Around 1% of new cars sold each year are lemons. This means that they have substantial defects that affect the operation of the vehicle.
If you shell out the money for a new vehicle, it should run perfectly. But what if it doesn’t? There are lemon laws by state that protect you if this should happen. It’s important that you know what they are so that you can be confident with your purchase.
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about lemon laws.
What is a Lemon Law
Lemon laws are put in place by the government to protect consumers from defective cars and fraud.
If you find yourself saddled with a lemon car, meaning it has defects or doesn’t run well, then lemon laws can help you. Car buyers are able to get refunds or exchange their defective vehicles under lemon laws.
These laws come into play if the car has substantial defects and is still under warranty. If the car has been repaired a number of times and the defect is still present it is considered a lemon car and falls under the lemon laws.
Of course, for lemon law to preside then the defect must be one that wasn’t caused by the owner after purchase and needs to be serious enough that it affects the proper functioning of the car.
All 50 states have some form of new car lemon laws. Laws differ slightly by state, such as these laws in Pennsylvania.
My New Car Needs Repairs, Now What?
So you’ve purchased a new car and not long after the purchase, it needs repairs. Do you fall under the protection of the lemon law? There are a few parameters that must be in place in order to turn to lemon laws for a refund or exchange.
As mentioned earlier, the issue with your car cannot be one that you have caused, must interfere with the functioning of the car, and be covered by the warranty.
If you have a broken windscreen wiper, for example, it doesn’t affect how the car runs and won’t fall under the protection of lemon laws. However, if there is an issue with the brakes, this is a substantial defect.
The dealer that you purchased the car from will need to have a number of opportunities to repair the defect before you qualify for a refund or exchange. The generally accepted number of repairs is four.
If you’re wondering how to exchange a bad car you’ll need to seek the assistance and expertise of a lemon law attorney. They will help you determine whether the defect is eligible for refund or exchange under lemon laws.
Used Car Lemon Laws
There are currently only six states in which lemon laws apply to used cars. These laws differ widely from state to state. For example, Hawaii’s lemon laws only apply to used vehicles with less than 25,000 miles on the clock.
On the other hand, Massachusetts’ lemon laws cover vehicles for up to three months after purchase if it has clocked less than 40,000 miles
Understanding Lemon Laws By State to Protect Your Purchase
It’s vital that you understand the lemon laws by state, especially the state that you reside in, so that you live in so that you know when to invoke the law to protect yourself when you make a purchase. If you’ve bought a new vehicle and you’re thinking, ‘my new car doesn’t run well,’ you may be eligible for a refund or exchange — chat to an attorney for expert opinions.
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