"It's not mandatory, it's an option," Karageorgos says. Comments that violate our community guidelines will not be posted. It might well be.". Send your automotive maintenance and repair questions to globedrive@globeandmail.com. However, if the windows are etched, each piece of glass will also have to be swapped out. It can be found on your insurance card, vehicle registration card, the top of your dashboard or … Are you interested in buying a new car, but don’t understand the complexity of the fees associated. Instead, buy a VIN etching kit online or from an auto parts store at a cost ranging from $20 to $50 and do it yourself. If you would like to write a letter to the editor, please forward it to letters@globeandmail.com. Your dealer's legal knowledge sounds a bit sketchy. The way it works, they say, is that the dealer will etch your car’s VIN into a corner of the vehicle’s windows. CR suggests getting an etching kit and doing it yourself. As techniques have evolved with technology, sandblasting is widely used to create truly modern and functional glass designs. The Sherlock number is unique, which makes it … We guarantee they won't move and are not affected by the heat of the sun. Don't take the chance of defacing your vehicle's appearance. Car dealers may charge $300 and up for etching! If you’d like to decode your VIN, here’s a basic guide. More importantly, however, VIN etching only costs the dealer less than $25. VIN Etching Many dealers will tell you that VIN etching is a theft-prevention tool. Read our, I'm a print subscriber, link to my account, Avoid the use of toxic and offensive language. Thieves will stay away from your car because it can be readily identified as stolen by law enforcement. Your first VIN digit will be a one, four or five, for example, if your car was made in the U.S. VIN etching is also widely recommended by police agencies, the FBI, the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the Insurance Bureau of Canada and by many insurance companies, some of which even offer premium discounts for vehicles protected with a window VIN etching kit. A VIN is a vehicle identification number, made up of 17 digits and letters that are unique to a vehicle. "The companies who promote them say it's a deterrent. What should you do when you see funeral procession on the road? In case you want extra features to be included in your car, such as VIN etching, rust protection, and block heater installation, it is better if you shop around because dealerships tend to charge hefty amounts for these. SIC Marking has developed a comprehensive and adaptable VIN Marking System to respond to all situations and applications. Some dealers will lightly engrave the vehicle's identification number on the car windows and windshield. It's up to consumers to decide whether they want to pay for these etching services, but they do need to know that they're free not to buy it, he says. A Comprehensive Guide to VIN Engraving for All Vehicle Varieties Due to technical reasons, we have temporarily removed commenting from our articles. VIN etching. Are extended warranties for cars a good idea? sandblasting & etching Sandblasted or etchewd glass is one of the oldest forms of decorative glass. A local mechanic will charge you less for this anti-theft measure, which involves etching the vehicle identification number on the car’s glass. Dealers sell these services, which offer compensation if a marked vehicle is stolen. "Does etching work? Don't take the chance of defacing your vehicle's appearance. We aim to create a safe and valuable space for discussion and debate. Consumer Reports recommends that car buyers skip the undercoating and several other pricey add-ons, including VIN etching, fabric protection, and extended warranties. How to make sure your car is ready for a summer road trip, Muscle car appeals to hip replacement candidates, not hipsters. -- Jay, Toronto. Washington seems to be a vin etching wasteland -- virtually everyone I talked to about it, auto dealers, police depts, auto glass repair shops, etc., responded with the telephone equivalent of a blank stare :8: . 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. VIN etching is the permanent stenciling of your vehicle's 17-digit identification number onto the windshield and all window glass -- such as rear window, T … NY, on the other hand, as per nipper and others, seems to have a lot of people doing it even for free, insurance companies, police, etc. Buying VIN etching from a dealer can be expensive. There's no law in Canada that says a car's Vehicle Identification Number has to be etched on windows, says Transport Canada. Is there really a law requiring window etching? VIN stands for Vehicle Identification Number and, since 1981, is expressed as a 17-character serial number. If the car is stolen, sometimes people will either try to change the vin … I bought my kit from a company in Canada and applied it in about 3 hours. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. Telesis is the number one choice for permanent marking. Each of the positions in a VIN describes a specific aspect of the vehicle. That means: If you do not see your comment posted immediately, it is being reviewed by the moderation team and may appear shortly, generally within an hour. Etching the VIN ( vehicle identification number) onto a vehicle's windows has proven to be one of the greatest theft deterrents of our time. 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...". A VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is an identifier number that is used to differentiate between different makes, models and characteristics of the many vehicles manufactured all over the world. Know the car your getting before you buy it. There are also companies who mark vehicle windows -- either by etching or with stickers they say cannot be removed -- with their own numbers. vin etching canada by | posted on 19 enero, 2021 | 0 Comments While your vehicle identification number (VIN) isn’t the secret key to an amazing array of data, it can be used to figure out the year, make, model, trim package, engine size, and transmission type of any vehicle. 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.. We hope to have this fixed soon. VIN Etching Fee Some dealers will lightly engrave the vehicle's identification number on the car windows and windshield. With a simple VIN number lookup, you will get all of the information you need without the hassle or cost. All 4 windows and a few "hidden" places on the frame and underbody in case it gets stolen and stripped down. 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This article was published more than 7 years ago. Why? Click here to subscribe. If the car is stolen, sometimes people will either try to change the … International Manufacturing … Order Now. Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. I bought and actually posted about a VIN etching kit on here about 3 years ago. How VIN Etching Deters Thieves Sometimes, car thieves swap the VIN plate on the dashboard with a fake one, says the AATA. There's no law in Canada that says a car's Vehicle Identification Number has to be etched on windows, says Transport Canada. This essentially changes the identity of the vehicle and makes it hard for police to track. Insurance Card You can find your VIN on the insurance identification card issued by … Purchase a VINGUARD Police Traceable ™ VIN window etching kit today! Readers can also interact with The Globe on Facebook and Twitter . Consumer Reports says dealers spend maybe $90 on it, but charge up to $1000. "The Government of Canada does not require the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to be etched on a vehicle's window for new or imported vehicles," says Transport Canada spokesperson Maryse Durette in an e-mail. If you are looking to give feedback on our new site, please send it along to, To view this site properly, enable cookies in your browser. Yes, it is a theft deterrent method. Although, it doesn't really deter as it etches your vin number into all of the glass on the car (sometimes other parts) and is almost invisible to the eye. It depends on who you ask," says Pete Karageorgos, Ontario Manager, Consumer & Industry Relations, with the Insurance Bureau of Canada. 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. Additional VIN etching or VIN engraving is a recommended solution for companies to secure their fleet and also help law enforcement to track their cars if they get into the wrong hands. Sometimes, the fee for etching or these services are already printed on the sales agreement -- but you're free to turn it down. Your first vehicle is only $18. VIN etching is the permanent engraving of a vehicle’s federally registered vehicle identification number (VIN) onto its windshield and windows. A call to the dealership confirmed that he'd been charged for glass etching — a security add-on in which a code number, often the vehicle identification number (VIN), is etched into each of the vehicle's windows. What is a VIN? View details go to shop. © Copyright 2021 The Globe and Mail Inc. All rights reserved. All images and content contained on this site are © 2016 -2020 VINGUARD Systems Inc. and/or their respective companies. Cars made in Mexica have VINs that start with three. 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