Idaho Lemon Law Buyback Calculator

In Idaho, a lemon law buyback (repurchase) refunds what you paid for the vehicle minus a "mileage offset" for the use you got before the defect appeared. Using the common statutory formula, the offset equals the miles driven before your first repair attempt divided by 120,000, multiplied by the purchase price. On a $35,000 vehicle with 6,000 miles at the first repair attempt, the offset is about $1,750 — so the buyback would be roughly $33,250, plus incidental costs like taxes, registration, and towing. Our calculator applies this same formula to your numbers.

Idaho recognizes a "lemon presumption" that shifts the burden to the manufacturer once your repair history crosses set thresholds. If the dealer cannot fix the same substantial, warranty-covered defect after 4 repair attempts, or if the vehicle is out of service for a cumulative 30 business days, the vehicle is presumed to be a lemon. This presumption generally applies within the first 24 months or 24,000 miles of ownership.

Idaho's state lemon law generally covers new vehicles purchased with a manufacturer's warranty. If your vehicle is used or falls outside the state statute, you may still have a claim under the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, which applies to written warranties nationwide.

Idaho Code 48-910 requires a civil action under the lemon law to be commenced within 3 years of the date of original delivery of the vehicle. If you apply to an informal dispute settlement mechanism within those 3 years and are aggrieved by its decision, any appeal of that decision must be commenced within 3 months after the date of the mechanism's final decision, which can fall before or after 3 years from delivery. A licensed attorney can confirm which deadline applies to your vehicle. When a vehicle qualifies, Idaho requires the manufacturer to repurchase or replace it rather than keep attempting repairs. Idaho's lemon law provides for an award of attorney fees to a consumer who wins (Idaho Code 48-909).