Ford has agreed to replace my truck under lemon law. I have had them buyback a truck before but never had them give me a replacement. Does anyone have any insight as to how the process works? I live in California but purchased the truck in Arizona and am concerned that I’m going to screwed with some BS California ADM. Additionally I have close to $10,000 in mods on the truck and feel like they should give me the money for the stuff that is more difficult to install like the leaf springs and VHF radio install. If anyone has experience with this process please let me know what they are going to offer me and what my rights are as far as the aftermarket parts. Do I have to return the truck to stock and what about wheels if I replaced them and got rid of the stockers. Thanks in advance.
if it is a court settlement incident to a lemon law suit, you can specify - or rather negotiate all or some of the mods; removal and reinstall, reimbursement, etc. but their position will initially be “no”.
The replacement is a settlement offer. if you accept it as is, you will have to pay to remove all the stuff or eat the loss. If you make the replacement vehicle contingent upon either reimbursement for or transfer of some or all of your mods that could probably be acceptable. Replacement vehicles are like walking a batter in baseball. They’re at least uneasy about the prospect of losing in court if you take it to court, so they have made a calculation that you can potentially soak them for the cost of the truck, expert witness fees, lawyer fees, inconvenience fees, lost use, and probably several more fees I’ve forgotten. That means they’re done delaying and want to be done with this issue. There is probably a cushion of a few thousand that the manufacturer will absorb to avoid court. you should be cognizant -
the replacement vehicle is a ‘purchase’ and you will owe taxes and fees associated with the sale. You are able to negotiate for these to be paid - a “zero cost to you transaction”. I did not have this issue on a limited production vehicle but did successfully get a ‘zero cost to me’ vehicle replacement incident to a lemon law suit.
The bottom line is that you need to specify it in writing if you want it as part of the settlement.
