California lemon law buyback calculatorEstimate what a buyback may return to you
In a California lemon law buyback, the manufacturer refunds what you have paid, minus an amount for the miles you drove before the car first went in for the problem. Enter your price, payments and two odometer readings to see a rough estimate.
How the estimate works
The calculator adds up what you have paid: your down payment plus each monthly payment from your first payment month through this month. It then subtracts the mileage offset.
California Civil Code § 1793.2(d)(2)(C) sets that deduction for use: the vehicle price multiplied by the miles driven before the first repair visit for the problem, divided by 120,000. For example, a $40,000 price and 6,000 miles give $40,000 × 6,000 ÷ 120,000 = $2,000.
The miles that count stop at the first time you brought the vehicle in for the problem that led to the claim, not at a later visit and not at today’s odometer.
What this estimate leaves out
This is a simplified illustration, not a settlement figure, a promise of what the manufacturer will pay, or legal advice. Which price and which repair visit to use can be disputed. A buyback can also include certain taxes and official fees and some out-of-pocket costs, such as towing or rentals. If you still owe on a loan or lease, the manufacturer generally pays the lender separately, and that payoff is not in this estimate. Our buyback and mileage offset guide explains the rest.