Superarticle : Article directory

When you finally make the decision to purchase a new
car the last thing you would expect to find is that
the car is defective in one way or the other.

However, this does happen - albeit on a small scale -
and there are laws in place - both federal and state,
to force the manufacturer to replace, repair or
refund.

But what do you look out for when you are buying a
used car? Sometimes the fault is very obvious.

Maybe you can see a kind of ripple effect down the
side of the car when viewed from either end. This
could mean that the car had collided with something
forcing the metal body to warp in ripple like
patterns.

Or perhaps the car is a different color on one side or
at the back or front. Careful here, this could denote
a “cut and shut” type vehicle which is highly
dangerous.

The car is literally two vehicles welded together.
Maybe the car (or part of it) was stolen and has been
passed off as being legitimate.

Most times faults are not obvious and great care
should be taken to check out the history of the
vehicle.

Remember the old adage - buy in haste repent at
leisure? - well in this kind of case your grandma was
right.

Never buy in a hurry and get some kind of organization
to check out the vehicle for you. It may cost a little
more in the long run but you will be assured of a
reasonably safe vehicle and avoid litigation.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

• Leave a comment... (0)

Here you are, all excited about getting your new car,
and then disaster strikes. It keeps breaking down, or
you are finding the brakes are not as efficient as
they should be, giving you that feeling of dread every
time you get in it.

What to do next? Well, naturally, you take it back to
the seller and show him the faults. Give him time to
remedy the faults but make sure that certain criteria
are followed.

If the same fault keeps re-occurring make sure that
your repair order form states exactly the same fault.
Under certain lemon laws you must prove that the fault
keeps occurring. Simply stating that brakes are faulty
may not be enough to prove a re-occurring problem.

Ask for a receipt even if there was no charge for the
repair. Many sellers will not want to do this but this
is your proof positive that your car was off the road
and out of your possession.

Take notes of mileage etc., so that you can prove you
are not using the car. This also stops the seller
using your vehicle for his own purposes - crazy but it
has been known to happen!

Many of us blindly trust that a new car will be
perfect. Unfortunately this is not always true. Make
sure to check out your state’s lemon law before you
buy if possible. This will give you great pointers
about what to look for when buying a new or used car
and the remedy, should it be necessary, to obtain
compensation.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

• Leave a comment... (0)

If you are one of those people who always seem to get
caught out when buying a new or used vehicle then it
is a good idea to protect yourself right from the word
go.

Should you find your vehicle repeatedly throwing up
defects, large or small, it is imperative that you
note times, dates and hours wasted so that should you
press for compensation you have a full history of
events to “persuade” the dealer with.

For example, what happens if you break down on a busy
highway? Note the defect, the time, how long you had
to wait for assistance and lastly the cost and nature
of repair. It is also a good idea to note how all of
this made you feel since you could claim for distress.

Of course small defects may not be enough in some
states to warrant the “lemon” label. In other states
just one defect will be adequate. Unfortunately, state
laws differ widely on what constitutes a lemon but you
should not give up the good fight and accept shoddy
goods.

Details of all states and their criteria for classing
cars as lemons are available on the internet and it is
easy to look up any particular state.

Some companies have a “buy back” scheme for cars
classified as lemons so you should pay particular
attention to their requirements.

If all else fails then of course, once you have enough
evidence, you can follow the litigation route to try
for compensation. This can be both expensive and time
consuming.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

• Leave a comment... (0)

By now most people will understand the term lemon’
when it is applied to cars. That is, a car - new or
used - which has defects that were undetectable on
purchase but shows themselves up within a given time
or warranty period.

Some unscrupulous sellers will hide the true state of
the vehicle hoping that the innocent buyer will simply
accept the faults and struggle to get them fixed.
However, some states have laws protecting the victim
from such shoddy acts.

In all cases, if you are not machine minded, it is
better to take someone along who knows about engines
etc., to give the vehicle the once over. Don’t be in a
hurry to buy and take your time asking pertinent
questions about the vehicle.

If the car looks like it has been around for a while
and yet the miles clocked up seem low chances are that
this car has been tampered with. Similarly, uneven
wear on tires from right to left or front to back may
also be revealing something unsavory.

Once the vehicle has been purchased it is good to get
into the habit of noting all defects as and when they
occur. Take care to note all down time’ suffered and
keep receipts of necessary vehicle hire to replace
this vehicle.

Check with your state laws to see if the lemon law has
been legislated in your area. Each state differs on
what is and what is not considered a lemon. If the
lemon law does not apply in your state perhaps it is
time to lobby your congressman!

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

• Leave a comment... (0)

The “lemon law”, or Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act - a
federal law, protects the consumer from unscrupulous
dealers in defective goods. There are also state laws
which do the same job but which differ from state to
state.

Most people will want to purchase a car. Whether is a
used vehicle or new depends, naturally, on your budget
but buying a used car does not mean that you do not
have protection.

Some state laws will cover you for legal expenses but
perhaps it is better to look at ways to avoid the
situation altogether.

The easiest way to avoid the situation is to get the
car thoroughly checked out before you buy. Take the
time to find a good mechanic - Uncle Bob may not be
the best choice! - to examine the vehicle carefully
for small or large defects.

Get him to check out the history of the vehicle and
look at readings to make sure they are really
accurate. Perhaps the car was owned by the police or a
taxi company beforehand which would void the lemon law
protection. Your mechanic will know the pertinent
questions to ask so let him take his time.

Never, never buy a vehicle on an “as is” basis
(sometimes called “as seen” basis) because this means
you accept all or any faults on the vehicle no matter
what the cause. You will have no redress in any court
if this is the case and you will have to repair the
vehicle at your own expense no matter what happens to
it.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

• Leave a comment... (0)

The unfortunate thing about the lemon law’ is that
not only is it not applicable to all fifty states, but
it is often interpreted differently in each one.

For example, in some states used cars are not
included. In others motor homes and motor bikes have
differing criteria.

The motor part of the mobile home may be covered
whereas the living area would not be.

Similarly, some leased vehicles would be covered in
some states but vehicles used for business would not
be.

Briefly, these laws can be confusing. It truly is a
case of not knowing how or if you are covered unless
you look up the specific laws for your own state.

But it is not only the lemon laws that protect you. If
you have a written warranty you could be covered by
several other laws to enable you to get compensation
or the car repaired not at your cost.

In all, about 25,000 cars are bought back by
manufacturers each year in the United States.
Considering how many cars are sold annually this is
not such a great number.

But if you are unlucky enough to be one of the 25,000
then you will obviously want to do something about it.

Keep detailed diaries on you vehicle from the time you
purchase it. Receipts and fault reports, along with
details of where and when the vehicle was unusable,
will go a long way to proving your case. However, if
you take care at the beginning these actions should be
unnecessary.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

• Leave a comment... (0)