Year: 2018

How to Buy a Car Without a Title

The perfect car has just come into your life and it is at the price you wanted. The only problem is that the current owner does not have the title. You don’t want to walk away from the sale because you know that there could be many legitimate reasons why the owner doesn’t have the title. Maybe it was a gift from a parent or grandparent and they never bothered to transfer the title or it could have been lost or damaged. However, a car title declares who the legal owner of the vehicle is and, even if you pay for the car, the person who holds the title can claim ownership. You will also need the title to register the car in your name. There are ways for you to purchase the vehicle without repercussions affecting you later.

Do Some Research

The first thing you want to do is to be sure the car is not stolen, salvaged or a flood vehicle. You can research the car on websites like Carfax or AutoCheck by entering the VIN into their website. There, you can learn receive an odometer report, information on any accidents the car has been involved in as well as any insurance claims filed. If anything looks suspicious, ask the seller to explain. If it turns out there is an issue with the vehicle, walk away from the sale. In some states, you can get some information from your state DMV office. If you want to confirm that the car has not been stolen, you can run the VIN through the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Bill of Sale

No matter what the status of the title may be, you will need a bill of sale to take to your motor vehicle department. The bill of sale will need to include:

Anything included or excluded from the sale, such as after-market parts or features
Full address of both buyer and seller along with phone numbers
Mileage
Sale Price
Terms of Sale (“as is” “where is” “seller to supply title” etc.)
VIN

When you pay for the vehicle, use a check, certified check or money order so that you have a record of the payment. You can also set up an escrow account that holds the funds until the seller provides the title.

DMV Title Request

Each state has a process for obtaining a copy of the title. Most of the time, the seller simply fills out a form, pays a fee and provides proof of identity for a new title to be issued. Although some states can issue the new title immediately, some may take a few days. It may also be possible to complete the form online. However, if the car has never been registered or transferred to the seller, it may be more difficult. You may be able to contact your local DMV to learn the name of the previous owner in order to ask them for the title.

Surety Title Bond

Some states will allow you to obtain a Surety Bond which is a financial security instrument and declaration that guarantees that the car is yours. You will want to be sure there is no lien on the car. This information can be found at your local DMV. The Surety Bond can be completed by a local bond company. You will need to have the vehicle valued which will be used to calculate the amount of the bond. The bond is usually between one and two times the value of the car. You won’t pay that amount for the bond but will pay a percentage of the bond amount.

If you need to have a vehicle inspected before you purchase it, schedule an appointment with Elmer’s Auto Body today. You can fill out the easy form online or give us a call.

How Does A Seatbelt Protect You In a Car Accident?

Alright, let’s first be honest with ourselves. Most people actively dislike having to wear seatbelts. There’s something admittedly claustrophobic about them, and seatbelt laws (at least those not pertaining to minors) are a very divisive thing.

Well, we’re not really here to debate the rights or wrongs of adult seatbelt legislation – but we’re here to tell you, with complete conviction, that seatbelts do indeed save lives. In the event of a car accident, or even a very sudden stop, they can be the difference between mild whiplash or broken bones, internal injuries, or even a very unpleasant death.

How They Work

In order to understand how a seatbelt protects you – and from what – we need to first understand a little bit about inertia. When you’re in your car, and you’re traveling at a consistent speed, down a more or less straight and well-paved road, it almost feels like your body is stationary. You really only notice your velocity when you’re speeding up, slowing down, or making severe course corrections.

Basically, if your car is moving at sixty miles per hour, so are you. Unfortunately, when the vehicle stops or slows down at a rapid rate, you don’t immediately do the same – this is why you feel a sense of being thrown forward during a collision or a sudden stop.

The most basic function of a seatbelt is to safely bring you to a stop at roughly the same time as the vehicle, rather than your body being violently tossed forward into the dashboard, steering column, or seat in front of you. In the event that the vehicle rolls, it also keeps you from being rattled around like dice in a cup – something guaranteed to badly injure you if not kill you before the rolling even stops.

Modern seatbelts are a mixture of two ancestral technologies – the lap belt and the sash belt. Alone, neither of these was entirely effective across the board. The lap belt allowed you to bend at the waist, which allowed for head or back injuries. Sashes prevented this but could allow you to slide out of your seat if the vehicle rolled or was impacted from a bad angle.

The modern three-point system utilizes both.

A Note on Properly Wearing a Seatbelt

Some people have a habit (an understandable one) of not wearing a seatbelt properly due to the discomfort of the sash component. People are known to tuck it behind them, or tuck it under an arm, to keep it off of their chest and neck. This should never be done – the sash should cross the collarbone and torso in a diagonal at all times. Accessories can be employed to reduce the discomfort they cause.

To learn more about how seatbelts can save your life in an accident, and to learn some statistics about injuries in accidents without them, fill out our contact form or call us today!

Icy Death from Above – What Do I Do if Hail Hits Me?

Hail is one of the most destructive common natural disasters around. Sure, things like tornadoes, hurricanes, lightning, and wildfires wreak more havoc, they’re not nearly as common. Hail isn’t a difficult thing for the atmosphere to make – if you live in an area with frequent precipitation, at any point in the year, you run the risk of these destructive balls of ice plummeting from the sky.
At the speed, hail falls, and with the density of most hailstones, it may as well be a rain of boulders. They can severely damage roads, power lines, vehicles, and of course, buildings. Hail is, in fact, second only to conventional accidents, in leading causes of automotive damage.

When this happens, it can seem positively disastrous. It’s easy to panic, but that’s not a good idea. Below, we’ll talk about the steps you should immediately take, and answer some frequently asked questions about the concepts involved. Take a deep breath, everything will work out if you take this one step at a time.

Immediate Response to Hail Damage

Insurance – The first thing you should do is contact your auto insurance provider, as is always the case with vehicle damage. Find out if hail damage is covered, and to what extent. This will determine the claim you can file. Your agent can help you with your claim if you’re uncertain where, to begin with this – it’s ok, that’s their job.
Clean Up – Clean your vehicle’s exterior thoroughly, removing debris, dust or other foreign matter.
Valuation – Next, have the damage thoroughly examined and appraised by either your insurance provider, a field inspector, or by a company specializing in this sort of valuation.
Schedule your repairs right away, even if you’ve not settled a claim with your insurance provider yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a hail damage estimate take?

Between 30-45 minutes on average. Assessors follow a specific set of procedures, steps and criteria that’s pretty universal, regardless their employer.

Why do I need to clean the car first?

Assessors need to be able to determine the actual damage to the panels and paint which the hail has caused. With flakes of paint, debris or dirt present, it can be difficult to properly measure this.

What is pre-loss condition?

Assessors/inspectors will make note of damage that was present before the hail, which will not be factored in claims or repair cost assessments.

Why am I being asked supplemental questions?

Inspectors may have additional questions to clarify the conditions the vehicle usually exists within, usage of the vehicle, previous repairs made, etc.

What’s paintless dent repair (PDR)?

In the event that the paint isn’t damaged, modern techniques can remove the dents without damaging the paint, or replacing it.

What’s conventional body repair?

This generally involves replacing damages panels, which also involves painting to match the remainder of the body.

To learn more about how to schedule dent repairs, have further questions answers/concepts demystified, or to get a no-obligation assessment of existing hail damage, call us today or fill out our contact form. Don’t wait for this damage to get worse!

How Much Can I Tint My Windows Legally?

There are many reasons you may want to tint the windows in your vehicle. You may want enhanced privacy or to lower the interior temperature in your car. Tinting provides protection from sun glare which may also include ultraviolet rays. A car with tinted windows is also aesthetically pleasing from the outside for many people. Although most cars come with some level of tint from the factory, there are some that have no tinting. If you want to add tint to your windows, it can be done after-market, but there are limits to how much you can tint them.

Measuring Window Tint

When determining the tint of a window, the level is measured by a percentage of visible light transmission (VLT). The higher the percentage, the more light can come into the car through the windows. This means that a window tint with a very low percentage would appear much darker.

Window Tint Legal Limits

Each state has their own regulations on how much tint can be on a vehicle window. In most states, the driver and passenger window in the front cannot have a VLT of 50 percent or higher. The rear and back windows usually cannot be tinted more than 35 percent. This means that the tint on the front windows must be less than the tint on the back, even though the difference between the percentages is fairly minor.

Why Are There Window Tint Limits?

There are several reasons why states have laws regarding window tinting. If your window is tinted too dark, you may not be able to see clearly in the dark and are more likely to be involved in a crash. Window tint that is too dark is dangerous for pedestrians as well as you may not see them in time to avoid them. Law enforcement needs to be able to see the occupants of a vehicle should they pull them over for a traffic stop. If they cannot see inside the vehicle, it could put the officer in danger. If a law enforcement officer believes your window tint is too dark, they are permitted to pull you over. Police officers have a tool that will allow them to measure the tint and, if it is too dark, you could be fined. You will also be required to either remove the tint or replace it with a film that is within the proper limits.

If you have tinted windows that have been determined to be too dark or you are interested in having yours tinted, contact Elmer’s Auto Body today to learn more. You can schedule an appointment by calling or filling out the easy online form.

What To Do If Your Car Is Stolen

As a vehicle owner, one of your biggest fears is having your vehicle stolen. Don’t feel bad! Your car is your home away from home, and something you depend on for so very much of your daily life. Fail to mention it’s a rather expensive loss should someone abscond with it. There’s a reason why vehicle security is such big business, and why grand larceny (formerly grand theft auto) is such a serious crime in our legal system.

But, no matter how secure your vehicle is, no matter how discerning you are in choosing where you park, it only takes one especially cunning, brave, maladjusted person to come along, find your car appealing, and take off with it. The better security, the smarter thieves tend to be as a result, after all.

So, the question is, what do you do if this happens? There are nearly 800,000 car thefts a year, and you never know when you might be one such statistic. Today, we’re going to go through this disaster step by step, and talk about what to expect at certain points. It’s not going to be fun, but if you, above all else, remain calm and follow procedure, one way or another, you’ll get this worked out.

Where Did You Park?

You’ve undoubtedly experienced this to a smaller extent before. You walk out of a mall or big box store during a busy evening, the parking lot is jam-packed. You’re sure you remember where you parked, but you’ll be darned if you can find your car. Panic wells up inside you, thinking “oh no, someone stole my car!”

This happens to everyone, and it happens often in a world where traffic is anything but diminishing. So, the first thing to do is make absolutely sure your vehicle is gone. This is a bit easier nowadays, with keyless remote entry allowing you to set off a chirping or honking sound with the push of a button.

If your vehicle doesn’t have this, then walk the lot. It’s exhausting and stressful, but necessary.

Time for the Police

So, it’s really gone? Ouch! Right now, your mind is racing, worst case scenarios causing your world to spin dizzyingly. Take a deep breath. The first thing you should do now is to inform the police. Report your vehicle stolen right away.

The longer it’s gone, the less chance there is of your vehicle being found, not unlike a missing persons case. If you’re in a highly urban or suburban area, police are statistically more likely to find your vehicle in short order.
If you’re in a rural area, well, don’t count on it. This is not the fault of law enforcement either, moving targets in expansive areas are logistically troublesome.

Technology to the Rescue

If your vehicle’s less than ten years old, there’s a really good chance it has tracking technology built into it. This is called a “low jack”, and if your vehicle has GPS or other modern, digital conveniences, you can usually get a location fix on the vehicle. If you can’t, then in many cases, the police can.

Of course, if you have an older vehicle, investing in this technology before the unfortunate can happen, might be a wise decision. There are services that specialize in this kind of surveillance, and it’s an affordable, solid peace of mind to have.

Dealing with Insurance

Now, you’ll need to inform your lender or insurer of your car’s theft. This is where things can get really scary and complicated. Does your insurance cover theft? You should find out now, before something happens, and if it doesn’t, you’ll want to adjust your policy so that it does. In the case your vehicle is never recovered, this is a windfall you’ll want to have.

Now, you just have to wait. Police are looking for your car, if you have tracking technology, specialists are doing everything in their power to triangulate its location, and there’s nothing you can do but stay in touch with these people and wait.

If you’re still making payments on the vehicle, you’ll want to continue making them. It’s a sad fact that lenders won’t accept “but my car’s currently stolen” as an acceptable reason to not continue payments. This goes for your insurance as well.

In the end, as long as your policy covers auto theft, you’ll eventually recoup and recover.

To learn more about handling car theft, fill out our contact form today.

What’s The Difference Between AWD and 4WD?

Four-wheel drive used to be something limited to “big” vehicles noted for hard work or off-road capabilities. There were things like SUVs, pick up trucks, RVs and utility vehicles. But, in the past twenty years or so, four-wheel drive has become a common feature offered on most modern vehicles. This is great and all, but it can be confusing because, in recent times, there seems to be a choice between four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.

Aren’t these the same? After all, cars have four wheels, so if it has four-wheel drive, then isn’t it all wheel? Well, let’s take a look today and find out what the differences are, and which is best suited for what conditions. You may be surprised by what’s revealed here.

All-Wheel Drive

All-wheel drive lives up to its name in pretty much every way. It is, in fact, a system where all four wheels are attached to a drive train system to provide traction and power in various adverse conditions. But, there are actually two types of all-wheel drive, one where it’s continuous (full-time AWD) and one where it’s intermittent (part-time AWD). The latter is usually computer-controlled these days.

How It Works

AWD systems, both full and part-time, generally work automatically, with no user control. They use one or two drive trains and multiple compound clutches to smartly distribute power to one or both sets of wheels accordingly.

You generally won’t notice the transition, in the case of part-time AWD, as smart sensors shift modes to deal with less traction or other adverse conditions (steep inclines, severe temperatures).

Pros and Cons of AWD

The most convenient aspect of AWD is the fact that it handles itself. As a driver, you don’t have to respond to conditions and enable/disable it. It’s electronically-controlled, usually with pretty intelligent systems to govern it. It works rather well in multiple conditions, and if you’re not a serious off-roader, then you might find this to be the least hassle-inducing choice to make.

However, those serious about off-roading or who deal with a constant bevy of rough road conditions, the control granted by 4WD is often considered more desirable due to the ability to pace and adjust traction based on intelligent intuition as an experienced driver.

Four-Wheel Drive

Four-wheel drive (4WD) is an older technology and was once a huge selling point of select vehicles in an age when a single axis bore all the torque in most designs. Today, there are two types of 4WD just as there are with AWD – full-time and part-time.

How It Works

While automatic 4WD with smart switching is an available feature in select vehicles, traditionally, 4WD is activated or deactivated by the user, with compound clutches to distribute torque between one or both axels depending.

With full-time 4WD, it can’t actually be turned off, but the user usually has the ability to control torque distribution between the axels. Conversely, part-time 4WD, which may not allow this precise distribution, can be activated or deactivated by the driver at will.

Pros and Cons

As we said earlier, off-road enthusiasts and professional drivers who handle a lot of consistent adverse road and weather conditions tend to prefer the level of control and agency provided by 4WD systems as opposed to AWD. They do handle rough, difficult conditions, on average, more effectively, especially if you can adjust torque precisely, and know what you’re doing with that.

However, unlike AWD, which is very fuel efficient, 4WD can result in some perceptible “gas guzzling”, meaning that if fuel efficiency matters highly, it may not be the option to go with.

Which Handles Snow Best?

For the average driver, the biggest adversary on the road is going to be snow. Yeah, it’s not that magical once you’re not a kid anymore. If you’re someone driving professionally, you’ll definitely prefer 4WD in snowy conditions, due to the control you get, which you need with heavier utilitarian vehicles.

For the average user, part-time AWD with smart switching handles snow easily, without distracting you so you can focus on keeping control of your vehicle. Snowy, icy roads are stressful, especially because you can’t control the other drives on the road.

Which Do You Need?

This all boils down to where you live and what you do with your car. Are you a professional driver who encounters rough terrain and harsh weather regularly? Are you an off-road enthusiast? Then you probably want 4WD with its adjustable torque and control.

Are you an average civilian driver who just needs that extra torque and power in hilly terrain and occasional nasty weather? Then full or part-time AWD is probably going to suffice, and save you fuel efficiency frustrations to boot.

To learn more about the technical science behind AWD and 4WD, and learn more key facts about their performance and applications, fill out our contact form below.