Archive for the ‘Tips and Tricks’ Category

How to replace your flat tire?

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2022
Image of a flat tire being changed using a jack and a wrench

Helpful and Straightforward Flat Tire Changing Tips

Flat tires are every driver’s arch-nemesis. Knowing how to change a flat tire will let you go on every drive with a calm and peaceful mind. The task can be done in a few easy steps, and you will be set for the rest of the journey. Join us at Third Coast Auto Group in Austin, TX, for helpful and straightforward flat tire changing tips. Continue reading for more information.

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Do you know when it’s time to replace your car’s tires?

Monday, May 17th, 2021
A stock photo of a person picking out a new tire.

How long should car tires last? 

Most vehicle owners don’t think about their vehicle’s tires until they are stranded on the side of the road with a flat. If you’re wondering, ‘How long should car tires last,’ the automotive experts at Third Coast Auto Group have some answers for you. Like any other automotive component, a set of tires will take care of a vehicle owner as well as they take care of their tires. That means keeping up with regularly scheduled maintenance procedures, like having the tires rotated on time as well as demonstrating good driving habits. Our team wants to be a total automotive resource for current and future Third Coast Auto Group customers. Let’s take a closer at a few things you might be interested in knowing.  (more…)

A clean car is a happy car, check out these businesses

Thursday, April 15th, 2021
A person washing their vehicle with a microfiber cloth.

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
Visit a Third Coast Auto Group location to find the best used car to meet your needs and budget.

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
A stock photo of people finishing the paperwork to buy a car.

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
A stock photo showing a $100-dollar bill and toy car sitting on an insurance form.

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
A stock photo of a person using a checklist to inspect a vehicle.

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
A stock photo of person getting their first set of car keys.

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
A stock photo of people looking at some tires to buy.

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
A stock photo of oil spots on a driveway under a car.

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…)