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PAGE A12, WH1TBY FREEPRES, The Auto Section, MARCK 28, 1990. 1989 top 10 consumer beefs Cair sales, repairs. on top of complaint -ist Car purchases, vehicle repairs, and travel problems share the hotseat atop the 1989 list of common consumer complainte. Combined, the three areas sparked about one-third of al complainte submitted to the Ontario Ministry of Consumer and Conmmercial Relations (MCCR) in 1989. Large incre%ÀÀase in frequency of car repnair complaints The ministry caseloed for the year appraced 13,000. Overall, the toalhas grown by about 20 per cent fr-om just more than 11,000 for the same period last year, says William Baxter, Director of Consumer Services for MCCR. A computerized complattracking system in use for nearly two years lets ministry staff monitor problem areas. "We can now keep a dloser tye on trouble spots and try to nip probleins ini the bud," Baxter says. The computer system also helps target topics for consumer- education prograxns, he says. "Just publicizing the top problems alerts people. It warns them to, be cautious in these areas." The top 10 causes of consumer complaints (number of cases and change from 1988 statistics in brackets) were: 1)Car purchases (1,468 -- Up 13 per cent) -- New and used car sales were aiso number one last year. Some coninon probleme incuded niechanical faults and customers signing more than one agreement ta, purchase. 2)Car repairs (1,435 - up 45 per cent) -- Ini the second spot last year, too. I suspect there were two major causes for the increase ini frequency of compaints about car repairs,' Baxter says. "One -- we introduoed more protection for vehicle owners, giving people new legal rights and, therefore, more thing they canlegitimately seek help on. And two -- the new legislation got a lot of publicity and, generally, alerted people to their rights when dealing with car repairs." 3)Travel (1365 -- up 6 per cent) - Another area for w;hich new laws were introduced. 'The quality of accommodations was, once again, a major source cf travel complaints. 4)Home improvements (1,151 -- unchanged) --, "This is always a trouble spot" Baxter Baya. 'To reduce t he ris", get recom- mendations, comparison shop, do lots of researh and nail everything in writing.", 5filtness clubs (893 -- up 108 per cent) -- Many of these complaints camne from members o two fitness chains that failed i 1989. Baxter says new laws and. resultant educational publicity also, contributed ta, the increase. 6)Refunds and exchanges (871 -- Up per cent) -- another traditional source of complaints. Consumera' should realize stores are not required by law ta give refunds or exchanges, Baxter says. Before buying, get the shop's poicy in jAUTOMOBILE PROFESSIONALSI SAE gciLrdSIU 1il mon.fl. -.8:00 auto needs mon.-ded00 900 look to your 1S 35V ie rjE -ar ues. %8.900 5HAWPP.I 9:00 - S9:00'9-00local Auto aWOOD AJA)( 9:00 - 6:00 IbUVSt'> S.) Professionals. 4 - 3ie t( 1)~They ofl'er ?Omo IJer ta expertise uai r D n *din a ivide WIB *N variety C__D__ .______ FREE VR> * r 'Otew,flof Wffllk5 IL S ripess01 sýy servces 119 nhterior o Pikeingnt,, liwrnfng j (416)427.à463 Smali Trk&Cce 2 6-09 'dSSW* ûedb NATIONWIDE LIMOUSN Start our Own Bus;iness. We are here qta and ready to serve 3 Harw00cAvenue s 1o BafrSfeti Ajax, OtitrioL1S 2Gl 1 550 swO t West * Canl Now! For Minimum Investmfent. TiIUitTl * 101(),0 Brockç Rd. South, Pickeflflg, s, a.. - T e l. (4 1 6 ) 4 2 0 -2 9 1 1T o 1 < , 7)Mail order (749 -- Up 21 per cent) ý-- 'This onels been with us forever. Unless you're sure the company is reputable, there are~ risks ini mail-order buying,' especialy if the seller operates from outside Ontario." 8)Misrepresentations (539 -- unchanged.) -- False or misleading sales dlaims are against the )aw ini Ontario. 9)Rbeal Estate (528 -- Up 26 per cent) -- These complaints ranged from disputes between buyers and sellers, to problems with reai estate agents or brokers. 10)Contracts (456 -- down five per cent) -- Purchases involving future payments or delivery of- goods or services must be backed Up by written contracta. Overall, increases, in the number cf consumer complaints May be attributed to numerous factors -- econornic, demographic and otherwise, says Baxter. Media attention to specific is"es such as real-estate fées 'and fitness-club- failures increased pubic awareness of consumer righta.. Se, too, did ministry educational programs, he nays For further information, about the top ten colnsumrproblema, contact MCCWs ,Consumer Information Centre at W5 Yonge Street Torontoý Ontario M7A 2H6 -- (416) 326-8555 or toli free at 1-800-268-1142. Ontario residents with'an 807 area code Car purchases topped the liet of most common consumer complainte in Ontario laet year. Vehicle repaire and travel ran second and third.