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Buyer's Remorse - Pleasant as the dealer
may be during the selling process, legally their obligation is over, and yours begins, when you sign on the dotted
line and drive away. In most states consumer products are covered by 3-day Right to Rescind (buyer's remorse)
laws. Unfortunately, motor vehicle sales and leasing contracts usually aren't covered. Contact your
state's Attorney General's Office for more information on buyer's-remorse law in your state. If you find you
don't like the car you bought, you're generally out of luck. In rare circumstances an understanding dealer may
help you out. The paperwork may take weeks to process, though, and you can expect to lose thousands of
dollars. If you bought a car privately, you have no recourse other than through your attorney or small-claims
court. Returning a leased vehicle is virtually impossible due to the amount of depreciation, paperwork, and
fees involved. If you believe you've been misled by a dealer, and have documentation to prove it, contact your
state's Attorney General's Office and Department Of Motor Vehicles (DMV). If either feels you have a case,
you'll need an attorney as well.
Missing Registrations, Tags, or Titles -
Licensed dealers are required to transfer title and tags within a reasonable period of time - usually 5 to 45 days
depending on the state. If 30 days have passed since your vehicle's delivery and you haven't received your
registration or title in the mail, call the dealer and ask for an explanation. If you remain unsatisfied after
talking to the dealer, contact your state's DMV and Attorney General's Office to see if they can be of assistance.
What if the Car I Bought is a Lemon? -
Under Lemon Law legislation, most states allow new vehicle purchasers to choose either a replacement or a refund if
the vehicle can't be repaired after a reasonable number of attempts. Lemon laws apply only to new vehicles,
ignoring used vehicles entirely. If you have a leased lemon, you'll need to talk to your leasing company, as
most state's lemon laws do not apply to leased vehicles. You may need to contact the state's Attorney
General's Office in addition to your own attorney if the dealership and manufacturer remain uncooperative.
(Remember, you are responsible for paying back
your loan, no matter what happens to the vehicle. The manufacturer or dealer/seller is legally responsible for any
problems you encounter, not the lender. If the transmission fails on the way home from the dealer, you still
have to pay back your loan.)
The following sites have lots of useful
information pertaining to lemon laws in different states.
AutoPedia Lemon Law
Information at
http://www.autopedia.com/html/HotLinks_Lemon.html
Lemon Law Car Page at
http://www.mindspring.com/~wf1/lemonlaw.htm
Lemon.org at
http://www.lemon.org/
Warranty Problems, Consumer Complaints, Recalls and TSBs are on the next page >
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