When you purchase a vehicle, how sure are you that it will conform to the warranty norms, and perform well? You trust the manufacturer to deliver.
At times, they do not live up to their promises, and we land up with a defective vehicle. Even with repeated repairs, the vehicle simply does not perform up to the mark. Lemon laws are made to protect the consumers, and California has in place a very strong lemon law, known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act.
How to Classify a Vehicle as Lemon under California Lemon Law
If a vehicle, which is under warranty, goes for repair repeatedly, and if the dealer is unable to get it repaired properly, then it is considered to be a lemon vehicle. The number of times it is repaired can be more than once, and it depends on the gravity of the problem.
This law covers new as well as used vehicles in California. It is not so in many other states, where only new vehicles are covered.
You need to meet certain criteria to qualify for this.
- The vehicle should be purchased from an authorized dealer in California
- It can be used for personal and family needs
- It can be used for business needs
- It can be used by a corporation or a legal firm
California lemon law covers different types of vehicles, and the requirements vary in each case. You will need a legal expert or law attorney to deal with the case. When you seek help from an experienced lawyer to file your claim, he will handle all the case procedures, and negotiate with the manufacturer for the best settlement amount.
When you handle the claim yourself, it is likely that the manufacturer may simply try and delay the process, or even try to settle your claim for a smaller amount. Worse still, you may end up losing money and time. Under this law, lawyer's fee is payable by the manufacturer, and so you need not worry about the extra expenses.
In most of the cases, settlement is made within a month or two with the help of an attorney. In rare cases, the negotiation fails, and the court settlement takes longer time. Buyback is applicable under lemon law, which means the manufacturer is made to refund your down payment, monthly installments, loan payment, and other procedural charges.
Law for all consumer goods
Other than vehicles, this law covers most of the consumer goods like, television, video camera, computer, monitor, refrigerator, which are used for personal and household purposes.
California lemon law is very strong, and is aimed at protecting the rights of the consumers.
Source by Rajesh B Sanghvi
