Did You Buy a Lemon Instead of a New Car?

You expect a new car to run sweetly, but you can sometimes get a sour deal. Fortunately, laws in every state protect consumers who purchase cars with serious defects that can't be fixed or that reoccur. These "lemon laws" vary from state to state, but generally they give a new-car buyer the possibility of obtaining a refund or a replacement vehicle if...

The car has been in the shop for the same repair four or more times in a specified period (12 months in some states, 18 in others).

The car has been out of service for 30 days or more during a specified period (again, it's usually for 12 or 18 months).To take advantage of lemon laws, however, you must give the manufacturer reasonable opportunity to fix the car. And typically you will have to take several other steps before you can see legal protection.

Steps to Fix a Lemon

Once you realize that your car has a recurring problem or when the repair time begins to mount up, you will then be ready to take action:

Write to the service department manager at the dealership where you had your car repaired. Clearly explain the problem you've experienced (the engine continues to overheat despite your repair attempts, for example). Include copies of all warranty service orders you've received from the dealership.

Get a new work order every time you take your car in for service, and keep your copies. Don't let the service manager convince you that the problem is on a previous order so you don't need a new one.

Save all receipts for any outside work don if your car breaks down while you're away from home and you have it repaired by someone other than your dealer.

Contact the manufacturer's area representative if the dealership can't fix the problem. You can get the representative's address and telephone number from the dealer, or it may be in your owner's manual. After you talk to the representative, be sure to follow up with a letter and include copies of your correspondence, work orders, and a log of your conversations with service department personnel.