The process of buying a car in Texas is not much different from the process in many states, however, there are several key areas of vital importance for those in Texas who need a new car.
Keep in mind the car purchase laws in Texas, which may affect the search and purchase of a car.
Texas law prohibits dealers from selling cars on Saturday and Sunday. If you are looking for a car, you will have to set aside a weekday for the actual purchase. Those who are not valid car dealerships, but simply sell a car privately or are not affiliated with a car dealership, are not subject to this restriction.
The seller must inform the buyer whether the car is being sold with the attached warranty or “as is”. Cars that are sold “as is” indicate that the seller is not responsible for any damage or defects that occur with the vehicle. The warranty information must also be specified in the contract. If the vehicle is being financed, know that the maximum interest rate of 10 percent is all that can be estimated with vehicle payments.
By law, the seller is obliged to transfer ownership of the vehicle to the new owner within 20 working days from the date of sale (or 45 calendar days if the vehicle is financed) and must provide the new owner with a copy of the tax receipt from the Appraiser’s Office. If you are buying from an individual, make sure that she accompanies you to the county tax office when transferring ownership (this is the best way to avoid complications later), buyers must also provide proof of insurance when registering the vehicle and must pay 6.25. percentage of vehicle sales tax on the purchase price or estimated value of the vehicle.
Illegal activity
Sellers cannot roll back the car’s odometer to mislead buyers about the actual mileage. This crime is punishable by fines. Dealers must provide the actual number of miles along with the name of the car when transferring. The sale of master keys designed to ignite more than one vehicle is prohibited by Texas law and, as of August 2010, is punishable by a fine of $25 to $200.
Texas Lemon Law
The Texas Lemon Law allows people who have recently (within a few months) purchased a car that subsequently turned out to be defective or inoperable to receive repairs or compensation. New and used vehicles of all types (cars, trucks, ATVs, motorcycles) can be covered. The owner must fill out a Lemon Law complaint form and pay $35 to register new cars. The case consultant will either try to act as an intermediary or seek an administrative legal solution, either of these methods may take several months to resolve.