The Most Important Strategy In Winning Lemon Law Cases by Charles Stubbs

Although the Lemon Laws are there to protect you, the one thing you don't want is to actually have to use them, because that means you've gone and bought yourself a 'sick' car. Odd squeaks and rattles don't count as they're just fair wear and tear, but if you are experiencing major vehicle defects (such as with the engine, drive axle, brakes, steering or radiator, for example), you might want to start a paper trail. You could have a lemon.

As with any problem that occurs with a product soon after purchase, check your warranty first. Always give the manufacturer an opportunity to put things right, and give them adequate time to do so - some defects can take 3 or 4 attempts to put right.

Make sure you keep all the records concerning your vehicle and the attempted repairs though because they will definitely be needed if you need to call on the Lemon Law in your state. In particular, make sure you've kept a copy of the car guarantee in a safe place. Keep all the repair receipts and keep a diary, or log book, of the time taken over the repairs and, in particular, the time your vehicle was off the road.

Whilst all this is going on start to research the Lemon Law in your state, and any 'service bulletins' that might have been issued for your make and model of car. Do your homework, copy any information you find and put it in your diary.

Dealers are required to give you a written car warranty under which they must repair, free of charge, any problems that occur in those parts that are covered. In some cases, the dealer may have the option to reimburse you for the reasonable cost of repairs but check your car warranty to see if this applies to you.

That's fine for relatively minor cases but if your car needs major repair work then start researching the Lemon Law statutes in your state. Many problems during the car guarantee period, such as noises and the odd rattle, may not constitute a defect, but a sizeable problem or problems will probably be a breach of the Lemon Law. Keep notes of the dates of all the repair work to your car and how long your car was "in the repair shop" and "off the road." Once again, make sure you keep the receipts for the repairs in a safe place.

At this point, if you've made up your mind that you really do have a lemon then start getting your notes and receipts all together. Become fully familiar with your state's Lemon Law statute and compile a list of local Lemon Law attorneys. Check with the Attorney General's office in your state for more information.

Have the car service contract with you and be sure you have each and every work order performed on your car, as well as any service bulletins issued that may relate to the problem or defects you're having. Your state Lemon Law statute will include a list of records that it's important to have. In addition, you will want to have kept any reports or correspondence you've received from the dealer concerning the repairs.

It makes for a long paper trail, but, as with all legal matters, the devil is nearly always in the detail and you can never keep enough details to ensure a successful Lemon Law action.

About the Author
The Lemon Laws are there to protect you and to make sure of a successful outcome you need to do your homework. We've put together an easy to use information pack for you at Lemon Law Advice Made Easy along with detailed tips on everything you really do need to know to get the result you want.