Do You Qualify For Protection Under The North Carolina Lemon Law?

By Author: Penelope Holiday
Total Articles: 222
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There's nothing quite like the feeling of driving your new vehicle off the car lot. Everything is fresh and clean, the car drives like a dream, and best of all, if something goes wrong it's covered under the manufacturer's warranty - right? All of this sounds good and well, but what happens if you bring your new car home only to find out that it has a pre-existing problem that can't be fixed? That's where the North Carolina lemon law comes into the picture. The lemon law, North Carolina residents, allows you to get a fair settlement from the vehicle manufacturer if your newly purchased car has serious defects that cannot be repaired after a certain number of repair attempts. Approximately one percent of all new or gently used cars sold fall under the lemon law. North Carolina lemon law is different from that of other states, so if you don't reside in NC, be sure to check out the lemon laws for your particular state.

Generally speaking, for a vehicle to be considered a "lemon", it must be relatively new and still under the manufacturer's warranty. Some states, for example, require that the car be less than one year old ...
... or has been driven for less than 12,000 miles to qualify for protection under the lemon law. Secondly, the problem(s) must be serious enough to affect the ability for the car to operate safely. For instance, transmission or brake problems would be considered serious, but cosmetic problems like peeling paint or worn seats are not. Finally, you have to give the manufacturer a reasonable chance to repair the problem. What a "reasonable chance" is depends on your state, but is normally something like three attempts to fix the same problem or the car remaining in the shop for thirty days or more.

If your car meets the above criteria, then it would be deemed a "lemon." So, what should you do about it? Your first step will be to notify the manufacturer who will have the opportunity to offer a reasonable settlement. If your vehicle is a lemon, you can expect to have the manufacturer buy back the car at the purchase price (adjusted for mileage) or to receive a replacement vehicle. If the settlement is not acceptable, you present your case before an arbitration court, which is run either by the manufacturer itself, by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or by some other consumer protection group. The more documentation you can bring to prove your vehicle should fall under the lemon law (North Carolina, or wherever you live) the better your chances of a good settlement will be. If you are not satisfied with the result, you can hire an NC lemon law attorney and take the case to court. Employing the services of an NC lemon law attorney, instead of going it alone, will ensure the process goes smoothly and you get adequate compensation in a timely manner.
Written by Penelope Holiday. Learn about the North Carolina lemon law attorney, Sean Soboleski. Find out if you have a case with an NC Lemon Law attorney. Get a free quote and more info from your lemon law North Carolina lawyer: Sean Soboleski at http://www.nclemonlawattorney.com