Know Your Lemon Law Rights

You buy yourself a brand new dream car in Illinois. This new dream machine of yours would, instead of hitting the road, spend its time and your money in an auto repair shop. If this scenario rings bells in your own case, time you took advantage of the Illinois lemon law. A lemon is a defective car that is found to have numerous or severe defects not readily apparent before its purchase. Any vehicle with these issues can be termed a 'lemon,' and for that matter, any product which has major flaws that render it unfit for its purpose can be described as a 'lemon'. Here are a few questions most frequently asked by car consumers in Illinois and answers he must take cognizance about. It is possible that you would find answers to some of the questions that keep bugging you about the lemon status of your new vehicle. How would I know if my new vehicle is a lemon?rnAccording to the Illinois lemon law, a new vehicle is a lemon if: * It has a nonconformity that substantially impairs its use, market value or safetyrn * The same nonconformity is not repairable by the dealer or manufacturer in at least four repair attempts * The vehicle is out of service for a total of 30 or more business days Which are the vehicles covered by the Illinois lemon law?rnThe Illinois lemon law covers: * New cars purchased or leasedrn * Light trucks and vans under 8,000 poundsrn * Recreational vehicles, excluding their trailersrn * Vehicles in their first 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever occurs firstrn * Vehicles purchased in Illinois Which are the vehicles NOT covered by the Illinois lemon law?rnThe Illinois lemon law DOES NOT cover: * Used carsrn * Altered or modified vehiclesrn * Motorcycles and boats How does the Illinois lemon law work? To get the Illinois lemon law work: * The consumer must contact a designated manufacturer representative for the lemon vehicle How does a designated manufacturer representative help me with my lemon vehicle, under the Illinois lemon law?rnUnder the Illinois lemon law: * This designated representative will ONLY forward the required information and forms to yourn * The Illinois lemon law claims cannot be initiated directly through the dealer Is there a time frame for filing my claim under the Illinois lemon law?rnUnder the Illinois lemon law: * The time period in which an Illinois lemon law complaint has to be filed is 12 months from the date of purchase of the lemon vehicle Can I proceed under the Illinois lemon law through my car dealer?rnUnder the Illinois lemon law: * Your Illinois lemon law claims cannot be initiated directly through your car dealer Many a consumer has lost his Illinois lemon law protection because he waited longer than 12 months from the purchase date of your lemon vehicle How do I go about filing my claim under the Illinois lemon law?rnUnder the Illinois lemon law: * Never ever believe that you can proceed under the Illinois lemon law through your dealerrn * It is extremely important that you file your Illinois lemon law claim with your designated representative before your right to do so expiresrn * The time period in which an Illinois lemon law complaint has to be filed is 12 months from the date of purchase of the lemon vehicle What compensations can I expect for my lemon vehicle under the Illinois lemon law?rnUnder the Illinois lemon law you can expect one of the following compensations: * A replacement vehicle of similar valuern * The manufacturer buys back your vehicle from you, less the value for miles driven Do I have any other recourse if I fail to get protection under the Illinois lemon law?rnIf you fail to get protection under the Illinois lemon law there are: * Other Federal and Illinois laws that deal with contracts and warranties for new products or carsrn * Before deciding on a particular course of action, you are required to consult a lemon law attorneyrn * The lemon law attorney can discuss various alternatives and determine the best course of action for getting your consumer protection against your lemon vehicle To get the best out of the Illinois lemon law, you should act promptly to try to resolve the problem fairly and quickly to your advantage.