While updating the list of lemon laws for motorhomes, there was one state with a very notable change. At first, it appeared to now exclude motorhomes–an exception to the exclusion of vehicles over 12,000 pounds was removed. Ugh…

Except there was a new section of code specifically covering recreational vehicles–motorized and towable.

Now, motorhomes were previously covered by Louisiana’s lemon law, so this isn’t a huge revolution in some sense. As I read through the new section, it mostly sounded good compared to many other states (which often exclude RVs entirely). Of course, the devil is in the details, and the history of amendments tells its own story.

The most notable changes I see:

• Attorney fees may now be awarded if you get a judgement in your favor after a manufacturer or dealer fails to comply with the act. Under the prior law, attorney fees shall be awarded. The bill’s author introduced the new RV lemon law without a provision for fees at all, but it was amended on the floor by another representative.
• A distinction is made between repairs where parts are replaced and structural repairs. In a last-chance repair attempt, the manufacturer/dealer has 10 days to replace parts, but 30 days if the defect requires a structural repair. Previously, this was 10 days for all repairs at the last-chance stage of the process.

On balance, I’d say it’s a win if you have a towable RV in Louisiana, and a loss if you have a motorhome.