model line and require recalls by the automaker.
- The arbitration plan's Web site is at www.camvap.ca.