Showing posts with label Vehicle Ownership. Show all posts

Speed (mph)Over Speed LimitTypical Consequences
70 mphAt or slightly aboveUsually no consequences (within legal limits).
75 mph5-10 mph overMinor speeding ticket. Fine: $50 - $150.
80 mph10-15 mph overFine: $100 - $200, possible points on driving record.
85 mph15-20 mph overFine: $150 - $250, increased insurance rates.
90 mph20-25 mph overFine: $200 - $300, points on license, possible court date.
95 mph25-30 mph overFine: $250 - $400, mandatory court appearance.
100 mph30+ mph overSevere fines: $500+, license suspension possible.
105 mph35+ mph overHigh fines, potential arrest, license suspension likely.
110 mph40+ mph overArrest possible, heavy fines, license suspension.
120 mph50+ mph overImmediate arrest, jail time possible, large fines.
130 mph60+ mph overFelony-level speeding, jail time, hefty fines, license revocation.
140 mph70+ mph overMajor felony, extended jail time, significant legal consequences.
150 mph80+ mph overFelony, likely jail time, loss of license, massive fines. Vehicle impoundment.
160 mph90+ mph overFelony, immediate arrest, jail time, steep fines, potential permanent license revocation.
170 mph100+ mph overExtreme felony, severe criminal charges, likely jail/prison sentence, high fines, license loss.
180 mph110+ mph overFelony, near-certain prison time, permanent loss of driving privileges, massive fines.
190 mph+120+ mph overExtreme felony, federal-level charges possible, long-term imprisonment, potential vehicle confiscation.

 

Beyond 140 mph Consequences:

  • Felony Charges: Speeds beyond 140 mph are considered reckless, highly dangerous, and result in serious criminal charges, often felonies.
  • Jail or Prison Time: At such high speeds, jail or even prison time is almost guaranteed, especially for repeat offenders or if the speeding results in accidents.
  • License Revocation: Driving privileges are typically revoked, often permanently.
  • Insurance and Civil Suits: Your insurance rates will skyrocket, and there’s a high likelihood of civil penalties, especially if others are harmed.

Speeds in excess of 150 mph are exceedingly rare outside of race tracks or controlled environments and are treated with extreme severity by the law due to the danger they pose to the driver and others.

 Following are the 25 car essentials with their estimated costs:

  1. Air freshner - $3
  2. Washable Seat covers - $100
  3. All weather floor mats - $25
  4. Front seats gap filler - $25
  5. Lower back support/brace/pillow - $10
  6. Mini Dustbin - $2
  7. Travel water bottle - $2
  8. Steering wheel spinner knob - $15
  9. Steering wheel table - $10
  10. Flashlight/SOS light - $5
  11. Car Window mini hammer - $5
  12. Mini first aid kit - $5
  13. Tire puncture kit - $15
  14. Spare tire - $350
  15. Washcloth to clean windows - $2
  16. Car exterior cleaning spray - $5
  17. Portable air compressor for tires - $25
  18. 12V battery jumper cables & power source - $50
  19. 12V to 110/240V AC transformer (at least 100W) - $15
  20. USB cables (Micro, Type-B, Type-C, IPhone) - $5
  21. Mudguards (if not already installed) - $15
  22. Rear parking camera (if not already installed) - $100
  23. Smartphone media sharing (Apple carplay, etc if not already installed) - $200
  24. Dashcam to record accidental events on the road - $25
  25. Car Theft GPS location tracker - $30


Bonus Non-Essentials:
  1. Your favourite bobblehead - $20
  2. Speakers upgrade
  3. Wheel Alloy upgrade
  4. Exterior Wrap
  5. Steering wheel grip cover
  6. Driving gloves
  7. Rear AC (if not already installed)
  8. Sunroof (if not already installed)
  9. Trunk, Hood & Door gap fillers (for less noise and drag)
  10. Spoiler (for more downforce)

Here's how to calculate the Total Upfront cost of getting your new/used car:

  1. Base car cost (Online/advertised cost)
  2. Special trim cost (your preference)
  3. hardware upgrade costs (your preference)
  4. software upgrade costs (your preference)
  5. Unwanted certification/cleaning packages (charged by car company to increase their profits)
  6. Destination/Transportation fee (if the car has to be shipped to a dealership near you)
  7. Order/booking fee (charged by car company to retain the car for you)
  8. Documentation fee (charged by car company or dealership to do the paperwork)
  9. License plate fee (charged by dealership)
  10. Registration fee (government fee retained by dealership if they register the car for you)
  11. State/local taxes (government fee retained by dealership if they register the car for you)
  12. Loan/mortgage application fee (charged by bank to grant you a car loan)

  1. Before you sign the title application, you must make sure you are listed as the owner and the bank is listed as lienholder.
  2. If you decide to take the title to your local DMV yourself, the DMV will complete the title application.
  3. If the dealership or the DMV fills out the title application correctly, your title will be sent to your bank. You will receive a letter through the mail and/or a Digital Banking message confirming the same.
  4. Your bank's lien will remain in force until the loan balance is paid in full.

  1. Loan Interest: $0-$2000 per year (2%-9% of yout purchase price / year)
    (depends on interest rates, your credit score & loan value)
  2. Fuel/Energy: $50-$200/month (depends on fuel efficiency & distance travelled)
  3. Government Registration: $50-$250/year (depends on state/country)
  4. Roadside assistance membership: Free to $10/month
  5. Insurance cost: $75-$200/month (~5% of your purchase price / year)
  6. Emergency Repairs: $500-$1000/year (Unexpected breakdowns or repairs due to accidents)
  7. Cabin Air filter: $10-$25 (every 15,000-30,000 miles or every 1-3 years)
  8. Wiper Blades: $10-$25 (every 15,000-30,000 miles or every 1-3 years)
  9. Tire Rotation: $10-$25 (every 7000 miles) to ensure even wear and prolong tire life.
  10. Cleaning cost: $5 (self) - $30/month (carwash)
  11. Brake Fluid Replacement: (every 2years)
  12. Low voltage battery replacement: $100 (every 2-3years)
  13. Tyre replacement: $750 (every 25,000-75,000 miles or every 6-10 years)
  14. Wheel Alignment Check: $200 (if you notice any unusual tire wear patterns or handling issues)
  15. Periodic inspections: $100 (every 15,000 miles or every 2 years)
  16. Depreciation: $2000-$5000 / year (10%-15% every 6000miles or per year)
    (Not a direct expense, but it represents the decrease in value of your vehicle over time)
  17. Engine Oil Changes: every 3,000-5,000 miles (can vary based on the type of oil)
  18. Infrequent Fluid Checks and Top-Ups: coolant, transmission fluid, power steering fluid
  19. Engine Replacement Parts: spark plugs, and belts may need to be replaced periodically due to wear and tear.
  20. Parking Fees: If you park your car in a paid parking lot or garage regularly
  21. Tolls and Road Fees: If you frequently travel on toll roads or cross bridges with tolls

Following are some ways 
  1. Drive carefully, be safe & avoid accident prone conditions.
  2. Agreement to receive e-bills and documentation.
  3. Memberships in particular organizations or groups that offer discounts.
  4. Combine and Consolidate Policies by Pairing auto and homeowners insurance
  5. Use Offers to let you pay the entire annual or six-month premium at once
  6. Improve your driving record by taking a defensive driving course.
  7. Making sure you don’t get any (more) tickets
  8. Take Advantage of Multi-Car Discounts
  9. Shop Around for Better Car Insurance Rates
  10. Drive less, try to use mass transit to rack up fewer miles
  11. Add your family members to your insurance plan
  12. Being married reduces your insurance compared to being single.
  13. insurers will offer a discount if you buy a hybrid or an alternative fuel vehicle
  14. Downsize Your Vehicle in size and weight.
  15. Increase Your Deductibles to the maximum allowed $1,000 (the lower the deductible, the higher the annual premium)
  16. Insurance companies may also consider your credit ratings when determining insurance premiums.
  17. Your location infuences car insurance rate so choose your home location keeping insurance in mind.
  18. Companies offer reductions to drivers who get insurance through a group plan from their employers, through professional, business and alumni groups or from other associations.
  19. Get Discounts for Installing Anti-Theft Devices
  20. Switch to Pay-as-You-Go Insurance by letting your insurer track your driving through a telemetric device installed in your car in exchange for possible discounts based on how much you drive, when you drive, and how well you drive.
  21. Shop around to see what other insurance companies can offer, so that when it’s time to renew your auto insurance policy, you’ll be able to see if the company can match any lower rates you’ve been quoted. 
  22. Consider dropping collision and/or comprehensive coverages on older cars. If your car is worth less than 10 times the premium, purchasing the coverage may not be cost effective. 
  23. Ask for Long-Time Customer discount
  24. Ask for No Accidents in 3 Years discount
  25. Ask for No Moving Violations in 3 Years discount
  26. Ask for Student Drivers with Good Grades discount
  27. Ask for College Students away from Home discount
  28. Ask for Defensive Driving Courses / Drivers Ed Courses discount
  29. Maximize your coverages (Insured/Uninsured/underinsured motorist, Comprehensive, Collision, coverage, medical (increases monthly insurance cost but also increases your insurance protection)


What’s a VIN Number?

A VIN number is an identifying code that’s associated with a specific automobile. A VIN number is made up of 17 characters (numbers and letters) that act as the vehicle’s fingerprint. No two automobiles have the same VIN number, so you can use a VIN number to track a specific vehicle’s history, registrations, and more.


How to find your VIN?
You can find a car’s VIN number by looking on the driver’s side of the vehicle, either at the corner of the vehicle where the windshield meets the dashboard or on the doorpost of the driver’s side front door. You can also find a VIN number on a vehicle’s insurance card, title, and registration.

Why Should I Check the VIN Number When Buying a Car?

  1. If you’re planning to buy a car (new or used), it’s important to run at least a free VIN report on the car’s VIN number to get a better understanding of its history. 
  2. Running a free VIN check on the car will pull up its basic history, including information on previous claims of theft and/or accidents. 
  3. You’ll want to run a VIN check when purchasing a car to make sure that the car is legally available for purchase and that it’s in good enough condition to drive. 
  4. A VIN check will pull up any significant claims that have been made about the car. 
  5. Claims include information about if the car was ever stolen and if it was ever subject to serious damage, such as flood, fire, or accident damage.


How to check Recalls, Accidents, Owner history, Usage & Service history:

Reputable car dealerships will often provide you with a copy of the VIN report for the car you’re looking to purchase, free of charge. Your salesman will likely review the report with you, noting the number of owners, any accidents or claims reported on the car, and any other issues of note, such as recalls or leftover warranties.

If you’re buying a car from a dealership that doesn’t offer a free VIN check, or purchasing from a private party, you’ll want to run a free VIN report on your own to check for theft records and major accidents (following links for US cars only):

  1. Check for theft and total loss records: https://www.nicb.org/vincheck
    The National Insurance Crime Bureau offers up to five searches within 24 hours per IP address.
  2. Check for open recalls: https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls
    National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
  3. Basic VIN report (accidents reported, owner history, usage information, and service history):
    https://www.carfax.com/company/vehicle-identification-numbers-vins
    https://www.iseecars.com/ (limited free reports)

Vehicle history reports include such information as:
  1. Major accident
  2. Mileage rollback
  3. Multiple owners
  4. Structural damage
  5. Lease, personal, taxi or police use
  6. Total loss
  7. Rebuilt
  8. Flood damage
  9. Airbag deployment
  10. Mileage rollover
  11. Salvaged
  12. Hail damage
  13. Branded a lemon
  14. Last reported mileage
  15. Junked
  16. State owned
  17. Length of ownership
  18. Estimated miles driven per year
  19. Not actual mileage
  20. Recall information
  21. Warranty information


References:

https://blog.prepscholar.com/free-vin-check
https://www.thecarconnection.com/tips-article/1087331_using-vin-numbers-to-check-car-accident-history

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