Turning Lemons into Lemon-aid:

The Lemon Law Process

So, you’ve got a lemon in California. While it’s not ideal, it’s inevitable -- vehicles can’t be built perfectly 100% of the time. When your vehicle repeatedly fails to meet the manufacturer’s warranty after a reasonable number of attempts at repair, you may be entitled to a refund or replacement. Even if your vehicle isn’t considered a lemon, you may be eligible for cash compensation. Read on to learn how the lemon law process can work in your favor.

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The Lemon Law Process: Getting A Refund For Your Lemon in California

If you are the original purchaser of a lemon, you are entitled to a refund of the following:

  • Your down payment and any monthly payments you’ve made.
  • The balance of your loan.
  • Collateral charges, i.e. sales tax, finance charges, and prorated registration and service contracts.
  • Rental car, tow truck, and any other expenses that are a direct consequence of your lemon.
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If you leased a lemon in Los Angeles, California, you are entitled to:

  • Your down payment.
  • Your monthly lease payments.
  • All remaining lease payments.
  • Collateral charges, i.e. sales tax, finance charges, and prorated registration and service contracts.
  • Rental car, tow truck, and any other expenses that are a direct consequence of your lemon.

If you’re unsure whether you qualify for a full refund or the lemon law buyback process in California, give our Los Angeles office a call and we will walk you through the lemon law process and criteria. There are certain criteria that need to be met when it comes to getting the recovery you deserve, and the lemon laws differ from state to state and may apply differently to your specific situation. Are lemon law lawyers are experts at this area of law and can guide you through the steps of the lemon law process.

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Getting A Replacement Vehicle

During the lemon law process in California, if you choose to replace your lemon, your replacement vehicle must meet the following criteria:

  • It must be essentially identical to your lemon at the time you purchased or leased it.
  • It must include the same service contract.
  • It must include any and all factory or dealer enhancements that came with the purchase of your lemon, i.e. undercoating.

You will still be reimbursed for rental cars, tow trucks, and any other expenses that are a direct consequence of your lemon, and the manufacturer will be held responsible for sales tax and license and registration fees for your new vehicle.

Let us know if you think you have a lemon on your hands and would like to utilize lemon law in order to get a replacement for you vehicle. While the laws can be intricate, we specialize in consumer protection laws and have an efficient, streamlined process when it comes to getting our clients the settlement they deserve and walking them through the lemon law process.

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Lemon Law Calculator: Calculating your mileage offset

During the lemon law process, when you do get a replacement or refund for your lemon, be aware that the manufacturer can deduct a certain amount based on the distance that you drove your car before you experienced trouble. Use our handy lemon law calculator to determine the offset: Simply plug in the purchasing price of your vehicle and the mileage at which your car had its first lemon-related warranty repair. The lemon law calculator multiplies those numbers and then divides it by the life expectancy of the car (in California it’s 120,000 miles) to calculate the offset number.

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What if I Don’t Have a Lemon?

While criteria for what makes a car a lemon vary by state, essentially, any car under warranty that has a significant defect that can’t be repaired in a reasonable amount of time should be eligible for repurchase or replacement by the manufacturer. However, if your car doesn’t meet the lemon criteria, you still may be eligible for cash compensation for the diminished value of your car due to its complications. In this case, the manufacturer pays the consumer a sum of money, while the consumer keeps their car and the car’s remaining warranty stays in effect. If you’re unsure of whether or not your vehicle qualifies as a lemon in California, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re happy to give you a free evaluation of your case and help guide you to the next steps of the lemon law process.

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You’ll Never Pay Legal Fees Out of Pocket

Whether we win or lose (did you hear we have a 99% success rate?), you’ll never get stuck with out-of-pocket legal fees. Lemon laws require manufacturers to cover all legal costs associated with pursuing a lemon law claim, so there’s no reason not to fight for the compensation you deserve. Call our Los Angeles office today for a free evaluation. Even if you’re unsure of whether or not your vehicle qualifies as a lemon, we’re happy to listen to your case and let you know how the lemon law can work for you.

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Recent Wins

Our attorneys recently helped a client in Los Angeles with a claim after his BMW began to experience persistent engine problems after only 10,000 miles of driving. After our attorneys approached BMW with their demands, BMW agreed to buy back the defective car at full cost, plus reimburse our client for all legal fees!

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$2,500

When you work with Shainfeld Law, you can expect rewards of up to $2,500 and beyond -- and remember: you’ll never pay out-of-pocket legal fees.

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888-567-2279

113 N. San Vicente Blvd., 2nd Floor,
Beverly Hills, CA 90211

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