Each state has Lemon Laws which were created in order to deal with irresponsible car dealers who sell faulty used cars and trucks without telling buyers about these problems. By understanding the Lemon Laws of your state you can effectively protect yourself and save thousands of dollars in expensive repairs and save yourself the stress of coping with dealers and mechanics that may refuse to help you fix the problems as soon as you have already bought a vehicle and driven it away.
Lemon Law protection varies from one state to the other. In California it is illegal for a car dealer to place a car for sale when the car has unsafe tires, non functioning lights or broken and chipped glass. People who buy cars in New York have a limited warranty when they buy a car that has clocked less than 10,000 miles or a car that has been sold above $1,500. If you need to find out more about the restrictions that are available under the lemon laws of your state, you should take the time to contact the office of the attorney general in your state or a consumer protection agency.
What to Do If Your New Car Turns Out To be A Lemon.
When Buying From A Dealer:
Whenever you’re buying a used car or truck from a car dealer, you could have a lot more leverage to negotiate a better settlement for yourself than you would get with a private seller.
If you’re having problems with a car that is still under warranty but which the dealer refuses to fix, you should contact the representative of the warranty service in your own area for help. Representatives are authorized to give approval for repairs regardless of what dealers and their mechanics claim.
If the vehicle that was purchased was bought from a franchise dealer, you should contact the National Automotive Dealer’s Association’s Consumer Action Program at 1-800-252-6232 or alternatively visit their website at www.nada.com.
If a buyer has his suspicions and believes that a car he has recently purchased is a rebuilt wreck, they may want to contact the National Association of Consumer Advocates at www.naca.net. This can put the buyer in touch with an attorney that has some specific experience with such issues.
Coping with a car that is a lemon can be very frustrating indeed. This is especially the case when a buyer thinks that they have protected themselves by buying their vehicle from a dealer with a reputation. Before you decide to take a dealer to court in order to resolve the situation, you should attempt mediation through an organization that specializes in dispute resolution. If your dealer refuses to meet with a mediator on the other hand, then you may need to start finding a lawyer.
When Buying From A Private Seller:
Whenever you buy a vehicle from someone selling privately, you should ensure that you aren’t getting stuck with a lemon. The available options for reaching a better agreement aren’t as easy as when you’re buying your car from a car dealer.
You should endeavor to get a written guarantee about the condition of the car before the sale. A small claims court is usually the best sort of court to solve these kind of problems especially when they are below $2,000. A lawyer isn’t required for this sort of court and this in turn saves legal fees that the buyer may spend. You can contact a clerk at your local claims court to know what is involved in the filing of a suit.
