The main advantage of Lemon law is to protect buyers’ rights when they are buying vehicles from dealers and manufacturers. The main elements are related to the condition of the vehicle, and the information provided in the warranty. Therefore, if you are facing the same technical issue with your car, this law will protect you from having any additional expenses since the dealer will have to deal with that.
However, the situation is more complicated with used vehicles, and the regulations are different from state to state. Still, there are many situations where this law will apply even if you bought a used car. If you need assistance in claiming that you got a lemon car, check out Quill & Arrow Law LLC. Moreover, we are going to introduce you to some important things to know about used vehicles and this law.
When Does it Apply?
It is a tricky situation, and the issue is that many people are not even aware of their rights when buying used vehicles. Still, there are many cases where you can request a refund or ask the seller to deal with the repairs.
Things are much easier when you buy a nearly new car, and with an active manufacturer warranty. It will make it easier to the seller to sell the car as well, and avoid any responsibility for potential failures. You can use the warranty to repair the car, and if there are repeating problems with the same part, it will apply to lemon law.
Moreover, the great thing is that some states went a step further in protecting the customers, and implementing new regulations where active warranty is not the only factor that can protect you since this law will apply as well. The dealers in those states, along with the people who want to sell their used cars must be more honest with the description of the condition of the car.
Still, things can be more complicated when you are buying it from a private seller, and not from a licensed dealership. The officials are demanding that the dealership must provide detailed information about the condition of the car, and provide at least some level of additional warranty.
You have to know that this law is not active in every state, which means that you should always learn more about the active regulations. There are some actions that you can do to prove that you got a lemon car as well, like checking the history. In case that there are some hidden issues, and a lot of accidents in the past that you didn’t know about, you might be able to get a full refund for it.
What About As-Is Vehicles?
The problem can be more complicated when you are buying a car without an active warranty. In that case, there are many situations where you simply cannot ask for any refund. However, there is still a chance to protect your rights. For example, if the damage of the vehicle or prices related to repairs are higher than the amount you paid for it, you might be able to request a refund or a seller to deal with that.
As we already mentioned, it is important for sellers to share the full data about the car and its history. We all know that this is a big issue, and that it is still a problem in many states. Another issue is that people are not even aware that they could use this regulation as a way to protect their rights.
On the other side, if the seller is lowering the price and selling a car in “as-is” condition, while highlighting that, you won’t have any chance to claim additional rights in a case that there are issues with the car after you buy it.
Don’t Rush
One of the most important things when you are buying a used car is to never rush with this decision. As you can see, the regulations are quite different from state to state, and even though there are some country laws that are protecting the rights of customers, the problem is that a seller can simply highlight the vehicle As-Is, and use that as excuse and defense if you decide to make a lawsuit.
It also depends on how serious is the problem with the vehicle. If there are serious repairs requires, or you manage to prove that your life was in danger when you were driving the car, while the person who sold it to you clearly decided to hide some deficiencies, you should be able to get a refund.
Still, the best solution is to avoid these type of problems. You can do that by simply paying more attention when buying used car. If you don’t have enough knowledge and experience to determine the true condition, the best option is to hire an expert who will check the car for you.
It is not a rare case that potential buyers are asking sellers to visit the nearest car shop so the mechanic can provide both of them with the true state of the car. This is also a great way to evaluate the seller. If he is interested in visiting the car shop, that might mean that this person is honest about the description, and even willing to lower the price if the mechanic detects some problems.
On the other side, it is crucial to stay away from those sellers who might try to hide some serious technical issues. The problem is that there are many ways to make some cheap changes on the engine and some other parts so they can serve for a couple more hundreds of miles, and getting such model will get you into trouble.
Last Words
The key is to learn more about regulations in your state so you can get the most in your favor if you prove that you got a lemon car. Also, hiring a professional to assist you with this case is always a good option.
