1996 Chevrolet Van

I AM DISAPOINTED THAT ALL NEWER CARS ON THE ROAD TODAY ONLY COME WITH PAINTED BUMPERS.BUMPERS THAT ARE PAINTED ARE LIKE HAVING NO BUMPER AT ALL WHEN IT COMES TO MINOR COLLISIONS. BUMPERS, I BELIEVE, SHOULD BE PROTECTION FOR THE PAINTED AREAS AS WELL AS THE LIGHTS, GRILL ETC. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MANDATE THAT BUMPERS NOT BE PAINTED. SEEMS LIKE COMMON SENSE TO NOT DRIVE AROUND WITH THE MOST LIKELY AREAS TO BE DAMAGED AS PAINTED OR OTHERWISE DELICATE.PLEASE CONSIDER THIS IN YOUR EVALUATIONS AS IT WILL GREATLY REDUCE CONSUMER EXPENCES INVOLVING ACCIDENTS THAT ARE NOT COVERED BY AUTO INSURANCE ( ACCIDENTS UNDER 500.00). THANK YOU.*AK

FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR HINGE. WHEN THE DOOR WAS OPENED THE HINGE BROKE, CAUSING THE DOOR TO DROP DOWN. THIS FAILURE COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN WHEN A PASSENGER WAS LEANING AGAINST THAT DOOR, EITHER FALLING OUT OR INTO THE OPENING RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY. THE GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED THAT THE HINGE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE HIGH MILEAGE AND AGE OF THE VEHICLE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW MILEAGE CAN EFFECT THE LIFE OF A HINGE WHICH SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. THE OTHER HINGE ON THE SAME DOOR WAS VERY STIFF AND NEEDED PIN REPLACEMENT. IT MAY HAVE METAL FATIGUE AND BREAK LATER. THE MATING DOOR IS ALSO VERY STIFF AND COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE METAL FATIGUE AND FAIL LATER. THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BROKEN HINGE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR CONSIDERED TO BE AN ABNORMAL FAILURE BY THE DEALER. *AK