One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Honda Hybrid Owner Awarded $10,000 in Lawsuit Demanding Compensation For All the Gas She Was Supposed to Save
Hybrid via Shutterstock
A former lawyer won nearly $10,000 in a lawsuit against Honda in small-claims court.
Heather Peters claimed that the car company promised her that she would save a ton of gas money by buying a 2006 Honda Civic hybrid that got 50 miles to the gallon—while knowing that claim wasn't true. A court commissioner agreed with her and awarded her $9,867, according to City News Service.
Peters used her lawyering skills to take the company to small-claims court in Torrance, where she wouldn't have to face off against a fleet of corporate attorneys. Honda claimed that the car's poor mileage was because of the way Peters drove and maintained her car. Peters said that if she had taken her claim to the Superior Court and filed a class-action, the affected owners likely would have received only $100 or $200 each.
Peters told the Los Angeles Times: "It is a victory for Civic Hybrid owners and consumers everywhere. Sometimes big justice comes in small packages." But it's not clear whether her suit could start off a trend among hybrid owners.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
