Has Anyone Done an Auto Lemon Law Claim?

[smokeyblue]

I've put in a lemon law claim and have been offered a new vehicle. Any experiences here with getting a replacement vehicle or taking the cash settlement?

 

[kdonnel]

Started one but ended up keeping the original car. At the time we decided we really did like the model we had picked and would take a replacement rather then a refund.

 

[Klayfish]

What kind of car is/was it? Be sure you'd want another.

 

[rwdavis2]

Although I have never done this, what exactly are you unsure about? If they are offering the price you paid for the car including all the fees and taxes I would take the money. That gives you the option of buying another brand of car, which I would do. What type of car and what was wrong with it? If it's a Honda or Toyota then it was probably an anomaly and I would try them again. A Ford or Chrysler (Jeep too), run away.

 

[RUDisney]

My brother took the money for his Mercury Capri convertible. No one could fix the roof leak. He loved that car, but hated that the inside was wet when the roof was up and it rained. It was a long time ago, when the Capri was new.

 

[soccerdad72]

Just threatened one - dealership swapped out to a different vehicle and, I believe, they dealt with the manufacturer on the lemon law themselves.

 

[cvjw]

I've put in a lemon law claim and have been offered a new vehicle. Any experiences here with getting a replacement vehicle or taking the cash settlement?

Yes, I have. A 2013 Nissan Pathfinder that needed its 3rd transmission in 10 months. Nissan fought me for almost the whole time. I finally prevailed, but it was an unpleasant situation.

I demanded my money back because at that point, Nissan couldn’t have given me another car for free . Since the issue showed up the first week, and I took it to the dealership for the first repair attempt at 200 miles, I got a check back for the whole purchase price minus about $100. They also reimbursed me for my ad valorem taxes.

Only you can decide if you want another vehicle or your money back. I helped numerous other people use the lemon law against Nissan for the 2013 pathfinders. Some people didn’t want money back because they were upside down on their loans, so they took other vehicles. Everyone’s situation is different.

 

[starry_solo]

^^What the PP said^^

 

[smokeyblue]

What kind of car is/was it? Be sure you'd want another.

It's a 2019 Chevy Silverado. I don't necessarily think the car was a lemon, it was more the circumstances. The dealership couldn't get parts because of the strike. Additionally the dealership absorbed the clientele of another dealership it bought out and closed and didnt increase staff increasing the wait time. 4 trips and roughly 90 days total without my vehicle.

I need a tow vehicle so I'll probably just get an identical truck. The small SUV's are too small for my liking and the full-suzed SUV's just feel like minivans with bigger wheels to me. I do really like the vehicle, but the way GM has handled it is is what has me so angry. They absolutely refuse to refund my lease payments for the time I was without use of my truck. They just don't care and they know they can get away with it. I unfortunately live in Michigan and our lemon law leans in favor of the automaker.

 

[cvjw]

Yes, leasing is different. I paid cash for my pathfinder, so I got it all back - less a little bit of mileage. Each states lemon law rules are different. You need to figure yours out. You would still be responsible for mileage from the time of purchase to the time of first repair attempt. For some, that can be quite significant

 

[clh2]

I know somebody who used the lemon law in Wisconsin about 10 years ago. I mentioned the state, as individual state laws may vary.

in coming up with the settlement amount, the dealership tried to deduct a mileage fee. In Wisconsin(at the time) if you were replacing it with a vehicle at the same dealership, they were not allowed to charge the fee.

 

[low-key]

I just had to check and make sure you didn't post

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I know that they will sometimes issue a settlement. Recently at work, somebody had a loan on a vehicle. Ford Motor Motor Co bought it back. They paid us off as lienholder (plus a little more, which the excess went to the owner). We sent them the title because it was now Ford's vehicle. It was a 2019 Ford Escape, I have no idea what was wrong with it.

 

[Skippy918]

My friend used the lemon law to turn in her Dodge Ram. The car was new and kept having issues with something. She ended up getting an F150.

 

[Cheetie]

I did on a Chevy Malibu back in 1999. The dealership settled and refunded my money and I bought a Honda that I had for 10 years. One of the many problems with the car was that the security system would kick it when the outside temp went above 90 and we’d be locked out of the car.

Funny thing was, a friend of mine had the same experience with a Malibu that she had as a loaner a few months later and she was stuck two hours away from home. Turns out, it was the same car. They settled so they could use it as a loaner car.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

It's a 2019 Chevy Silverado. I don't necessarily think the car was a lemon, it was more the circumstances. The dealership couldn't get parts because of the strike. Additionally the dealership absorbed the clientele of another dealership it bought out and closed and didnt increase staff increasing the wait time. 4 trips and roughly 90 days total without my vehicle.

I need a tow vehicle so I'll probably just get an identical truck. The small SUV's are too small for my liking and the full-suzed SUV's just feel like minivans with bigger wheels to me. I do really like the vehicle, but the way GM has handled it is is what has me so angry. They absolutely refuse to refund my lease payments for the time I was without use of my truck. They just don't care and they know they can get away with it. I unfortunately live in Michigan and our lemon law leans in favor of the automaker.

I don’t know the lemon laws in Michigan, but some state lemon laws say the same issue has to be component based to be repaired or replaced 3 times without fixing the problem before the lemon law applies. Time without a useable vehicle has nothing to do with it. Lack of parts has nothing to do with it (Takata airbags anyone?).

 

[smokeyblue]

I don’t know the lemon laws in Michigan, but some state lemon laws say the same issue has to be component based to be repaired or replaced 3 times without fixing the problem before the lemon law applies. Time without a useable vehicle has nothing to do with it. Lack of parts has nothing to do with it (Takata airbags anyone?).

Michigan requires a number of repair attempts and days our of service to qualify. I've exceeded both and GM has offered a new vehicle and I could force the issue of a refund if I wanted.

 

[Klayfish]

The small SUV's are too small for my liking and the full-suzed SUV's just feel like minivans with bigger wheels to me.

Just as an FYI, a Suburban/Tahoe is a Silverado, just with a fully enclosed body, so if you'd prefer one they'd be identical to your Silverado. They share the same platform/structure/etc....

 

[720L]

I used the Lemon Law on a Chevy Malibu the first year they came out. I got my money back & bought a Toyota Camry & have never bought GM again. That car had multiple problems not just 1 problem. The check engine light came on the first day I drove it. It made a whistling noise when driving above 55. The "leather" seats ripped the first month.