Buying a Lemon Branded car?

[dogslovetrucks]

I'm thinking about an 03 w/ 55,000 miles. Very nice looking car but the history shows a "Lemon buyback" earlier this year (at the same mileage). I've spoken to the dealer who indicated it was lemoned for engine oil leaks. Supposedly, the factory has made repairs and it's warrentied for a year. Price is right but...I just don't know. It's a CA car and now it's for sale here in FL (which also makes me nervous). Anyone have any experience/feedback on this kind of purchase.
(this is kind of OT but I need to make my decision by this weekend).
Thanks in advance
JC

[emac]

JC

I would run,, why would they move it from one end of the country to the other? This thing will leave a bitter taste in the new owners mouth for a long time.

[SCHNELE]

I think he means CALIFORNIA not CANADA, nontheless you should buy it only if you plan on sticking with the car or waiting until you find a dim wit to buy it. Note I did not say "Another" dim wit.

[berettafan]

so they couldn't fix it while the PO had it but suddenly they have a miraculous correction?

[Early_S_Man]

JC,

Just how many accumulated months in the shop out of a one-year warranty are you willing to suffer before you declare it is STILL a lemon?

[Nostril Cheese]

what kind of car?

[john70t]

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/recallsearch.cfm has some recall information per model/year.
The dealership should be able to look up the VIN for outstanding recall and TSB repairs.

Beware, some states allow salvage titles to turn into "good" ones. Unless it's a really good deal.....

[onewhippedpuppy]

If you can pick it up for salvage prices, maybe. To me, that's really worse. Many salvage titles are for obvious issues (accident, theft, etc), and presented as such. A lemon car is an evil mystery. The fact that it has made it's way across the country is a bit scary as well.

[LeeH]

I'd only buy it at a significant discount and be prepared to give a signficant discount when you sell.

When lemon-law buy-backs go through the wholesale auction the dealers all run the other way. I lost 10% on a deal when I bought a lemon-law vehicle from an individual... thought I'd save a few dollars on the carfax. Lesson learned. Don't let them convince you that it doesn't matter.

[dogslovetrucks]

The car was an 03' M5\\\ (no one responds on the BMW board- sorry). Drove it after work today- looked good; great in fact, but on top of the Lemon history, the clutch slipped...alot and it had some electrical ghosts acting up. The lot was asking about $8k off retail but when I started asking specific questions about the history and available warranties, the salesman became the south-bound end of a north bound horse. It all served to reinforce why I HATE dealing with car lots. Needless to say, I'm not gettin' it!~ Thanks for the replies.

[dogslovetrucks]

Abolished to "OT"- wow! That's harsh...

[holtjv]

Jesus..only $8k off an 03 lemon? Forget it.

[Neilk]

Just wondering, did the dealer openly mention that it was a lemon buy back or did you have to Carfax the car to find out?

I am glad that you aren't buying the car. Just think how bad the car must have been for someone to go to the effort of getting it "lemoned"