Manitoba introduces lemon law..

This may be a good idea but I am not sure how useful it will be. The extra work for dealers will be passed on through increased prices for used vehicles I expect. In many cases it may be impossible to get much history of a vehicle especially one that has changed hands and locations several times. The burden is not imposed on private sellers as the dealers point out so many sales will still be without any history.
I have found that I have purchased just as many lemons privately if not more than from dealers. I always buy old clunkers of three thousand and under so I don't expect much and I don't expect much but sweet talk about junk from dealers. Actually I have found them not that bad and I frequent the lowest level who are the only ones willing to flog old beaters. Used car dealers are more reliable than politicians!
I think that on the whole I have been lucky and enjoyed years of cheap transportation. The fact that cars have to be safetied now to be licenced at least means that they are safe to drive home but of course you might not get that far!


Manitoba introduces lemon law for used vehicles
Last Updated: Friday, April 25, 2008 | 9:23 AM CT Comments5Recommend8CBC News
Buyers of used vehicles in Manitoba could soon have greater protection from defective vehicles under proposed legislation. (CBC)Used car buyers in Manitoba could soon get some "lemon aid," the provincial government announced Thursday.

The newly introduced consumer protection legislation would require used vehicle dealers to provide potential buyers with details about a vehicle such as its collision history, repair record and whether it has been designated a lemon, that is, a car with significant problems that the dealer or manufacturer has been unable to resolve.

Failure to provide the information would be considered an unfair business practice.

Finance Minister Greg Selinger said the proposed bill would help consumers make informed decisions before they buy.

"The bill recognizes that buying or leasing a new or used motor vehicle is one of the most important transactions for consumers," Selinger said in a release. "It will help to ensure consumers are provided with important information about the vehicle before they make a decision to buy or lease."

"Manitobans have the right to receive accurate and complete information to help them comparison shop and make informed decisions when buying a car."

The new law follows a CBC News investigation in November that found more than 130 cars officially designated as lemons under United States law were being sold in Manitoba.

Law should be tougher: dealers
Used Car Dealers Association of Manitoba spokesman Nick Roberts told CBC News that while the new law is a good step toward protecting consumers from lemons, the legislation should apply more broadly.

He said the law targets dealers, whom he estimated sell between 60 and 70 per cent of the province's used vehicles, but not individuals who privately sell lemons.

"I don't think it goes far enough," he said. "I think if you're going to try and protect consumers against … lemon vehicles, it has to be for everybody. You can't just tell dealers that they need to do certain requirements, where private individuals who bring in a lot of these vehicles from the U.S. don't have to comply with the same rules."

Additionally, he said, the law doesn't help dealers trace lemon designations. Roberts explained that dealers already have the ability to provide vehicle history to potential buyers, but when a car crosses the border they cannot tell whether it has been deemed a lemon.

"The problem with a lot of it is with these U.S. vehicles go from state to state and the titles get washed and [neither] consumers nor dealers would be able to know that that vehicle had that designation at some time."

Selinger said the government plans to hold consultations on the types of information that should be disclosed, as well as when and how the details should be presented.