Lemon Laws:  Know Your Rights Before You Buy

them.  As a consumer, you have to be aware of your situation, your rights and who you are buying from.  Whether or not the lemon law actually protects you may or may not be the case.  Yet, beyond a doubt, you will want to find a way to protect yourself from problems.

Things You Have To Know

* Did you know that most of the time lemon laws are only in place for the original owner of the car?  Those of you who purchase a car that is used may not have any protection under these laws.  In some areas, the lemon law is in place for helping those that have used cars that are still under the warranty, but this is not all states.  Very few states have lemon laws that will actually cover the used buyer of a car. 
* Do you believe that having a lemon law in the state means that the dealer has to tell you if the car has been in an accident before you purchase it?  This is not the case either.  In fact, the dealer may not even have any idea of this himself. 
* Damage to the vehicle is something that is generally provided for.  If the dealer does know of some damage or problem to the vehicle, he or she must provide this information to you before you purchase the vehicle.  Make sure that you ask about this information as they may not tell you otherwise.
* Many people believe that they have a few days to return a car if they do not like it.  This is not true.  In most areas, there are no laws protecting the car buyer in this manner.  If you purchased it, signed on the dotted line, it’s yours. 

Protecting Yourself

If you are considering the purchase of a new car or other product covered under lemon laws, it is up to you to do your homework.  First, take the time to find out what your state’s lemon laws actually are.  Second, make sure that you are looking for the possible wrongs in any vehicle you are considering.  Probably the most important aspect of purchasing a car should be having someone that you know and trust look at the car and do a thorough inspection of it.  Finally, if you believe that you are a victim of a lemon law abuser, by all means find a skilled and experienced lemon law attorney to work with.  He or she will provide you with just what you need to determine if you do have a case.

Lemon laws are in place to help you, but you have to do what it takes to make that happen.