What am I entitled to in a “buyback”?

When I settle a California lemon law case for a buyback for a client, this means that the automobile manufacturer has agreed to repurchase the vehicle under the terms of our state lemon law.

In a buyback, you are entitled to the following:

• Down-payment or lease inception payment paid to dealer at time of delivery.
   

• Any positive equity from a vehicle traded-in.
   

• All monthly payments (including interest charges) that you have made up to the date the manufacturer agrees to repurchase the vehicle.
   

• A payoff by the automobile manufacturer to the lender (lien holder) that holds the title to the vehicle for the existing loan or lease balance.

The consumer, in return:

• Returns the vehicle in undamaged condition with current registration.
   

• Repairs any damage to vehicle (other than minor wear-and-tear) before returning it.
   

• Replaces any tires no longer deemed serviceable by tread depth or wear patterns.
   

• If scheduled servicing is currently or overdue, the consumer has this done before returning the vehicle. (this varies by manufacturer and circumstances).
   

• Returns vehicle with both sets of keys, spare, and anything else that originally came with the vehicle.
   

• Will have a “mileage offset” (usage charge) deducted from the lemon law buyback refund based upon the miles on the vehicle at the onset of the first of the repeated repair order visits that made the vehicle a “lemon” under the statute.

Once the buyback has been completed (vehicle surrendered), the consumer receives their refund check.

If you have any questions on the “buyback” process, please call my office at:

1-800-225-3666