The Florida Lemon Law And Extended Warranties On Used Cars

By Author: danielaiden
Total Articles: 19
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There are many advantages in buying a used car as long as it is not someone else's lemon. Buying a used car requires greater caution if you live in Florida because Florida Lemon Law does not honor extended warranties on Florida used cars. Extended warranties generally cover major drive train parts like the engine, trans-axle, and transmission. These extended warranties generally operate more like insurance policies and are subject to regulation in Florida. In the case of an ‘as-is' vehicle once you hit the road with it, it is yours and the repairs are also yours. The ‘as- is' cars are also not covered by the Florida Lemon Law.

The Florida lemon law program does not cover:

* Used cars
* Vehicles that run only on tracks
* Off-road vehicles
* Trucks over 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight
* Motorcycles
* Mopeds
* The living facilities of recreational vehicles

What makes a car a lemon according to the Florida Lemon Law:

* Nonconformities/defects/conditions that substantially impair the use, value or safety of the new vehicle
...
... * These defects must be first discovered within the first 24 months after the date of delivery to the consumer
* The defect persists after 3 attempts to repair these defects

The Florida Lemon Law does not cover defects that result from accident, neglect, abuse, modification or alteration by unauthorized dealers. To get the best out of the Florida lemon law do not delay in reporting a problem.

To get the best out of the Florida lemon law the consumers should:

* Keep records of all repairs and maintenance
* Obtain a written repair order from the service agent/dealer for each repair under the warranty
* Make note of the dates the vehicle was taken in for repair and when the work was completed
* Make note of the Odometer mileage before and after the vehicle was left at the shop for repairs
* Save all receipts or invoices for payment of expenses related to the purchase/lease/repairs of the vehicle
* Give written notification by certified, registered or express mail, to the manufacturer to afford a final opportunity to repair the vehicle

The Florida lemon law requires the manufacturer to buy back the defective vehicle and give the consumer a purchase price refund or a replacement vehicle.