The brake system on your car is vital to your safety, this type of repair or service is not something you can just put it off until a later date. Knowing the right warning signs and where to go to when you need brake service or repair can save you considerable amount of time and money. If you have a relatively new or late model vehicle, you maybe informed about your brake pad’s thickness every time you bring it in for regular service through your local dealership. Although this information is helpful, but it doesn’t offer you the whole picture when it comes to the brake system’s condition. Today’s brake pads will typically last about 40,000 km of driving, but many dealership service advisors will ask you to replace them at much earlier intervals. The reasons behind this practice are quite simple, since brake pads, shoes, and rotors are safety related items; it is hard to argue when it comes to repairs and service. Another reason is the brake system is simple to repair or service, but it pays the technician at least 2 hours of labor. This type of service or repair is the biggest “money maker” for the dealership, that’s why it is recommended every time you visit. Think about this scenario from the service technician’s point of view. You may have to spend the entire day diagnosing an electrical problem that only pays you 1 hour of labor, or you can change all the brake pads and machine the rotors in 1 hour while it pays you 2, which job would you prefer?

The next time your dealership recommends you to replace brake pads or machine your brake rotors, simply decline and pass on this job to your local trusted small repair shop. The cost difference can be from as little as $200 for the job to as much as $1200, while there is virtually no difference in vehicle’s performance. Unknown to many drivers today, there are plenty of warning signs before your brake system fails, here are the top 3 tell tale signs you can look for the next time you drive your car.

1. Does your brake system squeak? – Sound is one of the best indicators for potential brake problems, modern day brake pads are built with warning system in place. When your brake pads are getting low, there will be squeaking, scratching or metal to metal noises when you apply the brake pedal. This sound will get louder as your brake pads are getting lower in thickness, if you are not sure this is happening to your car, simple drive through a tunnel with your windows open and apply your brake pedal. The sound generated from the brake system will echo and amplified by walls from both sides of your vehicle.

2. Does your brake pedal vibrate or shake when applied? – Vibration is another early warning sign for potential brake system failure, since the brake rotors will heat up and cool down many times a day. It can be warped and create uneven braking surface for the brake pads, this will result in vibration when braking. This symptom can be resolved by replacing or machine your rotors to ensure the braking surface are as flat as possible.

3. Are you losing brake fluid or pressure? – When applying your brake pedal, how far does the pedal travel? If your brake pedal is almost to the floor of the vehicle, you maybe leaking brake fluid or pressure from the system. This type of failure is particularly dangerous since your brake system requires considerable amount of pressure for safe operation. If you suspect there maybe a problem, don’t delay! Get your brake system checked out right away.

So the next time you visit your local dealership, don’t be fooled into spending unnecessary repairs on your brake system, get a second opinion if you don’t experience any of the above symptoms.

Author Rick Tao Li, for more useful articles like this one please visit me online at http://www.soscarloans.com or http://www.usedbmwtoronto.ca

This article deals with the issue of rust proofing a brand new vehicle in the Canadian automotive market.

If you have recently purchased a brand new vehicle you have probably been informed of the issue of rust proofing. Due to the relentless Canadian winter and salt we use on our road and highways, it is a good idea to protect your investment from rust. Average life span of a vehicle before the rust will cause damage is about 10 years, rust proofing is not something that is required in all the countries the vehicle’s manufacture exports to. Therefore additional chemical and equipment maybe required in the Canadian market. If you are leasing a vehicle for four years and ready for a new car after your lease expires, there is very little incentive for you to rust proof a vehicle that is not yours to own. But if you are buying a vehicle with cash or financing the capital cost, you are investing in the vehicle and you should consider some form of rust proof protection to ensure the duration of your investment will last. Rust proofing comes in various form as well as cost; it can range from $200 to as much as $2000.

The traditional way to rust proof a vehicle is by spraying the vehicle with a special developed chemical mix, this type of rust proofing does work but it gets messy very quickly. The vehicle will be sprayed with the chemical in certain key areas, such as under the hood, in between the sheet metal, as well as the under carriage. This type of rust proofing is usually the cheaper way to go, the cost can range between $200 to $600. But since this chemical does wash away and with wear and tear it will disappear with time. You should consider a re-spray once a year or two, the cost may add up if you look at the bigger picture. The second option is the electronic rust module the dealers are selling today. This type of rust proofing is environmental friendly and it has been used in shipping industry in the recent years. The small on board module produces a very mild current that runs through the vehicle to repel rust, it is not only much cleaner but it is also more expensive.

The cost of the electronic module ranges from $800 to $1500 from the dealers, but you can buy them online for as little as $200 from eBay. The installation process is simple and straight forward; with 30 minutes of study you can probably install the module yourself. However the downfall to this technology is that the module will produce a draw from the battery constantly. If you are going on vacation and parked your car for 60 days, don’t be surprised to come home to find out your vehicle won’t start. Overall before you commit to rust proofing your vehicle, do your home work and research to find yourself the better deal.

Thank you for reading this article it is brought to you by Used BMW Toronto, your bad credit, no credit car loan specialist. To find us online please go to http://www.usedbmwtoronto.ca or http://www.usedbenztoronto.com, or http://www.usedminitoronto.com

This article looks into a common scenario called “credit seeking” and how it can affect your credit score negatively.

If you have been recently turned down for a car loan, the most important thing you can do is to be patient and not to engage a behavior called “credit seeking”. Credit seeking or some times referred to as “credit hunting” means an individual is submitting his or her credit application to number of loan providers within a short period of time. Lets imagine you walked into a Honda dealership full of hopes and expectations for a brand new car, after a test drive you have signed the deal with the sales person. It maybe few days before you heard back from the sales person only to tell you “they are working on your file at the moment, it maybe few more days”! This may come to you as a shock since you didn’t think you had bad credit to begin with, but if your credit score is border line on been a bad credit applicant. This can be a rude awakening to your financial situation. The best thing you can do for yourself is to stay calm, and cancel your current contract with the dealer and eliminate as much small debts as possible.

But more often than you can imagine, people actually start to look around for a better deal. And in doing so they try to submit multiple credit applications to multiple dealers only to find out none will approve them for a car loan. The explanation is quite simple; every time you do a credit report on yourself you are in danger of lowering your credit score. There are two types of inquires you can run into, the first type is called a “soft inquiry” that’s where the customer will request his or her own credit report for personal use. This type of credit inquiry usually will not affect a person’s credit rating at all. The other type is called a “hard inquiry” where it is been requested by a dealership or a car loan provider. This will indeed lower your credit score every time a credit report is produced, the average drop in score will range from 3-5 points. This may not seem like a lot but when you applied to 6 dealers in your recent shopping spree you will be looking at a 30 point drop which put you into another credit category entirely.

Keep in mind there is nothing positive about credit seeking, imagine you are the car dealer number five and after you pulled the credit report from the customer. The report will show he or she has been busy shopping around for a vehicle that will not install any confidence in you regarding that customer. And not to mention it is illegal to sign multiple bills of sales from dealerships. So the next time you are been declined for credit, just wait out the grace period and apply only after your credit score improves. Thank you for reading this article it is brought to you by No Credit Check Car Loans Toronto, and you can find us online for more information at http://www.nocreditcheckcarloans.ca

No Credit Check Car Loans is Toronto‘s leading no credit check car loan provider; we can approve everyone, even without a credit check. If you are tired of been turned down all the time, visit us online at http://www.nocreditcheckcarloans.ca

If you have recently purchased a brand new vehicle you have probably been informed of the issue of rust proofing. Due to the relentless Canadian winter and salt we use on our road and highways, it is a good idea to protect your investment from rust. Average life span of a vehicle before the rust will cause damage is about 10 years, rust proofing is not something that is required in all the countries the vehicle’s manufacture exports to. Therefore additional chemical and equipment maybe required in the Canadian market. If you are leasing a vehicle for four years and ready for a new car after your lease expires, there is very little incentive for you to rust proof a vehicle that is not yours to own. But if you are buying a vehicle with cash or financing the capital cost, you are investing in the vehicle and you should consider some form of rust proof protection to ensure the duration of your investment will last. Rust proofing comes in various form as well as cost; it can range from $200 to as much as $2000.

The traditional way to rust proof a vehicle is by spraying the vehicle with a special developed chemical mix, this type of rust proofing does work but it gets messy very quickly. The vehicle will be sprayed with the chemical in certain key areas, such as under the hood, in between the sheet metal, as well as the under carriage. This type of rust proofing is usually the cheaper way to go, the cost can range between $200 to $600. But since this chemical does wash away and with wear and tear it will disappear with time. You should consider a re-spray once a year or two, the cost may add up if you look at the bigger picture. The second option is the electronic rust module the dealers are selling today. This type of rust proofing is environmental friendly and it has been used in shipping industry in the recent years. The small on board module produces a very mild current that runs through the vehicle to repel rust, it is not only much cleaner but it is also more expensive.

The cost of the electronic module ranges from $800 to $1500 from the dealers, but you can buy them online for as little as $200 from eBay. The installation process is simple and straight forward; with 30 minutes of study you can probably install the module yourself. However the downfall to this technology is that the module will produce a draw from the battery constantly. If you are going on vacation and parked your car for 60 days, don’t be surprised to come home to find out your vehicle won’t start. Overall before you commit to rust proofing your vehicle, do your home work and research to find yourself the better deal.

Thank you for reading this article it is brought to you by No Credit No Problem, your bad credit, no credit car loan specialist. To find us online please go to http://www.nocreditnoproblem.ca

If you are thinking of buying a brand new vehicle, you may not know where to start. There are few steps you need to take before make your final decision. First of all the all important test drive, many people compare between three to four different brands, and they test drive these brands days some times even months apart. It is crucial for you to test drive your potential cars to buy within the same day, that way you have a good impression on how the vehicle handles and performs. It will help you to narrow down the right car for yourself relatively quick, visit the dealerships when you are ready financially. Take the vehicle on an extended test drive whenever possible; try the vehicle on the highway to listen to the cabin noise level. Take the vehicle on bumpy roads to test out the suspension and steering system capabilities. On your test drive you should look at the ergonomics and the interior design of the vehicle, make sure you can reach all the buttons with ease. If you can squeeze all your test drives within one day it would be ideal, your brain will be able to process the information and give you a solid idea which vehicle is superior. Don’t be caught up with the hype and manufactures’ promotion, 0% interest means nothing if the vehicle is overpriced, or has a poor resale value. All the interest you saved with all the payments over the years will go up in smoke when you are trying to sell the car again.

Generally speaking when you are trying to decide which brand to purchase, try to think of it as if you are selling that vehicle years down the road. Buy something that is popular, easy to sell, and high in demand. Buy a color not just for yourself but for your next potential buyer, and try to stay away from manual transmission if you can. Japanese or German makes are usually better choices because they have a much higher resale value and demand on the market. Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3 are all good candidates for resale value. Try to stay away from bright colors like purple, green, orange, red, even blue if possible. In the resale market people are looking for silver, grey, maybe black. Silver is generally the best choice of color when it comes to resale because silver hides scratches well, and it will look newer compare to a dark blue.

The last thing you should be aware of is the price of the vehicle, for this exercise let’s assume you picked a brand new Honda Civic, you are buying one with automatic transmission and in color silver. But how do you get the best price? If you are busy and have very little time to drive from one Honda dealership to the next one trying to haggle for the best price, you will be wasting a lot of time and gas for very little gain. There are third party companies such as A.P.A or Automotive Protection Agency, and Car Cost Canada where you are able to get dealer invoice prices online in an email format. For a small amount of fee ranging from $20-40 you can save yourself a lot of hassle. Bring the print out with you and arm yourself with the proper information before walking through the door and you will be surprised just how easy car shopping can really be.

Thank you for reading this article it is brought to you by No Credit Check Car Loans; we are Toronto’s leading bad credit, no credit car loan provider located online at http://www.nocreditcheckcarloans.ca

With today’s economical turmoil and raising unemployment rate in North America, many Canadians are falling behind on their financial obligations. As the result their credit score is been dragged through the mud and they are having a hard time getting approved for a car loan. There are specific loan service providers out there who is set up to offer you bad credit car loans, these loans will have a much lower requirement compare to the normal bank loans. But if your credit score is so low or your payment history is so poor, you can still get turned down from a bad credit car loan. There is still hope for you in the credit world if this scenario describes your recent visit to a car dealership. Believe it or not there are no credit check car loans available in the Toronto area that will approve you for a car loan without even a credit check. Sounds too good to be true, well its not, here is how you can get approved for these loans.

These so called “No credit checks” car loans mean exactly that, they will approve you for a smaller loan amount without a credit check. The basic requirement can be as simple as you bringing in your most recent phone bill, and prove to the loan provider you have a bank account. These types of loans are designed specifically for the people whom need financial help, and they are mostly private loans from the dealership themselves or a privately funded therefore there is no “red tapes” to overcome like any other bank loans. These loans are designed for people who don’t have a T4 if you are working a cash paying job, or if you have recently declared bankruptcy, even if you have just arrived to this country. In comparison to the bad credit car loans they still have a very minimum requirement for a loan approval, but with no credit check car loans you don’t have to worry about these minimum guidelines.

Of course if you need a vehicle badly enough whether it is for your family or work, you have very little choice when you have hit financial “rock bottom”. These no credit check car loans will normally run at a higher interest rate compare to the bank rates, but the old saying of “You can’t have your cake and eat it too” applies perfectly to this scenario. Taking on one of these loans will improve your credit score in the long run; it is almost like a financial intervention where the lender is offering you a chance to prove to the banks you can pay back a loan. With a good track record with repayment you can be on your financial freedom within 12 months. Once you have proven yourself in the eyes of the bank, you can then take a normal car loan at much lower interest rate, so the lesson here is to not to be over concerned with the interest rate before you have recovered from your financial past.

One of the no credit check providers in Toronto is called “Benchmark Automotive Group” they are located in the Toronto area, you can find them online at http://www.benchmarkautomotive.ca and thank you for reading this article it is brought to you by SOS Car Loans or http://www.soscarloans.com for more information on bad credit, or no credit car loans please visit us online.

With today’s ever increasing work load and busy lives, many people use Internet as their shopping tool of choice. Shopping online is not new, before the days of Internet and global communication network. Customers use fax or phone to shop around for the best deal rather than stepping into a dealership in person. The reason this kind of shopping behavior is attractive is quite simple, you can remain anonymous and there is virtually no commitment from you as a customer. From the seller’s perspective this kind of inquiries presents another opportunity for a potential sale, however to benefit from online shopping there are certain etiquette you should follow as a buyer. When sending email inquiries to multiple dealers, you should never make that fact public knowledge. Meaning you shouldn’t let the selling dealer know he will be competing with 5 or 6 dealers, frankly the dealer may not answer your request at all since it seems like too much work for very little in return. If you live in a smaller town outside the city and you want to get a competitive quote to keep your local dealers honest. The best thing you should do is not to mention about your location, because the selling dealer encounters many requests like that throughout the day, and 99% of the time these types of leads turn out to be a waste of time for both parties.

The main purpose to contact a selling dealer is to establish a contact, so in essence you are looking for a person you can trust and negotiate with who will represent you as a buyer in front of the sales managers. If the price quote you received is too high, ignore that fact and continue with your regular communications for the other party to gain your trust. After all no dealer will instantly discount a vehicle over email without any kind of commitment from you the potential customer. Find the vehicle that is right for you, and ask the dealer if the vehicle you are looking for is in stock and ready for delivery. The final step of price negotiation should be done in person. In person negotiation is necessary because you need to sign the final copy of the bill of sale to complete the transaction as well as you need to present the offer to the sales manager and leave a partial payment on your credit card.

If you and the selling dealer have good chemistry and rapport, you may trust the other party enough to pass on your credit information but ideally the final negotiation should be done in person to ensure you are getting what you are paying for. Try to stay away from multiple faxes; this approach is not only outdated but also ineffective. In today’s dealership offices, fax machine is often shared amount the entire building or department. Your fax can easily be lost among the pile of paperwork, or simply thrown in the garbage. In a nut shell don’t negotiate the price over email or fax, since you didn’t show any commitment other than your words, the dealer will not take your offer seriously. Establish a contact person, gain their trust and build rapport, and finalize the paperwork in person.

Thank you for reading this article it is brought to you by SOS Car Loans Toronto, we are your bad credit, no credit car loan provider. To visit us online please go to http://www.soscarloans.com

With today’s economic turmoil and uncertainty, it’s no surprised many Canadians are looking to purchase a vehicle that is both affordable and reliable for under $5000. The logic is simple; buy something that is affordable, great in the winter weather. But it will be cheaper to insure as well as to maintain, the market for vehicles under $5000 is big, so big that if you don’t react quickly enough some one else may just snatch the deal before your eyes. This doesn’t mean you should jump into making a purchase without any research or sound advice. For one, vehicles under $5000 will not come with any warranty, this is normal because there is just no profit in the transaction for the dealership to offer any legitimate warranty. Don’t be fooled by some dealers’ advertising of free 6 month or 1 year warranty. These types of third party coverage is completely useless, the amount of hassle and headache you will go through just to make a claim will make you think twice the next time you encounter them again. Vehicles under $5000 are not hard to find but buy with caution because some vehicles may seem like a great deal on paper, but the repair bill can be very high. Typically speaking the Japanese vehicles are the better choice, not only they are fuel efficient but also reliable even at higher km. Good choice by default would be Honda and Toyotas, certain Nissan products as well. Honda Civic is famous for its reliability and resale value, Toyota Corolla is a close competitor as well with only minor differences.

Used Hondas are usually more expensive compare to a used Toyotas, for $5000 you maybe able to purchase a 8-10 year old Civic on the market with 150,000 – 200,000 km. Don’t let the km scare you, the Civic can easily last up to 400 – 500,000 km as long as you maintain the vehicle with proper maintenance plan. For Hondas in particular anything older than 1998 will require a timing belt and water pump replacement at 100,000 km. Ask your seller if this has been done, if not you should save some money set aside for this important maintenance. If you are purchasing a used Honda Accord or Odyssey you should be aware of potential transmission failures if the vehicle has more than 160,000 km, bring along a friend who has good mechanical knowledge or to your local garage for an inspection.

When it comes to purchasing a used Corolla you should check for engine oil sludge by opening the engine oil cover as well as the dip stick. Make sure the vehicle does not burn engine oil when you start or a puff of blue smoke when you first turn the vehicle on. Suspension noises and exhaust heat shield rattles are common among Corollas when the vehicle is more than 8 years old. But when it comes to timing belt and water pump replacement it is not as crucial for a Toyota due to difference in the so called “none interference” engine design. Remember don’t be over concerned with small mechanic issues, as long as the vehicle’s powertrain has no obvious problems you are on the right track.

Thank you for reading this article it is brought to you by SOS Car Loans, Toronto’s leading bad credit, no credit car loan provider. Visit us online at http://www.soscarloans.com for details.

Lease vs finance is a double edged sword, depending on your perspective and financial situation the answer may differ. Let’s first explore some of the benefits of a lease, typically in a lease contract the manufacture will offer you a competitive interest rate, along with a residual value. A residual value will change from month to month, and from term to term. This magical figure is derived from the manufacture’s prediction of the vehicle’s resale value 36, 48 month down the road. The residual value is based on many factors, such as the current economy, bank’s lending interest rate, and auction reports and so on. A higher residual value will result in a lower payment, and vice versa a lower residual value will bring up your monthly payment considerably. So the question you have to ask yourself is simple, do you want a lower monthly payment or you can afford a higher payment per month just to save on the interest. Let’s use a typical Honda Civic lease for example, if you are currently leasing a Civic for 48 month with a residual value about 45% of the selling price, your monthly payment should be in the $300 range. If you finance the identical vehicle for the same 48 month term, your monthly payment may double to about $600. Although the payment is higher but if you look at the big picture, after all taxes and payments are made in full, finance will save you from $1000-$2000 depending on the interest rate.

Long story short, financing payment usually doubles a lease payment; the reason for this is very simple. Since finance deals with the entire cost of the vehicle (or capital cost as the term that is referred to in the industry) you are paying for the entire car (including taxes). Lease on the other hand will only include about 50% of the cost of the vehicle, because of the residual value. You have a choice at the end of your lease to purchase the vehicle or return it to the manufacture. A leased vehicle does have certain stipulations and limits such as allowed km can not exceed certain amount, or you have to keep the vehicle in reasonable shape when you are returning the lease. Another benefit of lease is you can write it off as a business expense if you are using the vehicle for business purposes. But at the end of the day leasing will cost you more, not much more, but about 5% of the selling price. For some one who needs a new car every 3 to 4 years, and don’t have to worry about any repair bills lease maybe the best option. Also if you need a lower payment because you have a cash flow problem, lease is an attractive option.

With a leased vehicle the title will remain in the manufacture’s name, since the vehicle has been paid off or a lien is registered with the vehicle, you can not sell or modify or damage the vehicle as if it is yours. To purchase insurance coverage you must have full coverage as well, since the vehicle is some one else’s investment a full coverage is required. Financing on the other hand will also require full coverage until the vehicle is paid off, but it is easier to break the contract versus lease. Since the lease payment is equal to the vehicle’s depreciation value, you never accumulate any real equity in the car. Don’t kid yourself of thinking you may return the vehicle with lower kms and expect a refund from the dealership. In conclusion if you are looking to finance a vehicle you will have to face higher monthly payment, but some equity in your name. And to lease a vehicle you are simply paying for the depreciation of the vehicle over time, and you will not get any real equity when you are returning the car.

Thank you for reading this article, it is brought to you by SOS Car Loans, Toronto’s leading bad credit, no credit car loan specialist. To find us online please go to http://www.soscarloans.com for details.

If you are in the process of buying a new car, you are entitled to a price discount regardless whether it is a cash purchase or financing. Unknown to many when you are negotiating with a sales person, he or she is only your messenger, the approval for selling the vehicle at a discounted price comes from the sales manager sitting in the big office near by. Although the sales person may have the knowledge of how much savings a typical customer can receive on the selling vehicle, it is still in his or her best interest to get as much as possible from you to maximize the profit margin. There are several tactics and strategies you can deploy when negotiating on your deal, and ultimately they all involve in one common element. Do your home work; find out exact profit margin on the vehicle is crucial to the success of your deal. There is nothing more annoying to you and the dealer when you are making a silly offer that is thousands of dollars below the dealer cost. Just like any other business, the dealer will purchase a vehicle at a cost price from the manufacture. In return for their investment the dealer will be entitled to a profit when selling the vehicle. The MSRP or manufacture’s suggested retail price is a dealership’s guide when conducting business; it is also called the sticker price. This is usually plastered on the web, newspapers, and other advertising revenues. The hard part is to find out the dealer’s cost on the vehicle you are interested in, or dealer invoice price.

Since the dealer’s invoice price is usually hidden from public, it is your job to find out how much it is as well as if the current market condition allows the dealer to sell this vehicle as close as possible to the dealer invoice price. There are few ways you can find this information, if you don’t want to waste your gas and time driving from dealer to dealer throughout the city. You can use web services such as Car Cost Canada, or Automotive Protection Agency. There are a small amount of fees attached to these services usually $30 to $40 per request, carefully pick out the exact model and options of your vehicle, and the dealer invoice price is usually emailed to you within few hours. Knowing the dealer’s invoice price is your first step towards a great deal, armed with this information you can now submit an educated offer. Dealers and sales people know when someone is making an educated offer, because the offer will usually be reasonable and within their profit margin. They will be willing to work harder for you once they know your offer is based on research and experience.

Once you are armed with this vital information, you also need to work with the existing market condition. For example if you are trying to buy the latest Porsche 911 on the market knowing the vehicle is extremely rare and the color you are looking for doesn’t exist in the dealer’s inventory. There is very little hope you can get the vehicle close to the dealer’s cost, but on the other hand if you know a particular make and model is not doing well, and there are overstocked units all over the city. You will have a very good chance of picking up a real bargain; in conclusion you should work with your selling dealer and make an educated offer based on availability and market conditions at the end of the day you will need to bring your newly purchased vehicle back for service so leave with a good working relationship and impression.

Thank you for reading this article, it is brought to you by SOS Car Loans, Toronto’s leading bad credit, no credit car loan specialist. To find us online please go to http://www.soscarloans.com for details.