Used Vehicle Lemon Law

Understanding Used Vehicle Lemon Law – Is My Used Vehicle a Lemon?

Purchasing a used car always comes with risks, but you also want a car that is dependable and you expect it to be free from any manufacturing defects, if you purchased a used car and are having all sorts of issues, you may have a lemon. Depending on your state, there are different requirements to determine if your car falls under the used vehicle lemon law. First of all, a used vehicle is considered a lemon if the vehicle has a defect(s) that is a fault of the manufacture, you also have to give them ample opportunity to correct the defect. Some states, having multiple issues with a used vehicle would make it a lemon, but other states it may just take one serious defect to be classified as a lemon under the law.

You must know your rights as a consumer and document all repairs that were attempted to be made to the car, you should also take note of every conversation that you had with the dealer, times and person talked to, always keep your invoices as well. It is a good idea to have a place, like in the glove box, for all your important papers pertaining to your car, remember you bear the burden of proof to validate your claim that the car is a lemon. Whether or not you need an attorney will vary depending on the state that you live in. Some states require an attorney while others will allow you to file your own complaint.

In some states, you can also recover your attorney fees, if you win your case. Also, the attorney must have filed the case under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, and there are some states that will make you pay the manufacturer’s attorney costs if you do not win. Make sure that if you feel that you have a lemon, you document every time your car goes into the shop. You are also going to need each odometer reading, dates in the shop, time dropping off and picking up your car.

Write down your feelings also as some courts take emotional distress into account. It is always better to document anything that could be relevant later, like while in court. It is important to see the State Statutes for your state. Some states do not cover used vehicles or have separate laws especially for used cars. So it is important to know the used vehicle lemon law for your state.