Is your car a "Lemon" ?

Despite more than a century of cars being built, you would have expected manufacturers to have got their act together and eliminated the "lemon".

This is a term used for a car, truck or other vehicle that needs repairs almost from the moment that you drive it off the dealer's lot.

Maybe you have had one of those cars yourself. The brakes seem to wear out far too quickly; the transmission breaks down, electrical systems fail, engines seize up, windows leak, water comes in through the engine - these are just some of the faults of a "lemon" or, as it is sometimes known as " a Friday Afternoon Car".

So why do they call it a "Friday Afternoon Car"? That is an expression used for a vehicle made on a Friday afternoon when the assembly workforce are more focused on the chance to relax at the weekend than the attention they should be paying to the vehicle in front of them, with the result that some vehicles leave the production line with badly fitted parts - resulting in yet another "lemon".

Consequently there are many vehicles out there that have known manufacturing defects. The expression also refers to cars, trucks and other vehicles that have inherent design faults which can result in premature rusting and other problems. If in doubt, check the "Lemon-aid" books.

Use this link to find out whether a particular vehicle has been bought back by the manufacturer. Lemon Checker

We can heartily recommend a series of books published by Phil Edmonston "Lemon-Aid Car Guides". Visit Phil's comprehensive web site