Dos and Donts on Filing a Complaint

Imagine that you have already done the things that you need to do in order to ensure that you do not wind up with a lemon and still you feel like you got ripped off. If you feel like it is really time to make a complaint, there are some dos and donts that you should follow. Here are some very interesting do's and don'ts that you should take to heart on complaining about your lemon that will get you much farther on fixing your lemon problem.

Do use only the facts about your problems. You must also be sure to list them in chronological order.

Be as brief as you possibly can. If you prefer to write a letter; you must be sure to keep it to a maximum of one page. Any longer, and your letter will likely get lost.

Be certain that you do not mention the history of your past cars that you have owned because truthfully, no one cares.

Don't give out any ultimatums. You also do not want to make demands on what may not get fixed this time because all that you will accomplish is a few enemies.

You do not want to threaten a law suit either. If you threaten a law suit you will learn quickly that you will soon find that you will get very little cooperation.

You must also be reasonable in what you expect. If you don't like the way something is being handled, you should immediately tell the dealer and he'll pass the information along on your behalf.

Don't ever tell the dealer flat out that you have had your problem from the first day. Instead you should simply let the facts speak for themselves.

You should also avoid making any comparisons between American and foreign made cars because it doesn't really apply.

If a dealer tells you that your car has a particular characteristic he's probably telling you the truth as all cars have specific characters of their own. You should know this.

If you have a problem that the dealer can't duplicate it would be wise for you to work with them on explaining the exact conditions when it happens. It helps if you keep a note book and write down the date, time, temp outside, how long you have been driving the car, how many miles you have driven that day, etc. on the record.

It is possible that the dealer you are working with is actually a bad dealer. You can always see if another one in the area will help you out instead. But you need to keep in mind that non-selling dealers are very reluctant to take on other dealers problem cases.

You need to know that if you feel that you should get something, you have a better chance of getting get if you remain civil and make your point in a rational and logical way.

If the dealer does a good job helping you, be civil enough to send a note of thanks to them. This way, you will be remembered the next time you are in need of a vehicle and treated even better.

What Documents do I Need?
The most important documents that you should have if you want to prove a Lemon Law or a Breach of Warranty Case are the repair orders that you are given immediately after your vehicle has been in for a repair. Each time you take your vehicle in for repair you should make sure that all of the information that is contained on these documents is correct.

For example, you should be sure that all the complaints are written up exactly as you have stated them; that ALL of your complaints on that visit are included and written down; that the dates that you came in and the dates out are correct; that the mileage is set properly etc.

In most states, dealers are required under the Lemon Law to give you a copy of all of your repair orders. Furthermore; if you keep a calendar of appointments, which shows when you took the car in to the dealer because this can be helpful also with the repair orders.

Basically, you need to keep copies of all documentation that you have with regards to your car and its history. This will include such things as all repair orders, purchase contracts, warranty book and owners manual that came with your car.

You will also want to keep written notes of all of the conversations that you have with your dealership and repair technicians concerning your vehicle and its lemon status or potential. Include the date, time and what specifically was discussed and to whom you were speaking to. This includes phone calls and in-person contact. Here some more quick tips:

DO NOT leave the dealership without your repair order because if you dont have a repair order it means no proof of repair either.

Make sure the repair order accurately reflects the date that you dropped off the vehicle for repair and the date you picked up the vehicle when the repairs were finished.

Make sure that the dealership accurately describes your complaints in your words, and not theirs.

Save all your repair orders.

Ignore the dealership and the manufacturer if they tell you that you dont have a lemon law claim for the obvious reasons

What if I bought a used car?
If you still had any warranty left over from the manufacturer when you purchased your vehicle; or if your vehicle was "Certified" by the manufacturer or dealer, and you made at least one unsuccessful warranty claim before the warranty ended, you may be able to get compensation for breach of warranty.

Check out these tips for finding out if there is something about your vehicle that you were not told:

Go to CARFAX.com and get a vehicle history for your car

Consult an auto body shop to determine if your car in an accident already

Have your Insurance Company run your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on their computer to see if an accident claim was ever made about your car through another insurance company