Are you wondering what you can do if your dealership sold you a bad car? Depending on the problem, it’s possible to return your car and get your money back or have the dealer pay for the repairs and any pre-existing defects. When a dealer refuses to help, hiring an auto fraud lawyer usually changes the equation and forces a better outcome.
Call our Auto Fraud Attorneys if this happened to you:
- You bought a car and paid more than the advertised price.
- You bought a car and it broke down soon after you drove off the lot.
- You bought a car and later found out that it has been in an accident or that it is defective or has frame damage.
- You bought a car with a warranty that the dealer won’t honor, or you are being told that your repair is not covered due to an exclusion.
If you believe that your dealership sold you a bad car, call our auto fraud lawyers for immediate help (and free case evaluation!):
(818) 254-8413
Everyone that helped prep and present my case was thorough and answered all my questions. Their response time is absolutely amazing. Very knowledgeable and a great strong team. -Lisa J.
My Used Car Dealership Sold Me a Lemon
Every day, we receive calls from car buyers saying “I was sold a lemon car”… “my dealership sold me a bad car”. If your dealership sold you a bad car, call us now to receive free legal advice from one of our experienced auto dealer fraud lawyers or lemon law attorney.
What Should I Do if My Car Dealership Sold me a Bad Used Car?
You should hire an auto dealer lawyer if your car dealer sold you a bad car by lying to you. Your dealer could have lied to you by selling you a ‘lemon car’ or by not disclosing any accident or damage done to the car. In either case, you can sue your dealer for selling you a bad car or one with structural damage to the car. If you bought a lemon car, your best option would be to contact a lemon law attorney as the law applies differently.
Read more on “Is There A Lemon Law For Used Cars?”
Our Auto Fraud Lawyers Sue Car Dealerships For:
- Selling a vehicle for more than the advertised price
- Hiding and failing to disclose prior accidents
- Hiding and failing to disclose prior use as a rental car
- Hiding and failing to disclose prior frame damage
- Hiding or failing to disclose prior engine defects and major repairs needed
- Breaking up the down payment into amounts to pay later [Deferred payments]
- Adding additional options or features without your consent
- Taking the car back to the dealership after a month (illegal in some cases)
Call Our Auto Fraud Attorney to:
- Get your money back
- Return your car to the dealer and get out of your contract
- Keep your car, but make the dealer pay for repairs or pre-existing damage
“I contacted this group in regard to an issue involving my vehicle. I felt very lost, frustrated and confused. I feel this group was able to help me find clarity as well as gather information in regard to my legal rights. They provided me with support to feel comfortable in making the decisions that best helped gather my situation together.” – Nelson G.
If any of the above fraud and scams apply to you, call the Auto Fraud Attorney Near You for immediate legal protection:
(818) 254-8413
How do I know if My Car is a Lemon?
A car is considered a lemon if it meets the following conditions within 18 months of purchase or before 18,000 miles have incurred on the odometer, whichever comes first:
- At least 2 attempts have been made to fix a warranty issue that could have resulted in a serious injury or death.
- At least 4 attempts were made to fix an issue during the warranty period.
- The vehicle spent more than 30 days [total] in the shop while being repaired.
If your car is considered a lemon, you are entitled to have your car replaced OR a refund of your car’s purchase price (California Lemon Law).
Is it Illegal to Sell a Lemon?
If you are driving around thinking “my car dealer sold me a bad used car” then you may have a case against your dealership. Many people believe that a used lemon is a crappy car that they are stuck with, but that is not true. In most states, there are good laws that protect consumers and make it possible to return a defective car.
If you are asking, “my dealer sold me a lemon what can I do?” the simple answer is: call a lawyer! In California, lemon laws give the dealer 3 opportunities to fix the same problem when a car is still covered under the warranty.
For example, if your car’s air conditioning is not working and you take it to the dealer 3 times but they can’t fix it during the warranty period, it’s like baseball, after the 3rd strike the dealer is out. The same is true if the dealer has the car in the shop for more than 30 days trying to fix the problem, after a total of 30 days, if the dealer hasn’t been able to fix the problem, the car is officially a lemon.
If you believe that your dealership sold you a lemon car, call our lemon law attorneys for a free case evaluation!
(818) 254-8413
“If i can give them more 5 star i would cause they give me really good second opinion cause my case under 10000 $ and they spend time with me on the phone explaining for me what to do if they do this for free and care for people either they will pay or not they must be a trust firm and i recommend.” Abdullah S.
I was Sold a Lemon Car – What Should I Do?
Once you conclude that your car is a lemon, the best option is to call a lawyer to file a claim to get your money back and cancel the contract. A lawyer will have to make a formal claim with all of the paperwork from prior repairs. A good claim shows that all of the repairs were for the same problem, during the warranty period, and the problem was never fixed after 3 or more repair attempts.
What Happens When My Car is Officially a Lemon?
Every day, we receive calls from buyers saying: “I was sold a lemon car” and we walk through the process of filing a claim to get back every penny paid and to get out of the contract. The legal process takes time and patience, and claims are usually brought against the dealer and the manufacturer. As long as there is solid proof of the problems and the failed attempts to repair the car, buyers usually get every penny back, and they get out of the contract.
My Used Car Dealership Sold Me a Lemon Car
Usually, lemon cars are new cars that have a defect that cannot be fixed. However, there are times when used cars qualify as lemons. A used car may be a lemon when it is sold with a warranty and the car breaks down while it is under the warranty period and the same problems keep persisting [even past the warranty period]. Many people use the word lemon to describe a car that keeps breaking down, but to be a true lemon, the car must be covered under a warranty [at least for a while].
Can Used Car Dealerships Sell Lemon Cars?
By definition, a used car dealer that sells a lemon is required to buy back the car. Consumer laws are very clear about dealer and manufacturer liability for lemons: once a car is declared a lemon it must be refunded and the contract must be canceled.
What to Expect When Hiring a Lemon Car Lawyer
By calling the lemon car lawyers at Consumer Action Law Group, you will be able to have your questions answered during a free consultation with a lawyer. Within minutes, the staff and lemon law attorneys will make recommendations for anyone who needs help with lemon law claims. Call now for a free case evaluation.
Undisclosed Car History
A good way to figure out your car’s history is to check the CARFAX report. The report will show if the car the dealer sold you was in an accident or received any damages. If you do not know how to get a CARFAX report, our auto dealer fraud lawyers can help you.
Here’s an example of finding out if you were sold a used lemon. Let’s say that you almost get into an accident because of faulty brakes. You return the car to the dealership to have it fixed. The dealership claims they fixed the issue, but the problem comes up again repeatedly. You then check the CARFAX report and realize that the car has been in previous accidents, perhaps one of which resulted in frame damage.
Cars like these can be considered a used lemon. In this case, the car buyer can sue the dealer for selling a used lemon car. If you believe that you were sold a used lemon, call now to get free legal advice for your situation.
The Dealership Sold Me a Bad Used Car, What Should I Do?
Used cars are also covered by the California Lemon Law. If you were sold a bad car, our lawyers can help with the following:
- You can return a car and get your money back or
- You can have the dealer pay for the repairs and any pre-existing damages.
If you believe you were sold a bad car, talk to our auto sale lawyers now for free advice.
What happens if your car is determined to be a lemon?
In most cases, if your car is determined to be a lemon you will either receive a full refund for all payments and money down or the vehicle will be replaced with a similar year make and model.
What does it mean when someone sold you a lemon?
When someone sold you a lemon it means that the vehicle was defective and is not worth the price that you paid. The term lemon specifically means the vehicle had a defect that affected safety or value while the manufacturer's warranty was still in effect.
What is the CA Lemon Law?
The CA Lemon Law applies to any vehicle that had a defect while the manufacturer's warranty was still in effect. Under the CA Lemon Law a vehicle must be refunded or replaced after "reasonable" documented attempts to repair the vehicle.
How long is the Lemon Law in California?
The Lemon Law in California starts the clock from the date of the defect up to four years later. There may be exceptions to the rule so it's best to ask a lawyer.
How lemon law benefits car buyers?
The lemon law benefits car buyers by making sure they are not forced to keep driving a defective and potentially unsafe vehicle. The main lemon law benefits for car buyers are either a full refund or replacement of the vehicle, but public policy benefits include keeping defective and unsafe vehicles off the road.
Can you return a used car if it has problems?
You can return a used car if it has problems that come up while the vehicle is covered by the manufacturer's warranty; as long as it was still in effect while the defect occurred. There is some controversy about used cars and new cars qualifying as lemons, but our lawyers are up to date on the laws that affect used car buyers and we can advise you about whether you have a lemon claim or not.
What cars are considered lemons?
Depending on where you bought your vehicle, most defective cars are considered lemons when the vehicle had a defect that affected safety or value while the manufacturer's warranty was still in effect.
Why is it called lemon law?
It is called lemon law because the experience of buying a defective vehicle leaves a sour taste in your mouth. The term traces back to an expression from the 1950s describing a sour deal.
What does reported as lemon mean?
Reported as lemon means that a claim has been made to the manufacturer to label the vehicle as defective and to buy it back or replace it. This is what happens after a defect is documented and the vehicle is either unsafe or cannot be reasonably repaired.
How do I report a lemon car in California?
To report a lemon car in California it's important to get copies of repair records; even if the vehicle was not repaired or the problem could not be duplicated. A manufacturer will require proof that the vehicle is defective and unsafe or not able to be repaired. Once a reasonable number attempts are made without any success, a good lemon lawyer will file a claim against the manufacturer to brand the vehicle as a lemon and process a refund or replacement.
How long do you have to return a used car in California?
Depending on the problem that arises, you have limited time to return a used car in California if it is defective. Our lemon lawyers help used car buyers who buy defective vehicles that started having problems while the manufacturer's warranty was still in effect
What is a lemon law buyback in California?
A lemon law buyback in California is what happens when a lemon claim is filed and the manufacturer refunds all payments made for the vehicle. A buyback is a full refund of the down and monthly payments, plus any rentals and repairs, with a deduction for miles driven and add ons.
Is there a 30 day warranty on used cars in California?
There is a mandatory 30 day warranty [or 1000 miles, whichever comes first] on used cars in California sold at a "buy here pay here" dealership. A dealer must also provide a "buyer's guide" to clearly show whether a warranty is included in the purchase or if it is sold as is for any vehicle sold in CA.
What happens when a dealership can't fix your car?
When a dealership can't fix your car there are several factors to determine whether to unwnd the sale or get a replacement vehicle. The most important factor is warranty coverage, followed by number of documented repair attempts, and date of sale & miles driven. In most cases, for a new or fairly new vehicle, a vehicle that cannot be fixed is considered a lemon.
Does California lemon law apply to cars purchased out of state?
California lemon law usuallly does not apply to cars purchased out of state, however there are several exceptions such as online purchases and transported vehicles. We recommend talking to a lawyer to find out if California lemon law applies to a car you purchased out of state.
Talk to our Auto Lawyer for Bad Car Sale for Free!
If your car dealer sold you a bad car, our dealer fraud lawyers can sue your car dealer to get you your money back or have the dealer pay for any costs incurred from repairs or pre-existing damages. Call now to be connected to the best auto fraud lawyers. We evaluate auto fraud cases for FREE!
Talk to our auto fraud lawyers for help with the dealer’s bad car sale. The case evaluation is free!