On this day 2 years ago, I bought my dream car. Everything works fine in the car and I am still madly in love with this cool vehicle.
My best friend has a very different story. He bought a car 5 months ago and several weeks after the purchase he experienced the most stressful car breakdown. He was on his way to the airport to catch an international flight when the car decided to die. Turned out he’s bought a lemon! Yep, not every story has a happy ending, but this isn’t the case with my friend John. He won his lemon case, got a refund and bought a new trusty vehicle. But how could John prove he’s driving a lemon? Here’s how!
Types of Defects Covered Under Most State Lemon Laws!
It’s not that easy to prove you are driving a lemon even if your brand-new car has defects. The thing is lemon laws don’t apply to all kinds of defects.
In order to qualify as a lemon under most state laws, the car must have a serious defect (the so-called “substantial defect’’) that isn’t caused by the owner after the purchase and that impairs the use, value or safety of the car.
So, if the problems are related to your vehicle’s brakes, air conditioning, transmission, engine, suspension, then yes, you may have a lemon. But wait! You must allow the manufacturer to make a reasonable number of attempts to repair the defect. If the manufacturer or its authorized dealers fail to fix your vehicle after a reasonable number of repair attempts you will get either a refund or a replacement car.
Also, don’t forget that lemon laws vary from state to state. For example:
- the so-called reasonable number of repair attempts is different in different states.
- some states cover used vehicles as well, while others only cover new vehicles (Colorado, Illinois).
- in some states the manufacturer pays for the consumer’s attorney fees (California).
Simply put, it’s crucially important to review your state’s laws to find out if your defective vehicle qualifies as a lemon.
Contacting the Right Lemon Law Attorney is Crucial to Success
Do you know what happened when the manufacturer failed to fix John’s vehicle after a reasonable number of attempts? The manufacturer refused to replace or buy the defective vehicle. But John didn’t give up. He contacted a lemon law attorney at the Margarian Law Firm for a free consultation. The attorney helped him understand his rights and represented him in court. John won his lemon law case. On top of that, his representation was entirely free as in California the manufacturer has to pay for the consumer’s attorney fees.
If you believe you’ve been sold a lemon and want to do something about it, dial (818) 553-1000 for a FREE consultation right away. Attorneys at the Margarian Law Firm will fight for your consumer rights and help you receive the compensation you deserve!
