But he also said its going to be etched into the door jambs and under the hood (its not there), but maybe could be in the windowsthis place is a mess. The former is all over the ballpark. For multiple-layer glazing systems, each light or layer shall consist of any of the glazing materials specified in Item 1 above. Is there really a law requiring window etching? Dealers may charge for etching your cars vehicle identification number (VIN) onto the windows, but this is something you can easily take care of yourself, through your local police department or a car club like AAA. You will be asked to register or log in. You could ask a dealer to reduce the price of the vehicle by whatever amount the fee costs. As mentioned above, some "car buying tips guru's" will call car window etching a scam because some dealerships charge an arm and a leg for this coverage. Nonfactored load in accordance with ASTM E1300. 09-cv-00018-LEK-DRH) is a class action lawsuit that alleges that Fuccillo Automotive Group and Universal Automotive Services knew that the sale of VIN etching insurance was deceptive. If the vehicle were stolen and recovered within 30 days, but had some damage (not totaled), they would pay up to $500 toward your insurance deductible. One of our staff members will call you shortly. This could apply to: Car window etching becomes a scam when it is stuffed into your contract without you knowing or if it is presented to you as a mandatory part of the sales price. They also reported that anit-theft window etching helps increase vehicle recovery rates. Dealerships handle much of the process on your behalf, and rules vary by state. One or more walking surface(s) are within 36 inches (914 mm), measured horizontally and in a straight line, of the plane of the glazing. 9. First, VIN etching isnt particularly eye-catching, and it seems farfetched that a thief would immediately look for or be able to see VIN etching (particularly at night). The actual cost of etch is in the $20 - $60 range, so you can see where $2,000 is a ridiculously large mark up. Auto Refinance Rates Send your automotive maintenance and repair questions to globedrive@globeandmail.com, Follow us on Twitter: @globedriveOpens in a new window. It is almost criminal for dealers to try to sell these etch products under the guise of theft prevention. If you buy a car that costs more or less your fees will go up or down, accordingly. In Florida, the median doc fee is $895. "The Government of Canada does not require the Vehicle. Why not just try calling the dealership and explaining the situation? Its probably just an accounting mistake if they normally charge everyone that amount. Seat coatings, paint stuff, door edgings. Sloped glazing shall be any of the following materials, subject to the listed limitations. The car dealership allegedly sold the insurance through a company that wasnt licensed to sell insurance in New York, and that to get around this law, the dealership told buyers that the service was a warranty.. However, window etching is a negotiable service between the dealer and the consumer. Anti-theft devices Systems like OnStar and LoJack can track a vehicle's location in case of theft. Keep in mind that some etching kits are intended for a single use, while others give you everything you need to etch VINs in several places on each of two vehicles. Is the used car you bought actually two cars? Unfortunately, I've seen this happen many times and it might surprise you as to how many people will see that their payment is the same as quoted on the sales floor and will sign away. Looking at the cost/benefit of VIN etching on your vehicles windows, you might come to the conclusion that doing it yourself is the best solution. I paid $1000 via CC as a deposit, is there any way I can dispute this charge with my CC, I assume the dealership wont just give up the fee back to me. Finding the Best Value for Your Used Truck. VIN etching is the permanent stenciling of your vehicle's 17-digit identification number onto the windshield and all window glass such as the rear window, T-top, sunroof or moonroof and door glass of your automobile. VIN etching is the engraving of the complete Vehicle Identi-fication Number (VIN) in the lower corner of the windshield and on each side or rear window of a new car, used car, or leased car. I come home and finally get the title in hand and look over the paperwork and I see this fee. For monolithic glazing systems, the glazing material of the single light or layer shall be laminated glass with a minimum 30-mil (0.76 mm) polyvinyl butyral (or equivalent) interlayer, wired glass, light-transmitting plastic materials meeting the requirements of. hbbd```b``.d d9 ),"Aig"o!fTydSe&F]`YF2. One way to do it is to use a glass etching tool and hand-etch the number on the glass. But it never arrived. We look forward to working with you to resolve your legal issues. Only a fool would believe a few numbers barely visible on a window is going to deter a car thief. Heres how to buy a car on Craigslist. Simply typing How do I etch the VIN on my car's windows? into Google will give you access to several VIN-etching kits and other information about accomplishing the task. NADAguides, Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds are all completely free for consumers to use. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Just keep in mind how long you had to work to earn the bucks for that car and you won't feel so bad about making sure you're getting your money's worth. `p/zQr@R,:HY10/c(c` .c Use our tips and tricks to rebuild your credit and get a loan faster. Some state that VIN etching will deter thieves' intent on selling stolen cars and/or stolen car parts. Getting a car loan after bankruptcy is definitely doable if you wait a little while. glass or mirrors to your specification throughout New Jersey. Tell your consumer woes to Ron atAARP On Your Side. However, if theres a $100 fee you dont like, you could ask the dealer to take $100 off the cars price. Window etching is one of the more ridiculous scams auto dealers F&I folks have concocted over the years. It isnt difficult, it wont cost you much, and at worst, it wont do any harm. The idea behind window etching is that a car thief will think twice about stealing your car because, if he takes it to a chop shop to sell the parts, glass marked with the VIN number will be a lot less valuable. When I was leasing my Toyota RAV4, the dealer said the government required them to have the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) etched on the windows and I would have to pay extra for it. If you were suddenly unable to make your car payments because you lost your job or became sick, loan protection insurance would pay off the remainder of your loan balance even in the event of your death. All we do is sticker the vehicle and assign a registration number. Systems like OnStar and LoJack can track a vehicles location in case of theft. We used Edmunds data: the maximum car tax rates, the average Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) fees and the median document fees in every state. They only try to charge around $69 for this which is easily pushed aside. While etching vehicle windows is not an outright scam, the practice is of dubious value. More specifically, if the bottom edge of the glass is not more than 18 inches above the ground, and the glass top edge is more than 36 inches from your floor. Return to Insider Car Buying Tips home On the other hand, what harm could it do? Right front fender 4. We are Reddit's central hub for vehicle-related discussion including industry news, reviews, projects, videos, DIY guides, stories, and more. The doc fee covers the cost of preparing and filing all the paperwork. Glass in elevator car enclosures, glass elevator car doors and glass used for lining, The glass in glass elevator car doors shall be not less than 60 percent of the total visible door, Section 2403 General Requirements for Glass, Section 2404 Wind, Snow, Seismic and Dead Loads on Glass, 2404.3 Wired, Patterned and Sandblasted Glass, Section 2405 Sloped Glazing and Skylights, 2405.2 Allowable Glazing Materials and Limitations, 2405.5 Unit Skylights and Tubular Daylighting Devices, 2405.5.1 Skylights Rated for the Same Performance Grade for Both Positive and Negative Design Pressure, 2405.5.2 Skylights Rated for Separate Performance Grades for Positive and Negative Design Pressure, 2406.4.6 Glazing Adjacent to Stairways and Ramps, 2406.4.7 Glazing Adjacent to the Bottom Stairway Landing, Section 2407 Glass in Handrails and Guards, 2407.1.4 Glazing in Wind-Borne Debris Regions, Section 2408 Glazing in Athletic Facilities, Section 2409 Glass in Walkways, Elevator Hoistways and Elevator Cars, 2409.2 Glass in Elevator Hoistway Enclosures, 2409.3 Visions Panels in Elevator Hoistway Doors. It appears that some insurers do offer a discount in some states. For example, a car dealer might offer it as an option, similar to a car alarm, and charge for it. It appears that, although do-it-yourself kits VIN etching kits are readily available starting at twenty dollars, dealers often charge between $100 and $300 for the service. Offered for sale a used motor vehicle by representing that it possessed title to the vehicle, when such was not the case. That said, you can help protect yourself from excessive bonus items the next time you're kicking tires. Answering the first part of that is easy, but answering the second part is much more challenging. Short duration load resistance of the glass as determined in accordance with ASTM E1300 for Equations 24-2 and 24-3; or the long duration load resistance of the glass as determined in accordance with ASTM E1300 for Equation 24-4. Click here to view my Privacy Policy, Where you travel (including airport parking). 09-cv-00018-LEK-DRH). If your vehicle were stolen and not recovered within 30 days you'd be paid $2,500. VIN etching is also the engraving of the VIN on motorcycle component parts. So he reached out to AARP On Your Side. I honestly don't know who would pay $2,000 for a benefit, that you "might" use, that will only pay $500-$1,000 more if a claim is filed. Second, it makes more sense that other strategies would be more effective in deterring car theft. According to state law, it is mandatory for the dealer or Lease Company to offer window etching service to buyers of used, leased and new vehicles. The bottom edge of the glazing is less than 18 inches (457 mm) above the floor. The exception is that used cars do not have destination fees. That is extremely useful because in a country of more than 330 million people, it is very likely that many people will share the same characteristics and the same name as you. Right rear quarter panel (passenger cars) 14. }0 D Written Notification: New regulations require that owners notify residents of their right to request window guards twice each year. For example, if the dealer document fee is $800, you could ask the dealer to reduce the car price by $800. Dealers may not charge you fees unless your sales contract itemizes each fee and states what each fee covers. 9. Commercial refrigerated cabinet glazed doors. Consumers can spend thousands of dollars on a vehicle and they deserve to be treated with respect, and not subjected to the sales practices that we are alleging occurred in this matter, said Steve Lee, Acting Director of the State Division of Consumer Affairs.. Alternately, a car dealer might include it as a line item on the bill of sale, implying that VIN etching is required. A VIN is required under regulations administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. You may well find that your insurance company does not discount premiums for vehicles with etched windows. All in all, I think this is a good coverage, but you want to make sure that you are not over paying and you understand the exact coverage you are paying for. It depends on who you ask," says Pete Karageorgos, Ontario Manager, Consumer & Industry Relations, with the Insurance Bureau of Canada. "It's not mandatory, it's an option," Karageorgos says. Subscribe to the AARP Money Newsletter for more on finances, scams and consumer protection. Some fees are required by law, and dealers must disclose what theyre charging. Whether or not you decide to etch your VIN onto your car's windows is entirely your choice. Additionally, the buyer may have no choice in the matter since a dealer may etch every vehicle on the lot, resulting in easy profits. You face the same types of car-buying fees whether you buy a new or used car. endstream endobj startxref Please enable Javascript in your browser and try Car dealers may add hundreds of dollars to the sale of a vehicle for VIN etching, which costs the dealership a fraction of that amount. Maximum load on the skylight determined from Equations 24-2 through 24-4 in, The dead weight of the glazing, psf (kN/m, Maximum load on the skylight determined from Equations 24-3 and 24-4 in. According to NHTSA regulations, the VIN must be visible through the vehicles glazing from the outside when the observer is adjacent to the left windshield pillar. Thats a complicated way of saying that you need to be able to see the VIN when you peer through the drivers side front windshield. Do Overinflated Tires Really Boost Gas Mileage? But, first things first. Phone (908) 998-1187; Address 1050 Valley St Vauxhall NJ 07088; Find us on: Mail page opens in new window Foursquare . 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