Third Coast Auto Group Official Blog
Archive for the ‘Tips and Tricks’ Category
A clean car is a happy car, check out these businesses
Thursday, April 15th, 2021
Best Car Detailing Services near Austin, TX
There is a lot of pride to be had when someone buys a vehicle. Even if it isn’t the latest model year, or it might have a few extra miles on the odometer, that car, truck or SUV is yours and you likely want the best for it. A major part of taking care of a vehicle is keeping it clean. You certainly can wash your vehicle yourself in the driveway, in fact, we’ll have some tips on that later, but if you’re short on time, you might be looking for businesses that offer the best car detailing services near Austin, TX. The product experts at Third Coast Auto Group came up with a list of a few of their favorite places to take their vehicles. Let’s take a closer look at what they came up with. (more…)
Does one automaker have better used cars than another?
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021
Which brands make the best used cars?
There are a lot of decisions a person needs to make when they buy an automobile. The top two categories people use to start their search for a vehicle are the purpose (who is using the vehicle and what are they using it for) and price. Once they figure out those elements, the next question they ask a Third Coast Auto Group product expert is, ‘Which brands make the best used cars?’ Certainly, some original equipment manufacturers have better reputations than others in terms of reliability and cost of ownership. However, the badge or logo on the front of the vehicle might tell the whole story. Let’s take a look at a few things you might need to know before you visit any of our dealerships. (more…)
Understand how buy here, pay here financing works today
Friday, March 12th, 2021
How does buy here, pay here financing work?
It is almost impossible to comfortably live one’s life without access to some kind of automobile. Combine that idea with the fact that buying a car, truck or SUV is likely to be of the one most expensive and consequential purchases of a person’s life. It’s very important that everything goes as smoothly as possible. However, paying for a safe and reliable car can be a very steep hill to climb, doubly so if the buyer has less-than-ideal credit. That’s where Third Coast Auto Group is ready to help. Our dealership specializes in helping people in a not great credit situation get a car that will get them where they need to go without being harmfully expensive. So, how does buy here, pay here financing work? Let’s take a look. (more…)
A low credit score can make just about everything more expensive, including insurance
Tuesday, March 9th, 2021
Can bad credit affect how much car insurance will cost?
One of the unfortunate realities of life is that a less-than-perfect credit score can make things more difficult and expensive. This is especially true when it comes to buying a car. However, that isn’t the only area where a low credit rating can raise the cost of things. Can bad credit affect how much car insurance will cost? In the state of Texas, unfortunately, the answer is yes. According to the financial website, TheZebra.com, people on the lowest end of the credit scale can up to more than $3,700 per year in insurance premiums versus people with better credit scores. Let’s take a look at some information you might find helpful. (more…)
The miles on the odometer won’t tell the whole story
Wednesday, February 24th, 2021
How many miles is too many for a car to have?
The lifespan of a car, truck or SUV is measured with an opaque formula involving years and miles. To be sure the number of years a vehicle has been on the road is important, but that isn’t much of a measuring stick without the context of how many miles are driven. Making things more difficult, the reverse of that statement is also true. So, the answer to the question, how many miles is too many for a car to have, doesn’t really have a magic number. A vehicle could have 200,000-plus miles on the odometer and be in better shape than a comparable model that is only a few years old with fewer recorded miles. The difference really comes down to, how was the vehicle cared for. Let’s take a look at a few things you should know. (more…)
Buying a car can be scary, but less so if you know where to start
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2021
How do I get started buying a used car?
It is perfectly natural for people to be a little nervous when they are in the car-buying cycle. After all, this is a major investment with thousands of dollars on the line and nobody wants to be stuck with a lemon. If you’re in this situation and you’re wondering, ‘How do I get started buying a used car,’ the team at Third Coast Auto Group is here to help. The first thing you’ll want to do is examine your current financial status and put some thought into where you’ll get a loan or other means of financing as well as your specific vehicle needs. Let us be clear, that is quite a bit of work and skipping a step could have negative consequences later in the process. These videos will help you get started on the right foot. If you need help along the way, make an appointment with a Third Coast Auto Group representative today. (more…)
Would a set of snow tires be helpful next winter? Probably, but read this first
Monday, February 22nd, 2021
Is it a good idea to get snow tires in Texas?
After the last week of very un-Texas-like weather, there are probably a lot of people out there wondering, ‘Is it a good idea to get snow tires in Texas?’ Believe it or not, that has actually also been a very popular topic of conversation in and around all of the Third Coast Auto Group locations. Since our team believes in being as helpful as possible, we had a few of our teammates do a little research to come up with the best answers we could find. The bottom line is, snow tires might be a little overkill, but those aren’t the only options available. Most vehicles come with all-season tires and those might be the best possible solution. Let’s take a closer look at a few things you might want to know before the next major snowfall – which is hopefully a long way away. (more…)
A leaking car is an unhappy car, learn more today
Wednesday, February 17th, 2021
What is leaking from my car?
To be sure, modern automobiles are very complex pieces of machinery. Vehicle owners can know something is wrong if they start noticing strange stains on the driveway or on the floor of the garage. If you’re wondering, ‘What is leaking from my car,’ Third Coast Auto Group has some helpful information. More detail will be provided in the videos embedded below, but there are a few easy fluid identifications you can make. A black or dark brown fluid found under your vehicle is usually motor oil. Something that looks fluorescent green or possibly pink will probably indicate a radiator leak and red, or dark red is transmission fluid. Seeing any of these is bad news, and you need to have it checked out immediately. In the meantime, watch these videos to give yourself a little peace of mind. (more…)
Warming up your car in cold weather is a long-lasting automotive myth
Monday, February 15th, 2021
Do I need to warm up my car before driving in the cold?
The dangerously unseasonable weather that is gripping Texas has really been a wake-up call. When weather patterns are this far out of the norm, people need to learn some new skills to deal with the cold. One of the most common questions that people have when the mercury dips this low is, ‘Do I need to warm up my car before driving in the cold?’ There are two answers to this question, depending on the context. If you don’t want to get into a cold vehicle, then sure warm it up. However, as far as helping the engine perform better in cold temperatures, this is an outdated idea. It might have been true in the old days when we drove vehicles without fuel injection, but that time has largely ended. Let’s take a closer look at some additional information. (more…)
Learn more about your financing options available at Third Coast Auto Group
Tuesday, February 9th, 2021
Does buy here, pay here financing hurt my credit score?
Finding financing to buy a car, truck or SUV can be a steep hill to climb under the best of circumstances. People who find themselves in a less-than-ideal credit situation may very well have an even more difficult time successfully getting a car loan. There are some things that can be done to rebuild credit, but that process can take a while. Third Coast Auto Group is what is known in the industry as a buy here, pay here dealership – meaning we largely handle financing in-house. If you’re wondering, ‘Does buy here, pay here financing hurt my credit score,’ our team has some answers for you. Let’s take a look at a few common questions our team gets asked each week. (more…)