Before being allowed to take part, the bidders will have to make hefty payments up front to demonstrate the seriousness of their intentions.

"I was lucky enough to have some cash available to put down a hefty down payment to cut it down to $80,000," he said.

But critics charge that the prospect of hefty payment after a trial would discourage people with meritorious but risky claims from filing suit at all.

Vietnam has indicated it will ask for hefty payments under a new lease.

So why can't their savings yield enough money for a hefty down payment?

"The public loses confidence in them when they get hefty payments from corporations."

Now, along with the hefty payments still due on the purchase price, the station has to find the revenue to pay NPR's alarming increases.

Many have turned to used cars and others to leasing, hoping to avoid a hefty down payment and lower their monthly payment.

It also continued to make hefty payments to its largest bottler, Coca-Cola Enterprises.

They had a perpetrator threatening to poison pet foods if certain manufacturers didn't make hefty payments.