Missouri Lemon Law Buyback Calculator

In Missouri, a lemon law buyback (repurchase) refunds what you paid for the vehicle minus an allowance for the use you got from it. Missouri Revised Statutes section 407.567 subtracts a reasonable allowance for the consumer's use of the vehicle on either a refund or a replacement, and sections 407.560 to 407.579 set no formula for it. The statute sets no mileage divisor, so our calculator's allowance is only an estimate: it divides the mileage you enter for when the defect first appeared by 120,000, the figure California's and Florida's lemon statutes use, and multiplies by the price. A licensed attorney can confirm how the allowance applies to your purchase or lease.

Missouri 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 working days, the vehicle is presumed to be a lemon. This presumption generally applies within the first 12 months of ownership.

Missouri'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.

Missouri Revised Statutes section 407.573.3 requires a lemon law action to be commenced within 6 months following the expiration of the express warranty or within 18 months following the date of original delivery, whichever is earlier, or, if you resort to an informal dispute settlement procedure, within 90 days following the final action of the panel. That 90-day deadline can fall before or after 18 months from delivery. Where the manufacturer has established an informal dispute settlement procedure that complies with the federal rules (16 CFR 703), the statute's refund and replacement provisions do not apply to a consumer who has not first used it (section 407.575). A licensed attorney can confirm which deadline applies to your vehicle. When a vehicle qualifies, Missouri requires the manufacturer to repurchase or replace it rather than keep attempting repairs. Missouri's lemon law requires the court to award a consumer who finally prevails in a court action costs and attorney's fees (Missouri Revised Statutes 407.577.1). But if a court finds the consumer's claim was filed in bad faith, solely to harass, or without a substantial justifiable issue, or the final recovery is not at least 10 percent greater than a settlement offer the manufacturer made before suit, the consumer is liable for the costs and reasonable attorney's fees the manufacturer incurred as a direct result (407.577.2).