Dear Tom and Ray:

Do you know a 1-800 number I could call about the paint on my dark blue 1986 Ford F-150 Pick-up? The paint is peeling off all over the place; hood, fenders, roof, sides, you name it. I was told that the paint job was defective, and that Ford is paying to repaint these vehicles. Paul

Ray: For those F-150 owners who have been out of the country or in the witness protection program for the last few years, here are the details of Ford's F-150 repainting program. Ford is re-painting all 1987-1991 F-150 pickup trucks with defective paint jobs. Ford will also paint your defective 1985 or 1986 F-150 if you're the original owner.

Tom: The peeling problem seems to affect blue, gray, and silver trucks the worst, and the more sun a vehicle gets, the more it seems to peel.

Ray: Ford has been writing to the owners of these trucks, but since it's being done by a lone, elderly monk with a quill pen, it will probably take until at least the end of the year to write to everybody. By then, Ford hopes that at least some of you sell your trucks or otherwise disapppear.

Tom: So, Paul, if you're the original owner of this 1986 truck, and you don't want to wait for Ford to write to you, the first thing you should do is go to your local Ford dealership. They'll want to examine the truck to make sure that the peeling isn't due to say, washing the truck with paint remover. Once they've confirmed that their paint job is responsible for the peeling, they can authorize the repair.

Ray: If you're not satisfied with your dealer's response, or your Ford vehicle is peeling and it's NOT covered by this particular program, we suggest you call Ford's Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-392-FORD. They claim to be willing to help all Ford owners, and answer any questions about problems with Ford cars.

It's NEVER cheaper in the long run to buy a new car. Want proof? Order Tom and Ray's pamphlet How to Buy a Used Car: Things That Detroit and Tokyo Don't Want You to Know. To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1993 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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