Lemon Law: Car Lemon Law

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

What is the Federal Lemon Law?

By Bernice Eker

The federal lemon law protects you from faulty vehicles. Lemons are deemed such because after you have purchased it; it fails to work, turning out to be sour like a lemon. Every state has a lemon law and there are federal lemon laws as well. If you purchase a car and it does not work after you have purchased it, you may return it to the dealer stating this law. There are lemon law lawyers available in the nation to assist with such claims, should a dealer be uncooperative.

When purchasing a car, especially a used vehicle, be sure to find out what to do should your car turn into a lemon. In some states, it is extremely important to have a well functioning car. States such as Michigan and California almost always require a car to drive to places such as the market or doctor. In these states, and many others, public transportation is not as strong as it is like in New York City or in Washington, DC. Also, many states and cities are not laid out in close proximity to malls, grocery stores, and recreational outlets. Therefore, many people are required to have a car to drive.

Buying a car is the ticket to freedom from public transportation. If you have a car, you do not need to wait for the bus or subway. You can come and go as you please. Of course, if your friends do not have a car, then you may become their chauffeur. Many people would like to own a car, however, car payments, insurance and maintenance can be costly, and hence why many people choose to own a pre-owned car. Depending on the state you live in, auto insurance may be costly.

Insurance rates are based on a number of things, such as the type of car you have, whether it is new or pre-owned, the area you live in and many other factors. If you live in the city that is known for high auto thefts, a new car may not be your best bet when it comes to insurance. Therefore, choosing a used car that is a few years older would probably be more economical. Owning a used car, however, can put you at risk for finding a lemon. Sometimes, it is possible to find a new car that is a lemon. Either way, it is important to know your rights should your car be a lemon.

Cars that turn out to be lemons are a serious pain to handle, especially if you are the type of person that needs a car. But again, discussing the procedures to deal with a lemon is the best thing to do before you take the car off the lot. Particularly with used cars, the previous owner may not have disclosed everything to the dealer about the car. Also, individuals who sell their cars personally may not have shared all the cars faults with you. In both cases, knowing your rights about lemon law is always best.

Bernice Eker is an expert on the Lemon Law and wants to help people by sharing her expertise.

For more information on the Lemon Law visit: http://www.legallemonlaw.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Monday, November 1, 2010

Federal warranty laws and state car lemon law

Consumers who lease vehicles should not automatically assume that the vehicle will be covered under either state lemon laws or Federal warranty laws. A recent ruling in Arizona makes it clear that the rights of those who lease are less than those who buy.

The purpose of both Federal warranty laws and state car lemon law is to protect vehicle owners from the problems associated with habitually defective vehicles. It’s one thing to take a car into the shop for a repair that is covered under warranty, but it is something else again to do it ten times. Since the first lemon law was passed in 1982, all 50 states have passed legislation to protect consumers from problem vehicles.

But consumers who elect to lease, rather than buy, should look into their particular state’s lemon law rather carefully. While many states protect leased vehicles, some do not. And as one consumer found out in Arizona recently, a law which does not protect you if you lease may leave you owning a lemon.

Perhaps half of state lemon laws explicitly state that they protect the owners of leased vehicles. The remainder do not, as protection under these statutes can vary widely from state to state. Those consumers who elect to lease vehicles in states which do not cover leases may be taking on a risk that is difficult to justify. Ownership of a vehicle is almost always a better deal than leasing; the additional costs of taking on a lemon law risk may reduce the appeal of a leased vehicle.

It should be noted that this ruling came from a state Supreme Court, and not the one in Washington, D.C. As such, this law affects only residents of Arizona. Courts do pay attention, however, to rulings in other states, and it may be reasonable to assume that the conclusion reached by one state court may be reached by another , as well.

What does this mean for those who lease? First and foremost, anyone considering leasing a vehicle should do some research and find out if the laws of that particular state cover leased vehicles. If so, then there is no problem. Otherwise, it may make more sense to consider purchasing a vehicle instead. While few vehicles turn out to be true lemons, those who lease such vehicles in states without lemon law protections are still obligated to fulfill the terms of their lease, which could make for a rather unpleasant and expensive proposition.

Consumers who regularly lease their cars, vans or trucks, would be wise to contact their state legislators about the issue in order to urge them to pass legislation explicitly protecting such vehicles through defect law.

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