Consumer Rights When Buying a Car
Car Consumer rights that are meant to protect the customer vary from state to state so it's wise to check them out before making a purchase. In California the state law allows the buyer to return a car within two days no questions asked. The laws differ depending on who and where you buy your car from. There are more laws enforcing consumer rights when buying a car from a dealer then from a private party. Since a car is such an expensive object; it pays to take every precaution possible. By law the dealer has to sell you a car that is as good as the description he gives, it should be trustworthy on the road and it should be the quality that you pay for. By law the dealer cannot give the buyer misleading or untrue information that would affect the desire of the buyer to purchase the car in the dealer's favor. One example might be that the company that he works for can approve a loan on a car when it cannot. If however you do buy a car that has a problem from a dealer give the dealer a chance to fix it. Most dealers have a no return policy if you bought it, it's yours. There are a few that will accept a return, inquire before you buy is the best policy, no matter what your consumer rights when buying a car are the law can only protect you so far. So to make sure the buyer does not suffer buyer's remorse it is best to give the purchase of a vehicle some thought as to which make and model is the best buy before it is purchased
When buying a car research everything about the brand and model, find out in advance, does that classy looking car that is a certain model and year have really bad electrical problems consistently? When a decision is reached and you are going to purchase it from a dealership then select a dealership based on reputation. Buying from a dealership is more expensive than a private party but usually carries some sort of even short term guarantee to fall back on and the legal resources are better to protect your consumers rights when buying a car and the laws are strict concerning what a dealer has to inspect before the car can be sold and for this reason a lot of trade ins are junked. Even from a dealership test drive the car before you take it home. However, it cannot be denied that some people have gotten a really good buy from a private party if they know what they are doing. If you do decide to buy from a private individual to protect your consumer rights ask to have the car checked over at a reliable garage at your expense, it's well worth the money to see how much if anything is wrong with it.
Read the newspapers to find what used cars are going for, again the price range will vary greatly from state to state. The buyer should take the overall condition of the car into consideration because cars of the same year and make were given different levels of care and driven differently. Used cars from a rental service are usually a good buy and may still carry a factory warranty.
Consumer Rights After the Sales Agreement
Once you sign a sales agreement the sale is binding, the dealer cannot call the buyer at a later date and try to add more charges or tell the buyer that a mistake has been made, the mistake is his this time and he can be sued for trying this shady practice. The buyer can ask the dealer to show proof of what was paid for the car. If the dealer refuses question his motives. If the buyer is buying a used car the dealer does not have to tell the buyer if the car was ever in an accident but if the dealer is asked by the buyer he must give the right information or be liable. The buyer should protect his consumers rights when buying a car and the vin number ought to be researched using Car Fax, if it has been found that the dealer has said anything misleading do not buy from him. If the car has been in an accident it could affect the alignment and cause undo ware on the tread of the tires if nothing else. If a new car has been damaged in any way the dealer has to tell the buyer only if the damage cost more than five hundred dollars to fix.
The Lemon Law was made to protect the consumers rights when buying a car and applies to more than major problems like the motor. Electric sliding doors, rattles, lights that flicker could all be issues that apply to the Lemon Law as long as the car has been back to the dealership three times to be fixed for the same problem or the same part. For this reason save all of your invoices. If it happens to be a paint problem the manufacture must rectify it the first time or the buyer can file a claim. Used cars are not covered under the Lemon Law normally but the states of Massachusetts and New Jersey are exceptions. If your car has a number of malfunctions and repairs a claim can be filed under a law called the Magnuson Moss Warranty Act. If a new car is in the repair shop for thirty days the first year in most states for any problems and it does not have to be the same problems a Lemon Law claim can be made. In New Jersey its twenty days and in the state of Massachusetts the Lemon Law goes into effect if the car has been in the shop fifteen days the first year. These do not have to be consecutive days and this includes waiting for parts. Although the law does try and protect the consumers rights when buying a car its also up to the car buyer to make some effort.
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