Posts Tagged ‘car lemon laws’
If You’re Dealing with a Lemon Car the Lemon Law is There to Help
A few years ago, a personal story was posted on the Internet about a man who purchased a car that was recalcitrant, to say the least. The more that he repaired it the more repairs that it seemed to need; and one day he had had enough. As he was driving through the countryside on his way home, his recently repaired car broke down yet again. What did he do? Call a tow truck? No. He retrieved a gas can from the vehicle’s trunk, doused its interior with gasoline, set it ablaze and then calmly walked home, happy to be rid of his lemon car.
Whether or not the story is true, anyone who has owned a lemon can identify with its protagonist. When we buy a new car, we expect it to perform like new, not beset us with repairs. But what the man in the story didn’t realize, or chose to ignore in his anger, was that there are laws that could have rectified his situation. Often referred to as “Lemon Laws”, these statutes hold automakers responsible when they sell you a new car that is “new” in name only.
The provisions of Lemon Law vary by state. But in each case, it establishes that consumers are either entitled to a new vehicle or are entitled to a refund of the lemon’s purchase price, less a mileage based allowance in some states. In the case of a refund, consumers are also reimbursed for such things as finance charges and licensing and registration fees. Normally, the choice is the consumer’s.
Purchasing a lemon is a new car owner’s worst nightmare. But if you find yourself broken down in the countryside with your lemon to blame, resist the instinct to light a match and contact an attorney instead. In the end, you’ll be rid of your lemon and have something to show for it too.
