Massachusetts law (M.G.L. c. 90, §7N¼) requires dealers to give a written warranty on used cars sold for $700 or more, based on mileage: under 40,000 miles — 90 days or 3,750 miles; 40,000–79,999 — 60 days or 2,500 miles; 80,000–124,999 — 30 days or 1,250 miles. Cars with 125,000 miles or more have no statutory warranty.
What it covers
The dealer must repair defects that impair the car's use or safety, at no cost to you, during the warranty period. If the dealer cannot fix the same defect after three attempts, or the car is out of service for repairs for 10 or more business days, you may be entitled to a refund.
The 7-day "Lemon Aid" rule
Separately, if a car fails the Massachusetts safety or emissions inspection within 7 days of the sale and the repairs would cost more than 10% of the purchase price, you can ask to cancel the sale and get your money back.
How we show it on our site
Every car page on our site tells you which warranty applies to that car, calculated from its mileage. Right now, 11 of the 28 cars in our stock are covered by the statutory warranty.
Tips
- Keep your purchase paperwork and the warranty document.
- Report any problem to the dealer in writing, as soon as it happens.
- High-mileage car? At our store every car, at any mileage, includes a 3-month / 3,000-mile powertrain service contract by The Penn Warranty Corporation ($100 deductible; terms apply).