How to repair stone chips and deep scratches
Stone are yet another bane a car has to face all the time. If not regularly attended to, stone chips cause corrosion. It is as good idea to repair stone chips as soon as they appear.

• Clean and dry the car
• Buy the matching spray paint and tooth picks
• Shake the spray paint thoroughly
• Spray very small amount into the cap
• Dip the end of the toothpick into the paint in the cap
• Fill in the paint into the stone chip
• You can use a touch-up paint with a brush too

Undercoating and rustproofing your vehicle

Undercoating and rustproofing is very important if you live in an area

• With high humidity
• Where the salt use is common in winter months

Generally, the brake system located underneath the car is completely gets corroded in highly humid coastal areas and the brake lines can burst leaving the car with no brakes. To protect important components of the car from corrosion undercoating and rustproofing should be done properly.

Wax your car regularly

• A car wax gives your car a sheen
• A car wax helps to shield the paint from harsh environment
• A car wax shield the paint from fading
• A car wax takes only about 30 minutes to wax a whole car
• A high-quality car wax stays on the car for three  to four months
• To maintain protective coat the car wax needs to be reapplied periodically

Wash your car regularly

• Wash your car regularly at least once a month
• When the car is clean, all the moisture dries up quickly
• A dirty car is moist and collects organic matter that corrodes the metal of your car very fast
• Use pressure wash to remove the dirt from behind moldings, inside wheel arches, under the bumpers
• Pressure wash is very useful after winter season to remove all the salt collected to prevent corrosion process
• Wash all the dirt from the windshield
• Sand left clinging on the windshield caught under the wiper blades scratch the windshield when the wipers are used

It may not always be a happy story when you purchase a new vehicle. Your brand new car may be spending more time at the dealership then in your possession. If your new vehicle is shuttling between the dealership and your home, it may be time to seek the protection afforded to you by the Illinois New Vehicle Buyers Protection Act which is more commonly referred to as the “Lemon Law.”

A vehicle is a lemon under the Illinois lemon law if:

• It has a nonconformity that substantially impairs its use, market value or safety; and
• The nonconformity is not repaired by the dealer/manufacturer after at least four (4) repair attempts within the first 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever occurs first; or
• Your vehicle is at an authorized dealership for repairs for a total of thirty (30) or more business days within the first 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever occurs first.

The Illinois lemon law protects:

• Newly purchased or leased automobiles;
• Light trucks and vans under 8,000 pounds;
• Recreational vehicles excluding its trailers; and
• Vehicles purchased only in Illinois.

The Illinois lemon law DOES NOT cover:

• Used Automobiles;
• Altered or modified vehicles; and
• Motorcycles and boats.

Compensation if you win your Illinois lemon law claim

• A replacement vehicle; or
• A refund of the purchase price of your vehicle.

Options other than the Illinois lemon law: There is in place federal legislation to deal with warranties for new and used consumer products should you fall outside the parameters of the Illinois Lemon Law.  The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 2301, et. seq. (“Magnuson-Moss”) is one such law that is widely utilized should you fall short of being protected by the Illinois Lemon Law. Before deciding on a particular course of action, you should definitely consult an attorney who is knowledgeable in the area of both the Lemon Law and Magnuson-Moss to discuss your best option and to determine what your actual rights are against the manufacturer of your vehicle.

Most importantly, document all the events relating to your vehicle.  Make sure to receive and retain repair receipts each and every time you bring your vehicle to a dealership for repairs. These records are critical to your success.

With an acute fluctuation in the economy, people are thinking twice before investing in new cars.  New vehicles depreciate rapidly and it makes a lot of financial sense to buy a pre-owned car. By the time you buy a used vehicle in Texas, its price may have already stabilized to a plateau with only the slightest depreciation towards the next year. Since buying a vehicle is the second most expensive purchase one makes, researching is of the highest priority to avoid buying a used lemon car.

However, while section 2301.602 of the Texas Occupations Code dealing with the Regulation of Motor Vehicles and Transportation refers only to the new motor vehicles, a used vehicle may still be covered under the Texas lemon law.

• The Texas lemon law covers your used vehicle if it is still covered by the manufacturer's original warranty
• The Texas lemon law applies to your used vehicle if the problem started while under warranty
• The Texas lemon law does not cover extended service contracts
• The Texas lemon law remedies are limited to repair assistance in the warranty-related problem of your Texas used vehicle
• The Texas lemon law does not entitle you to a repurchase or replacement of an used vehicle

In view of all these points it is of highest priority that you protect yourself before you purchase an used vehicle in Texas.

If you are planning to buy an used car:

• Research thoroughly online
• Consult newspapers for advertisements
• Visit used car lots/sellers
• Run car history reports from multiple vehicle history service report providers like the AutoCheck and CarFax

If you are planning to buy a vehicle, you may want to check into how much it could cost to own for five years. The best way to do that is to list the possible costs you will incur over five years for fuel, maintenance/repairs, taxes, fees, depreciation, interest and insurance. Even if you are offered a good deal on a new car, it's always a good idea to carefully consider all aspects of vehicle ownership before making a final decision.

Over five years the city you live in can make a big difference in the cost of owning a car.  For instance, if you live in California, you perhaps would pay around $10,000 more for the same vehicle than if you reside in a state such as New Hampshire. For such situations, automotive research websites exist such as Edmunds.com that have a “True Cost-to-Own” formula that calculates the average cost of owning a car over a five year period. On a range of new and used vehicles the “True Cost-to-Own” formula is based on depreciation, financing, taxes, fees, insurance premiums, fuel costs, maintenance and repairs.

You can make use of this “True Cost-to-Own” formula to calculate the average five-year cost of owning a car.  A brief review of the formula results in the following:

• The most expensive places to own a vehicle: Hawaii, California and Alaska
• The lowest average vehicle ownership costs: New Hampshire, South Dakota and South Carolina

Reasons why the rates of cars differ between various states:

Carmakers sometimes offer regional incentives
Intense competition results in bigger discounts from dealerships
Maintenance and repair costs: Current labor rate for service technicians in a state and sales tax on replacement parts
Sales tax and interest rates on car loan on “luxury” vehicles

Accordingly, you may wish to consider the following factors before purchasing an automobile:

• Some states (i.e. New Hampshire) do not have a state sales tax
• Other states (i.e. Alaska, Oregon, South Carolina, Delaware) have minimal state sales tax
• In Oregon, car buyers pay an average of just $130 in taxes and fees
• In Alabama, car buyers pay an average of $4,000 on top of the purchase price
• In Alaska, taxes and fees average approximately $503
• In Alaska, car owners pay an average of almost $12,000 over five years to insure their vehicles
• Owners in South Dakota pay less than $5,000 to insure their vehicles
• California has the highest average costs for maintenance and repairs
• New Jersey and New Hampshire have the least expensive maintenance and repair costs
• Over the course of five years, car owners in South Carolina pay $3,000 less than those in Hawaii to fill up their vehicles with gas

If you live in one of those high-cost-to-own states, you should seriously consider all costs before choosing a vehicle to purchase.

Car leasing offers certain advantages and it is an attractive alternative to buying a car. A finance company, also known as a leasing company buys cars from dealerships and leases  it out to you to use for a fixed time in return of your monthly payments. When you return the leased car at the end of your leasing contract, your monthly payments cover the sale price, finance charges and taxes.

• Advantages of leasing a car:
• Lower monthly payments
• Different newer cars
• Fewer maintenance hassles
• Lower upfront cash outlay
• Lower taxes
• No used car problems
• Gap coverage included

However, car leasing requires more personal discipline and commitment than buying as it is rife with many pitfalls.

Concentrate on negotiating the price of the car

To avoid getting into a bad deal of car leasing, concentrate on negotiating the price of the car with the car leasing company.
Lease a vehicle with the dealership rather than with the car leasing company. You should negotiate your car price as if you are the one who is responsible for paying it with the cash from your own hard earned money. Then apply the same negotiated price to the leasing deal. Do not let the salesman know how much you were planning to pay each month on the lease.
Acquaint yourself with the terms like “residual value,” “money factor,” “capitalized cost,” and “capitalized cost reduction”. Knowing the meaning of these terms thoroughly would help you avoid getting into trouble with the deal. You can purchase the vehicle at its residual value when the lease period is over. The residual value should be according to the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP). Focus on getting a lease contract with the smallest down payment in cash and a very low rate of interest.


Read the fine print in the warranties of the car
To avoid getting into a bad deal of car leasing thoroughly research about your lemon law rights and read the fine print in the warranties of the car you are planning to lease.
Every state has its own “lemon laws” designed to protect consumers from defective cars. If you lease a car that turns out to be a lemon you are covered in most states, except in Alabama, New Mexico, Nevada, Alaska, South Dakota and Colorado. In these states, lemon laws are not expressly extended to lessees. If any protection is afforded, it is only according to the lease agreements and express warranties.

Before you sign the leasing contract:

• Find out if the lemon laws of your state apply to leased vehicles
• Read the warranty on the vehicle thoroughly and check if the manufacturer’s warranty covers the  leased vehicle you are planning to use

Get gap insurance
To avoid getting entangled by ugly problems in case your car is stolen or totaled, get gap insurance. It is highly warranted if the car is expensive.
A gap insurance, lease gap or loan gap comes like a blessing in disguise in a world of carjacks and accidents. If you’re working with a small independent leasing company, make sure to check about gap insurance.

Finance companies provide their own gap insurance in the contract, either by including it as part of the monthly payment or by charging a modest premium.

Advantages of gap insurance:

• Covers the difference if your leased car is totaled or stolen
• Pays if you run into trouble with your cash flow and the loan

Chalk out the route or the places you would need to travel
To avoid getting into a bad deal of car leasing roughly chalk out the route or the places you would need to travel on a sheet of paper. A map of the locality, city, state or the country would help you find the shortest route.
A provision in many leasing contracts restricts the places you can drive. Some forbid you from going out of state or out of the country. If you violate these conditions, you may be considered to be in default, which may mean that you will owe the difference between the balance on the lease and the value of the car. If your leasing company is only a local establishment you may have to put up with more restrictions about the place you may want to travel to.

Calculate how many miles you would drive a year
To avoid getting into a bad deal of car leasing calculate how many miles you would drive a year. The lower are the number of miles you travel, the lower are the depreciation of the lease and monthly payment.

A lease allows you 10,000, 12,000 or 15,000 miles per year and if the lease period is 36 months, you should stay under 30,000, 36,000 or 45,000 miles respectively. In case you travel more than your mileage limit, you will have to pay extra, a minimum of 25 cents per every additional mile. Estimate the number of miles you might travel and it would come handy in negotiating the deal before the contract is written to avoid any angst later.
You can avoid paying for extra miles if you buy the car at the end of the lease by paying the difference between the car’s current value and the total lease amount.

Return your car in good shape
To avoid getting into a bad deal of car leasing, return your car in good shape.

Leasing contracts require you to return your car in good shape. A month before you plan to return the car, make a request to your leasing company to inspect it for wear and tear. If there are any dents or chips, get them fixed ahead and do not let the dealer charge you for them. It’s usually cheaper to get the repairs done on your own. One way to avoid paying for the wear and tear is to buy the car at the end of the lease by paying the difference between the car’s current value and the total lease amount.


Carefully choose the timing for leasing a new model
To avoid getting into a bad deal of car leasing, carefully choose the timing for leasing a new model say, at the beginning of the new model year.

Contrary to what people think, the most expensive time to lease a new car is NOT at the beginning of the model year when vehicles hit the showrooms. Actually, you will get the best deal at the beginning of the new model year because many manufacturers start hiking their prices thrice or four times in a year till a newer model arrives. This is the reason, why a lease is more expensive at the end of the model year than it is at the beginning of it.

Illinois lemon law covers new self-propelled vehicle primarily designed for use on public highways with a serious mechanical problem that was purchased or leased in Illinois. The Illinois lemon law states that the mechanical problem should be first reported within the first 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever occurs first. The Illinois lemon law covers:

• New Cars both purchased/leased
• Light Trucks and vans that weigh less than 8,000 pounds
• Recreational vehicles excluding trailers
• Vehicles purchased in Illinois

The Illinois lemon law does not protect:

• Used Cars
• Altered or modified vehicles
• Motorcycles and boats
• The cosmetic flaws in a vehicle
• Defects occurred due to the negligence on the part of the owner
• Defects occurred as a result of an accident involving the vehicle
• Problems resulted from modification or repair performed by a non- authorized person or facility

To qualify to get the protection from the Illinois lemon law the mechanical problem in the vehicle must

• Substantially impair the use, market value, or safety of a motor vehicle
• Render the motor vehicle nonconforming to the terms of an applicable manufacturer’s warranty

The Illinois lemon law states that:

• The vehicle is in the custody of the manufacturer or its authorized dealer for repairs over a cumulative period of 30 calendar days or more
• Mechanical problem should be first reported within the first 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever occurs first
• The manufacturer is given a reasonable number of (4) chances to repair the mechanical problem in your vehicle
• You must send a certified letter to the manufacturer informing them of the nonconformity of the manufacturer’s warranty

According to the Illinois lemon law an Industry Third Party Dispute Resolution Program evaluates your claim. You can find information about this program in your vehicle ownership manual. To initiate action under the Illinois lemon law, contact the designated manufacturer representative for your vehicle. This representative will forward the required information and forms to you to claim your Illinois lemon law rights. The Illinois lemon law claims cannot be initiated directly through the dealer. Many consumers have lost their Illinois lemon law rights because they waited longer than 12 months from the purchase date, the time period in which The Illinois lemon law complaints must be filed, all the while believing they were proceeding under the Illinois lemon law through their dealer. Under the Illinois lemon law if the Dispute Board rules in your favor, you can expect one of the following compensations:

• You will receive a replacement vehicle of the similar value
• The manufacturer will buy your vehicle back from you, less the value for miles driven

If you are dissatisfied with the decision of the Dispute Board, you may bring a civil action to enforce your rights under this Act. The manufacturer, however, may not dispute the board's decision. There are also other Federal and Illinois laws that deal with contracts and warranties for new products. Before deciding on a particular course of action, you are strongly urged to consult expert Illinois lemon law attorney to determine the best course of action for your situation. Keep all receipts and records concerning repairs to your vehicle. Note the purpose and date of all repairs along with the length of time your vehicle is in the shop. It is extremely important that you file with your Illinois lemon law attorney before your Illinois lemon law rights to do so expire.

Lemon law protection

Your Lemon law protection if you already have bought a Lemon from a used car dealer

•    Visit http://www.yourlemonlawrights.com/States-Lemon-Law.aspx to know more about how your state lemon laws protect you against lemon used car dealers

If you have a problem with a used car deal covered by a warranty or service contract, and the dealership refuses service, contact the attorneys at Krohn and Moss Ltd.

For service agreements administered by an automaker, contact the company's local representative

These representatives are authorized to adjust and approve repairs independently of the dealership that sold the car.

Your Lemon law protection if you already have bought a Lemon from Franchised dealer

You may be eligible for mediation over a Lemon from Franchised dealer through the National Automotive Dealers Association's Automotive Consumer Action Program (AUTOCAP).

•    If the dealer is willing, consider using a dispute-resolution organization to mediate your disagreement over a Lemon from Franchised dealer
•    Some service agreements require this as a first step before suing the Franchised dealer or the manufacturer
•    Read the small print in the sales contract carefully before buying
•    It allows you to determine if you may sue, or if you must submit to arbitration


Your Lemon law protection if you already have bought a Lemon used car from a private seller

If, you already have bought a Lemon used car from a private seller your options for Lemon law protection are much more limited:

•    If your Lemon used car comes with any written guarantees about the condition of the Lemon used car, you can use them as the basis for filing a lawsuit for Lemon law protection
•    You can resolve disputes over for Lemon law protection for smaller amounts of money, say less than $2,000, without an attorney through small claims court
•    The clerk of your local small-claims court can tell you what the exact dollar limit is in your state and provide information on how to file suit for Lemon law protection