What Is Vin Etching and Does It Protect Your Car From Theft. 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. However, consumers should be cautious about a certain dealer scam that makes false promises about the level of protection it provides. I paid cash for this car earlier this month, and there was a $400 VIN etching fee which I did not want ( i opted out of this verbally over the phone), i know its bullshit, and its an absurd price. What is VIN Etching? While some state laws mandate that car dealers provide the service, no state mandates that consumers purchase it. That said, you can help protect yourself from excessive bonus items the next time you're kicking tires. With a thorough understanding of Vehicle Identification Numbers and where they are located, its time to delve into VIN etching. Honesty and transparency should be part of the car buying experience and were working to make it so.. Sliding or cargo door(s) 11. Thankfully, over the past few years at the dealers from which I have bought/leased, BMW, Audi, Acura, I have not seen this particular scam. Rear door(s), decklid, tailgate, or hatchback. An alternative to buying protection products is to keep a rainy day fund; this way, the money stays in your pocket, not the dealers. VIN etching: A local mechanic will charge you less for this anti-theft measure, which involves etching the vehicle identification number on the car's glass. Nevertheless, consumers who feel they have no option but to pay the extra fee have fallen for the dealer scam. This often means carrying as much insurance as one can afford. "The Government of Canada does not require the Vehicle. I agreed on that price, but I dont believe thats OK given I technically paid for a service that I did not receive. That might not be the first question you want answered, but it might not be the last. is window etching mandatory in nj. In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails The dealer isnt your only option for this type of insurance: Many companies, possibly including auto insurance providers, offer GAP. But it never arrived. We have also seen many instances where a consumer is charged for VIN-etching for used cars even though the VIN had already been etched onto the windows before the dealership acquired the vehicle by trade-in or at auction. The fees you may have to pay to a dealership when you buy a car can add up to 8% to 10% of a cars price; however, not all of these fees stay in the dealers wallet. How Will My Credit Score Affect My Ability to Buy a Car? Send your automotive maintenance and repair questions to globedrive@globeandmail.com, Follow us on Twitter: @globedriveOpens in a new window. When a vehicle is stolen, the thief must change the identity of the vehicle by changing the VIN identification plate on the dashboard. Window etching is an anti theft vehicle protection benefit that is sold as a theft deterrent. But why should you go through the trouble in the first place. Some recommend that you have the VIN etched on your vehicles windshield and windows. Some states set limits on the doc fee California caps it at $85 but other states have no limit. With a new VIN identification plate in place, he/she now has a new vehicle. You could try to get out of it by saying it's technically not THE VIN but they did etch it. Anyone that parks their vehicle in a high theft area. Phone (908) 998-1187; Address 1050 Valley St Vauxhall NJ 07088; Find us on: Mail page opens in new window Foursquare . The firms main office is located at 43 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut. In a, In Type I and II construction, sloped glazing and skylight frames shall be constructed of noncombustible materials. The basic fees are tax, title and license (TT&L) fees, but additional fees may apply depending on your state of residence. If VIN etching is of questionable value, why do car dealerships promote the practice? The likelihood is you can etch the VIN on your windows as effectively as the dealership could even if you are not especially handy. Consumer advocateRon Burleywrites the On Your Side column for AARP and is the author ofUnscrewed: The Consumer's Guide to Getting What You Paid For. Total load on the glass as determined by Equations 24-2, 24-3 and 24-4. One way to do it is to use a glass etching tool and hand-etch the number on the glass. 30 Two Bridges Rd., Suite 240 Fairfield, NJ 07004 Phone: 973-575-7171 . The providers terms, conditions and policies apply. VIN etching is a countermeasure to motor vehicle theft, that involves etching a vehicle's VIN onto its windows to reduce the value of a stolen vehicle to thieves. As if buying a car isn't confusing enough, now there are sneaky consumer cons to watch out for. The most effective way to do this is to call your insurance company and ask. Newton Audi and Newton VW are located on Hampton House Road in Newton. In one case, a consumer was told etching the vehicle identification number on a window was mandatory when such is not the case, and the consumer was charged $350. For glass sloped more than 30 degrees (0.52 rad) from horizontal. "We are not aware of any provincial requirements for window etching of the VIN. 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. For example, there is an array of common sense behaviors (dont leave your keys in the ignition; park near the entrance of your destination, where foot traffic will be higher; dont leave valuables in plain sight; lock your car; park in a garage) that take your car out of contention as an easy target. Return from Car Window Etching to more Car Buying Scams 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. Must my vehicle/motorcycle be etched? So, like so many things, it is a personal choice: To etch or not to etch? Of course, if they presented the cost of the program to you in a legitimate fashion and you chose to buy it, then you simply paid more than you could have and it's no scam. Same would apply if it were recovered in 30 days, but was considered a total loss. He may see a large decal that announces that the car has VIN etching and then avoid stealing it; if thats the case, it may be more valuable to have a decal than the actual etching. For all car purchases, dealers charge document and TT&L fees, as allowed or as required by the state. Jaguar Land Rover to Pay $26,500 for Lemon Law Violation. 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. Yes. However, several consumers on online discussion boards reported that the savings were six dollars over six months. again. If you work or go to school in the United States, you almost certainly have a Social Security number. Investigator Kelly Fennell in the Division of Consumer Affairs Office of Consumer Protection, conducted the investigation. Learn how vehicle tech like blind spot warnings and drowsy driving alerts can help make driving safer. Car prices are at an all-time high. 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. Where required by other sections of this code, glazing shall be tested in accordance with CPSC 16 CFR Part 1201. 12 B&S gage (0.0808 inch) with mesh not larger than 1 inch by 1 inch (25 mm by 25 mm). Sometimes car dealerships sell VIN etching as a warranty, saying that the buyer will receive a discount if the vehicle is stolen and deemed a total loss, although it can be argued that the offer is essentially an insurance service. Charges for the actual costs of title and registration fees imposed by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission are not subject to tax. I was getting a good price for the truck so I didn't care and wanted to be done with the search fo a Maverick. While etching vehicle windows is not an outright scam, the practice is of dubious value. Weve brought this action to assist the affected consumers and to impose penalties against the dealerships while making sure that in the future they follow the letter of the law. Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said. Some dealer fees are required, but many arent. If youre buying a new car, you can expect to pay the destination or freight charge to cover its transportation from the manufacturer to the dealer. Dealers are charging market adjustments fees over the manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) that are not regulated and are completely negotiable. Usually, in these types of situations I would have to guess that there was some sort of major deception or a scam involved. your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable. 9. Consumer Reports says dealers spend maybe $90 on it, but charge up to $1000. Where one or more sides of any pane of glass are not firmly supported, or are subjected to unusual load conditions, detailed, To be considered firmly supported, the framing members for each individual pane of glass shall be designed so the deflection of the edge of the glass perpendicular to the glass pane shall not exceed, Where interior glazing is installed adjacent to a walking surface, the differential deflection of two adjacent unsupported edges shall be not greater than the thickness of the, Float, wired and patterned glass in louvered windows and jalousies shall be no thinner than, Glass sloped 15 degrees (0.26 rad) or less from vertical in windows, curtain and window. When its time to sign the final paperwork for your new car, chances are good that the words in the contract are blurring together and you just want to go home. You could ask a dealer to reduce the price of the vehicle by whatever amount the fee costs. All the windows have this old looking etch mark with a phone number, definitely not a VIN. Some state that VIN etching will deter thieves' intent on selling stolen cars and/or stolen car parts. Tempered spandrel glass is permitted to be identified by the manufacturer with a removable paper designation. The relative deflection between the edge of a glass door and the adjacent, The glass is bonded to a nonpolymeric coating, sheeting or film. Section 115 of the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) requires that the manufacturer mark the VIN onto vehicles "clearly and indelibly and in such a manner that it cannot be removed without damaging or defacing the plate, label or vehicle". That is alleged in the class action lawsuit, Seekamp vs. Its Huge, Inc. (U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York, Case No. For glass sloped 30 degrees (0.52 rad) or less from horizontal. I recommend making at least three visits to a dealership before purchasing any vehicle. How do Hydrogen Fuel Cells Stack Up Against the Competition? Note that the data above does not include destination fees for new cars. In the meantime, you are welcome to call us right away at 855-301-2100. Leckington was certain he was never told about an insurance policy and had never received any supporting paperwork. They didn't charge you more than agreed upon. Glazing 36 inches (914 mm) or more measured horizontally from the walking surface. 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. Read more about the firm, The NY Fed Reserve Bank Q4 2022 report states that "credit card balances increased $61 billion in the fourth quarte https://t.co/t5MWSjnQun, Were you injured because of someone else's negligence? Stripping away the unwanted add-ons could save hundreds, even thousands, off your total cost. Unscrupulous car dealers may tell consumers that the etching will lower their insurance rates or provide them with certain benefits from the car manufacturer if the vehicle is stolen. For example, if the dealer document fee is $800, you could ask the dealer to reduce the car price by $800. In need of window repair, installers, or replacement in Union county or Essex county, NJ? 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. A number of NJ dealers add tons of "profit" items on cars totaling $1,200. 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.. This coverage should not, in my opinion, cost that much. 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. Dealers may offer these services as an upgrade, while others automatically add them to cars for sale. Vehicles that have windshields are required to have working windshield wipers that clear rain, snow and other moisture from the glass to provide a clear viewing area. Wired glass sloped 15 degrees (0.26 rad) or less from vertical in windows, curtain and window walls, doors and other exterior applications shall be designed to resist the wind loads in Section 1609 for components and cladding according to the following equation: (Equation 24-6) where: 2404.3.2 Sloped Wired Glass Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly Etching is a fairly simple process that doesnt take very long. The Theft Prevention Standard, which was part of the Anti Car Theft Act of 1992, says that the VIN must be included in the following 18 parts of a motor vehicle: 1. Fully tempered glass installed without protective screens where glazed between intervening floors at a slope of 30 degrees (0.52 rad) or less from the vertical plane shall have the highest point of the glass 10 feet (3048 mm) or less above the walking surface. What Is a Lemon Law and Does It Apply to My Car? Depending upon the dealers policies, this could cost you $200 or more. Subscribe to the AARP Money Newsletter for more on finances, scams and consumer protection. The doc fee covers the cost of preparing and filing all the paperwork. The top edge of the glazing is greater than 36 inches (914 mm) above the floor. Window etching is an anti theft vehicle protection benefit that is sold as a theft deterrent. You may well find that your insurance company does not discount premiums for vehicles with etched windows. 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