No one likes to give back money, especially when it is a large amount, and you’re likely to find this true if you attempt to return a malfunctioning vehicle to the dealer or manufacturer. If, after purchasing your new car, you find that it has defects that are unrepairable—and that you’ve spent lots of money trying to fix—you may consider getting your money back under Virginia’s lemon law. Unfortunately, some dealerships don’t take kindly to this law and will try to place the blame on you especially if the problems are the result of the dealer's poor repair attempts, such a lawsuit makes the dealer look bad to the manufacturer.
Protect Yourself Against Guilty Dealerships and Manufacturers
If you try to return your vehicle under the lemon law, the dealership or manufacturer may claim that you abused the vehicle, which led to its defects. Along with the help of a lawyer, you can protect yourself by following these tips:
- Adhere to the factory-recommended service protocol. Your vehicle’s manufacturer will provide you with a service protocol that aims to keep your car running smoothly. This protocol will give you information on when to have oil changes, tune-ups, and the like. Typically, the recommendations come at certain mileage, and following them to a tee can help your pursuit in seeking reimbursement for your lemon.
- Keep detailed records of service. Taking your vehicle to the dealer for all of its needs is ideal, as all of your services will be detailed and accounted for, and performed by professionals. However, you may be able to get away with performing routine maintenance, such as oil changes, on your own. Just make sure to keep receipts of the materials you use, purchase what the manufacturer recommends, and keep a log book of when you completed the services. Having this type of evidence may prevent the manufacturer from proving you caused the problems.
Don’t Fight the Dealer on Your Own
The dealer and manufacturer don’t want to give you your money back and will fight you tooth and nail to prevent doing so. Having an attorney on your side, particularly one who specializes in Virginia’s lemon law, gives you your best chance at getting the result you deserve. Contact the Consumer Law Group to discuss your situation and find out how we may be able to help.
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