Guide
Under §198-a, New York's new-car presumption is 4 attempts at the same nonconformity, or 30 or more days out of service, with the defect reported inside the first 18,000 miles or 2 years after original delivery.
The deduction is the friendliest in America: only miles OVER 12,000 count, at price ÷ 100,000 per mile. The first 12,000 miles are free.
Bought used? Stop reading this page. Used cars in New York are governed by §198-b, a dealer-warranty law with tiers by the odometer at sale — 90 days/4,000 miles, 60 days/3,000, or 30 days/1,000. Scoring a used car under the new-car law is the single most common New York lemon law error, and at least one national calculator makes it on its own homepage.
The repair-log tracker, your state's notice letter, the buyback worksheet, and your deadline calendar.
Information, not legal advice. Checked October 23, 2026.