[GhostyM]

I'm in the process of lemon'ing my car. The manufacturer has about 2-3 days left to respond to my Lemon Law lawyer with a settlement/buyback offer.

Once I get an offer, can I still drive the car for the time being before they take it back? I do NOT want a replacement, what if they offer me one?

Once you got an offer... how long did it take before you gave the car back?

I'd love these answered. My lawyer is only giving me vague answers, but understandably so. (I'm sure she doesn't want to ruin my hopes of getting it done quickly).

Current car issues: Spent over 65+ days getting fixed.
What's been replaced:
S/C, Complete engine (individually), Complete exhaust, Crossbolt holding the motor, multiple O2 sensors, sound system, wheel bearings for noise, and brakes (from my latest phonecall). It's been getting fixed since 9/5/2017 and it already spent about 30 days before that due to various issues.. still haven't seen the car.

EDIT: I just realized I've been stuck in an bottom of the barrel (base auto Corolla) Enterprise loaner for almost 2 months now while I'm paying monthly payments for a car 5x as much as my loaner. Even if this goes through, the bittersweet feeling of this whole situation just blows.

Thanks for any info guys!

[NickyC]

Jeeze, sorry to hear about all these troubles! I hope everything works out in your favor, cars are so expensive these days having all these types of issues with a new car is inexcusable.

I'm assuming this is most likely an F-Type? Hope it works out for you!

[GhostyM]

Originally Posted by NickyC

Jeeze, sorry to hear about all these troubles! I hope everything works out in your favor, cars are so expensive these days having all these types of issues with a new car is inexcusable.

I'm assuming this is most likely an F-Type? Hope it works out for you!

Thanks man!

This is for an 16' F-Type R, bought it new with 20 miles. It was perfect for the whole year I've owned it and then just starting going bad.. really bad. REALLY fast.

[NickyC]

Originally Posted by GhostyM

Thanks man!

This is for an 16' F-Type R, bought it new with 20 miles. It was perfect for the whole year I've owned it and then just starting going bad.. really bad. REALLY fast.

Sorry to hear this, the F-Type R is about the most beautiful car on the road right now (and that sound!). Really hope it all works out in your favor, good luck!

[angelr]

I did with a 96 GTI and an SVT contour years ago. Went fine, no replacement offered, offer came fast and all was done within a week or so in our case. Years ago mind you so things might have chanegd.

[GhostyM]

Originally Posted by angelr

I did with a 96 GTI and an SVT contour years ago. Went fine, no replacement offered, offer came fast and all was done within a week or so in our case. Years ago mind you so things might have chanegd.

Thanks for the info!

Once you got the offer, were you allowed to drive it for a little while? Or take it directly to the Dealership right away?

[Trusnow]

in ny lemon law covers lawyer fees and payments or the car during the time the car is in the shop. same in your state?

[GhostyM]

Originally Posted by Trusnow

in ny lemon law covers lawyer fees and payments or the car during the time the car is in the shop. same in your state?

Yep, same rules here! I have to keep paying payments, but once the claim comes through, I get all my payments refunded back to me in full including interest. The manufacturer pays the attorney fees ON TOP of that, so there is no lawyer putting their hand in YOUR cookie jar from your settlement!

I get payments + interest + registraton + any taxes/tow/maintenance expenses + car paid off - mileage offset = settlement offer.

Mileage offset is my case is (MSRP x Miles driven)/ 120,000 miles = Mileage offset

[SaltyNC]

So sorry you're going through this. It isn't pleasant.

I sort-of lemoned a 2003 MINI Cooper S. I purchased the MINI Cooper S before they were available in my area near Charlotte, NC, and bought it from a dealer about an hour+ away in Greenville, SC. If I remember correctly, NC lemon law said it had to be bought in NC, and SC lemon law said it had to be bought and registered in SC, so I was screwed and couldn't use either state's true lemon law. However, I spoke to a BMWNA rep, explained all of the time the MINI had been in service, had a flawed paint job that had one botched paint attempt and was OK the second attempt, it would cut out power when shifting, and the clutch was on the way out at very low mileage, and the final kicker was they couldn't get the check engine light to go off and literally just gave up trying. BMWNA was great about the whole thing. BMWNA agreed to buy back my car. Dealing with the dealership was a different story. They made the entire process very difficult, and didn't even have a check ready for me when I dropped it off. They forged my signature on an affidavit for the odometer. They were so unpleasant in Greenville, I tried to have the car returned to Hendrick in Charlotte that had gotten a MINI dealership in the meantime. Hendrick was willing to do it, and I would have loved working with them, but BMWNA said it couldn't be done. It had to be returned to Greenville, SC where it was purchased. I felt like the Greenville dealership was pure sleaze. After I had a buy-back agreement, there was no rush to immediately take it in.

In my case, I was given loaners of BMW 3 series, MINI convertibles, and MINI Cooper's, so that wasn't so bad. It really was disappointing about my car, because I loved the MINI Cooper S. It was one of the funnest cars I've owned, but unfortunately I got a bad one.

I wish you the best of luck with your lemon situation.

Salty

[GhostyM]

Originally Posted by SaltyNC

So sorry you're going through this. It isn't pleasant.

I sort-of lemoned a 2003 MINI Cooper S. I purchased the MINI Cooper S before they were available in my area near Charlotte, NC, and bought it from a dealer about an hour+ away in Greenville, SC. If I remember correctly, NC lemon law said it had to be bought in NC, and SC lemon law said it had to be bought and registered in SC, so I was screwed and couldn't use either state's true lemon law. However, I spoke to a BMWNA rep, explained all of the time the MINI had been in service, had a flawed paint job that had one botched paint attempt and was OK the second attempt, it would cut out power when shifting, and the clutch was on the way out at very low mileage, and the final kicker was they couldn't get the check engine light to go off and literally just gave up trying. BMWNA was great about the whole thing. BMWNA agreed to buy back my car. Dealing with the dealership was a different story. They made the entire process very difficult, and didn't even have a check ready for me when I dropped it off. They forged my signature on an affidavit for the odometer. They were so unpleasant in Greenville, I tried to have the car returned to Hendrick in Charlotte that had gotten a MINI dealership in the meantime. Hendrick was willing to do it, and I would have loved working with them, but BMWNA said it couldn't be done. It had to be returned to Greenville, SC where it was purchased. I felt like the Greenville dealership was pure sleaze. After I had a buy-back agreement, there was no rush to immediately take it in.

In my case, I was given loaners of BMW 3 series, MINI convertibles, and MINI Cooper's, so that wasn't so bad. It really was disappointing about my car, because I loved the MINI Cooper S. It was one of the funnest cars I've owned, but unfortunately I got a bad one.

I wish you the best of luck with your lemon situation.

Salty

Wow! What a mess! At least you had decent loaner vehicles to cover you for the time being! Like you, I truly enjoyed the F-Type but I'm extremely sour over the whole situation. Did you ever end up owning another Cooper S?

Another funny thing is; I just got word that my lawyer said 30 days have passed since they were supposed to give me a response.. Their settlement offer was DUE today. No word yet... Uh oh.

[SaltyNC]

Originally Posted by GhostyM

Wow! What a mess! At least you had decent loaner vehicles to cover you for the time being! Like you, I truly enjoyed the F-Type but I'm extremely sour over the whole situation. Did you ever end up owning another Cooper S?

It took awhile to get back in the saddle, but in 2015, we purchased a MINI Countryman S. This one has been a normal MINI -- had some reliability issues, but they were corrected.

I would think the non-response by the deadline would mean good things for your final outcome. Hopefully you'll get your full refund soon.

Salty

[Spa2k]

A couple of days before I told the manufacturer I was going to file the Lemon Law paperwork, the manufacturer offered to buy back the car and even reimbursed me for all payments, insurance and all other expenses. I had the check in much less time than if it had gone through the Lemon Law process, and the manufacturer got the car back without a tainted title.

[GhostyM]

Originally Posted by Spa2k

A couple of days before I told the manufacturer I was going to file the Lemon Law paperwork, the manufacturer offered to buy back the car and even reimbursed me for all payments, insurance and all other expenses. I had the check in much less time than if it had gone through the Lemon Law process, and the manufacturer got the car back without a tainted title.

Oh nice! I didn't think it was possible.

Was it on a GT350?

[Spa2k]

Originally Posted by GhostyM

Oh nice! I didn't think it was possible.

Was it on a GT350?

Anything is possible when you're negotiating! The manufacturer was particularly sensitive about not wanting one of its iconic vehicles branded as a lemon. I can't tell you what car it was because of the confidentiality agreement with the manufacturer, but I can tell you it wasn't the GT 350 (although it could have been by now if I'd kept it).