Does Lemon Law California For Used Cars Apply With No Warranty In San Diego?
The Moss-Magnuson Consumer Warranty Act, popularly known as the Lemon Law, was enacted in 1975 to protect customers who inadvertently acquired a damaged automobile. Lemon law varies by state, and only a few states provide advantages for used autos. Fortunately, California’s lemon legislation for second hand cars can be extremely beneficial to consumers.
Lemon law advantages in California are nearly entirely reliant on the conditions of the manufacturer’s or dealer’s warranty. What happens, however, if there isn’t a warranty in place?
Purchasing a vehicle without a guarantee carries a certain amount of risk. However, if the vehicle is malfunctioning, you may not be absolutely out of luck. In this piece, we’ll go over what the lemon legislation for used cars without warranties comprises, as well as your options.
Let’s get started.
California’s Lemon Law For Used Cars
If this is your first time reading one of our articles, here’s a quick rundown of California lemon law requirements:
When the defect is reported, the vehicle must be covered under the manufacturer’s or dealer’s warranty; and The manufacturer or dealer has been given a reasonable number of repair attempts to fix the defect (usually at least two), or The vehicle has been out of service for 30 days or more, and The defect was not caused by driver abuse.
If the conditions are met, vehicles can be handled in the same way as new cars under California’s lemon law. The warranty conditions are the most significant difference.
Most new vehicles come with a manufacturer guarantee that lasts three years or until the odometer reaches 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. Some warranties, such as drivetrain warranties, can last up to five years or 100,000 miles. These figures, however, differ depending on the brand. In California, used vehicle warranties are only valid for 30 days after purchase or until 1,000 miles have been accumulated on the odometer.
Lemon Law in California For Used Cars With No Warranty
Purchasing a used vehicle without a warranty is never a good idea. Unless the original guarantee is still in place, most – if not all – private car sales are now “as is” arrangements. Purchasing a used automobile “as is” from a dealership may indicate that the vehicle has significant flaws that the dealer cannot justify correcting. To put it another way, you’re probably looking at a money pit.
But what if it’s unclear whether the secondhand car is being sold with a dealer warranty or “as is”?
Conclusion
If the buyer’s guide does not mention a dealer warranty or a “as is” clause, the vehicle is sold with an implicit warranty of merchantability under California lemon law. Let the experts at Scott Law Group P.C. handle the work by giving us a call at (619) 345-5599 right now!
If you need a professional lemon lawyer for your case, contact us right away!
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