Why
haven’t I heard more about the California Lemon Law?
Though
not drenched in media attention, the California Lemon Law is one of
the most attractive, “consumer friendly” consumer protection laws
in the nation. It is for this reason that you should take advantage
of it. The Law Offices of William R. McGee can defend your
rights and bring a swift and fair resolution to your lemon ownership
experience.
What
am I entitled to under the California Lemon Law?
If you financed or leased your vehicle, you are entitled to get back your
down payment (or lease inception fee), government fees, trade-in equity,
license fees and all the monthly payments you have made up to the date of
settlement. You may also be entitled to towing reimbursement, as
well as rental car expenses you personally paid during your warranty
repair visits. The manufacturer pays off the existing loan (or
lease), you turn the vehicle back in to the car dealership, and you
get your Lemon Law refund check. This is known as a vehicle
repurchase. In certain circumstances you may also elect to take a
replacement vehicle in lieu of a repurchase. This is known as an exchange of collateral.
Your loan remains the same, and you simply “swap” your present
vehicle for a new one with the same equipment. Leased vehicles are
treated in the same way.
In
any Lemon Law action, the manufacturer is entitled to an offset
for mileage based on the odometer reading at the first time you
had your vehicle repaired for a recurring problem. There is a
specific formula for calculating this offset, which your Lemon Law
attorney will discuss with you.
How
long can this process take?
We
can usually reach a settlement with the manufacturer within 30-90 days
by retaining our firm. A very large number of cases are settled in as
little as 30 days! You will not damage or compromise your credit
by taking advantage of the Lemon Law.
As
you can see, after you retain our firm it can be a very quick
process. And we keep you updated on your cases progress. You no longer
need to be involved with car dealers or auto manufacturers and suffer
the frustration and anxiety of dealing with these problems.