Lawyer fees look to be free and are usually billed to the manufacturer.
Mediation isn’t ever binding. It’s just a forum for the parties to work out a settlement. If you settle, the settlement agreement is a contract that is binding on both parties. Arbitration is binding, but BBB doesn’t do that.
Can I ask how much lawyer fees you guys are paying or being quoted? It seems like even if you get $1,000-2,000 more for the buy back going through an attorney, your attorney’s fee would offset that. You’d have to really win big and get the court to award attorney’s fee, which could take a year or so.