Category Archives: FAQs

A stock photo of a car with two flat tires.

Do you know what to do after you’ve changed a flat tire?

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How long can I drive on a spare tire? 

When was the last time you thought about your tires? If things are going well, you probably don’t give them a second thought, much less a first. In fact, most people won’t know something is wrong with their tires until they experience a blowout and need to have a spare put on their vehicle. Naturally, this leads to the question, ‘How long can I drive on a spare tire?’ The roadside assistance experts at AAA say that most vehicles should follow the long-standing standard: 50/50 rule. A vehicle equipped with a donut-style spare tire should travel no more than 50 miles, no faster than 50 miles per hour. As its name implies, a spare tire isn’t a permanent solution. Here are a few things you should know about using a spare tire.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A stock photo of a person handing a new set of keys to another person.

Some deals aren’t too good to be true, find some today

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Which used cars offer the best value? 

Everyone loves a good deal. It doesn’t matter if they are buying a pack of gum or a car. Third Coast Auto Group specializes in helping people find the best deal possible on their next, or first, vehicle purchase. Naturally, some vehicle platforms are going to be inherently less expensive than others. For good reason, some people are leery of taking home a car, truck or SUV that seems like the deal is too good to be true. Our team is always looking for a way to save people some money and give them some additional peace of mind. In the process of that work, they have come across these videos from Car and Driver, a leading authority on automotive buying. Give these videos a look and compare the information shared with what you see at a Third Coast Auto Group location. If you need any additional help, make an appointment with us today.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A photo of a smartphone attached to a dashboard showing navigation information.

Take advantage of the latest technology with your next vehicle purchase

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What can I do with a car’s infotainment system? 

Very few industries have been as progressing as quickly from a technology standpoint as the automotive industry. Certainly, performance, safety and fuel economy are better than at any time in history. However, it’s in the area of automotive connectivity where things have really reached a new level. If you’re thinking about upgrading your vehicle to a later model that will be equipped with some of this new technology for the first time, you might be wondering, ‘What can I do with a car’s infotainment system?’ Different manufacturers offer different features, but our team thought it would be helpful to highlight some of the more common functions. Let’s take a look at a few things you might find interesting.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A stock photo of a person reading a vehicle's owner's manual.

You can get more than 100,000 miles from your vehicle with these tips

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How do I make my car last more than 100,000 miles? 

When someone buys a vehicle, that purchase will likely represent a large amount of personal capital tied up into a single asset. It only makes sense that vehicle owners will want their cars, trucks and SUVs to perform as intended for as long as possible. If you’re wondering, ‘How do I make my car last more than 100,000 miles,’ a few Third Coast Auto Group product experts got together to do a little research. It may seem like a complex problem to solve, but it doesn’t take an extensive knowledge of automotive engineering to get the most out of almost any vehicle. Take a look at these tips before you give up on your current vehicle.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A stock photo of a person draining the oil from a vehicle.

Old dogs (cars, trucks, SUVs) can learn new tricks

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Should I use synthetic oil in an old car? 

As a people, Americans are notorious around the world for falling in love with their vehicles and holding on to them for a long time. If you fall into this category, you might need to learn how to best take care of a high-mileage car, truck or SUV, and you might be wondering, ‘Should I use synthetic oil in an old car?’ For the most part, you should always follow the maintenance guidelines laid out in the vehicle’s owner’s manual, however, there are circumstances where making a change could be worthwhile. You should speak with a qualified technician before making a change like this. Third Coast Auto Group product experts get a wide array of questions from customers and this one comes up a fair bit. Let’s take a look at some info you might need.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A stock photo of a person looking at a vehicle.

Do you know what to look for when buying a used vehicle?

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What should I look for when buying a used car? 

If you weren’t already aware, Third Coast Auto Group exclusively deals with pre-owned vehicles and we do our best to make sure that everyone finds a safe, reliable and affordable vehicle. There are a lot of great reasons for choosing to buy a used vehicle versus a new one. However, that will also come with a certain amount of uncertainty – especially when you’re dealing with a private seller. The team of product experts working at Third Coast Auto Group does their very best every day to take that apprehension from the process. Part of the is educating buyers before they visit one of our locations. If you’re wondering, ‘What should I look for when buying a used car,’ our team has some tips. Let’s take a closer look.   Read the rest of this entry >>

A stock photo of a person filling their car with gasoline.

Don’t spend money you don’t have to spend when getting gas

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Posted in FAQs, News

Should I be using premium gas in my car? 

When you’ve worked so hard to put the money together to buy a car, truck or SUV, it’s only natural that you’ll want it to perform as advertised and last as long as possible. If you’re wondering, ‘Should I be using premium gas in my car,’ you are, one, not alone; and two, you possibly might have been given some bad information. Broadly speaking, automakers split the fuel that should be used by a vehicle into two categories, recommended and required. High-performance vehicles may require premium fuel to obtain stated power and efficiency figures, while most will do just fine using regular grade. Our team sees people struggle with this choice all the time and we thought it would help to answer a few questions.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A stock photo of a person checking the oil in their vehicle.

Is outdated information preventing your vehicle from being at its best?

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Posted in FAQs, Technology, Tips and Tricks

Does synthetic oil still cause engine leaks? 

The car, truck or SUV that is sitting in someone’s driveway is likely one of the biggest assets a person can own. It only makes sense that people will want to make sure they can wring every mile they can out of that investment, and the best way to do that is to make sure that the vehicle is well-maintained. Regular maintenance is the best way to keep any vehicle of almost any age running in peak condition. One of the biggest challenges to this goal is outdated thinking. If you’re wondering, ‘Does synthetic oil still cause engine leaks,’ this is the kind of outdated information we’re talking about. While Third Coast Auto Group doesn’t have a service department, it is still a question that comes up a few times a month while we’re helping customers. Let’s take a look at a few things.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A photo of a vehicle with a sunroof.

Third Coast Auto Group helps you understand popular features

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How are a sunroof and moonroof different? 

There is a lot to know about modern automobiles. Even as vehicles get more technologically advanced, one of the most common questions we hear around the various Third Coast Auto Group showrooms is, ‘How are sunroof and moonroof different?’ At the most basic level, there really isn’t much of a difference anymore. However, in automotive circles, there is a distinct difference. Our team thought it would be useful to get into the weeds a bit and explain the differences between these two very popular features. Let’s take a closer look at what our team put together.   Read the rest of this entry >>