beautiful050278

Sorry forgot to mention if your SIN number starts with 9 you have no chance to get cheap finance

iaink

Well, it doesnt help any, but you do have some chance as my Jeep was leased back when I had a TWP. I just had to leave 3 or 4 k with them as a security deposit and show them I was employed on a decent wage. Most banks wont touch you though for finance, but car companies want to shift product.

I wouldnt recommend it though, most leasing is brand new vehicles, and insurance premiums for new arrivals will kill you on a new vehicle with a lein for full value. Bad enough with 14 years under my belt here.

Get a beater for a few years, it will save a packet.

Steve_

I think all the options are bad actually, getting credit is hard as a newcomer.

I bought a car, but in retrospect I wish I hadn't, what I should have done is rented a car and bought a car in the US, I would have saved a fair chunk of cash. It's just a hassle to do it with all the paperwork and RIV approval and you've got enough hassle if you've just moved here.

There is definitely a take-advantage-of-Johnny-Foreigner mentality at a lot of dealerships in Calgary. If you go and buy a car make certain you do not let on that you're new here, make up some story about how you're giving your old car to your kid and want to buy a new one or something like that.

Used car market here is also very different due to the demand. Look at the price of a used Saturn Astra on www.autotrader.ca and compare it to the equivalent car in Europe - and then realize they don't even import them anymore because they were so unpopular.

R I C H

I got a 0.5% lease with a '9' SIN.

beautiful050278

Well done! We didnt

Steve_

We've had this thread a lot of times, but I personally don't think winter tires are as big of a deal as people make out and block heaters aren't really necessary, not in Calgary at any rate, if you go further north or up into the mountains regularly you might need one. (There's a PSA on here where they tell you to check your engine for cats and other animals if you leave it idling to warm it up during the winter before you drive off - otherwise kitty gets a bit mangled.)

Chips from gravel isn't the only problem, I was driving down 22X once and the temperature dropped very rapidly, something like 8C to -2 in a couple of minutes and all of a sudden there was a loud CRACK and a massive crack appeared in the outside layer of the windshield. When I had it replaced they told me it was common, caused by the inside of the car being warm and the outside being so cold.

So get windshield insurance. My first windshield looked like someone had used birdshot on it there were so many chips.

It can actually be easier to drive during the winter on some roads, because they're covered in gravel and the ice levels them out a bit.

iaink

If winter tires make a difference on Ontario streets, then they sure make a difference in Alberta.

Its not snow that kills all season performance, its temperature, and its signifacantly colder out there. If safety is a concern, then good rubber is essential, all the other systems, ABS, ETC, ESC etc rely on that 6 square inches of contact with the road.

I did 6 years on just all seasons, it took the arrival of kids and my wifes nagging to get me to change over. No going back now, the difference in the cold is night and day, on ice more so. Its not even much of an expense, I save 5% on my car insurance with them, and any wear on the winter rubber is countered by more life on the summer tires. Not to mention one head on mithering from an out of control 5 ton cube van that was avoided by about 2 feet that all seasons would certainly not have stopped me in time for.

As for block heaters, I guess thats a personal choice. They are more about long term protection and having the car warm up faster as far as I can tell. A decent battery probably has more impact on starting. In Ontario I wouldnt bother, In Edmonton it might be worth it? How common are they out there anyway?

Steve_

You've pointed this out before, I have no doubt they make a difference, but there's a difference between nice to have and need to have. Depends on how long your commute is and stuff like that. If you're driving a few km from one heated garage to another I don't think they're that big of a deal, or if you're driving to the LRT lot or whatever. "winter" tire and "all-season" tire covers a huge amount of choices as well.

Remember we have more sunshine in Calgary than anywhere else in Canada, that warms up the roads (because of thermodynamics obviously because the road is black).

I don't think there's much point to them in Calgary, maybe if you've got an old car and you park it outdoors. I know people who've lived here all their lives and never had a block heater on their vehicle. I'm just trying to think of parking lots I go into with outlets, can't think of many. More common in Edmonton.

delsol79

Maybe not so much nonsense. I was not able to get finance on a car without 40-50% down even though I had PR and a healthy salary.

I think best thing to do is buy one outright. As someone said the cost of wiring the money is really irrelevant vs considering long-term lease.

cheeky_monkey

Obviously you were fooled into believing you had to pay 40-50% up front..i know a few people myself included who didn't fall for this BS!

delsol79

How exactly was I fooled? I applied for the finance from two different dealerships and that is the result that came back. Obviously you are a fool to think your personal experiences match those of everyone else.

cheeky_monkey

you didn't shop around..took what you were told as gospel it is a simple as that.

iaink

Is this helping? Two deals sounds like shopping around to me... everyones experience is different.

Let it go.

delsol79

You don't have a clue what I did - more assumptions.

I went to two dealership, Honda and Nissan and both tried to push through finance. It is not an automated system - it goes to their finance departments for a decision. I did not want to put down a large deposit so I walked away. If they were able to get me finance they would - that is how business works. They would rather have my money than not have it.

Also after you have done a few credit checks and failed it is best to stop and not keep "shopping around" for a bit.

iaink

It would be a shame to close the thread, so lets all move on. This is no the place for personal insults.