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Posts Tagged ‘lemon law’

North Carolina Lemon Law Helps Consumers Even Playing Field With Manufacturers

September 29th, 2009
by Jim Johnson

To understand why the North Carolina lemon law was created, you must understand how the law worked before its inception. Before the lemon law was enacted, auto owners with auto problems were forced to seek redress of their claims with large automobile manufacturers. Seeing a problem with the disparity of the parties, the North Carolina Legislature developed the lemon law, which created the right for an automobile purchaser to bring a lemon law case against an automobile maker.

The North Carolina Lemon Law applies to cars that were purchased or leased in North Carolina. The lemon law covers new cars, which ironically are cars that are sold as new. The types of cars the lemon law covers are new passenger cars, pick-ups and motorcycles purchased in North Carolina. The lemon law covers most vans as well.

Under the lemon law, the test to see if a vehicle is a lemon is to determine if the defects affect the use value or safety of the automobile. The legislatures goal was to give the consumer tools to better battle the automobile manufacturers and prevent them from summarily denying claims regarding problem vehicles. One of these tools is a presumption that an automobile is a lemon. To get a presumption that an automobile is a lemon, the purchaser of the automobile must show on of the two following are true:

The same problem or issue has been attempted to be repaired by the car manufacturer or a dealer greater than four (4) occasion and the problem continues to exist; or

The car was unavailable to the consumer during or while awaiting repair of the problem or problems. The total unavailability must be for twenty or more business days during any 12-month period of the warranty. Before a consumer may take advantage of the presumption, the North Carolina Lemon Law requires the consumer to write a letter to manufacturer putting them on notice of the problems with the vehicle.

Once the vehicle is shown to be a lemon, the lemon law provides that the consumer may choose either a replacement or a refund. Specifically, the manufacturer shall replace the vehicle with a comparable new motor vehicle or accept return of the vehicle from the consumer and refund to the consumer.

The lemon law states that the refund to the car owner can be reduced by a usage allowance for the owners use of the car. The usage allowance is the amount use by the owner before the first report of the problem to the dealer or manufacturer. The allowance also includes any mileage when the vehicle is not out of service. The usage allowance is calculated by dividing the mileage by one hundred thousand and then multiplying that percentage by the original price.

Although the North Carolina lemon law is fairly straight forward, consumers should hire a lemon law attorney. Under the lemon law, the manufacturer must pay the attorney fees if the vehicle is a lemon. In addition, there are notice requirements and some hidden pitfalls that may trip up a consumer. You should not delay in getting an attorney to help you.

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Jim Johnson Legal , , ,

North Carolina Lemon Law Can Help You Get Relief Form Defective Vehicle

September 21st, 2009
by Jim Johnson

The North Carolina lemon law was created to protect consumers who purchase defective vehicles. Due to the fact that manufacturers often denied any problems with the vehicles, consumers were left to do battle with multi-million dollar companies. The North Carolina Legislature created the lemon law, which gives a private remedy against motor vehicle manufacturers for motor vehicles failing to conform to express warranty.

The North Carolina Lemon Law protects purchasers of new automobiles that were bought in North Carolina. The law also applies people leasing automobiles in North Carolina as well. The law is applicable to all types of automobiles and motorcycles purchased in North Carolina. It covers trucks and some vans too.

The North Carolina Lemon Law, states that a manufacturer must repair defects that affect the use, value, or safety of a new motor vehicle within the first 24 months or 24,000 miles of ownership. To make it easier for car owners to prove their case, the North Carolina legislature created a presumption that a vehicle is a lemon. The lemon law creates a presumption that a car is a lemon states if:

The same problem or issue has been attempted to be repaired by the car manufacturer or a dealer greater than four (4) occasion and the problem continues to exist; or

The vehicle was out of service to the consumer during or while awaiting repair of the nonconformity or a series of nonconformities for a cumulative total of 20 or more business days during any 12-month period of the warranty. For the presumption to be effective, the North Carolina Lemon Law requires written notice of the non conformity be provided to the manufacturer before the lemon law can be triggered. It is very important that you follow the written notice requirements of the law.

Under the North Carolina lemon law, a purchaser can get relief from a lemon vehicle in two ways. And the legislature has given the purchaser the option of which way they wish to be compensated. The lemon law requires the automobile manufacturer to give the purchaser a replacement auto of the same type or accept return of the purchasers automobile and give the purchaser their money back.

In North Carolina, the lemon law states that the refund to the purchaser shall be reduced by a mileage offset. The mileage offset is the use by the purchaser prior to the first repair visit. The mileage offset is a simple mathematical calculation contained in the lemon law statute. Simply put, take the miles before the first repair visit and divide that number by one hundred thousand and then multiply that percentage by the original price and that number will give you the dollar amount of the mileage offset.

Although the North Carolina lemon law is fairly straight forward, consumers should hire a lemon law attorney. Under the lemon law, the manufacturer must pay the attorney fees if the vehicle is a lemon. In addition, there are notice requirements and some hidden pitfalls that may trip up a consumer. You should not delay in getting an attorney to help you.

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Jim Johnson Legal , , ,

Lemon Law – Its Origin

June 22nd, 2009
by Neal Spoton

Lemon laws are state laws that provide remedies to purchasers of cars that repeatedly fail to meet implied standards of quality or performance. These autos are called “lemons.” The federal lemon law (e.g., Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act) protects citizens of all states. Lemon law rights vary, however, from state to state and some do not necessarily cover used or leased cars. The legal rights granted to citizens by lemon laws may go further than the warranties. “Lemon law” is the common nickname for these laws, but you need to remember that each state has different names for the laws and acts.

Returning to Magnuson-Moss, however, it is a U.S.A. federal law. Enacted in 1975, it is the one federal statute that governs the administration of warranties on all American-made consumer products. The Act was sponsored (as one might suspect, by the names involved) by Democratic Senators Warren Magnuson of Washington and Congressman John Moss of California. Legislative history of the Act indicates that its purpose is to make warranties on consumer products (cars/ automobiles, in regards to lemon laws) more readily understood and enforceable and to provide the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with means to better protect consumers.

The Magnuson-Moss Act provides that anybody warranting a consumer product (auto/ car) to a consumer by means of a written warranty must disclose, fully and conspicuously, in simple and readily understood language, the terms and conditions of the warranty to the extent required by rules of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC has enacted regulations governing the disclosure of written consumer product warranty terms and conditions on consumer products actually costing the consumer more than $15 (e.g., cost of most cars).

The Act provides automobile buyers access to reasonable and effective remedies where there is a breach of warranty on a consumer product (i.e., when they’ve been cheated). The Act provides for informal dispute-settlement procedures and for actions brought either by the government, by private parties, or both.

In the State of California, lemon laws cover anything mechanical, as do the federal lemon laws. In addition, lemon law also provides that the warranter may be obligated to pay the prevailing party’s lemon law attorney fees in a successful lemon law suit, as do most state lemon laws. Lemon Laws vary from state to state — therefore, accurate info on the scope and restrictions of Lemon Laws in a particular state should be obtained from a “Lemon Law Attorney” practicing in your state.

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Neal Spoton Legal , , , , , , ,

Important Facts Regarding The California Lemon Law!

April 23rd, 2009
by John Wilkensan

When you reside in California and you know you’ve bought a lemon, the lemon law is a fantastic one that can help you to get repayment. The California Lemon Law, usually speaking, applies to whichever vehicle that has been unable to be restored after there have been a vast number of attempts. California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act which is more frequently known as the California Lemon Law has been in action for a number of years and helped tens of thousands of customers.

When you desire to go further with your point, be sure to get your primary paperwork and hold on to all repair revenue for substantiation. Be mindful that the vehicle creator and dealership will do everything they can to fight what you’re claiming about your automobile. If you assume you have a lemon vehicle, you must write to the corporation so that there is a suitable protest which is dated.

The California Lemon Law does not only cover automobiles but trucks, SUVs, RVs, boats and motorcycles as well. This law is very generous is how it looks at every situation although there are general qualifications. The California Lemon Law is one that will help get your out of a lemon vehicle no matter what type it is.

When you choose to go forward and show that you have a lemon, keep in mind that any money that you have compensated for that vehicle can be repaid. Under the California Lemon Law, if it’s confirmed that you have a lemon motor vehicle, you can get your dues returned or a vehicle substitute. This law permits quite a few ways to be reimbursed which consist of compensation of: deposit, rental car, monthly payments, license fees and towing.

This law entails that your automobile be out of payment for at least 30 days even though not successive essentially. This law says that if your automobile has had a sensible amount of attempts to repair it and it still remains defective then that qualifies you. In order for your means of transportation to meet the criteria under the California Lemon Law, there are a small number of conditions that have to be followed.

Many very good lemon law attorneys will not even charge you any out of pocket expenses but will instead take a percentage of the total they get back for you. This law is very complicated and in order to ensure you miss nothing, it is very shrewd to get a really good lemon law attorney specialist. When you find a California Lemon Law Attorney, make certain they give you a free case assessment to check if you qualify under this law.

Some cases under his lemon law can take longer than 45 days which normally happens if the manufacturer fights the fact that you purchased a lemon vehicle. The California Lemon Law is incredibly detailed and can from time to time settle cases as quickly as 7-10 days. In some cases, although this law has stipulations, it can take up to 45 days to settle cases.

Finding a California Lemon Law Attorney that is a whiz in this law is the wisest thing you can do for yourself. When you are in the process under the California Lemon Law, it’s imperative that you recognize accurately what is necessary to qualify. This lemon law has exact provisions, so be sure you hold fast to those before you even take your initial step.

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John Wilkensan Legal , , , , , , , , ,

A Law That Helps The Consumers

April 16th, 2009
by John Wilkensan

The California Lemon Law is a perfect law which lets all new vehicle, used vehicle and leased vehicle purchasers to demand a replacement or money back if it is proven to be defective. This law allows the California consumer to return the vehicle if it’s defective. This law in California protects buyers from risking their life and grave injury due to a defect in a vehicle.

One of the requisites that qualifies your vehicle to be considered a lemon is if it has been repaired four times and the defect is still not able to be repaired. This law, even though it really has very strict guidelines, it will allow only two repair attempts if the imperfection is bad enough to cause serious injury or even death. The California Lemon Law gives some extremely accurate rules about what qualifies a vehicle as a lemon.

If you truly think that you have a lemon vehicle, no matter what anyone tells you, do not allow yourself to be influenced to not file a complaint or perhaps sell your vehicle back to them at a loss. The California state websites have loads of applicable information that can assist you in determining your steps in the process. When you are contemplating what to do with the California Lemon Law, remember you have to abide by the guidelines that are set forth for those that can qualify.

With the California Lemon Law you have to be vitally aware and make sure that you have all the original paperwork on your vehicle as well as repair receipts. It’s vital for the qualification process to bring your vehicle to an authorized service center that is recognized by the vehicle manufacturer. One thing that is very important in having your vehicle checked to see if it is a lemon, is bringing it to an authorized service center even before the repairs needed are done.

California demands that correct files with respect to your possible lemon when you file to begin the process. It’s very important that you make sure all of your notes and interactions with everyone are documented when filing a request for the vehicle manufacturer to pay you back for your lemon vehicle. The California Lemon Law is for you, the consumer but even though that’s absolutely true, after you start this process, you have to keep proper documentation.

Be very sure that you always use things like certified mail as well as making sure you send copies to both the dealership and vehicle manufacturer when you send any correspondence at all to anyone. When it’s time to start the procedure to ascertain if you have a lemon, you must initially send a letter of complaint to the manufacturer as well as call the dealership. If you want to continue with the process then report to both the dealership and the manufacturer in writing the exact number of care that you’ve done and always are sure to include copies of the receipts.

This lemon law can be very complicated so it’s so vital that you completely understand how to continue with every single part of it. The California Lemon Law has so very many parts to it. Understand that when you’re dealing with this law, you should learn precisely what to do with all parts of it to bring about the best conclusion.

When you hire some good California Lemon Law attorneys, you will not even have to take any out of pocket expenses because these attorneys will agree to work for a percentage of your settlement. When you decide it’s time to begin your process with the California Lemon Law, make sure you speak to an attorney that specializes in this particular law. This particular law is very tricky and requires a great lemon law lawyer that will give you a free case evaluation to see if you are eligible before you even begin the process.

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John Wilkensan Legal , , , , , , , ,

Texas Lemon Law

April 15th, 2009
by Steven Q James

If you are experiencing repeated problems with your car after it has been brought in the shop and you purchased or leased this from a licensed Texas dealer or lease company, the Texas Lemon Law may be able to help you get a refund or have it replaced.

The Texas lemon law was first enacted in 1983. It is administered by the Texas Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Division and the Motor Vehicle Board.

Vehicles that are covered by the Texas lemon law include cars, trucks, motorcycles, motor homes and ATV’s. It also covers new and demonstrator vehicles that develop problems covered by a manufacturer’s written warranty. If you happen to own a towable recreational vehicle, it must first be titled and registered in Texas to be eligible.

Your used vehicle may also be covered under the Lemon Law if it is still within the manufacturer’s original warranty and not an extended service contract or if the problem started while it was still under warranty and it continues to exist.

To know if the Texas lemon law is applicable, your vehicle must meet certain conditions. The vehicle must have a serious defect, the defect is covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, the defect is reported to the dealer during the warranty term, you must give the manufacturer a letter stating the problem and ample time to repair the problem and the problem still persists after everything was done.

There is nothing in the lemon law that states the number of times that the customer has to wait before filing a complaint. For many, four times seems to be the norm. This may happen two times to repair the same problem of defect within the first 12 months or 12,000 miles whichever comes first or twice more during the 12 months or 12,000 miles after the second repair was done without any improvement.

Some will tell you to undergo the serious safety hazard test where the vehicle in question was once brought into the shop during the first 12 months or 12,000 miles whichever comes first and once during the 12 months or 12,000 miles after the first repair attempt.

The Texas lemon law will normally apply if the vehicle has been out of service for a total of 30 days or more during the first 24 months or 24,000 miles and there were at least two repair attempts during the first 12 months or 12,000 miles after this was delivered to you with no changes in the vehicle’s condition.

If you happen to experience one of these three scenarios, you must file your Lemon law complaint as soon as possible so the Motor Vehicle Board will be able to help you.

A hearing will be conducted and before going in, be sure to prepare all the necessary documents so you can prove your case in front of the Administrative law judge. You should present your own testimony since you are the owner of the vehicle; and you will also need the testimony of witnesses, receipts, letters and other documents which are needed.

A decision with regards to your case will be made within 150 days after receiving the complaint and paying for the filing fee. If no decision is made during that period, you can make your argument in court as though the Lemon law process were complete.

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Steven Q James Cars and Trucks , , , , , , , , , ,

Things to Remember for Used Car Lemon Law

April 14th, 2009
by Steven Q James

As automobiles are becoming ubiquitous and indispensable today, people are hitting the road with greater ease and convenience by the use of their own cars. The car industry continues to sell in spite of the scary oil price hike, a sign that many prefer cars over mass transportation system. People are also choosing to buy less expensive second hand automobiles, opting to make a good deal with this cheaper variety.

But what if the vehicle you have bought came from a shady deal? How can you protect yourself from irreparable defects of a car that you purchased? This is where used car lemon law comes in.

Lemon law for used cars is a protective shield that people can use in order to avoid unfair purchases and report crooks in car dealership industry. Remember that a defective car is not only a danger to itself, it is a ticking time bomb for people using it. We must stress the importance of knowing how we can protect ourselves from lopsided car deals and how the law can facilitate this for us. Below are the things that we need to remember about lemon law for used cars.

One, just because it is a second hand car does not mean you have given up all the rights to demand quality vehicles. A low cost deal does not mean we should jump into a bogus deal. It is the right of everyone to buy a product that can deliver its utility the easiest, safest, and most useful way; and this applies primarily on automobiles.

The reason why we might be buying used cars is that we want to save on money, or that we want to have a car on, but have limited funds. This should not stop us from demanding honesty on the transaction of the deal, and the quality of the car that we are buying.

So what right do we have under the lemon law? We should bear in mind that states have different versions, but all of them have a universal tenet that all used cars within the warranty period can still be eligible for the law’s protection. If you will ever encounter problems or defects in the car that you purchase, defects that trouble you a lot and have cost you money for repairs, defects that you are not aware of at the time the transaction was materialized, then you can submit a claim for reimbursement and refunds.

Two, the vehicle must not be primarily used for commercial use. If it does, the lemon law cannot be applied. A lot of us may wonder why, but people in the know say that commercial vehicles can earn money for repairs. Moreover, the vehicle in this case will be worn out by frequent business trips.

For those vehicles used for personal or family use, the owners usually are not earning money when using the car. In fact because of the rising fuel prices, owners might be forced to economize its use to save on gas. Therefore, the brunt for repairs is more burdensome, troublesome, and risky for this situation.

The used car lemon law provides ordinary people a chance to assert their right against unscrupulous car dealers. When used with prudence, discernment and a sense of justice, we can put integrity back to business.

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Steven Q James Cars and Trucks , , , , , , , , , ,

The Lemon Law in New York

April 13th, 2009
by Steven Q James

The lemon law in New York provides a remedy for customers that have had problems with their vehicles despite the number of times that these have been brought in for repairs. The manufacturer is also held liable if the car sold does not conform to the terms of the written warranty.

In New York, this covers new and used cars including “demos” under 4 conditions.

1. First, the car was covered by the manufacturer’s new warranty at the time it was delivered to the owner.

2. The car was purchased, leased or transferred within the first 18,000 miles or two years from the original date of delivery.

3. The car should be purchased, leased or transferred in New York and presently registered there.

4. The vehicle is primarily used for personal purposes. The definition of personal includes using the car to do household errands, drive to and from work. You can however use this for business and still be covered under the lemon law as long as personal use is predominant.

Just like the state of California, New York allows motor homes to be covered under this law except for the appliances, fixtures, systems and other parts that are residential in nature. Motor vehicles and off road vehicles are not covered. Leased cars are covered only if the lessee is responsible for the repairs.

If you suspect that your car is a lemon, you must immediately report this matter to the manufacturer or authorized dealer. Under the law, the notice given to the dealer is considered a notice to the manufacturer.

During this time, the dealer has to conduct the necessary repairs. If they refuse to do so, another letter must be written and this time addressed to the manufacturer which must be completed within the next 20 days. If the problem is not repaired after reasonable attempts, the manufacturer or dealer has no choice but to refund the full purchase or offer a comparable replacement unit. The decision is up to the customer.

If you are getting a refund, this includes the price of the car, title and registration fees as well as any other governmental charges. There may be some deductions if the car has traveled more than 12,000 miles but less than that, there are none. Should the lemon car be leased, the refund is divided between you and the leasing company.

Those of you who choose to get a comparable replacement car should know that what you get in exchange for the lemon car is usually the same model and year as well as approximately the same mileage as the one being replaced.

But before a refund or a replacement car is given, you have the choice of participating in an arbitration program or suing the manufacturer and taking this matter to court. If the manufacturer has an arbitration procedure, you have to participate in this first. This consists of a hearing and a decision will be made after 10 days.

If you go to court, this will take some time but should you end up in winning, you can recover the amount you spend on attorney fees.

The lemon law of New York does not have a specific number of repair attempts but four instances within the span of two years is the ideal number. If this happens, you should just document it by keeping a copy of the work orders, repair bills and correspondence.

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Steven Q James Cars and Trucks , , , , , , , , , ,

The California Lemon Law

April 12th, 2009
by Trent Hawkins

A customer has rights when he or she buys a vehicle. The Song-Beverly Consumer warranty act which is the lemon law of California was enacted to give this protection to the buyer.

The lemon law of California pertains to vehicles which auto dealerships have failed to repair within a warranty period despite being given a reasonable number of times to do so.

There is no specific number of visits to make such a claim but usually 4 visits will suffice. The law is also on your side if the vehicle has been in the shop for a total of more than 30 days for warranty repairs. But you have to know that everything is assessed on a case by case basis.

If your vehicle meets these conditions, the manufacturer must give your money back and pay off any outstanding loan balance or replace the vehicle with a similar model. The law also requires the manufacturer to pay the customer’s hourly attorney’s fees on a meritorious claim which is very convenient especially for those who cannot afford a lawyer.

You can even file for a claim if the problems of your vehicle did not occur within the unit’s first 18 months or 18,000 miles of use.

The California lemon law also applies to used and leased vehicles including boats, motorcycles and recreational vehicles which should be primarily for family, personal or household use. This is applicable for business purposes as long as the gross weight is not over 10,000 pounds and not more than 5 vehicles are registered in this state.

As the customer, you are not required to first arbitrate your case. However, if the manufacturer maintains a state certified arbitration program, you have to submit the warranty dispute to them first before you can go to court. Information about arbitration must be described in the warranty or the owner’s manual but in most cases, this will just tell you to bring your vehicle back to the manufacturer for repairs.

If you are still not satisfied with the manufacturer, then it is time to go to court. The first step is to hire a lawyer and then fill out a questionnaire or interactive complaint form from the Californian Vehicle Warranty Rights Act Department.

You should write them the make and model of the vehicle, the year of manufacture, current mileage, name, address and contact details of the dealer, date of purchase together with the copy of the document, details of the warranty, the list of problems encountered, number of attempts to fix the vehicle and the number of days it was inside the shop.

Once this form is submitted and approved, you will receive another form that outlines the eligibility parameters. Your attorney should be able to process the paperwork like filing a claim under the California lemon law by drafting a letter to the manufacturer.

The letter will let the manufacturer know you are initiating what is known as a breach of express or implied warranty. A copy of this document must also be submitted to the Consumer Affairs Department and the Attorney General’s office.

The California lemon law should help you get a refund or maybe a new car. This can only happen with the proper documentation and an experienced attorney who will be able to make the courts decide in your favor.

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Trent Hawkins Cars and Trucks , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lemon Law – What is it

April 11th, 2009
by Steven Q James

The lemon law provides protection to people who buy cars and trucks. In the event that the vehicle he or she has purchased fails to meet standards of quality and performance, the manufacturer is required to fix the defects which are stipulated in the warranty within a certain period of time or a certain mileage whichever comes first.

If after the repair the same problem still happens, this is considered to be a breach of contract with respect to the warranty and the manufacturer is required to give you a partial or full refund. You may even be given a new car.

A breach of warranty normally means 4 repair attempts on the same problem or anything directly related to it within a period of six months of one year. It could also mean that the car is no longer working within a year it was purchased or within the duration of the express warranty, whichever comes first.

An express warranty may be the balance of the manufacturer’s warranty, a separated limited warranty given by the dealer or an extended warranty or service contract which is commonly added at the time you purchased the vehicle.

The lemon law varies by state and some do not include leased or used vehicles. Some provide consumer protection statutes that prohibit deceptive acts in selling used cars. This means if you are planning to buy a second hand car, the dealer must answer each question truthfully so you will know if it was a rental, salvaged or involved in a serious accident in the past.

There are steps you have to take to see if the lemon law is applicable. First, if there is a problem with the car, you have to report this to the manufacturer. When the car is released to you and the same thing still happens, you should keep track of it by keeping the repair or service receipts so you can build your case.

In many states, there is an arbitration procedure which determines if you will get a refund or a replacement. This program is very objective and free. If you are not satisfied with the decision, you can skip that and take this matter to the courts.

If things go in your favor, you can get refund and reimbursement for other charges which you have incurred. Given the choice, you can get a replacement car instead. Just make sure you are happy with what they are going to replace it with.

Be aware of the fact that not all vehicles are protected by the lemon law. These include motorcycles with engine displacements of less than 750 cubic centimeters, trucks that have a gross weight rating of over 19,000 lbs, motor homes and vehicles that are used by a business with a fleet of more than 10 vehicles.

Given that the lemon law in each state is different, it is best to talk with your local representative to be familiar with it. If you happen to encounter this problem and the manufacturer says that you waived your rights when you signed the purchase contract, don’t believe it because it is invalid and the lemon law is still applicable.

So, talk to your attorney or hire one that is well aware of the lemon law. Some offer free consultations and if you happen to win the case, you don’t have to shell out anything because the manufacturer will be the one to shoulder the attorney’s fees.

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Steven Q James Cars and Trucks , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,