NY Times Quotes Burdge on Lemon Laundering

The New York Times ran an article on August 26 on the shady practice of "lemon Laundering" engaged in by some vehicle manufacturers and car dealers. We were proud to be interviewed by reporter Chris Jensen and quoted in the article, which was headlined "Their Titles Laundered, the Cars Are Still Lemons."

The chance that a used-car purchaser will get a lemon is small, but such a deal can be a disaster for the unlucky few, said Ronald L. Burdge, a lawyer in Dayton, Ohio, who often handles lemon cases. “You are buying a vehicle that some poor, hapless consumer someplace put up with as a nightmare and finally got rid of,” Mr. Burdge said.

Something we've been saying for quite awhile now was repeated in the article: " What is really needed to protect consumers is a national database of lemon vehicles said Carol Roberts, executive director of the International Association of Lemon Law Administrators. Mr. Burdge said that kind of system was needed even though the number of lemons might be getting smaller as the quality of all vehicles improved."

“The problem is that lemons are the worst ones, the very ones people need to be warned about before they plunk down their hard-earned money or sign off on a contract,” he said.

The article goes on in considerable detail about the problems with laundered lemons and the patchwork of state laws that let manufacturers and dealers get away with it. It's a great article and one you should take a look at. You can learn more about the in's and out's of lemon laundering by clicking here, where our Lemon Law website discusses the practice in great detail and gives you tips on what to watch out for, so you don't waste your money.