Lemon Law Blog

“I purchased a used car and the dealer didn’t tell me….”

We cannot count the number of calls to the 1-800 LEMON LAW hotline starting with this sympathetic phrase.  They didn’t know it was a rental car, off a lease, had more than one owner, or was in an accident.  Well guess what?  Any reader of our <a href=”http://www.lemonlaw.com/” title=”What is Lemon Law”>Lemon Law</a> Blog knows that if you don’t ask about these issues, the dealer does not have to tell you. Yes, your heard correctly.  It’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.”

A dealer is only required to disclose if a car has a lemon, salvage, flood, or reconstructed title.  So, this means that before you sign on the dotted line, you need to ask the right questions.  And lucky for you, we have those questions listed on our lemon dodger worksheet.  Take this sheet with you and be prepared to walk if the dealer does not provide you with the answers you request.  Also, consider hiring an outside mechanic to check the vehicle out before you drive it off the lot.  A hundred dollars now could save you thousands of dollars later.  And if the dealership has a problem with you arranging for an outside inspection, that should immediately raise a red flag.

Lastly, and just as important, make sure you ask about the warranty and what it entails. Many times, consumers think what is actually a <strong>lemon law</strong> issue is covered under warranty when in fact, it’s not.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions.  Otherwise, you could end up with a used car that uses up all of your funds.

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As you can expect, Monday mornings are quite busy for us.  Often times, we are going through 25-40 voice mails from consumers who have left messages on the 1-800 LEMON LAW hotline over the weekend.  This week, we received our first-ever call from a used car dealer.  The dealer, based in Delaware, was complaining that folks threaten him with the Lemon Law, even though he knows that his cars are too old to fall under the Lemon Law.  He asked us if we could include information in our ads about what qualifies under the Lemon Law and what does not.

Obviously due to time and money constraints, that request is completely unfeasible.  However, our website does provide an extensive overview on what qualifies under each state’s Lemon Law.  And we always encourage consumers to call us if they have a question about their individual situation.

After listening to this message, we have to wonder why all of these folks threaten him with the  Lemon Law and wonder if it’s regarding the quality of the cars he sells.  Thus, in the spirit of educating consumers, we think it is imperative to remind used car buyers to raise a red flag if:

**A used car dealer refuses to provide a carfax on the vehicle.

**The dealer cannot provide an affirmative answer on whether the car has an accident history. (You MUST ask if the car has been in accident.  Unless the car has a salvage title or frame damage, a dealer does not need to disclose this information unless asked.)

**The dealer refuses to allow you have an outside mechanic check out the car prior to purchase.  This may cost a little bit of money but it will save you a lot of money and aggravation “down the road.”

**You purchase a car without a warranty.  Ideally, we would like you to buy a car with a manufacturers warranty so it can be fixed by an authorized dealership if something goes wrong.  However, even if you choose to buy the car at your local mom and pop shop, it is imperative that you purchase a warranty and research both the warranty company and the components covered under the policy.  Sometimes, these dealers sell warranties that are not worth the paper they are written on.  It’s a case of buyer beware.

Of course, when buying a used car, we always encourage you to bring along  our lemon dodger worksheet.  This worksheet provides the questions you need to ask to make sure you are getting the msot car for your money.

And if  your used car is under a manufacturers warranty or has been in the shop an extended period of time, give us a call at 1-800 LEMON LAW (1-800-536-6652).   You could be looking at significant compensation under the Federal Magnuson Moss Warranty Act.

Happy buying and safe driving!

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We have been receiving a number of e-mails and phone calls lately regarding older cars.  Buying a used car is a tremendous gamble and it you’re not careful, your dream car may have previously been someone else’s nightmare.  Here are a few tips to make sure you are not taken for a ride when buying your next used car:

1) You want a warranty–and not just any warranty.  It must be a manufacturers warranty.  Yes, we realize that it may cost a bit more, but that is the only way the car company will stand behind your vehicle.  If you have a manufacturers warranty, your problems will be addressed by mechanics who are trained by the company and have access to information and tools that outside mechanics may not have.  Furthermore, if you have continuous problems with the car, we can successfully go after the manufacturer for remedy under Federal law.  We cannot hold the manufacturer responsible if you are no longer under the manufacturers warranty.  That’s like asking the doctor to treat you after your insurance lapses.

2) When it comes to accidents, it’s “don’t ask, don’t tell.”  If you do not specifically ask if a car has been in an accident, the dealer does not need to disclose the fact.  And, unfortunately, asking for a carfax is not enough.  There are times where accidents do not appear on the carfax report and the dealer cannot be held responsible for this.   However, if you ask if a car has been in an accident and the dealer says “no,” they can be held responsible if you find out they are not telling the truth. On the flip side,  dealers MUST disclose  if the car has a salvage or reconstructed title, any flood history, or if it was  a manufacturers buyback (aka “a lemon”).

3) If you are buying an “as-is” car (which we never endorse), make sure you have an outside mechanic inspect the car BEFORE you sign on the dotted line.  We understand this could cost a few bucks, but $100 now could save $1,000 or more down the road.

Lastly, take our lemon dodger worksheet with you when purchasing your car.  It provides you with all the questions you need to ask when buying a pre-owned car.  Remember, an educated consumer is an effective consumer.  Happy buying!

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Used cars often provide a very attractive way to get more car for less money.  However, if you fail to ask the right questions BEFORE you sign on the dotted line, you could find yourself on the road to numerous car problems.

When it comes to used cars, the biggest assumption is that dealers have to disclose if the car has an accident history.  Unfortunately, when it comes to accidents, it’s don’t ask, don’t tell.  Dealers are only required to disclose if the car has a lemon, salvage, flood, or reconstructed title.

To make sure your car buying experience runs smoothly, we have created the Lemon Dodger, an all inclusive worksheet that provides all the questions you need to ask when dealing with the dealer.  Remember just because a car is new to you does not mean it’s  new to the repair shop.  Ask the right questions now to avoid headaches later.  Happy shopping!

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There is no doubt that we are all looking for ways to save money and  that should extend to car buying.  You can save considerably when purchasing a used car versus a new car.  That being said, you need to prepare yourself to make sure that the dream car you purchased was not someone else’s nightmare.

First, when buying a used car, you MUST ask questions.  Do not be shy.  Did you know that a dealer does not have to disclose that a car has been in an accident unless they are asked?  They don’t have to disclose the car is a previous rental, repo or fleet car either.  You need to inquire about anything and everything.  You also need to run a vehicle history report to ensure the car does not have a salvage or lemon history.   We like Experian’s Autocheck, which offers unlimited monthly reports for $44.99.  And you should consider hiring an outside mechanic to inspect the vehicle prior to signing on the dotted line.  This is a simple $100 investment which could save you thousands down the road.

Make sure you inquire about the warranty.  Ideally,  you want to make sure you have a manufacturers warranty.  Dealer and third party warranties often cover very little and have a great deal of fine print.  Understand the terms of your warranty and its coverage. Furthermore, if you have a car under a manufacturers warranty, and you are back three or more times for the same problem, you could be entitled to monetary compensation under the Federal Magnuson Moss Warranty Act we are always talking about.

Lastly, we recommend that you print out a copy of our Lemon Dodger worksheet, which lays out all the information you need to know before taking the car off the lot.  We know it may seem excessive, but it will help you tremendously.

Remember, an educated consumer is an effective consumer and you certainly don’t want to be steered toward a lemon.

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Three calls came into the 1-800 LEMON LAW hotline this afternoon from folks who were looking to save some money by buying used cars. 

All three people later found out that their cars were in accidents prior to purchase.  In two situations, the accidents were not even listed on carfax.  Of the three, only one asked about the car’s accident history to which the salesman replied the car had ”no accidents that he knows of.”  That client is the only one of the three who has a potential claim for misrepresentation.

When it comes to accidents, unless the car has a salvage or R title,  the dealer does not have to disclose anything unless you specifically ask “was this car in an accident?” 

If you are planning to purchase a used car, you need to ask questions.  Check out our lemon dodger worksheet before you buy and bring it along on your spending adventure.  The right questions now can save you thousands “down the road.”

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