How to Find A Great Clean Used Car and Pay Less

buying a Car

Buying a car is usually our second biggest investment after our home purchase and most of us will do it more than once in our life.

There is something emotional about cars, it represents our taste and style, our economic status and our character. Some women even claim that a car is a man's extension of his reproductive organ. One the other hand (the good hand) there are women out there that might express their exhibitionism and extravagance by choosing to drive a red flashy car for the whole world to notice them. Both sexes would agree they sometimes feel they "fall in love" with a certain car model.

There are people who get very existed from a small scratch on the cars lower side, as if it were their own skin. The beauty of the car, its aerodynamics shape, the gadgets inside, the seats the feel of it all play a major part in our decision making.

In our modern life it's almost impossible to function without one and it's expensive to acquire, to finance and to maintain. 

Buying a Used Car

The question I would like to bring up here is whether it's wise to buy a used car or to make an additional effort and buy a new car.

If you look at it purely from an economical stand point then it's quiet obvious that due to the fact that you miss out on the heaviest depreciation hit the average car absorbs in the first two and three years it's wise to buy a used car. A car of two or even three years on the road is basically a new car and in some cases didn't even finished the manufacturers original bumper to bumper warranty. (Not included labor 8-( 

On the average you might save on a used car anywhere between $ 3,000 to $ 8,000. In case you know how to do it via a car dealer that will buy the car for you at a car auction limited to car dealers only (for a couple of hundreds of Dollars commission)you might even get a real bargain. See: www.carbuyingtips.com/auto-auctions.htm

Another good reason to buy a used car is the fact you can put your hands on a bigger or better or in other words more car for the same budget as the new smaller car would have cost you.

More and more manufacturers offer "certified pre-owned" programs. Cars sold as certified pre-owned (CPO) bridge the gap between new and used. They are subject to a rigorous inspection and repair process, and usually are covered by a warranty from the manufacturer. CPO cars will usually cost a bit more, but the added warranty and peace of mind makes them a good value.

If you want to get extended warranty look at: www.carbuyingtips.com/warranty.htm

Where do you get the market value of the cars, that's pretty easy, all you have to do is follow this link: Blue Book - Used Car Values at:www.cars.com/go/index.jsp 

When purchasing a used car you should protect yourself from buying a flood damaged vehicle by doing a little research and by having the vehicle thoroughly checked by a mechanic.

Rain, thunderstorms, swelling rivers and seasonal hurricanes hitting the coastlines all contribute to flooding disasters that can mean serious water damage to vehicles in those areas. Water damage from 1999's Hurricane Floyd ruined approximately 75,000 vehicles and more than half of those ended up back on the road. Tropical Storm Allison damaged another 95,000 in 2001 and Hurricane Ivan left more than 100,000 vehicles water-logged. 

The numbers for Hurricane Katrina are expected to skyrocket above half-a-million and safety experts warn that many of these flood damaged vehicles also will be dried out and offered for sale. Hurricanes and tropical storms, however, are only part of the problem.

Flooding can occur throughout the year and in any part of the country. however, auto industry analysts caution consumers that the risk of buying a flood damaged car is not limited to these areas. Flood damaged cars are often repaired cosmetically, and moved to adjacent states or even across the country where they are sold to unsuspecting consumers.

These floodwaters can cause damage to vehicle computer and electrical systems, as well as potentially causing anti-lock braking and airbag systems to malfunction.

World Trade Center Damaged Cars, thousands of cars were damaged in New York City on 9/11/2001. It's a prime example of disasters having long term effects other than the initial death and destruction. These cars will no doubt be salvaged, rebuilt, sold at car auctions and have their titles rebuilt, most likely out of state.

An important help is the nationwide history data base of the cars in terms of damages, salvaged, lemon, flooded, fraud, accidents, rental etc' you can look it up at: www.carfax.com/

In addition it's recommended you have a mechanic check it out - A certified, trusted mechanic will test the electrical and safety systems, two of the major components that water can affect. They can also look for signs of water damage that may not be visible to the untrained eye. 

Car Donation

It is estimated that every year, more than a million Americans donated their cars. Why do they donate their car? Well, few reasons: A. The proceeds go to charity organizations and it provides for the donor a good feeling of contributing to society. B. its tax deductible (Less than it used to). C. The car is being towed or driven away by the company who arranged the deal. 

Unfortunately, whether through ignorance, confusion or greed, a substantial percentage of car donors have been deducting the full "suggested retail price" - what a dealer would get for reselling your trade-in instead of the fair market value. That's far more than the IRS had intended, costing the government millions in lost tax revenue. 

The charities weren't making much, either. Most of the donated cars were sold by the charities for a pittance at auction, and middlemen who administered the programs on behalf of the charities took a large percentage of those meager profits. 

So IRS changed the rule last year. From now on, if your car is valued more than $500, the deduction is limited to the charity's actual selling price. The donor must attach a statement of sale to the tax return in order to receive the deduction. (The charity is obligated to provide the statement within 30 days.) You are not entitled to know the deduction amount before donating your car. Although the IRS has closed the loophole in the law, there is still a way to deduct full market value of your vehicle: If the charity uses the car itself to further its specific purpose

Used Car Lemon Laws

The Used Car Lemon Law: The Used Car Buyer's Best Friend

You've just bought yourself a used car. The car was cheap and you left the used car lot with the feeling that you managed to come out reasonably well. Then the car conks out - what happens now?

Under other circumstances, you would probably have no choice but live with your choice. Fortunately, there is a law that would help you. The used car lemon law is the most useful law for any person who buys a used car. The law provides a legal remedy for those buy or lease used cars that turn out to have outstanding mechanical difficulties, those which are better known as "lemons".

The law has used car dealers give their buyers a written warranty. The warrant requires dealers to repair any defects found in the car, free of charge. The dealer can also choose to reimburse the repair costs of the repairs to the buyer. It also notes that if the car isn't repaired after a number of attempts, the buyer is supposed to receive a full refund of the purchase. 

For the law to cover your purchase, check your local state laws. Usually, these four conditions should be met for the lemon law to be invoked:

1) The car was purchased, transferred or leased after either a) eighteen thousand miles of use or b) two years from the original release; and

2) The purchase or lease price has the value of at least one thousand five hundred dollars; and

3) The car has been driven less than or equal to a hundred thousand miles at the time of lease or purchase; and 

4) The car was used for non-commercial purposes i.e. personal use. This means the car should have been used for household or family purposes. This includes personal transportation to and from work and household errands. The car could have been used for a mix of business and personal use but it still should have been used predominantly for personal use.

The law can also be used to cover motorcycles; however some states exempt other vehicles from the used car law. Note that the transfer of ownership of a used car is also covered by the law; however a private purchase from a private individual is not protected by the law. You can choose to consult a lawyer to see what sort of action you may take. 

Remember the law and check with your state before you buy a used car. If your state has such a law, you should feel safe about your purchase when you leave the used car lot.

Feeling The Squeeze With A Potential Car Lemon?

No one buys a new vehicle expecting it to break down time and time again. However, these days consist of corporate finger-pointing and not wanting to take responsibility for any potential problems. Consumers have to take care and trust no one but themselves when it comes to a car lemon and they have to arm themselves with the latest on their state's car lemon law. Unfortunately, that means always being diligent about documentation and keeping paperwork, no matter what is involved.

According to most lemon laws, a vehicle is considered a lemon when it has a defect or malfunction that continually pops up despite repairs and could be a potential hazard to the driver's safety. Every state is different and has special requirements on the number of times a vehicle should be brought in for service for the same defect before it is considered a car lemon. The lemon law of California states that four attempts should be made to repair the same defect. However, the lemon law of Florida states that it is three attempts. 

It is every man for himself, so that is why documentation is so important. Sometimes, the vehicle you bought new is not presumed a lemon until the warranty is out of date or the number of miles on the odometer is over the limit specified in your state's lemon law. The documentation you keep - repair visits, routine maintenance, etc. - will help uphold your rights under the car lemon law. 

When you are getting warranty work done on your car, make notes on each and every person you talked with about your maintenance and repairs. Ask for quotes as well as actual work done in writing. Just because some repair work may have been done under warranty and therefore covered by the manufacturer does not mean you are not entitled to an invoice. The burden of proof lies with you.

Another tip is to have the authorized repair center make note of your complaint on your invoice. Make sure that every time you receive a receipt or any piece of paper with your car statistics that it has your car's odometer reading listed too. Write down the date and time of all of your phone conversations. Sometimes, managers and other decision makers will claim that they did not receive any messages from you. Be sure to get last names and employee titles where applicable. It will be harder for anyone to 'pass the buck' with your documentation. 

As a consumer, you have certain rights under your state's lemon laws. If you have any trouble with the manufacturer making good on your car, you can consult with lemon law attorneys. They will help you understand your rights. The lesson to be learned when buying a new car, is always expect a car lemon. That way you will be prepared for anything that happens.

Lemon Law - Don't be a Victim

Lemon laws differ from state to state across America, although the very basics of the law are standard throughout the United States. They were implemented to protect the consumer.

In a lifetime the purchase of a vehicle is probably the second most biggest purchase a regular consumer will make, and thus the lemon laws have been designed with the aim to prevent any wrong doings or faults occurring after a sale from a trusted manufacturer or dealership. Lemon laws differ from state to state across America, although the very basics of the law are standard throughout the United States.

The lemon law allows consumers a standard definition of what considers a vehicle to be classed as a lemon. The law also states that the manufacturer is to be held responsible for problems and additionally continues to define how matters should be handled when a lemon is in involved. The lemon laws set up a warranty period that is usually between a 12 and 24 month period. As well as this it also specifies how many attempts must be made to correct the defect before a refund or replacement is ordered. Generally serious defects that would affect the safety and security of passengers whilst in the vehicle are only granted one attempt to the dangerous error. Defects of a substantially lesser value are allowed three attempts. When a refund has been issued there are dedications for use of the vehicle, usually correlating with the number of miles on the vehicle. Not every vehicles situation qualifies under the lemon law, so checking one local state regulation is important in determining whether or not one can instruct the use of the law.

Once a consumer is aware of their situation within the lemon law, there are several steps that should be instructed. Repairs have an important legal part of the lemon law, as previously mentioned, and here are a certain number of attempts allowed to try to repair the defect. It is essentially very important that the consumer keeps good repair records to prove the attempts have been made. The manufacturer must always been in the picture and informed of any repairs that have been carried out or attempted to be carried out. It should be then that you are set up to receive a refund or replacement. High stats show that the manufacturer will quite often disagree with you, and thus the consumer may have to go to court to resolve the matter.

Lemon Laws - Documentation Is The Key

There is nothing worse than realizing that the vehicle you purchased is not running the way it should, and in fact this can be downright dangerous. Fortunately, all states have a lemon law which allows consumers to address financial and legal issues that may result if they have bought a defective automobile. A vehicle may be considered a lemon if it continues to have a defect that substantially impairs the vehicle's use, its value or your safety. Generally, if the car has been repaired 4 or more times for the same defect within the warranty period, and the defect has not been fixed, the car qualifies as a lemon. 

"Lemon" is not a term that can be applied simply because you no longer like certain aspects about your car, and it does not refer to all defects the vehicle may have. If the transmission doesn't work, the car won't go into reverse, the rear door opens all by itself, the driver's seat wobbles, or the car can't reach minimum required highway speed, then you may have a lemon. It is essential however, that the dealer has been given an opportunity to correct the problems before the courts will determine the automobile is a lemon. In most states, ten different defects during the warranty period won't classify the car as a lemon. In some states, a single defect that might cause serious injury could qualify your car as a lemon; if the manufacturer hasn't fixed the problem after 1 repair attempt. 

If you think you may have purchased a lemon car, the key to winning your case is documentation. Keep any receipts and records for the repair of the defects in your vehicle, and any receipts pertaining to the vehicle's breakdown (such as cab fare). Retain any notes you write to the company, as well as names of employees you have talked to about the problems. Any costs or problems caused by the buyer's neglect or abuse will be specifically excluded by State Lemon Laws. Purchasing a lemon is an unfortunate but not irreparable circumstance if you follow the correct lemon law procedures. Be diligent with your documentation, even during the frustration. Read your state's lemon law and follow the documentation requirements to the letter. If you must hire an attorney, this will not only save you tremendous time, but some States provide some portion of attorney's fee in lemon law resolutions.

Lemon Law History

The history of the lemon law starts in 1979 with a lady named Rosemary Shahan from lemon Grove. She had bought a lemon that still wasn't working after waiting 3 months to get it repaired. She then picketed the mechanics for 5 months which created a public outcry against the treatment customers received from mechanics and car dealers. This public outcry became the basis for a citizen movement for lemon laws which formed Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety (CARS) an organization that made Rosemary Shahan their head. The first states to introduce Lemon laws were Connecticut and California. They introduced lemons laws 1982.

Lemon law 101

Lemon laws are made to protect buyers of defective commodity. A car sold with a hidden flaw that causes the car to be in need of frequent repairs make it a Lemon. The lemon law covers both new and used cars but the faults in a used car needs to larger than the one in a new car for a used car to be seen as a lemon. The fault in the car most be of such nature that they reduces the usability of the car for the buyer or renders the car completely useless. In a new car it is enough that the faults is "spoiling the new car experience" for the car to be considered a "lemon". Lemon laws vary from state to state and so does the guidelines for arbitration. Lemon laws usually come into play when a vehicle undergoes a specific number of repairs due to defects, when it has been a certain number of days at the shop or if it has certain safety defect that increases the risk in using that vehicle. 

The laws are formed to preventing car dealers to take advantage of unknowing car buyers and tricking them into buying defect cars. It is also created to make sure that car manufacturers have to take responsibility for the products they produce and sell. Prior to the lemon law manufacturers and dealers sometimes refused to take their responsibility and referring to that the problem was common in that type of care or tried to intimidate the "lemon" buyers. 

The history of the lemon law starts in 1979 with a lady named Rosemary Shahan from lemon Grove. She had bought a lemon that still wasn't working after waiting 3 months to get it repaired. She then picketed the mechanics for 5 months which created a public outcry against the treatment customers received from mechanics and car dealers. This public outcry became the basis for a citizen movement for lemon laws which formed Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety (CARS) an organization that made Rosemary Shahan their head. The first states to introduce Lemon laws were Connecticut and California. They introduced lemons laws 1982. 

The Center for Auto Safety then started to collect data about how many "lemons" that was sold and the statistics was staggering. They found that over 1.2 million consumers had been "tricked" into buying defective cars. Surveys today suggest that up to 1 000 000 million "lemons" are sold each year.

Connecticut and California was soon to be followed and all US states had introduced lemon laws by the end of 1983. All states created their own rules that suited that state which is the reason why the Lemon laws today look different in different states. The Lemon laws can be said to have been a success as they have improved the consumers position towards car dealers and car manufacturers something that becomes ever more important as the car prices increases.

The best thing to do if you think you have bought a "lemon" is to contact a lemon law attorney that is specialized in your states lemon law. The attorney will be able to tell you if you have a lemon law case and will be able to help you get the compensation that you legally have a right to. It is important that you keep all bills and records of your cars repairs and give them to your attorney to help him determine if you car is a "lemon" and to be able to prove your claims. You should also always remember to read the manual of the car and perform the maintenance that is required for you to maintain your vehicle warranty. Not doing so may prevent you from making any claims based on the lemon laws.

Understanding The Lemon Law

Lemon laws were designed to protect the consumer. Buying a vehicle is one of the major purchases a person can make and having protection against a bad deal is important. Lemon laws differ from state to state, but the basics of the law are standard throughout the United States. 

The lemon law gives consumers a basic definition of what considers a vehicle to be a lemon. It also states the manufacturer is responsible for problems and goes on to define how matters should be handled when a lemon is in question. The lemon laws sets up a warranty period that is usually between 12 and 24 months. It also specifies how many attempts must be made to correct the defect before a refund or replacement is ordered. Most often serious defects that would affect the safety and security of passengers is allowed one attempt to correct. Other lesser concerns usually are allowed three attempts. When the refund is given there are dedications for use of the vehicle. This usually correlates with the number of miles on the vehicle. Not every situation qualifies under the lemon law, so checking state regulations is important before attempting to use the law. 

Once you know your situation qualifies under the lemon law there are some steps to take. Repairs are an important part of the lemon law, as stated above, there are a certain number of attempts allowed to try to repair the defect. It is important that you keep good repair records to prove the attempts have been made. After repairs have been attempted you have to notify the manufacturer about what is happening. You should then be set up to get the refund or replacement. Sometimes the manufacturer will disagree and you may have to go to court to resolve the matter. 

Lemon laws are a way to make manufacturers responsible for the vehicles they make. When a person buys a vehicle they expect to be able to drive it and use it, not be stuck with major problems. Fortunately more often than not major defects are caught as soon a the vehicle is on the market and the manufacturer steps up to replace them. However, if this doesn't happen then your state's lemon laws are there to look out for your rights.

Pucker Up On The Latest Lemon Law

Is your car making you pucker up like you have eaten a lemon? A spoonful of sugar will not make it all better. You need to brush up on the latest lemon laws in your state. It seems you may have gotten a dud of a car, a car lemon for lack of a better term. So you can brush up on the latest lemon law or you can consult with one of probably many lemon law attorneys available in your state.

Let us suppose you live in California. Research the latest lemon law California has to offer by perusing through the statutes in the state of California's Civil Code. If that does not get you yawning, nothing will! To save yourself from the boredom of reading through all that legalese, you can also consult with some lemon law lawyers. Or, read on for a summary of these statutes to see if you have a legal leg to stand on. You will have to decide if you need to start making lemonade with that car lemon.

One of the statutes of the California Civil Code states that you must make a realistic effort to have your new car fixed to conform to basic warranties from the vehicle manufacturer. There is a limit of a year and a half or 18,000 miles on the car's odometer, whichever happens first, for the problem to be rectified, before being considered a car lemon. 

Of course, as with anything else, there are other provisions to that rule. First, the malfunction must have been repaired two or more times without success, with the result being that the car is dangerous or unsafe to drive in a way that might cause severe injury or casualties. Or, secondly, your car is still not fixed satisfactorily after four repeated attempts by the manufacturer. Finally, another reason that your vehicle could be facing a car lemon law is if your vehicle has been out for repairs for more than a month or thirty straight days. 

The above information is just a sampling of the lemon law California has on the books. There is more to it than that, but is should give you a good start in understanding where you stand with your dud of a car. To be sure that you are in compliance with any CA lemon law, make sure to get some legal counsel.

You will discover that you can request a refund of the purchase of the car from the manufacturer. The car manufacturer can also substitute your dud of a vehicle with a new equally comparable vehicle. They would be responsible for all the taxes and fees that go with the purchase of a new car including the costs you incurred in rental and repair fees.

One thing lemon law lawyers might tell you is that if you request the manufacturer to make restitution through a new vehicle or a refund before you file any civil suit and they refuse, you may be entitled to twice the compensation from the manufacturer should a civil trial find in your favor. However, before you go through legal counsel, just save a little money and do your research on your lemon laws. It's a tough job wading through all that car lemon law stuff, so pucker up and get busy making your own lemonade from that car lemon.

The Lemon Law In California - What Are The Consumer Benefits?

Various states across US have different lemon laws. Lemon law California differs from those in other states. It is important to know the fine intricacies of Lemon law California. Lemon law California is also known as Motor Vehicle Warranty Rights Act. The California lemon law states that any vehicle purchase is a major consumer purchase. If such a vehicle turns out to be defective or if is found to cause serious injuries or even hardships to the consumer due to its defects, then a consumer is entitled to be made aware of his rights. Under the consumer rights if the defects or hardships are proved in the Federal court of law and if the vehicle is under warranty period, then a consumer can call for a lemon law suit.

Lemon law California and Federal warranty law protect consumers from being stuck with 'Lemon' automobiles, computer lemons and other defective consumer products. According to Lemon Law in California, if any car or computer is turns out to be a Lemon, then a consumer may be entitled to your money back, a replacement or a cash settlement.

According the Lemon law California, the owner of a motor vehicle or the owner's designated agent may make a complaint concerning a defect in a motor vehicle that is covered by a manufacturer's, converter's, or distributor's warranty agreement applicable to the vehicle. Any complaint regarding a lemon vehicle must be made in writing to the applicable dealer, manufacturer, converter, or distributor. The written complaint about a Lemon must specify each defect in the vehicle that is covered by the warranty. The owner may also invoke the board's jurisdiction by sending a copy of the complaint to the board. Any case regarding the lemon vehicle, if not resolved by owner and dealer or manufacture privately is entitled for a hearing. 

Before filing a suit for any damaged vehicle for lemon law California certain points must be ensured for proper proceedings in a federal court of law. All copies of documentation concerning the car and all the repair records should be kept in proper order. A track of details such as when was the vehicle serviced, where the vehicle was purchased from, from whom the vehicle was purchased etc. 

Technical service bulletins concerning the car should be called for. The VIN or Vehicle Identification Number for a lemon vehicle should be noted specifically. This VIN number is a series of 17 numbers and letters that are unique to each vehicle. It is located on a metal plate at the lower corner of the front windshield on the driver's side. There are various attorneys who specialize in lemon law California such attorneys should be specifically consulted for filing any lemon law suit. 

A vehicle report history should also be kept in order for any reference before filing the suit for lemon law California. A vehicle report history can be easily obtained from the internet. Various agencies provide free vehicle history report in California. A vehicle history report can be generated by providing the VIN to any of the websites pertaining to vehicles in California. The vehicle history report easily reveals any problems that might not be visible to untrained eye. This could be major damage from collision, fire, hail or water damage, odometer rollback or tampering, lemon or junk status, and much more. 

Lemon law California states all the provisions to prevent a consumer from being stuck with a lemon. The best way to get rid of lemon car is to act and file a suit as soon as possible.