Buying a new or new-to-you car is always an exciting experience. The last thing you expect when cruising around in your big purchase are breakdowns or repairs. While there are always risks to buying a used car, there are laws that can help to protect purchasers from purchasing one that has an issue that, for whatever reason, cannot be corrected. In the following, we’re going to discuss California’s Lemon Laws and how they apply to older cars.
What Is the California Lemon Law?
California’s Lemon Law was enacted to protect purchasers of cars from the added expense of fixing them for an unfixable problem. This law covers all kinds of pre-owned, leased, and financed vehicles, including passenger vehicles, motorcycles, and even motorcycles. However, to be considered a lemon, your car needs to fix a certain criterion. For a vehicle to be under the protection of the California Lemon Law, it must:
- Have an existing warranty.
- Be registered in the State of California
- Have been purchased from a car dealer or car manufacturer
- Have been returned to the dealer or manufacturer multiple times to repair the same issue
- The required repair is deemed to be essential for its operation
Cars purchased from private individuals do not qualify for the Lemon Law. Also, the issues with the car cannot be the result of normal wear and tear. The defect must be unusual, something that should have been easily resolved the first time it was brought to a mechanic to correct. If, after multiple attempts at correcting the problem, you can take things a step further.
What To Do if You Suspect Your Car Is Covered Under California Lemon Laws
If your car fits the criterion of being a lemon, the California Lemon Laws are there to protect you. If it hasn’t been fixed after multiple attempts to repair the vehicle’s issues, you may be entitled to a replacement vehicle or a total refund. If yours has proven to be a lemon, the car dealer or manufacturer must:
- Provide adequate repair facilities
- The necessary repairs take less than 30 days
- Have a select amount of times to fix the vehicle’s issue
- Must replace the vehicle or buy it back for the same amount it was purchased
- Pay for any out-of-pocket expenses to the car owner caused by the attempted repairs
Again, the vehicle suspected of being a lemon must still be covered by its existing warranty or an extended warranty. If the dealer or manufacturer refuses to replace the vehicle or buy it back, unfortunately, the owner of the lemon can request a free arbitration to settle the issue. Complaints must be filed within four years of first discovering the vehicle’s defect.
Lemon Laws and California Junk Cars
Unfortunately for their owners, junk cars rarely qualify for Lemon Law protections. If you’ve purchased what’s considered a junk car, you most likely purchased it from a private individual, and the vehicle most likely isn’t covered by a manufacturer or extended warranty. If, after years of ownership, your car has a mechanical issue that hasn’t been repaired after multiple attempts by a certified mechanic, it still doesn’t qualify for Lemon Law protection.
However, this doesn’t mean that all is lost. You can sell your lemon to a specialized junk car dealer who purchases cars with pre-existing, seemingly unfixable issues. For example, you can sell your junk car in San Diego. They’ll buy a car despite needing costly repairs, those with excessive mileage, and even those that aren’t running. Most junk car dealers will come right to you, haul that wreck away, and leave you with a check, cash, or a Venmo payment, usually for much more than expected.
California’s Lemon Laws and Your Junk Car: The Bottom Line
Lemons that are still under warranty and cannot be fixed after multiple repair attempts will qualify for California’s Lemon Law protection. If it’s proven that a vehicle is a lemon, the dealership or manufacturer is required by law to either provide a replacement vehicle or buy the lemon back at the price it was sold for. Unfortunately, most cars that hit the category of junk aren’t protected by Lemon Laws.
If you’re stuck with an unfixable car, you can still get some money for it. Selling it to a specialized junk car dealer is the easiest and most profitable way to unburden yourself from a hard-to-sell, inoperable car. Give a junk car dealer a call today and see how much you can get for yours.
