How to Handle Purchasing a Lemon and Not a Working Vehicle
One of the most expensive purchases a person will make during their life is for a vehicle. This is the type of purchase a person wants to last for a long time. Unfortunately, some people purchase new vehicles that spend more time in a mechanic’s garage than on the road. It is possible they purchased a lemon.
Lemon Qualification
It’s important to know why a vehicle qualifies as a lemon. These can be new vehicles or used vehicles. They develop one or more manufacturing defects that significantly impacts their use, function, and safety.
Reasonable Repairs
Once a person is aware of a defect in their vehicle, the manufacturer must provide a reasonable number of repairs. There are no specified number of repairs for what is considered reasonable. In some cases, it could be one and in other cases, three or more within a year is considered reasonable. It all depends on the issue. Should a defect continue after all reasonable repairs, a vehicle could qualify as a lemon.
Covered
In Texas, the lemon law covers vehicles such as neighborhood electric vehicles, cars, towable recreational vehicles (TRVs), trucks, motor homes, vans, all-terrain vehicles, and motorcycles.
Not Covered
There are certain vehicles the Texas lemon law does not cover. These are farm equipment, repossessed vehicles, boats, non-travel trailers. Some defects are not covered. These defects do not significantly impair a vehicle’s market value such as radio static, minor rattles, and more.
Used Vehicles
A used vehicle can be covered under the current Texas lemon laws. It is related to the warranty performance covering a used vehicle. Should a used vehicle be covered by the original manufacturer’s warranty, or the defect began when it was reported to a dealer and still under the original manufacturer’s warranty, and the defect continues to occur, a person’s used vehicle could be covered under the Texas lemon law. They may qualify for repair assistance for the defect. This does not apply to any type of extended service contract.
Act Fast
When someone realizes they have purchased a lemon vehicle, they need to act fast. It is important to get a case processed and compensation being received. A person will have until the expiration of the warranty term, 24,000 miles after the vehicle’s delivery date, 24 months after purchase, whichever comes first. You also don’t want to become responsible for a car accident because your car is a lemon.
Compensation
According to the lemon law, there are three options a vehicle dealer has to correct the situation. Should someone want to get representation from an attorney with their case, the fees may be paid directly by the dealer.
*Replacement – This is when a person’s lemon vehicle is replaced with a new one.
*Return – This is when a dealer purchases the lemon vehicle from the person who purchased it. This makes it possible for the person to then purchase a different vehicle.
*Cash – Some people are okay with owning a lemon vehicle because they believe a cash payout would benefit them more. A dealer can award a person a specified sum of money.
Many people do not know about the Texas lemon law. It is common for individuals to believe if they’ve purchased a bad vehicle, they’re stuck with it. More people need to realize there are laws in place to protect them. These laws are designed to make certain people are not taken advantage of by businesses that sell defective products. In this situation, there is no downside to hiring a lawyer from the Law Office of Darin Siefkes. They always get their clients a better deal than someone who tries to get fair compensation on their own.