DEAR SUZANNE
By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 119 – June 2023 | Outraged
Dear Suzanne,
Dealing with a defective vehicle is stressful enough, but when you throw an uncooperative dealership into the mix, it’s a disaster! That’s the situation I’ve been dealing with my Land Rover Range Rover Sport.
To give some background, I leased this vehicle from a Range Rover dealership in California, and the lease will expire in July 2024. My car is a 2021 model with about 27,000 miles on it.
Ever since I leased the car, I’ve had to take it back to the dealership several times for the same issues. It would have been more if the dealership hadn’t been so unresponsive lately. They’ve ignored my messages and given me appointment dates months away. They’re truly the worst!
The first issue was with the infotainment Bluetooth system not connecting to my phone. It would connect and then disconnect repeatedly, or the system would freeze up. The dealership initially fixed it with a software update, but the problem came back.
Now, I’m dealing with a new issue: my vehicle lags and has a delay in acceleration. This has created safety concerns and even affected my job performance, as it takes much longer to get anywhere.
On top of that, the infotainment system is completely malfunctioning, and the screen is just black. Plus, when I took my car in for repairs, I noticed the odometer showed additional miles that the dealership couldn’t adequately explain.
My son is a cosigner on the vehicle’s papers, and we both feel let down by the dealership and the vehicle’s quality. We’re desperate for a resolution.
I wanted to reach out to you for advice on how to proceed. What are our rights as customers in this situation? Is there any recourse we can take against the dealership or the automaker? I appreciate any insights or assistance you can provide.
Outraged
Watch: Range Rover Lemon Law Buyback Explained: Everything You Should Know
Protect Your Rights Through The Lemon Law
Dear Outraged,
The first thing you should know is that the way lawyers in California handle lemon law cases is quite different from other states. In California, there are no lawyer costs charged to you, as your case is taken on contingency. Instead, the legal fees are handled by the car manufacturer, in your case, Land Rover. As a result, the total money won goes directly to you without worrying about paying your attorney.
To determine if your vehicle qualifies for the lemon law, it must meet the following criteria:
- It has been to the dealership for different issues at least 3 times while under warranty.
- It has spent more than a month at the repair shop while also under warranty.
- You have 2 visits to the dealer covered by the manufacturer’s warranty for the same issue.
If you meet any of these conditions, your vehicle is deemed a lemon and is eligible for lemon law.
It’s definitely frustrating that the dealership hasn’t been able to fix such a seemingly minor issue. It makes you wonder how they would handle more serious problems like engine or transmission issues.
The good news is that your vehicle is still within the manufacturer’s warranty period. Lemon law only covers vehicles still under warranty, and for your Range Rover, the warranty for the entire vehicle is 4 years or 50,000 miles.
While your attorney handles your case, you can continue taking your car in for repairs. Although it’s difficult to get an appointment with your dealership, try to take your car in, especially for the delay in acceleration issue. If you can’t get it done at that dealership, you can take it to another Land Rover dealership. Doing this helps strengthen your case and could result in more money for you.
With that said, let’s look at what the lemon law can do for you. It’s best to begin your case while you’re still on low miles, as it gives your attorney more options and helps avoid pushbacks and deductions from the manufacturer.
There are two main options: the buyback and the cash and keep.
The buyback option involves the manufacturer repurchasing the vehicle from you. They would repay every dime you’ve ever spent on the car, including monthly payments, down payment, taxes, and interest. If you took out a loan on the car, the manufacturer also has to pay off the finance company.
The only deduction the manufacturer can take is the mileage offset, which means they have the right to charge you for the period you drove the car with no issues. They base this on the mileage during your first visit. However, your attorney can argue to avoid paying this offset, either in full or partially, with the main goal of getting you back as much money as possible. More information about the Range Rover Lemon Law buyback process here.
The second option, cash and keep, involves the manufacturer giving you cash compensation for the issues you’ve had with the car. You get to keep your car, and your warranty isn’t voided or canceled. You can still purchase the car at the end of the lease or sell it without having to deem it a lemon to the buyer.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which option you prefer. If you’re unsure, reach out to your attorney for help.
Suzanne
PS. If you think your vehicle sucks and want to actually do something about it, you definitely can! Find out quickly if you have a case by visiting www.yourvehiclesucks.com right now. This website is owned by our partner law firm Quill & Arrow LLP, California’s #1 “settled” Lemon Law attorneys.
Free Legal Advice About Your 2021 Range Rover Sport Lemon Law Claim
Dear reader, are your vehicle problems ruining your life? Confused about what legal route to take? We’re here to help! Find information about California’s lemon law protections here, fill out the form on this page, or give us a call at (323) 553-7525 to discuss your situation with someone who understands how frustrating it can be to have a lemon car, and what to do about it.
DEAR SUZANNE is a weekly column written by Suzanne Henderson and published in LemonLawyers.ORG. If you have a defective lemon vehicle and have questions about California Lemon Law Attorney or how to file a claim in California, please write to help@lemonlawyers.org. While not guaranteed, we will try to feature your letter in this column to provide you the answers you need, as well as enlighten other consumers who may have lemon problems similar to yours.
Disclaimer: Suzanne Henderson is not a lawyer and the points discussed here are intended for general information and reference purposes only and not to be construed as legal advice. Please consult a California Lemon Lawyer to get proper legal advice about your lemon law claim.
Related Articles:
- My 2019 Land Rover Causes Embarrassing Work Mishaps
- Understanding The Difference Between Land Rover Lemon Law Claims And Product Liability Claims
- How To Avoid Buying A Lemon & What To Do If You Already Bought One
Featured Image:
- 2021 Range Rover Sport 2021 ©Vauxford (CC BY-SA 4.0 License)
