It can be an exciting time when you buy a new car and bring it home. Many people enjoy the feeling they get from driving a brand-new car. What happens if that car breaks down and needs repairs more often than you are able to drive it? This is what is known as a lemon, and they are more common than you might think.

What should you do if your new car turns out to be a lemon? Do you have any legal course of action you can take? Yes, there are options for you as most states do have lemon laws to protect buyers from faulty vehicles. Your first step is contacting a lemon lawyer to help walk you through the steps.

Reasonable Length Of Time To Repair The Car

While it is a good idea to contact a lemon lawyer as soon as you find there are major problems with the car and it appears it may always break down, most state-level laws require you to give the dealer or mechanic a reasonable length of time to try to repair the car.

You may find that some vehicles are recalled by the manufacturer for issues such as engine problems, tire or brake problems, and more. In the event this issue is isolated to only your car, the garage or dealer of the vehicle has a set amount of time, typically several months after the purchase of the car, that they have to repair and replace any faulty parts and ensure the car is in good working order.

Your lemon lawyer can give you the timeframe of what the law deems a reasonable length of time to repair your vehicle in your state before you can expect either a replacement car or compensation in the form of a refund.

Notify The Manufacturer And/Or The Dealer

Once you have tried to have the car fixed and have found the problem persists, your lemon lawyer will advise you to contact the manufacturer and/or the dealer of the car and inform them of the defect. This is typically done when there is no known defect that the vehicle was recalled for, and it is a requirement by the law in order to receive compensation.

You will have to give them your documentation to prove when the car was purchased and how often it has been in the garage undergoing repairs for the same problem. 

If they don't offer you a replacement vehicle or a refund once you have fulfilled your obligation and gone through a legal arbitration process, you can take them to small claims court.

Contact a lemon lawyer to learn more.