If you are in the market for a new car, you need to be cautious and selective. A new vehicle is, for most people, a large purchase and unfortunately "New" does not mean it will not break down. Here's some tips to help you in selecting a new car (or truck) and pursuing a replacement and/or reimbursement if that vehicle is a lemon!
- Always test drive before you buy. With the Internet becoming the marketplace for an ever rising percent of our purchases, buying a new car or truck online might seem tempting. Your options open up to nearly every new car available and you can avoid dealing with pushy sales people car lot tactics, but you miss out on the test drive. During a test drive you get a feel for the car; how it drives, how the engine responds, how the interior feels, etc. You might feel something that doesn't seem right and you might end up avoiding a lemon all together (which, obviously, is better then having to fight for your lemon law rights)
- Write everything down. Keep a notepad and pencil with you everywhere and take notes. This might sound silly but having every bit of information regarding the purchase of a new vehicle is extremely important and can help speed up the process of dealing with a lemon and could possibly mean the difference between a positive outcome and a negative one.
- Make copies of everything. All the documentation regarding repairs, the warranty, the dealership, the car, your loan, the terms... every thing is potentially important. By having a copy, stored separately from the originals, is just good sense and more then just precaution against loss.
- Do not get discouraged. The issue of repeated repairs might come up in discussions with someone at the dealership, a mechanic or sales people and they might try to tell you that the problems are common and don't qualify under the lemon laws. Unless they are attorneys, and working for you, then don't listen to them. They can tell you anything they want, it doesn't make it law.
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