.... They have more lawyers than you can shake a stick at. And I’m sure they reviewed this every which from Sunday before making this decision.
I doubt it.
I worked for a Class One Railroad, which, is not only a pretty big outfit too, but has a legal standing, I imagine, is levels of degree greater than GM.
Even still, they cannot just do whatever they wish. Though they think they can. Until Uncle Sam reminds Uncle Pete, exactly who carries the biggest stick.
They too have a ton of lawyers, yet, somehow, illegal things get done, implemented, whatever, consistently throughout the living memory of the last 100 years, which get changed, once they realize, Holy Crap we messed up.
(Living Memory, ie: My own, My Dads, my Dads Grandpa, as told to each other, hence living. Not actually experienced by one individual, per se, but was experienced, by one, then told to another, who told another, who is still alive to remember it.)
Sometimes, management flat out does stuff they know is illegal, for various reasons, from save their Jobs, to keep a bonus from being lost, to hoping for promotion by saving the Company Money or simply because its more profitable, to pay the lawsuits.
So, no, I do not automatically believe this was approved by legal dept, beforehand.
Nor do I believe that GM's legal dept is infallible and perfect, in all regards.
My Original statement was meant simply that a financier has certain legal rights, as does the Borrower, but voiding the manufacturers warranty, most likely, is not one of them. Paying off a GM Financial loan, even if only moving it from one bank to another, has no bearing on GM the builder, who warranties the car.
They each stand alone.
2 separate entities, GM the Builder & GM the Financier.
Which is yet another thing I've noticed with huge companies.
Oh, they want to separate themselves, into separate corporations, for whatever reason, usually to avoid taxation, or liability, but they still think of themselves as one big company.
Kind of like how they are all Capitalists, until the Economy tanks, then they all seek out Socialistic Subsidies.
Sure wish I could have my Cake, and eat it too, but I am not in any protected Category, nor financially powerful enough, to buy the requisite Elected Officials, to get my Wish.