If you have always looked forward to owning a car, it is such a joy when you finally arrange your finances and are ready to buy your new car. The buying process is an exciting one, from thinking about the features that matter to you, choosing the color, to finally driving it off from the dealer, proud that it’s all yours.
However, your joy may be short-lived if your car suddenly started developing mechanical problems, and you wonder if you bought a lemon disguised as a car. Luckily, if your car purchase turns to be a lemon leaving you with a sour taste, you have the rights based on the Arizona Lemon Law . You can get more insights on the law as seen on ABC15.
Demystifying the Arizona Lemon Law
The Arizona Lemon Law safeguards the legal rights of buyers of motor vehicles who purchase defective cars. Although the law pertains primarily to buying new automobiles where it provides full protection, it offers some limited protection for used car buyers, with differing specifications.
So, what is a “lemon” in Arizona? Lemon is a car that looks perfectly fine at the time of buying but has hidden issues or inferior fixes or part that results in car problems days or weeks after the purchase. Given that some unscrupulous entrepreneurs and private sellers may try to dupe unsuspecting car buyers into buying unfit vehicles, the Lemon laws come to the protection in such circumstances.
Requirements to Qualify for Full Protection by Lemon Laws
To enjoy full protection as described in the lemon law, you must first fulfill some qualifiers, including:
- The mechanical problem must impair the value and use of the vehicle and cannot be a minor thing. It needs to be a significant component to do with the engine, brakes, transmission, or random shutting off the vehicle.
- A reasonable time must be allowed for repairs. Here “reasonable” is considered to be not less than four visits to the dealer for the same issue, over 30 days stay in the dealer’s shop for repair, but must not be for the same problem or an unreasonable history of repair.
- Mechanical problems must be during the first two years of the car ownership, 24,000 miles of travel, or the extent of the manufacturer’s warranty, whichever comes first.
Manufacturer and Dealers Obligations
As per Arizona Lemon Law, the dealer must make reasonable attempts to fix the lemon car to good working condition. And reasonable is taken to mean up to four visits, or a total of 30 days cumulatively in the repair garage.
If the dealer is unable to successfully repair the car to get it in an acceptable condition in the provided time, the buyer may get a replacement automobile or a refund of the buying price, less some amount for the duration the driver successfully used the car.
In the event manufacturer gives a vehicle replacement, it has to be the same make and model, in conditions similar to those of the original car the buyer bought. But if the replacement car is of lesser value, the car maker must pay the customer the difference.
However, the dealer or manufacturer may claim that the buyer:
- Did not give notice within a reasonable duration,
- Did not operate the car properly, or
- Contributed to the car’s state of disrepair.
