193 take advantage of GM guarantee

DETROIT (AP) — - General Motors Co. says only a small percentage of buyers have returned their vehicles under the company's 60-day money back guarantee promotion, and those who have are getting personal calls from GM executives hoping for feedback.

GM said Thursday that just 193 people have returned their vehicles out of 222,000 purchased since the program began in September. GM recently extended the program through Jan. 4.

Vice President of Global Product Engineering Mark Reuss said only 653 customers even opted for the 60-day return guarantee instead of taking a $500 discount on a new vehicle.

Reuss said in some cases, returning customers traded up to another GM vehicle with more features than the one they originally purchased. In other cases, Reuss and members of his team are calling customers to find out why they weren't satisfied.

"This is about the best unfiltered consumer feedback we've had," Reuss said.

Reuss said he got the idea to call customers from GM's new Chairman Ed Whitacre, who appeared in ads announcing the program. GM has said that the program was designed to show consumers that their perceptions of GM's lackluster quality are outdated.