Do you suspect that you might have a so-called lemon car on your hands?
If you bought a new or used vehicle recently and you’re already having car problems with it, you might just have a lemon. Surveys have shown that about two-thirds of lemon cars will need to have car repairs made within one month of being purchased.
If your car keeps breaking down on you, you should make sure that you take the right steps to deal with the situation. No one deserves to go through the trouble of buying a car only to discover that a car is a lemon.
Today, we’re going to talk about which steps you should take after learning that you were sold a lemon car. Find out about them below.
Make Sure You Actually Have a Lemon Car on Your Hands
If you buy a new or used vehicle and you have car problems almost right away, you might automatically assume that you were sold a lemon car. But this isn’t always the case.
A lemon car isn’t just a car that gives you trouble right away. It’s a car that has been shown to have a “substantial defect” that cannot be fixed within a “reasonable amount of time.”
If your car doesn’t fit this description, it might not be a lemon car after all. You’re going to have to be able to prove that there is a serious enough issue with a car that makes it a lemon.
Read Up on the Federal Lemon Law
The federal lemon law—also known as the Magnuson Moss Warranty Federal Trade Commission Improvements Act—is a law that was created to protect those who have written warranties for consumer products. It’s important for you to understand this.
Because of the way in which the lemon law was written, those who have lemon cars that didn’t come with warranties aren’t eligible to take legal action. You need to have a written warranty for a lemon car to do anything about it.
If you choose to take legal action after buying a car that is a lemon, you’ll essentially be arguing that the warranty for it was no good. And if a judge sides with you, an auto manufacturer will need to refund the money you paid for a lemon car or replace it entirely.
You should try to have a basic understanding of the federal lemon law. It’ll help you to figure out if you will have a strong enough case after buying a lemon car.
Check Out the Lemon Law in Your Specific State
In addition to taking a look at the federal lemon law, you should also sneak a peek at the lemon law in your specific state. Many states have lemon laws that more clearly define what a lemon car is.
For instance, some states will give auto manufacturers a certain number of tries to fix car problems. If they aren’t able to repair a car after, say, three or four attempts, a car will be considered a lemon at that point.
You should be aware of what the lemon laws are in your state. They could help determine whether or not you have a case that would stand up in court.
Prepare the Proper Paperwork for Your Lemon Car
If you decide that you’re going to try and take legal action after buying a lemon car, you’ll need to obtain quite a bit of paperwork. The more paperwork that you can gather, the better your chances of being victorious in court.
For starters, you’ll want to secure any receipts tied to car repairs that you’ve had done to a lemon car. You’ll also want to keep any copies of correspondences that you’ve had with car dealerships, auto manufacturers, etc.
By doing these things, you’ll be able to prove that you did everything in your power to repair a lemon car before going the legal route. You’ll feel like you have a stronger leg to stand on when you’re armed with the right paperwork.
Speak With a Lemon Law Lawyer About Taking on Your Case
If you ultimately decide that you’re going to try to take legal action against an auto manufacturer after buying a lemon car, you’ll need a reputable lawyer on your side. You should look high and low for a lawyer who has experience with lemon law cases.
Googling something like “lemon law used cars” should reveal a long list of options in your area. You should speak with a few prior to hiring a lawyer that you feel you can trust.
Avoid Driving Around in a Lemon Car at All Costs
If you have the slightest inclination that a vehicle might be a lemon car, you should avoid driving around in it if you can. Even if you’re able to start a lemon car and drive it, it could break down on you at any time and cause big problems.
You could also hurt your case if you continue to drive around in a lemon car. You might end up proving that it’s not in as bad of shape as you say it is. You would be better off leaving it parked somewhere until you get your lemon car situation figured out.
You Don’t Have to Get Stuck Dealing With a Lemon Car for Long
The second that you realize you might have a lemon car on your hands, you should stop driving it and take the steps we just laid out. They’ll help you decide if you might be able to take legal action under your state’s lemon law.
You should also strongly consider speaking with a lemon car attorney about your case. They can shed some more light on which other steps you might want to take.
Check out some of the other articles posted on our blog to get more tips on making car repairs.