By BERT BOECKMANN Guest Columnist Buying a car is often the second most expensive purchase consumers make, but unlike buying a home, the average person will buy many cars over a lifetime. It can be an overwhelming and daunting proposition. But the process just got easier. As of July 1, car buyers have more benefits in the car buying process thanks to the Car Buyer’s Bill of Rights. The first of a kind legislation, supported by The California Motor Car Dealers Association (CMCDA) and signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger, was a result of working closely with the legislature and consumer advocate groups to craft legislation that puts the consumer first in the car buying process. The Car Buyer’s Bill of Rights represents benefits that aren’t available to consumers in any other state such as a side-by-side comparison of monthly payment terms with and without the inclusion of certain products and services such as service contracts, anti-theft devices, surface protection products, debt cancellation or “GAP” insurance. Some of the other benefits that consumers can expect among the new law include: >The right to purchase an optional two-day contract cancellation option on used vehicles priced below $40,000. >Receiving a copy of your credit score obtained from a credit bureau. >First in the nation standards for certified used cars. For example, dealers cannot advertise a vehicle as “certified” if they knew it had its odometer tampered, replaced or rolled back. Over the past couple months, thousands of dealership employees have attended comprehensive compliance seminars throughout the state sponsored by CMCDA so that dealers would be ready to implement this law. As dealers, customer satisfaction drives every decision we make. Auto dealers are taking positive steps to help consumers get the right car at the right price. Creating loyal customers is the ultimate goal of every new car dealer and informed car-buyers are likely to be those satisfied customers. California auto dealers are proud to be the first in the country to provide these unprecedented benefits to car buyers that will improve the car buying process in the state. Bert Boeckmann, president of Galpin Motors in North Hills, is also chairman of the California Motor Car Dealers Association.