How to Spot a Lemon Vehicle?

A vehicle is called a lemon when it does not give the kind of service that is promised by the dealer. Purchasing a reliable vehicle at a reasonable price and then finding out that it is a lemon can not only be nerve-wracking but also what follows is tiresome.

What are the ways in which you can spot a lemon?

• Get A Report for The Vehicle’s History

The first step to buying a new vehicle is about checking the vehicle’s history report. There are a lot of different report services like Carfax or AutoCheck. The most important thing is receiving a report mentioning if there are any previous owners of the vehicle if it has encountered any accidents, also the number of times it needed repairing. Also, the title will reflect if the vehicle is a lemon. This will help the best lawyers in California to fight the case if the vehicle turns out to be a lemon later on.

• A Pre-Purchase Inspection Is Important

You will have to go beyond the history report and inspect the vehicle personally.

Here we have listed what all things you should check for before purchasing a new vehicle:

Check the exterior: You need to look for any dents, paint chips, broken light housing, or any other visible damage. Things like paint overspray, rubber trim are to be checked since they are a sign of extensive body-panel repair.

Check the interior: If you find a sagging headliner, or cracked dashboard, and missing knobs and handles, then you should know it comes under a lemon. There is an airbag warning light that lights up if the bag was deployed or was improperly replaced or was not at all replaced. You should also check for any odour; If you find any that means there is some damage or a leak.

Check under the hood: You should check that the engine, radiator, and battery are grease-free and not leaking. Also, the oil level should be between the marks, “full” and “add”. If the fluid dipstick has a strong and burnt smell, it means there is severe wear.”

Check the tires: There is more wear in the middle when tires are used frequently. Tires that are driven while under-inflated wear more on the sides. This is a sign that the vehicle was driven aggressively and other parts might have also suffered.

Check the steering: When checking you should turn the steering wheel right and left. There should be no clunking noise in the steering. The car would not require a constant steering correction when the speed is normal and is being driven on smooth and flat pavement. A shaking steering wheel indicates that there is a need for wheel balancing.

Take it for a spin: You can go for a drive and check if the engine reverses before the vehicle accelerates. If it does it means the clutch is misadjusted or has worn-out. The adjustment of a clutch is an inexpensive service, but one that is damaged would be expensive.

• Bargain

Now, do not think that if the car is a lemon, it would not be drivable. Since a car can be called a lemon even when the passenger side window does not open, or a CD player does not play a certain CD or there is an unexpected ticking noise from the engine. All of this does not conclude that the vehicle cannot be bought but the resale value will be less. Therefore, remember to use this as a reason for bargaining.

It is crucial for a customer to carefully examine everything before buying stuff but you may find yourself in this situation. Take care of all the tips mentioned above. This will make the work of the best lawyers in California easier.