Not just on the road when some crazy driver cuts you off and you get blamed for hitting them. That’s what everyone thinks of when they think of getting one, and is still a great reason to do so.

But I’m saying a dash cam can also be especially helpful when turning in your car at the dealership for service. I have a 2016 Z06 Corvette with a 208 mph top speed and a 0-60 time of just 2.9 seconds. With 650 hp and 650 lbs of torque this car is irresistible to those tempted by speed. Thankfully this car has a valet mode which leaves on a dash cam the whole time it is away from me until I get it back and turn it off by using a code. One time picking up the car from the Chevy dealer in Northern California I felt something wasn’t right so I played back the video and could see every second of the technician hitting 94 miles an hour in traffic, switching lanes like he was racing, all while the car was supposed to be in the shop! Not only was this frustrating to me, but just as bad or worse the car’s computer will have saved that and later the manufacturer could seek to use it against me claiming I drive like a mad-man and abuse the car if I ever were to need to make a warranty claim. They could blame me for causing problems with the car by the way I drive. So a dash cam can exonerate you and preserve your warranty rights!

A third reason to get one is: It also recorded that same dealer washing the car in the wash bay with the same dirty towels it uses on all the other cars and trucks, all when I told them not to because it’s a black car and washing it incorrectly would scratch the shit out of it. I was pissed off, but the footage from the camera was Priceless! I showed them the scratches, they denied it all, then I made the manager sit in the car and watch the video with me showing it driving in, getting washed, the guy dropping the dirty towel on the ground and picking it up to continue washing it…. The manager went from being upset at me to apologizing and offering to pay for a paint correction for my car. A complete 180 degree turn around once he saw the indisputable evidence.

Bottom line, dash cams can provide you the evidence you need to get out of trouble when being blamed for causing an accident you didn’t cause, they can preserve your warranty rights, and they can preserve evidence of the dealer or anyone else mistreating your car. They are well worth the cost. And can be found for as little as $150 for a good one.