Leasing a car is a good option for many people, especially consumers who like to have a newer car in their driveway each year. The option to lease can come with an opportunity to buy the vehicle at the end of the lease term. This can allow the consumer to ride in the car for a year or two, and decide if the car will be traded in at the end of the lease term, or bought outright when the lease term is over.
Can a Car Be a Lemon If the Car’s Mileage Is Over the Leased Terms?
Yes, the car that is being leased on a lease agreement can be a lemon, and subject to the California Lemon Laws. If a car is determined to be a lemon vehicle, then it means that the car has a defect that impairs the car’s use, value or is a safety issue that makes the car unfit to drive. If there are defects in the car’s performance, then the owner of the car on the lease needs to take the car back to the dealership for repairs. The dealer will work with the manufacturer, to get the proper repairs done to the vehicle. These repairs on a manufacturer’s defect on a vehicle are usually performed at no cost to the owner.
How Many Repair Attempts Does the Dealership Get to Fix the Defective Vehicle?
The manufacturer will get a few attempts to fix and repair a vehicle with a manufacturer’s defect. That means that if there is a safety issue, there will be 2 times that the manufacturer and dealership can try to fix the car, and still be within the applicable Lemon Laws. If there is a non-safety issue, the dealership can have 4 attempts to repair the vehicle. All of these repairs for a safety and non-safety related issue need to be performed for within one month’s time, or 30 days. After that, the dealership and manufacturer may need to make arrangements to get you another vehicle, and trade your car for a new one, at that point.
Lease Terms Vary, But Most Are General Leases That Are Standardized Lease Agreements
Lease terms can vary, but the average lease is overall a standardized agreement. To get into a lease, you would approach a car dealership as if you were buying a vehicle. Then, you can inquire as to whether the car you want to purchase can come with a leasing agreement. A car leasing agreement is a legal contract between you and the auto leasing company. It basically states that you will take possession of the vehicle, and make payments on it per the conditions of the leasing agreement in exchange for driving the car.
Leasing Agreements Have Conditions Associated with the Lease Called “Leasing Terms”
The leasing terms associated with a leasing agreement will outline the rules for leasing a car from a leasing company. There are standard factors included in most auto leasing agreements, including:
- Acquisition fees – money paid to arrange creating a car leasing agreement.
- Down payment due at signing – money put down on the vehicle as advance payment to lower the total amount due on the lease (this fee is negotiable).
- Buyout price of vehicle – this amount is the money that will be due to purchase the vehicle at the end of the leasing period.
- Capitalized cost or cap cost – this is the current selling price of the vehicle that factors in depreciation of the vehicle costs.
- Disposition fees – dealer prep fees for the vehicle.
- Early termination fees – fees charged if you leave the leasing agreement early, and can include paying off the lease in full even if the car is returned in the bargain.
- Excessive use fees – if you go over the miles allowed to drive the vehicle in each year of the lease, you may be charged additional fees (per additional mile over the lease agreement allowed).
- Money factor – this is the calculated interest rate on the car leasing loan.
- Monthly payments – this tells you the exact amount your monthly payment will be on the lease each month.
- Residual value – this is an estimation value of the cost of what your vehicle will be at the end of the lease term, factoring in any depreciation values attributed to your vehicle.
If Leasing Agreement Fees Are Not Paid on Time, the Vehicle Can Be Repossessed
No lease agreements allow a car to be “free.” If you do not pay the amount of money noted on the leasing agreement each month, you are going to be considered to be acting illegally, and outside of the terms of the leasing agreement. In that case, the leasing company will take the car back, and repossess the vehicle by seizing it away from you.
When a car is repossessed for lack of payment on a lease, a repossession company is called to go and collect the vehicle. Oftentimes, they will come without warning, and you can even be stuck at work with no ride home. If you have a hardship in paying your leased agreement monthly fees, you are better off calling the leasing company and working something out with them in advance.
What Can I Do If I’m Over My 7.5k, 10k, or 12k Miles Per Year on the Lease?
Good news! The Lemon Laws apply to leased vehicles the same as to any other vehicle with a manufacturer’s defect. If you are over on your miles according to the terms of your lease, it may not be a negative factor related to your claim for a lemon car. When you give us a call today, we can go over these details with you, and ease your mind regarding the applicable laws. But you must make the call to us to start the process. Call us today!
About Us
We are proud to announce to you that our law firm is ready, willing and able to take all claims for lemon cars, and get you the recovery compensation you deserve in these types of cases. Our legal team has knowledgeable attorneys on our team, and we speak many different languages to help you understand every detail of your case.
You have the ability to now get all of the information you need, regarding the applicability of the Lemon Laws to your claim. We are here to answer any questions that you might have on how the Lemon Laws of California apply to your leased lemon car. All that you have to do is to call us today, and we can start the process for you. You deserve the full recovery compensation package related to this claim. Won’t you call us today? We are here for you, and we are always on your side.
Manufacturers of Every Car Model Can Have Lemon Cars as Leased Vehicles
Because any car manufacturer can lease a vehicle to a consumer, it stands to reason that all leased vehicles have the potential to be a lemon car. If this is the case, all that you have to do is call us at the Guardian Lemon Law firm, at 888.341.8537 today. We can review your claim, based on the merits of your case.
Common Defects of Leased Vehicles That are Lemon Cars
We are a knowledgeable team of lawyers, and we are ready to review all common defects that can affect the leased vehicle that you are driving. When you call us, we can go over the specifics of your case, based on the merits of your claim.
Recent Victories
All manufacturers of vehicles around the globe, know that they need to produce cars and trucks that are fit for the purpose for which they are designed. That being that the cars and trucks need to be safe at all times, and ready to be driven safely by the drivers who purchase those vehicles. Buying a car on a lease is no different. You also have the rights that everyone else has under the Lemon Laws. Recent victories include drivers who recover compensation packages from other wrongdoers, such as including:
- $14 million settlement for a pedestrian requiring an amputated leg after being hit in a car accident.
- $6 million settlement for a bus passenger with severe injuries after an accident when the bus crashed into a truck.
- $5.5 million settlement for a driver with serious injuries hit by a reckless driver of a 16-wheeler on the roads.
Zero Fee Guarantee
We are her to help you, when your lease vehicle is a lemon. We can review the rights that you have under the Lemon Laws, and advise you of your next step for a full recovery on the merits of your case. We offer a zero-fee guarantee that you are automatically eligible for right now. All that you need to do is to call us to activate this offer, call today!
Contact Us / Free Case Evaluation
We are ready to talk to you now at the Guardian Lemon Law firm, if you have a lease vehicle that is a lemon. We can give you a free case evaluation when you give us a call today. You have rights to reimbursement under the Lemon Laws of California. We can review your case for a lemon car that is a leased vehicle, when you call us today at 888.341.8537.
