31.   The U.S., in turn, had threatened to complain to the WTO about Japanese regulations restricting imports of U.S.-made car components for used vehicles.

32.   They are also setting standards for reconditioning used vehicles.

33.   This spring, for example, prices of used vehicles actually fell slightly, said Patrick C. Jackman, a senior economist at the Labor Department.

34.   To make the lowly used vehicle more appealing, automakers are trying to elevate its status.

35.   Used vehicles also are considered to be of better quality now, and the popularity of leasing programs has increased supplies of well-equipped newer models.

36.   With new car sales vulnerable and more cost-conscious buyers opting for used vehicles, can the industry afford to increase technological content?

37.   With a profit margin three times greater on used vehicles than new ones, some dealers are trying to make used cars big business.

38.   Zero-percent can be hard to find and hard to qualify for, but there are other finance deals out there on used vehicles.

39.   But a report here says Japanese car makers have asked New Zealand subsidiaries not to take legal action to limit used vehicle imports.

40.   Jamaican environmentalists have long accused the Japanese of dumping the cars, which account for the bulk of imported used vehicles, to avoid environmental problems back home.