All posts by alexagodwin

Credit Score

How Can I Clean Up My Credit Score?

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Posted in Buy Here Pay Here

Cleaning up your credit score can be a gradual process that requires time, diligence, and responsible financial habits. Here are some steps you can take to improve and clean up your credit score:

Be Diligent: Review Your Credit Score

  • Review your credit report. Obtain a copy of your credit report from each of the major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). Review the reports thoroughly to identify any errors, or inaccuracies that need to be addressed.
  • Dispute errors and inaccuracies. If you find any errors or inaccuracies on your credit report, such as incorrect personal information or accounts that don’t belong to you, file a dispute with the credit bureau. Provide any supporting documentation to help rectify the errors.

Have Responsible Financial Habits

  • Pay bills on time. Payment history is a crucial factor in determining your credit score. Make sure to pay all your bills, including credit cards, loans, and utilities, on time. Late payments can have a negative impact on your credit score. Here at Godwin Motors, we are a buy-here-pay-here dealership and report your monthly payments to credit bureaus. When you make your payments on time, it will help improve your credit score.
  • Create a budget and manage debt responsibly. Develop a budget to track your income and expenses effectively. By managing your finances responsibly, you can avoid accumulating excessive debt and ensure timely payments.

Be Patient: It Will Take Time

  • Avoid too many new credit applications. Multiple credit inquiries within a short period can have a negative impact on your credit score. When you are ready to inquire about vehicle financing, Godwin Motors has an easy online application. Our financing team will be in contact and can provide provide on-the-spot financing approval.
  • Maintain a mix of credit accounts. Having a diverse mix of credit accounts, such as credit cards, and mortgages, can positively impact your credit score. However, only take on new credit if you can manage it responsibly.
  • Build positive credit history. If you have limited or no credit history, consider building it by opening a credit card. Make small purchases and pay off the balance in full each month to establish a positive credit history.
  • Be patient and persistent. Improving your credit score takes time. Consistently practicing good credit habits, such as paying bills on time and reducing debt, will gradually lead to a better credit score over time.

It’s important to note that there is no quick fix for improving your credit score. However, by following these steps and practicing responsible financial behavior, you can make progress in cleaning up your credit and building a stronger credit profile over time.

Man checking the car battery

Signs You Have a Dead Car Battery

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Posted in Godwin Service Center

Monday morning is not the day to discover your car battery is dead. Monday is always the day that you’re rushing around, you can’t consume enough coffee to revive yourself from your weekend coma, and traffic is always a mess. Add a dead battery to the mix and you know the start to your week has just gone from busy to a standstill. So, how do you even know the reason your car isn’t starting is due to a dead battery? There are signs to help diagnose whether your car battery is dead.

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Car key with dollars

Vehicle Financing Made Easy

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Posted in Godwin Service Center

Vehicle Financing Made Easy

Godwin Motors buys, sells, services and rents vehicles to fulfill all your automobile needs and is Columbia, SC oldest Buy-Here-Pay-Here dealership. Our own in-house vehicle finance department provides customers with on the spot financing. Our goal is to have your loan approved and riding in your car in less than one hour. Here are a few simple steps to follow to make car buying and car financing easy for you.

  1. Fill out our easy online vehicle financing application by clicking here
  2. View our inventory by clicking here or visit us at 4032 West Beltline Blvd.
  3. One of our sales staff will contact you – usually within 2 hours of credit application submission during normal business hours.
  4. Bring needed documentation to Godwin Motors:
    • Driver’s License
    • Utility bill from your address
    • 2 recent pay stubs from your job
    • Down Payment
  5. Test Drive
  6. Complete the paperwork. Our goal is to make the approval and paperwork process less than one hour of your time!

SC Tax Free Weekend Means Saving on School Supplies

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Posted in Columbia, SC News, Community

As the end of July draws closer, and Halloween decorations start popping up, we all know the start of school and SC Tax Free Weekend will be here soon. And what question is on your mind when it comes clear that the kids are heading back to school? Let’s all say it together. Where should I shop for school supplies? There are so many options, but the real question is whether you’ll splurge on the brand name glue sticks or stick to generic.

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new tires

Do I Need New Tires?

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Posted in Godwin Service Center, Tips and Tricks

You probably don’t inspect your tires very often, but at some point, you’re going to notice the tread and think about new tires. We all want to get the most mileage out of our tires (because let’s get real, tires are expensive) which causes most people to continue to drive on older tires even when they need to be replaced. How long should tires last? And at what point do they become unsafe? There are several signs that show you need new tires. Let us help you recognize when it’s time to buy new ones.

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service technicians inspecting a car

Oil Change: Why You Need One Every 3 Months

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Posted in Godwin Service Center

Do You Really Need to Get an Oil Change Every 3 Months or 3,000 Miles?

I want you to picture that little sticker that the mechanic puts on the corner of your windshield. You know which one. The one that tells you when you need to get your next oil change. But how often do you really check it? When it’s just past the date? Or just a couple thousand miles overdue? You may wonder if you really need to be getting that oil change every 3 months or 3,000 miles, but we promise it will keep your vehicle running smoothly and save you money in the long run.

What Is the Point of Oil Changes for Your Car?

Most people think that an oil change is important because it lubricates your engine. This is true. It does that, but it also helps with:

  • cooling your engine to prevent overheating
  • cleaning your engine
  • protecting internal parts
  • sealing combustion chambers
  • absorbing moisture, dust, and combustion byproducts

You wouldn’t believe how many oil changes Godwin Motors’ service center does in a week. We service vehicles in the Columbia, Lexington, Sumter, West Columbia, Dentsville, Elgin, Blythewood, Winnsboro, and all the surrounding areas. Just remember if you’re doing it yourself to change the filter too. Our mechanics change your oil and oil filter at the same time because you don’t want to run clean oil through a dirty filter. It defeats the purpose. We also do the following during your oil change:

  • check tires for wear & tear
  • top off all fluids (wiper, coolant, transmission if applicable)
  • check for leaks (coolant, oil, transmission)
  • consult the customer if needed
Tulips

Columbia Brings Spring Events to a New Level

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Posted in Community

You know it’s time for spring in Columbia when the last freeze has finally passed and your memories of the St. Patrick’s Day festivities start to fade. Your flowers, that you decided to plant when it was 80 degrees outside, didn’t quite make it to spring, but that doesn’t squash your excitement for all the spring events that come with warmer weather. Whether you are interested in food, fitness, or just plain fun, get out your calendar and start saving the dates for these spring events in Columbia.

 

Festivals for Everyone

Tartan Day South

From Celtic music to classic British cars, the Tartan Day South Highland Games and Celtic Festival on Saturday, March 24th has a lot to offer for all ages. Grab some traditional food and drink and cruise over to watch the sheep dog herding, archery, swordplay, or the Quidditch tournament. Gates at the Historic Columbia Speedway open at 8:30am and you could easily spend all day enjoying the variety of activities, vendors, and presentations. Just remember to bring cash for parking and tickets if you aren’t buying online. Kids 12 and under are free.

 

Soda City Fitness Festival

Make your way downtown for the 2nd Annual Soda City Fitness Festival on Saturday, March 31st. Not only is this festival free, but it helps raise money for Camp MATES, a nonprofit sports, social skills and nutrition camp for kids with autism and other developmental disabilities. There will be 30 minute workouts provided by Rooted in Wellbeing yoga, barre3, Orangetheory Fitness Columbia, and many more in Boyd Plaza. Once you’ve broken a sweat, grab some yummy food from Rosewood Market and Deli Primal Gourmet and check out the 20+ fitness and wellness vendors lining Hampton Street.

 

Food and Wine Festival

For the first time ever, Columbia is hosting a Food and Wine Festival on Sunday, April 15th starting at 11am on Saluda Avenue in Five Points. There will be 40+ restaurants and over 25 beverage stations. From established restaurants like Motor Supply and Mr. Friendly’s to newbies like The Grand on Main and The War Mouth, chefs will be serving up delicious bites. Don’t miss out on the chef presentations and beverage seminars going on throughout the festival. The Soda City Brass Band will be performing while you make your way through all the amazing smells and sites. Tickets are available online through FreeTimes.

 

Save the Date for Spring Events

Springtime brings us out of hibernation and invites us to explore and enjoy events in our capital city. Get ready to explore Columbia this spring and save the date for all these exciting events. Here are some other events happening this spring:

March 31: Crawfish Boil at World of Beer

April 7: SC Taco Festival at Historic Columbia Speedway

April 12-15: Indie Grits Festival at Nickelodeon Theatre

April 14: World Famous Hip Hop Family Day at City Center on Main Street

                 Columbia International Festival at SC State Fairgrounds

                 River Rocks Festival on Williams Street

                 Soiree on State on State Street

April 21: Kinetic Derby Day on Meeting & State Streets

April 28: Back to the Roots Festival at City Roots

                Taste of Africa Festival at Lake Carolina

 

As the flowers bloom and our winter coats get put away, let’s enjoy what Columbia has to offer us this spring. And since you will be out and about driving to all these spring events, make sure you stop by Godwin Motors  for your Spring Maintenance Check and let us know which event you are heading to next or one we need to add to the list.

A closeup of hand coating car paint

Auto Detailing: Why Your Vehicle Will Thank You

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Posted in Godwin Service Center

I know you’ve experienced this situation. You get in the car. Then you put your phone on the console. Next, you move to get situated and that’s when it happens. Your phone slips off the console and falls between the seat and your console. You then let out a frustrated sigh as you try to squeeze your hand down to find your phone. Now this is where it gets interesting, almost nostalgic. You bring your hand back up grasping a pen, some hair, a morsel or two of food, and those ear buds you thought you lost. Yes, this is the moment you think to yourself, “When was the last time I detailed my car?”

 

Beautiful on the Inside and Out

When most people think of auto detailing, they think of cleaning the inside of their vehicle. Vacuuming the carpet, wiping down the console and dash, and putting up one of those scented tree deodorizers. Auto detailing consists of so much more. At Godwin Motors, we keep your vehicle for the day because of the amount of care we put in to making sure your car or truck is pristine on the inside and outside. Here are details about what our auto detailing package includes for $165:

 

Interior Process

  • Vehicle is vacuumed, including the trunk or hatch area
  • Shampoo and deodorize rugs (including trunk and hatch), floor-mats and cloth seats
  • Leather cleaning and treatment (prevents UV damage, cracking and drying)
  • Spot clean carpets, cloth seats and headliner
  • Window cleaning
  • Clean air vents, door panels, dash, console, steering column, cup holders and mirrors

 

Exterior Process

  • Application of auto paint sealant that is UV protectant
  • Clean wheel wells, tires, wheel covers and rims
  • Window cleaning
  • Clean and polish chrome trim
  • Cleaning door jambs and thresholds
  • Clean and dress (with UV protectant) exterior vinyl, rubber and plastic
  • Clean engine top side
  • Apply protectant on all hoses, wires, etc.

 

Your Car Will Thank You

Now, you might think that going over to the gas station and driving through the automated car wash and then using the vacuum for as long as your quarters last should be enough, but it’s not. Some automated car washes can actually damage your paint job because it doesn’t use enough water or the brushes that clean your car have too much dirt stuck to them. It is recommended to use pressurized car washes that just use water and soap with no contact at all, meaning nothing lands on your car’s surface except soap and water. The vacuuming you do is not getting rid of all the dirt, scum, and germs in your car and we all know that the gas station vacuum can’t reach in those hard-to-reach areas. It’s worth it to invest a little more money into detailing your vehicle the right way at Godwin Motors. It’s easy to schedule an appointment on our website. Detailing your car at least twice a year will increase your car’s resale value and help your car look newer for longer.

 

Share the Love: Autos For Opportunities

4 By
Posted in Community

With February already in full swing, you have probably seen your fair share of heart filled candy boxes and plush teddy bears. As Valentine’s Day approaches, we express and share our love with loved ones. But what if we shared some of that love with our community? That’s exactly what we, Godwin Motors, intend to do this month and throughout the year through the Autos for Opportunities program.

Autos for Opportunities Program

Godwin Motors has partnered with the Cooperative Ministry to help donate and bring awareness to their Autos for Opportunities program. The Autos for Opportunities program helps provide vehicles for those in need of transportation to and from work. They accept donated cars of any condition. Instead of trading your used vehicle, or going through the hassle of selling it yourself, consider Autos for Opportunities and forever change the life of someone in need. Help keep Midlands working poor employed. Your donated vehicle can be someone’s transportation to work or used to provide financial support for The Cooperative Ministry programs and services. When you donate, you may qualify for a tax write-off and pick up is free. You can find additional information at http://www.coopmin.org/how-we-help/c-a-r-community-auto-repository/ .

Helping Our Community

Think of the amazing impact one donated vehicle could have on someone in your community. Godwin Motors’ goal is to donate 6 cars to the Autos for Opportunities program this year. We will also co-host a free financial sustainability class on Saturday, April 28th. This class is open to the public and may answer questions you have about your own financial goals. Children are welcome and will have their own breakout session. Lunch will be provided. The Cooperative Ministry has more information on upcoming classes: http://www.coopmin.org/how-we-help/financing-your-future/ .  We are so excited to partner with the Cooperative Ministry and help give back to Columbia. It’s important to us to share our love across the community and help bring awareness to programs that are close to our heart.