Oldsmobile to Offer New Car Exchange Plan
The Oldsmobile division of General Motors Corp. on Thursday announced a three-part program for car owners that includes an offer to exchange any 1990 model within 30 days of purchase, as well as a 24-hour roadside assistance plan.
The program, called the “Oldsmobile Edge,” might be expanded to include other owner services, such as a free loaner car for overnight repairs, said new General Manager Michael Losh, charged with getting Oldsmobile’s sales closer to the 1-million-a-year mark that was last reached in 1986.
Under the new program, owners of 1990 Oldsmobiles will be able to exchange their car within 30 days or 1,500 miles of purchase if they are unhappy with their vehicles.
The exchange guarantee stems from pilot programs GM ran on the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and the Pontiac Grand Prix last year, said Losh, who was general manager of the Pontiac division before moving to Oldsmobile earlier this year. In September, 1988, Pontiac announced that it would offer the program nationwide, covering Grand Prix models bought until the beginning of this year. At the same time, Chrysler announced a two-month test of a similar program.
To Be Promoted in October
Losh said less than one-half of 1% of the Cutlass Supreme buyers taking part in the pilot program returned their cars for other Oldsmobiles. He said half of those returns were because of different model preferences, not specific problems.
The Oldsmobile Edge, which the division will begin to promote heavily next month, also includes a 24-hour roadside assistance program administered through the Cross Country Motor Club, headquartered in Boston.
Under the program, which runs for three years or 50,000 miles and is transferable to subsequent owners, drivers call a toll-free number for assistance in the event of a breakdown, including a flat tire or running out of gas.
The car will be towed to an authorized Oldsmobile dealer if it is unable to be fixed. There is a $500 maximum for hotels or meals if the car cannot be fixed that same day and owners are more than 150 miles from home, said Roy Pikus, a program manager with Oldsmobile.
