Lemon Laws

Lemon laws help those who are in the process of buying or who have bought a new or used car in the last year, protecting them from costly and potentially unsafe defects.

What Lemon Laws Are

A lemon is a car which has a defect which may or may not have occurred when it was manufactured. In some cases, the defect may have taken place during the shipment of the car to the dealership.

Many people don’t realize that there are state laws in place to protect them during and after a car purchase. While you might think that you simply need to take the word of the dealer or the seller, you have more power in this situation than you may realize. Not only are there laws in place to prevent sellers from selling lemons, but they are also obligated to disclose any past history of the cars or trucks they are selling. In this way, you can decide for yourself whether you want to purchase the car.

The lemon laws protect buyers from having to hold onto a car which has substantial defects. If these defects hinder the operation of the car, reduce the resale value, or make the car unsafe, you can return to the dealer or manufacturer to get the car repaired. When the car is not able to be repaired, then you can turn to the lemon laws.

You Are Protected, Even With a Used Car

Once you’ve noticed that your new car is not able to be repaired, even after countless attempts, you need to talk to the manufacturer. They will set up an arbitration meeting with you so as to find out whether it’s reasonable for you to receive a refund or a replacement car. The arbitration is done in front of a panel of impartial people, helping to see what both sides have to say in the case. If the panel does not rule in your favor, this doesn’t mean you can’t possibly get the refund or replacement you receive. You might simply need to turn to the courts for more help.

Used cars are also protected by lemon laws. When you have a warranty which covers the purchase of your car, then if there are unreasonable repairs which are necessary during the time of the warranty, that might be a sign you need to look into a lemon law process in order to determine whether you can have your car’s purchase price refunded or the car replaced as well.

Lemon Law Attorneys Can Help

There are many lemon law attorneys who can help you navigate used car lemon laws and new car lemon laws. They will help you file a lawsuit which can then allow you to receive the payment or replacement you deserve. You will need to present a complete history of the repairs of the car as well as any other documentation between you and the manufacturer. This way, you will be able to clearly show that the car’s defects are irreparable. As with any lawyer situation, make sure you are choosing the best lawyer for your needs as not all lawyers are sufficiently experienced in handling lemon law cases. Someone who has experience will be able to help you in a more productive and efficient way.

How to Avoid Buying a Lemon in the First Place

Of course, the best way to avoid the hassle of dealing with lemon laws is to purchase a car which will not have problems. In the time of the Internet, this is not as difficult a process as it once may have been. What you need to do is to research the car online to make sure you know its complete history. In addition, you will be able to find a number of lists of lemon law cars, or cars which have a high rate of defects. This way, you can check on the VIN of the car you desire to see what problems it had in the past. You will also want to be thorough when you are talking to the owner of the car. You have to take responsibility for the car you purchase, ensuring it is free from major defects.

Know too that the lemon laws will not cover defects in your car which might have been incurred by your own negligence. In order to prove that the car’s defects are not your fault, you will need to keep accurate and detailed records of the problem, when it started, and what steps were taken to fix it.