Top Tricks Dealers Use To Keep You from Getting Rid of Your
Lemon
Taking back your "LEMON" or compensating you for your
inconvenience is the Legal obligation of the car company.
Unfortunately, this costs them money and many will go to great
lengths to keep you from taking advantage of your rights under
the Lemon Laws.
Here are five (5) common "tricks" car companies use to avoid
their Legal obligations to consumers:
* Dealer Trick #1 - Saying you do not have the right number of
repair attempts. The Law is very specific in regards to this
matter. But dealers commonly mis-code the reason for the visit
so it "appears" that you have not been there for the same
reason.
* Dealer Trick #2 - Saying the defect never existed or it's not
the same defect. This is one of our favorites - the old
"Loophole." A bit insulting isn't it - as if you were imagining
the car breaking down on Interstate 70.
* Dealer Trick #3 - Saying the defect is not "Substantial." The
fact is that the defect does not need to be substantial under
the Federal Lemon Law. The defect must substantially impair the
use, value or safety under the State Lemon Law only. And you do
not want the dealer determining if it was "substantial" anyway!
* Dealer Trick #4 - Saying the consumer abused or neglected the
vehicle. This is the quick "responsibility shift"- your fault
not ours. This is typically a bunch of baloney. For example, if
the vehicle is advertised as an off road vehicle, it can be
taken off road. If you have kept reasonable service records this
"trick" is easily dealt with.
* Dealer Trick #5 - Saying "That's Normal" or "They All Do
That."
Today's vehicles should be reliable and operate as advertised.
Settling for defects you "can live with" was never part of the
bargain when you bought your new vehicle.