Phil Edmonston is the author of over 100 best-sellers, 104 to be precise. He is also an advocate, a journalist, and even a former politician. His books make him famous and also earned him the title of the toughest customer in Canada.
One of his biggest achievements was when the two-vehicle manufacturing conglomerates, Honda and Nissan, sued him for five million dollars and lost that suit.
This is worth mentioning because Phil believes that car makers create deceptive and inaccurate advertisements, which leads to the buyer thinking different things about the product than what is present. He has also established the Automobile Protection Association, which was built in 1969.
With Phil as the director, they employ secret shoppers to expose the truth about manufacturers’ quality of service. These brands do not straight up say one thing and provide the user with another.
They use words and sentences that bend the real meaning, leading to prospective buyers buying a product based on what was said in those advertisements and finding such a scam too late.
Such practices are common and practiced worldwide as they make a brand’s product look better than it is. The secret shoppers pose as everyday car buyers and help identify just where these companies are cutting corners.
The APA not only focuses on sales but the repairs too. Everyone knows that brand repairs are more expensive than 3rd party repairs due to them having quality parts not present elsewhere. Well, according to Phil Edmonston, that is not true in some cases.
Given the background of Phil, manufacturers know he is not someone to be messed with. A former politician and a lawyer with a whole firm to protect people from such scams and improper advertising is a person who should be trusted.
What Is Lemon-Aid Car Guide?
If you choose to be a member of the Automobile Protection Association, you will have full access to the APA’s lemon aid used car reviews. What are these reviews, and what is so special about them?
This is the question that must be in your mind right now. And believe me when I tell you that it is an excellent guide which tells you everything you need to know about a car before buying it, its pros and cons, which model is better and much more.
For example, on the official APA’s website, they provide an example of a vehicle that can be viewed outside their membership program.
Unlike the brands that hide something, APA makes it clear before spending any money about the service users will buy. Let’s see what they mention that makes them unique and different.
The example of the vehicle they chose is the Mazda 3, which was produced during 2004 and 2009. They rate each year’s production vehicle, including any new variants with different engines, etc.
The guide advises buyers to choose a 2007 or later model, rather than the ones before, due to the latter having poor reliability. But they also state that the more reliable variants also have more expensive repairs. The vehicle also has poor fuel efficiency or vehicles in the same segment.
The guide even provides their comments and opinions about the vehicle to ensure buyers know what they are buying. They also mention all the vehicle faults and problems, like in the case with the Mazda, poor resistance to rust, transmission issues, airbag issues, and more.
These are serious issues not revealed by the manufacturer and could cause serious injury or even death. That is why it is pertinent to be a member of the APA to make sure they know what kind of car they are buying before finalizing the decision to purchase it.
List Of The Most Popular Books From Lemon-Aid Car
These review guides by Phil Edmonston are refreshed and released every year, with newer vehicles added annually. These reviews dive deep into the details of all those vehicles.
The Lemon-Aid series has been renewed every year for more than the last 35 years and the writer does not look like he will stop soon. I will be listing some of the more popular ones that are read and trusted by Canada’s people.
1. Lemon Aid 2007: New Cars And Minivans
The 2007 edition of New Cars and Minivans adds a couple more cars released in the same year. For example, the Acura TL. This mid-cycle facelift introduces a new grill style, bumpers, and lights for a refreshed look.
The review also takes a deep dive into the performance sector, giving an unbiased opinion about where the vehicle is good and not.
You also get details on the writer’s reliability and comments as to what he feels about the car. The honest review clears quite some things up. It even mentions the price, breaking it down to include even the navigation system to decide what extra features you want.
The book also gives the car a rating of above average, which means that it will have more than satisfactory performance for any individual.
Even what’s new section lists any new features, like the tire pressuring monitoring system in the Acura TSX. Some other vehicles listed are the Audi A3, A4, BMW 3 series, and many more.
You guarantee that the guide covers the best cars that buyers look for and break down everything to ensure that they are worth their money.
2. Lemon-Aid Used Cars And Trucks 2009-2010
The Lemon-Aid series has been a best seller for over thirty years. The books are detailed and easy to read and understand, but they are trusted by many people who don’t like risking their money only to get a vehicle riddled with problems.
The revised edition of the book now includes vehicles released within the 2009 and 2010 years. The book also includes tips and tricks for getting the most out of your new vehicle and getting better warranties.
You can rest assured that you will get all the information you need for most vehicles released during 2009 and 2010. The research and final review is unbiased and focuses on the pros and cons of the vehicle.
You get to know all you need to know about the problems with the car. Manufacturers never illuminate the public of problems that may or may not be life-threatening.
The writer also gives his own opinion about the vehicle, which is extremely useful for prospective buyers. All of this combined creates a review that is incomparable with anyone provided by other review services.
You also get information relating to warranties and a price breakdown to know what you are paying for.
3. Lemon-Aid New And Used Cars And Trucks 2007-2017
This book holds a special place among many users, and for a good reason too. It is a complete guide for all the vehicles released at the start of 2007 and 2017.
That is hundreds of reviews of cars over a decade, all at your disposal. You get all the good things you would expect from a book by Phil Edmonston.
Although people did prefer the old review format of these books, this one is still more than enough for a person to make sure the vehicle they want to buy is worth their money. Buyers have reviewed and even bought cars thanks to each vehicle’s detailed information in this book.
All the buyers buy their vehicles with full confidence, as the writer is the person who defeated Nissan and Honda’s lawsuit. And unlike them, some people did risk buying a vehicle such as the Mercury Cougar, despite the book’s poor rating.
And those cars suffered from quick failures, making them essentially useless. That is why it is always recommended to check out a Lemon-Aid review before making the big decision.
There is just one thing buyers must keep in mind. The e-book version has been poorly converted, so it is better to buy a hard copy for convenience.
4. Lemon-Aid New And Used Cars And Trucks 2007-2018
Building upon the previous book, the author released yet another edition of his book, covering the year 2018’s cars and trucks, extensively reviewing them, only for the one main reason, that buyers don’t get scammed in their purchasing process.
The guide adds new cars and newer variants that have as few upgrades as a new grill. Some of the more popular bought cars included in this review are the Audi A5, Q5, the BMW X2 and X3, the Lexus LS500, and the Mitsubishi Lancer. Overall, you get more than 40 new additions, which is a lot.
Even on the buying page for the book, there are buying tips written for prospective buyers. The author puts his readers before anything, so even if they don’t buy the book, they will learn something.
Like for example, he warns people about buying a diesel vehicle. He also gives an eye-opening fact that bigger brands don’t always mean better quality.
People nowadays have a completely different concept than that. Even a buying guide advises a person to use a credit card to make the down payment, as canceling is much easier.
All in all, you will get a list with unmatched details with all vehicles listed in the year range with pros, cons, and warnings.
5. Lemon-Aid New And Used Cars And Trucks 1990-2016
If you are looking for the ultimate guide for vehicles spanning more than two decades, then you will not find a better option than this one.
The Lemon-Aid book covers all vehicles released within the years 1990 and 2016. So, if you want to buy a used car that was released before 2017, then you can rest assured that Phil Edmonston has covered that vehicle.
To create many reviews, writers cut corners, and they do not provide accurate details. Well, that is why the Lemon-Aid series stands out among the competition. There is a reason it won best seller for over 30 years.
You get accurate details that dive into all aspects of a vehicle released, with opinions and facts about the vehicle, which the brands commonly hide.
If the car you are willing to buy is present in the book and rates it better than average, then it means that the performance it will provide will be more than satisfactory.
People have tried going against the book’s recommendations, and they had the exact problems the guide specified. So, trust the author and his years of experience in the field. There is a reason Canada’s best automotive expert has sold more than 2 million copies of his books.
FAQ
Q1: Why Should I Buy A Used Car With Lemon?
This is a completely legitimate question, why should a person trust this guide over others. The author, Phil Edmonston, a lawyer, has more knowledge about most vehicles’ ins and outs than no one.
I am not saying that the other books and guides might be bad, but I can guarantee that they most definitely cannot be compared with the Lemon-Aid guide.
Q2: Is There A Law That Protects Used Car Buyers?
The fact that Canada does not have a federal lemon law makes buying a used car even more difficult. The buyer has to trust a dealer’s word about the performance of a car, whereas there should be some sort of consumer protection in case the vehicle turns out to be a lemon.
You cannot return the vehicle unless there is a warranty, which is only provided with new ones and rarely with the used ones. That is why a guide comes in handy with as many vehicles as possible, so there is complete peace of mind while choosing the car or truck of your dreams.
Q3: How Io I Protect Myself When Buying A Used Car?
That is what this whole article is based on. You have to know if a vehicle is good for everyday usage, and there is no way to guarantee that unless you know someone who has the same car.
So, it is better to buy a guide that has explored the car from all angles to specify every fault and every problem, so it does not get you by surprise.
Q4: How Do You Tell If A Used Car Is A Lemon?
Now, that’s the million-dollar question. How do you tell? Before you jump the gun and purchase a vehicle, ask for a test drive. Make sure that it drives flawlessly without any hiccups. You can test the shocks, the acceleration, and the fuel mileage, so you know the vehicle is not faulty.
Conclusion
There you have it, a brief article about Phil Edmonston and his renowned Lemon-Aid guides. You can buy these books, with one thing in mind, you are getting the best there is.
Although I did list five of the most popular ones, you can get one according to your need, given that the vehicle is outside of the year range, although that is highly unlikely.
I hope this article gave you some insight as to what brands and manufacturers do to trick customers and how you can avoid it.
