There’s nothing like the feeling you get when you’ve just bought a new car. Every time you get in, you notice the new car smell, the sound of the engine purring and the shiny up-to-date components on the dashboard. And even more importantly, you have that sense of security that comes with knowing that you shouldn’t run into any car problems for a good long time. What you don’t expect is to discover an issue with the vehicle days or weeks after you’ve left the dealership.
Like any other product you buy on the market, sometimes even brand new cars can have problems. That’s when the manufacturer’s warranty comes into play. All of the big parts, like the engine, drive train, ABS brakes and more are covered for the first year. Simply return to the dealership from which you bought the car and request they repair the problem free of charge.
If you’ve taken your car in several times for the same problem, and the dealership can’t fix it, the car itself might be defective, meaning you’re stuck with a lemon.
If you’re car is a lemon, you have rights
The good news is, you’re not the first person to run into a defective automobile sold by a dealership. Because cars are big, expensive purchases, California has enacted lemon law rights to protect consumers from being stuck with a defective vehicle. Essentially, if your new car has ongoing problems that can’t be repaired by the dealership, you may be eligible for a California Buyback. There are two potential legal remedies for this situation.
One option is to have the dealership do a buyback of the vehicle. In this case, you would receive the purchase price you paid, adjusted down for the mileage that you’ve already put on the car. If you’re still making payments, you should receive enough money to pay back the loan. A second option would be for the dealership to replace the defective car with a new one.
Exercising those rights
If you come to the unhappy conclusion that your new car is defective and you want to get rid of your lemon, it’s recommended that you hire an attorney with expertise in this area to represent your best interest. Consumers in the Los Angeles area have the option of contacting Robert F. Brennan, one of the top lemon law attorneys in California.
Our law offices can help you get the dealership to do a buyback and ensure you receive fair compensation under the California Lemon Law.