Is your automobile covered by law lemon legislation? This is the first question to ask if you feel your new car is a defective dud. You may have taken your car in for all kinds of repairs but it may still not be covered. Work vehicles, motor homes and motorcycles are not always included in state laws, for instance. Also, the used car lemon law only applies to Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. Before you take the next step in evaluation, you should review your state's eligibility requirements at www.bbb.org/us/auto-line/state-lemon-laws.

The second step in evaluating your car's law lemon eligibility is to consider the timing. In most cases, there must be documentation of a defect within the first year or 18,000 miles following the purchase. This documentation usually comes in the form of a repair receipt and vehicle check-up. It is very important that you hold onto all this evidence and keep detailed records of repairs and phone conversations with the dealer to strengthen your case. It is also wise to take your car directly back to the dealer or manufacturer to ensure that there is no finger-pointing between your local mechanic and the seller, with no one claiming responsibility for the defects. Generally, your car is protected by the state lemon law for the length of your warranty, although some regions place a 1 to 5 year limitation on when you are allowed to file a claim.

Thirdly, there are some specific stipulations about the "attempted repairs" in a law lemon case. Ideally, the process works as follows. You call for lawyer help at the first sign of car trouble to let them know about your situation. They will provide you with legal advice on how to handle the situation, so if need be, they will be able to pursue the case should other car trouble ensue after the so-called "repair." You will take notes of your conversation with mechanics at the dealership and you will keep the receipt and detailed records of any repairs made. If the car continues to fail, you will follow the same protocol for each time. Before filing your official claim, you should send the manufacturer a warning letter stating your intentions so there is no confusion about the seriousness of this matter. The laws of each state vary on the allowable "reasonable number of repairs" and days off the road, so be sure to check with your attorney before proceeding.

Lastly, the law lemon case will depend upon what sort of "defect" your car has. According to federal laws, you are protected by defects "that substantially impair the use, safety, or market value of the vehicle; and that were not caused by an accident, abuse or neglect, or unauthorized modifications to the vehicle." So, in other words, if you decide to fit your vehicle with "monster truck" tires and you have problems with them, you're out of luck. If you have a car starter installed but your car no longer starts, then that matter must be taken up with the installation facility and not the seller of your vehicle. Many lemon car candidates have trouble with brakes, transmission, steering columns, overheating or starting, but there are all sorts of other serious defects so be sure to speak with a knowledgeable attorney.

Rene Lacape has been in the insurance industry for several years now and he has been a proficient worker in this field already. If you need anything about insurance, you can give him a call or visit his website anytime.

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