In these
economically uncertain times, CarChip can help cost-conscious consumers
save money by keeping an eye on how their cars are
being driven, pinpointing needed repairs, and providing valuable data
in the case of an accident.
Aggressive
driving costs money: high speeds waste gas and accelerate tire
deterioration; sudden starts and stops increase tire wear;
and revving the engine not only wastes gas, but also increases engine
wear and can cause the catalytic converter to overheat. With
graphs showing speed, acceleration, deceleration, and idle time
for each trip, CarChip can let you see exactly how your car is
being driven. It may help you convince a family member or an employee
to change their driving habits, or it might just be an eye-opener for
yourself.
CarChipE/X
can also pay for itself by catching faults quickly, before other
components can be damaged. For example, a poorly performing sparkplug
can cause the engine to misfire. Repeated misfires can quickly degrade
the performance of the catalytic converter, leaving you with an expensive
repair bill. By monitoring the performance of your engine, Car-Chip can
help you catch these problems. And the longer you keep your car
in good shape, the longer you’ll be able to keep it.
If you’re
a used car buyer, CarChip can provide valuable information on
the condition of the car before you make the purchase whether you’re
spending a few thousand dollars for an older Geo Prizm or tens of
thousands of dollars for a late-model Mercedes Benz.
Since a
single at-fault accident can raise insurance premiums significantly,
CarChip can also save you money by giving you the information
you need to settle a contested insurance claim. With CarChipE/X,
you can check the speed your car was traveling before the
accident, plus throttle position and brake use, to help prove that
you were not at fault. Just how fast was James Dean going, before
his infamous 1955 crash? Estimates vary widely, from 100-plus mph to just
57 mph.4 If CarChip were available back then, we’d know
for sure.
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• As the
average cost of a
new car rises relative to
income, consumers are
keeping their cars longer:
an average of 8.5
years, the highest in
40 years.
•
Aggressive driving (speeding,
rapid acceleration, and
hard braking)
can lower gas mileage
by up to 33%.
• The
average auto insurance
premium in the
U.S. was $786 in 2000;
it is expected to reach
the $1000 mark in
2003.
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