Replacement Vehicle Under the New Hampshire Lemon Law
When a New Hampshire lemon-law claim results in a comparable replacement vehicle — at the consumer's election within 30 days of the Arbitration Board decision.
A New Hampshire claim can resolve with a comparable replacement vehicle instead of a refund. Under RSA 357-D:3, V, the consumer elects — within 30 days of the Arbitration Board decision — between refund and replacement.
What “comparable” means
A replacement vehicle should be:
- The same make and model (or substantially similar).
- Comparably equipped — trim, options, features.
- New and equivalent in value.
The consumer’s election
New Hampshire gives the consumer the choice — refund or replacement — exercised within 30 days of a favorable Board decision. This is more consumer-favorable than the manufacturer-option structure of New Mexico or Oklahoma.
When replacement makes sense
- You like the model and want a non-defective one.
- A replacement avoids re-shopping and re-financing.
- The defect is a one-off build issue.
When to take the refund instead
- You’ve lost confidence in the model line.
- You want to exit the brand.
- The refund (full price minus the small 100,000-mile offset) is worth more to you.
Registration and fees
A proper replacement should not cost you a second round of registration fees — these collateral charges are part of what the manufacturer makes you whole on. (New Hampshire has no sales tax, so there’s no sales-tax exposure either way.)
Bottom line
Replacement is one of two statutory outcomes under RSA 357-D, with the consumer electing within 30 days of the Board decision. Either way, CPA recovery can stack where the facts support it. Get a free case review.
Related
Attorney Fees in New Hampshire Lemon Law Cases
New Hampshire's fee structure — discretionary in standalone lemon-law suits, mandatory under the Consumer Protection Act (§ 358-A:10), plus Magnuson-Moss § 2310(d)(2).
Read → ArticleCash-and-Keep Settlements in New Hampshire
How cash-and-keep settlements work in New Hampshire lemon-law cases — a negotiated cash payment where you keep the vehicle, common when the defect is real but livable.
Read → ArticleNew Hampshire CPA Damages in Lemon Law Cases
How the New Hampshire Consumer Protection Act amplifies recoveries — actual damages or $1,000, double-to-treble damages for willful violations, and mandatory attorney fees, with no pre-suit demand.
Read → ArticleRefund (Buyback) Under the New Hampshire Lemon Law
How a New Hampshire lemon-law refund is calculated — full purchase price plus collateral and incidental/consequential damages, minus a use offset on a 100,000-mile basis, at the consumer's election.
Read →Think you've got a lemon?
Compare your situation to your state's requirements — and connect with a vetted lemon-law attorney for a free case review.