Lemon Laws Protect Consumers from Fraudulent Automobile Sales
According to Worldometers, there have been nearly 33 million cars produced so far this year across the world. Being that we are in July, that puts the average monthly production at just shy of five million cars. With 86 percent of Americans, almost 270 million of us, using a car to commute to work, according to the United States Census Bureau, you can imagine how many automobiles drive down our streets everyday. With this daily wear and tear, of course, the cars are bound to break down from old age and regular maintenance issues.
What if a resident of New York State has just purchased a brand new 2014 version of their favorite American make and model, and a few days later the car breaks down? Surely it cannot be normal wear and tear. They take their car back to the dealer where the mechanics try to fix it. They try once, twice, and then nothing. The dealer tells you he is sorry but there is not anything the company can do. He tells you that the cars are sold as is and you just have to live with the unfortunate situation.
New York State laws protect the Empire State’s residents from this type of fraudulent practice through the Lemon Law. The New York State Lemon Law is described on Attorney General Eric T. Schneider’s website as a legal remedy to purchasers of new and “certain used” vehicles that turn out to be lemons. A lemon is a car that suddenly dies. If it does not comply with the written warranty that was guaranteed at purchase and if the dealer is unable to repair the vehicle after a reasonable number of tries to fix it then the purchaser is lawfully entitled to a monetary refund or replacement of her vehicle.
New York State laws hold that certain conditions have to be met for a vehicle to be eligible for coverage under New York State Lemon Laws. For example, the car must have been covered under a warranty at original delivery upon purchase and the issue must have occurred within 18,000 driven miles or two years from purchase. Of course, there are limitations to this as well. For example, NY State law does not hold dealers accountable for errors occurring as a result of neglect on the part of the vehicle’s owner.
If you are faced with a situation that may be covered under New York State laws governing the sale of consumer vehicles, it is in your best interest to contact Attorney General Schneider’s office to ascertain more specific information regarding NYS Lemon Laws. The experts in his office can inform you fully on the different conditions and exemptions around Lemon Law claims.
