Purchasing a car is one of the most expensive propositions most of us make after a house. According to the National Institute for Consumer Education, the average price of a new car is about $18,000. Some people can afford this price and many of look else where for less expensive alternatives, a used vehicle. They cost us a lower base price, Insurance generally costs less, they depreciate less than new cars do and it is easier to negotiate. Even a used, as the years pass is becoming increasingly complex on par with the technology growth in the auto industry. Used or new, we are at a loss with so many systems and processes to comprehend in a car. While the models of the cars available in the market are increasing manifolds, it puts us all in a state that we come to heavily rely on the advice and mercy of a car salesman. That is why we need the intervention of lemon laws, in case we are taken out on a long ride over a lemon car.
If you are living in the state of Illinois and has bought yourself a car in the state of Illinois, there are two principal laws the protect you with your investment in the car.
* The Illinois New Vehicle Buyer Protection Act, commonly known as the Illinois lemon law protects consumers who buy or lease new cars, pickup trucks, and vans in Illinois.
* The Illinois lemon law deals with the warranties manufacturers and dealers provide.
* The Illinois lemon law offers consumers a remedy if a dealer or manufacturer fails to honor its written warranties.
The Illinois lemon law – Cars eligible for protectionrnThe Illinois lemon law covers:
* New cars, pickup trucks, vans under 8,000 pounds and recreational vehicles purchased in Illinois.
* A new vehicle if it is leased for at least four months.
* The vehicles which are used at least 40 percent of the time for personal, family, or household use.
The Illinois lemon law – How long is your car protected?
If the warranty on your new or used car has already expired, the Illinois lemon law DOES NOT apply.
* The Illinois lemon law applies to any written express warranty on the vehicle for one year or 12,000 miles, whichever occurs first.
* The manufacturer or dealer must repair a vehicle in accordance with the warranty if the defect or problem is covered by the warranty.
*The manufacturer or dealer must repair a vehicle in accordance with the warranty if the owner reports it within the warranty period or 12 months after delivery of the vehicle, whichever comes first.
* As long as the problem is reported within the warranty period, the manufacturer or dealer must make repairs, even if the warranty subsequently runs out.
rnThe Illinois lemon law - Special provisions for cars with serious problems:
The Illinois lemon law has special provisions for vehicles with serious problems i.e., the real lemons, as the following:
* If the dealer or manufacturer is unable to repair a vehicle's problem after a reasonable number of attempts, the buyer or person leasing the vehicle has a right to go to the manufacturer's arbitration program or to court and seek a replacement vehicle or a full refund of the purchase or lease price
What constitutes a reasonable number of attempts at repairs depends on the problem?
A reasonable number of attempts at repairs is:
* Four or more unsuccessful attempts to correct the same problemrn* More than one unsuccessful attempt to correct a problem that causes a complete failure of the steering or braking system and the defect is likely to cause serious injuries or death
* Any attempts at warranty repairs that cause the vehicle to be out of service for repairs for 30 or more business days
The Illinois lemon law – When is your car not eligible
* The Illinois lemon law does not apply to problems that do not substantially impair either the use or market value of the carrn*The law does not cover problems resulting from abuse, neglect, or unauthorized alterations to the car
The Illinois Used Car Warranty Law
* The Illinois Used Car Warranty law covers the power train of used vehiclesrn* The Illinois Used Car Warranty law covers the power train including the engine block, engine head, internal engine parts, oil pan, gaskets, water pump, intake manifold, transmission and internal transmission parts, torque converter drive shaft, U-joints, rear axle and its internal parts and rear wheel bearingsrn* According to the Illinois Used Car Warranty law, a retail automobile dealer in Illinois is liable for a portion of the cost of repairs on power train components for 30 days from the date of deliveryrn* According to the Illinois Used Car Warranty law for cars up to two years, the dealer is liable for 50 percent of the cost of repairsrn* Cars which are over two years, but not three years yet, carry a 25 percent liability to the dealerrn* Cars between three and four years old require 10 percent coverage by the dealerrn* The Illinois Used Car Warranty law does not cover cars older than four years
The Federal Used Motor Vehicle Trade Regulation Rule – The Federal Used Car Rule:
There is a Federal Used Motor Vehicle Trade Regulation Rule that requires a dealer to properly represent the:
* Condition of a used vehiclern* Terms of the warranty offered, if any
The warranty applies only if the consumer buys from a used car dealer
* Any used car business person selling more than five used cars a year is considered a dealer and is required to get a license from the State of Illinoisrn* A person who sells more than five used cars a year without a license from the State of Illinois is still a dealerrn rnThe Illinois Used cars marked 'as is' and No Warranty
Any vehicle offered for sale by a dealer must be clearly marked "as is - no warranty", if no warranty is offered. The dealer must also disclose the history of the vehicle if it affects the buyer's decision to buy it.