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 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

 Here's how you can calculate the total 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. Agreement to receive e-bills and documentation.
2. Memberships in particular organizations or groups that offer discounts.
3. Combine and Consolidate Policies by Pairing auto and homeowners insurance
4. Use Offers to let you pay the entire annual or six-month premium at once
5. Improve your driving record by taking a defensive driving course.
6. Making sure you don’t get any (more) tickets
7. Take Advantage of Multi-Car Discounts
8. Shop Around for Better Car Insurance Rates
9. Drive less, try to use mass transit to rack up fewer miles
10. Add your family members to your insurance plan
11. Being married reduces your insurance compared to being single.
12. insurers will offer a discount if you buy a hybrid or an alternative fuel vehicle
13. Downsize Your Vehicle in size and weight.
14. Increase Your Deductibles to the maximum allowed $1,000 (the lower the deductible, the higher the annual premium)
15. Insurance companies may also consider your credit ratings when determining insurance premiums.
16. Your location infuences car insurance rate so choose your home location keeping insurance in mind.
17. 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.
18. Get Discounts for Installing Anti-Theft Devices
19. 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.
20. 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. 
21. 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. 
22. Ask for Long-Time Customer discount
23. Ask for No Accidents in 3 Years discount
24. Ask for No Moving Violations in 3 Years discount
25. Ask for Student Drivers with Good Grades discount
26. Ask for College Students away from Home discount
27. Ask for Defensive Driving Courses / Drivers Ed Courses discount
28. 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.

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)
   

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