Volvo, Honda UK Offer "Redundancy Protection"

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

According to Frank Herbert, fear is the mind killer. Well, it’s certainly a sales killer. And now that Hyundai’s cut through the FUD to rack up some U.S. sales with its CYA buyer protection, we’re witnessing an international outbreak of MSMD (monkey see, monkey do). Stateside, Ford has lost—I mean launched its Advantage Program. GM offers customers Total Confidence (as if). And now, from the Land of Hope and Glory, Autocar reports that Volvo and Honda will pay for British buyers’ wheels for one year should they get the boot. Of course, to qualify, you have to employed first, then buy the car, then become unemployed. Kinda like betting against yourself. Anyway, if it’s a Honda, you need to be on the dole for at least three months before you get your car payment relief. If it’s a Volvo, we’re only talking about the C30, S40 and V50 models. In both cases, future deadbeats have to finance through the cars’ respective in-house lenders. Look for Honda USA to implement the plan here STAT. Meanwhile, why do I get the feeling that all these programs are opening the door to some serious fraud?

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • Superbadd75 Superbadd75 on Apr 02, 2009

    Dave: GM's Payment Protection program is insured by cynoSure Financial, Inc.(?). Don't ask what that is, I have no earthly. I just know that's what's listed on the info brochures that were passed around. The Value Protection is covered by ServicePlan, Inc. - another entity I'm unfamiliar with.

  • Paul W Paul W on Apr 02, 2009

    Hold on a second. The European Civic might have triangular exhaust and weird vents and stuff, but so far I haven't seen one, NOT EVEN ONE owner who is younger than 60. If you don't trust me, just check out the car in the picture above. Notice anything suspicious? Yes, it's poorly parked in a disabled zone! Obviously the guy in the picture is just posing next to the car while the real owner is trying out a new walking stick. Besides, from what I understand the new Type-R isn't half as good as the old Type-R so it's not like you Americans are missing anything (except being taken for a senior citizen while driving). It's a shame, because it's a cool looking car. However, I wouldn't even recommend it to my mother.

  • Tosh Tosh on Apr 02, 2009

    "Why are their Civics so much cooler than ours?" Because it has to be cooler than their Focuses and Astras and A3s and Golfs and 116s and Clios and 207s and C4s and Grande Puntos and Mitos and on and on...

  • Power6 Power6 on Apr 02, 2009
    Why are their Civics so much cooler than ours? Their Civic might be cooler in the looks department, but the euro Type-R is the same mechanicals as our Civic Si. Except the Type R does without the LSD. And fully independent rear suspension(it has a beam axle for better cargo space, that is some Type-R level excitement right there) In this case I think the Brits got screwed this time, but hey at least it is locally made which is big with them.
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