Lemon Law and Luxury Cars: A Guide to High-End Vehicle Claims 

If you walk into a dealership with plans to purchase a high-end car, your expectations tend to soar. Social status, comfort, luxury features and other benefits all play into someone’s choice to buy a high-end vehicle. Paying top-dollar for a car should mean that you are guaranteed that the car will be safe and usable.

Nobody expects a luxury purchase to come along with problems or safety issues– but in some cases, buying a vehicle like this actually does still present unanticipated complications. Brand names like BMW, Audi, Ferrari, and Land Rover don’t mean much if a car from that manufacturer doesn’t work properly.

Lemon cars are vehicles that do not function in accordance with warranty standards

Many people have heard of lemon vehicles. These are cars that do not function properly. The potential list of problems that make a car a lemon is a long one. Manufacturing issues may lead to decreased safety or utility of a vehicle; and even though these are things that are covered by a car’s warranty, it can actually be very difficult to receive compensation after purchasing a lemon.

Some examples of common car problems that might qualify for lemon law protection include:

• Malfunctioning brakes
• A faulty transmission
• Faulty steering
• Bad suspension

High-end lemon vehicles do exist

A high-end car might be the last vehicle you’d expect to be a lemon, but many luxury buyers are surprised to find that their brand new beautiful Cadillac or Porsche doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to.

Luxury cars that turn out to be lemons can bring on high expenses. Even the average vehicle that fails to operate the way a driver needs or expects often racks up startling bills. When you multiply those by however much extra it costs to get work done on a high-end car, it quickly becomes apparent that luxury lemon cars present a huge problem for buyers.

There are a few key factors that differentiate the average lemon vehicle claim from a luxury car lemon claim.

Luxury cars’ technology can make problems more difficult to diagnose (and fix)

One incredible benefit of luxury cars lies in the fact that they rely on advanced technology and mechanics. It’s just one of many reasons why people choose to buy these vehicles.

With that said, these desirable features can quickly shift from selling points into opportunities for tough-to-fix problems. It can be tough to find mechanics who understand how to work on these cars. In some cases, technology may be so new that even manufacturers don’t have the most solid grasp on how all the pieces (metaphorical or literal) truly fit together.

High-end vehicle manufacturers may be hesitant to admit that problems are not caused by drivers

No vehicle manufacturer or dealer is quick to take responsibility for problems with lemon cars. This is doubly true when it comes to luxury vehicle manufacturers.

Think about it– these manufacturers have serious reputations to uphold; and, outside of that, there’s a lot of pride behind what they’re making and selling. They do not want to take responsibility for a defect (let alone one that should be such a non-issue that they aren’t afraid to cover it under their warranty).

Here’s how high-end vehicle claims work if your car is a lemon

The claims process for luxury lemon cars does not look different– on the surface– from the average lemon claim. You need to keep the factors mentioned above in mind as you work towards getting financial relief, but the basic framework of a claim remains the same.

1. The person who purchased the luxury vehicle must file a lemon law claim with the car’s manufacturer or an authorized representative
2. The claim will be reviewed; then, the vehicle’s manufacturer will evaluate the claim and must send back a response including an explanation of what they found to be wrong with the vehicle and how they intend to remedy it

This is usually where disputes come into play. Many manufacturers (especially luxury ones with reputations they feel they need to protect) deny claims or send back lowball offers.

This point also often marks the time when a person starts looking for a lemon law attorney; and even though it’s helpful to work with a lawyer from the very beginning of the process, it’s okay to wait to start the search until now.

• Remember: manufacturers are required to purchase, replace, or repair vehicles under warranty that have serious defects. If you believe that the luxury vehicle you have purchased may be a lemon, a qualified attorney could be able to help you pursue the assistance and compensation that you are legally entitled to

If a manufacturer’s final attempt to fix the defect in the car is not adequate, or if they don’t make one at all, a government body will get involved. Some places rely on mediation sessions involving the DMV; others go through the state’s attorney general.

Both parties involved in the situation have the opportunity to defend their side of the case, and whoever plays middle-man will come up with a final decision.

Lemon law attorneys help simplify this process. Not only do they represent your legal and financial interests in communication with manufacturers, but they can handle your case in court if necessary. Many people find that working with a qualified lawyer helps minimize stress and maximize compensation in lemon law cases.

Image Source : https://www.pexels.com/photo/luxurious-car-interior-2834653/

How to choose a luxury lemon law attorney

Selecting the best lawyer to help with your potential case involves a handful of steps.

Firstly, you should seek out a lemon law attorney who specializes in lemon law cases. Not every attorney can successfully handle a lemon law case. This area of the law is very specific; somebody who knows the legislation that could impact your case like the back of their hand can help you much more effectively than someone who takes on clients with a very broad variety of needs.

If an attorney has had proven success handling cases like yours– that is, involving high-end vehicles– your chances of seeing fair compensation are even better. Ask the lawyers you talk to what percentage of their caseload has to do with luxury cars. Because these vehicles do come along with their own unique set of potential issues, it’s important to work with somebody who understands those concepts.

It’s also important to prioritize finding a lemon law attorney who has done extensive work negotiating with luxury car manufacturers. The attorney you hire may have to communicate directly with your vehicle’s manufacturer. If that’s the case, you want him or her to be comfortable and confident in speaking the luxury language.

There are many vehicle defects covered by lemon laws– both on the state and the federal level. If a luxury car owner has to face consistent issues with their vehicle, they deserve to pursue relief. Lemon laws are in place to protect car buyers from dangerous and nonfunctional vehicles; so when somebody’s high-end vehicle poses a risk or cannot be driven as intended, it makes sense to work with somebody who understands the law and has experience with similar cases.