Despite GMAC's gifts, survey scores are stable; Ban on awards became `moot point,' says J.D. Power exec.(General Motors Acceptance Corp., J.D. Power and Associates)(Brief Article)

Automotive News, September, 2002 by Guilford, Dave

When General Motors Acceptance Corp. offered gifts to dealers who filled out a J.D. Power and Associates survey in April, Power feared the gifts would raise GMAC's score.

As a result, spokesman John Tews said Power had decided to make GMAC ineligible for awards that Power hands out to survey winners.

``As it turned out, they didn't rank highest in any of the categories, so that was a moot point,'' Tews said. ``They basically finished about where they did last year.''

Power says the gifts appear to have had little effect, although the evidence is inconclusive.

GMAC was criticized by other lenders for offering GM dealers gifts such as a $200 gift certificate or a DVD player in return for completing the survey. GMAC also asked dealers...

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