Category Archives: Tips and Tricks

A photo illustration representing the protection provided by car insurance.

Make sure you have enough insurance coverage

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Posted in Tips and Tricks

Texas Car Insurance FAQs and Information 

In the state of Texas, car insurance isn’t technically required if a driver can prove they can financially cover the cost of an accident. Without putting too fine of a point on this, the amount of money required to demonstrate this kind of financial responsibility is nothing short of astronomical. This is why car insurance is a thing. If you’re buying your first vehicle, you are hopefully looking for Texas car insurance FAQs and information to find out exactly what you need to have. Our team of product experts has dug up a little information that could prove to be helpful. Basically, car insurance protects more than your car, it protects your assets. Getting caught without it in the wrong situation could be financially devastating. If you have any questions about car insurance, please contact a licensed insurance agent today.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A stock photo of a four-wheel-drive vehicle going through a mud puddle.

All the wheels move, but not everything works the same way

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Posted in Just for Fun, Texas, Tips and Tricks, Trucks

What is the difference between AWD vs. 4×4? 

Modern automobiles are more reliable and higher performing than ever before. That also means modern cars, trucks and SUVs are also more complex than ever before. There is a lot to know and one of the most confusing concepts facing buyers is understanding all-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive. So, what is the difference between AWD vs. 4×4? On the surface, these systems perform similar functions, but each one is designed for different purposes. It is pretty easy to get in the weeds of engineering terms when explaining how these things work. Our team found a couple of videos that do a good job making the information as accessible as possible. If you have any questions about the capabilities of any vehicle available at any vehicle at any of our locations, please make an appointment with your nearest Third Coast Auto Group product expert today.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A stock photo of a person shining a headlight lens.

A small investment today can pay off big time when you trade-in your vehicle

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Posted in Tips and Tricks

How can I get the most for my trade-in? 

Everyone is looking for the best way to get the best deal on their next vehicle purchase. If you’re reading this blog, you’ve really put yourself in a strong position by considering Third Coast Auto Group. Most of our customers will use their current vehicle to off-set some of the final price of the vehicle they want to take home. If you’re wondering, ‘How can I get the most for my trade-in,’ a few of our product experts came up with a few tips that could cost us a little money by giving you a little more money for your trade-in. The best part of these tips is that these are simple tips that just about anyone can do. Let’s take a look at a few things you might need to know.  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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Posted in FAQs, Tips and Tricks

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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Posted in FAQs, Tips and Tricks

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 pouring motor oil into an engine.

Take a look at some new info that could add life to your car, truck or SUV

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Posted in Tips and Tricks

Is it ok to switch to using synthetic motor oil? 

There is a lot of new information available to people who own modern cars, trucks and SUVs to help them get the most life out of their vehicles as possible. Some of that information might contradict what was once thought of as conventional wisdom. One of the hottest debates in the automotive world is the effectiveness of synthetic motor oil and people asking their mechanics, ‘Is it ok to switch to using synthetic motor oil?’ There aren’t many vehicles built in the last 10 or so years that use conventional motor oil. But if you do have one of these platforms, the mileage is probably piling up and you might need to make some changes. These videos will probably come in handy. If your current vehicle has reached the end of its life, please make an appointment with a Third Coast Auto Group product expert today.  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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Posted in FAQs, Tips and Tricks

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 sitting behind the wheel of their car.

New drivers don’t need several hundred-horsepower

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Posted in Safety, Tips and Tricks

How do I pick out a car for a new driver? 

There are few more exciting milestones for a person to reach than getting their driver’s license. Once those new drivers have their license to drive, they will need something to drive. Third Coast Auto Group product experts get asked, ‘How do I pick out a car for a new driver,’ quite a lot. On any given day there are several pairs of nervous parents and excited teenage drivers looking around our showrooms. Buying a brand new, high-performance vehicle for a new driver is not only not practical, but it’s wholly inadvisable, according to traffic safety experts. Over the years our team has learned what does and does not make a good first vehicle. Let’s take a look at a few things you might need to know.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A photo of a person driving a vehicle with a manual transmission.

Are you doing something that will destroy your vehicle’s transmission?

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Posted in Tips and Tricks

Bad Automatic and Manual Transmission Habits 

There might not be a more terrifying thing to hear in a repair shop than, ‘Your transmission is shot.’ Those four words mean a person is either going to be shelling out a few thousand dollars in repair bills or they are going to be walking home. Some of us have probably picked up some bad automatic and manual transmission habits that could lead to hearing those fateful words. The popular YouTube channel, Engineering Explained, produced a couple of easy-to-understand videos that will go over some things you should never do in a vehicle with either type of transmission. If you know your vehicle has a transmission that is starting to go bad, make an appointment with a Third Coast Auto Group product expert to find something more reliable.  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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Posted in FAQs, Tips and Tricks

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 >>