Used car buying, Is there a lemon law on used cars for sale by owner?How do you get a mechanic to look at it?
If you don’t own the car, how can you take the car to have a mechanic look at it? How much does it cost to do this?
tell the person that you will not buy the car unless it is checked out by a mechanic if he wants to sell the car he will work out the details about $75 to $100
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November 3rd, 2009 at 6:02 am
There is no lemon law for used cars….period. Call a shop you trust and ask what they would charge to go over a car you are thinking about buying. If the seller wants to go with you, that is not an unreasonable request.
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November 3rd, 2009 at 6:29 am
Not for sale by owner. If you buy it from a dealer there is.
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November 3rd, 2009 at 6:50 am
tell the person that you will not buy the car unless it is checked out by a mechanic if he wants to sell the car he will work out the details about $75 to $100
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November 3rd, 2009 at 7:05 am
The seller in the case of a private owner has the right to dictate terms. There is no lemon law on used cars. You ask the seller to take the car to a mechanic before you buy it. They don’t have to let you but I wouldn’t buy a car from someone that refused to let me have a car inspected. The buyer would of course customarily be responsible for the cost of any professional inspection. In my area such an inspection would cost around $25-$50 if done thoroughly by a qualified mechanic.
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November 3rd, 2009 at 7:37 am
When shopping for a used car, take your potential purchase to your mechanic for an independent inspection. A good tech will spot hidden problems. Check the Carfax too.
I recommend looking for a mechanic that isn’t located too close to the dealership. Many have ties if they’re close by.
Independent inspections usually run from $75 to $100. It’s the best 100 bucks you’ll ever spend on a car.
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Car buying guru from AutoBragBlog.com
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:09 am
Lemon laws apply to new cars and to dealers, not used. Most used cars sold by private individuals are sold strictly as is.
First, you check the car out as much as you can by looking for obvious drips under it. Start it, listen to it, test drive it. Ask to see the title and make sure the person selling it is the owner, and that it’s free of liens. If after all that you are interested, you simply say "I’m interested, and will pay you $______ for it, but first I want to have my mechanic look at it." If the seller is okay with that, take it to your mechanic for an evaluation. If it passes, buy it, and if it doesn’t, you have really saved money no matter what the inspection cost.
If they won’t let you have it inspected, keep your wallet closed, thank them, and walk away.
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November 3rd, 2009 at 8:33 am
Yes-there IS a lemon law for used cars–what state do you live in?
The thing with lemon law is–that you have to constantly be taking it to a dealership to have it fixed–you need proof of that.
Also- if you are buying a car from someone–do not sign anything that says ’sold as is-no implied warranty’
There is almost always something wrong with the car then.
(lol)
tell me what state you are in–and I will help you more.
eta:
If you decide to buy the car-get a car fax report done immediately on it–it costs 25.00 but well worth it if you need to use the ‘lemon law’!!
we found our new (used) car had been in 3 or 4 accidents that the dealer didnt tell us about!!
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had to look up FL lemon law not too long ago.
Lemon law stuff is still fresh on my mind, lol
& NO SCOTT-lemon laws are NOT for new cars only LOL
It is silly, dont you think that a new car would be a lemon?
Do some reading on your states lemon laws….
LEMON LAW DIFFERS FROM STATE TO STATE
ok to those of you below me–
florida drivers site:
***What types of vehicles are covered?***
This law covers motor vehicles that were sold or leased in the state of Florida; are used primarily for personal, family or household purposes; and transport persons or property. This includes demonstrator vehicles and vehicles that are leased with a warranty.
The law does not cover off-road vehicles, mopeds, trucks that weigh more than 10,000 pounds, the living facilities of recreational vehicles, and motorcycles.
** What if my problem does not fit the requirements of my state’s Lemon Law?***
If your vehicle does not meet the term of protection or other specifics of the Lemon Law, it does not mean that your rights stop there. You still may be able to invoke the Lemon Law as long as you can justify that the number of repair attempts or days out of service you encountered were unreasonable.
You may also have other rights under other state and federal laws, such as the following: the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act ; the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) your service contract or extended warranty secret warranties; implied warranties; express warranties; unfair and deceptive acts and practices (UDAP); and strict liability and negligence.
Consult an attorney, or the Florida Division of Consumer Services of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, or the Center for Auto Safety to determine which remedy would be best for your situation.
**Again-that is for FL–every state differs.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:06 am
Lemon laws are for new cars only. When you buy a used car, you assume all risk. You tell the seller you’d like to take the car and have it inspected by a professional mechanic before you commit to buy it. Keep in mind that all cars require maintenance, so if a mechanic finds a minor maintenance problem, that shouldn’t necessarily preclude you from buying it.
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November 3rd, 2009 at 9:20 am
shellbert: I’m not sure where you got yur information but right here on the Attorney General of Florida website, it states lemon laws are for new or demonstrator cars
http://myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/4492D797DC0BD92F85256CB80055FB97/5F1DDC32E4EDCBC885256CC900599FB4?OpenDocument
There is no lemon law when buying used. If buying it privately, ask the owner if you can have your mechanic look it over. If the seller is on the up and up, it should not be an issue. figure paying your mechanic an hour labor charge. If the seller objects to you having your mechanic inspect the car, walk away from the deal.
Also do a Carfax report on the car and check the NHTSA web site for recalls.
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April 14th, 2010 at 7:41 am
Well I did start this earlier and got the same response, but the information submitted here looks more informative. I will say that people really are trying to help at there best and we always get to know some or the other thing good from each other. Thank you for starting the discussion again. And I will also post the earlier information here to make it more helpful for all. Thanks again and keep up the good work.