Nov 02 2009
Know Your Lemon Law Rights Buying a Used Car in California
When you are going to buy a used car in California you may be worried about your legal rights if anything goes wrong. As long as your used car was sold to you with a written warranty, you are protected by the California Lemon Law. Warranty is basically the manufacturer or seller’s written promise to repair or replace defective parts for a stated period of time.
If you buy a used car in California and have the aforesaid warranty you are legally entitled to have the defects repaired or the vehicle replaced. However you could still be charged for use prior to the defect arising. There is no set formula to calculate this charge as there is with new vehicles.
The following tips will help you avoid buying a lemon.
- Do not buy a vehicle without a warranty. Check the warranty offered with your used car carefully as warranties are not standard.
- Find an independent, certified mechanic to get the vehicle checked by, so that you have documental evidence for the future.
- Take a test drive to ascertain if there is anything that you are not comfortable with and bring any issues to the dealer’s attention.
- Don’t buy if you have any doubts regarding the vehicle or the way in which the dealer is presenting the car.
No one wants to buy a lemon car. To avoid any trouble and to get the best car for the best price you need to research thoroughly and be prepared to negotiate. Get your used car buyer guide and beat the dealer at his own game.