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Originally Posted by CharlieChaos
Does anyone know how the Lemon Law works? Do I get the money I put down plus any payments I made back if I need to be given a new car? How does that whole situation work?
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It depends on your state. In Washington, dealers get three chances to fix a problem with the car (or the car is out of commission for 30 non-consecutive days within the first 24 months or 20,000 miles).
If your car is found to be a lemon following arbitration, the manufacturer must either provide you with a new car or buy yours back. Depending on the issue, sometimes the manufacturers issue full refunds while other situations result in a prorating based on the mileage of your car.
Another option is the Better Business Bureau Auto Line. I had a series of issues with the first car I bought brand new, and just filing an issue with the BBB resulted in the manufacturer buying my car back. They didn't give me a full refund (the car had over 10,000 miles on it), but the process was surprisingly painless.
Another car I bought had a series of annoyances, and although none were too severe, the manufacturer gave me an extended warranty and a cash settlement. In that situation, I simply contacted the manufacturer directly and told them my displeasure.
In both circumstances, I provided copious notes with dates, times, people whom I spoke with, and dealer invoices (for the warranty attempts). Oh, and I mailed hard copies directly to the consumer headquarters via certified mail (with the green card they have to sign and send back). Even small amounts of effort demonstrating your seriousness can go a long way in getting a settlement.
Hope that helps!
