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

Understand how buy here, pay here financing works today

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Posted in FAQs, Tips and Tricks

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.  Read the rest of this entry >>

Let Third Coast Auto Group answer a few questions before you visit us.

Let Third Coast Auto Group answer a few more hard questions before you start the buying process

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Posted in FAQs, Finance

Should I worry about how many miles are on a used car? 

A person buying a used car, truck or SUV has to have a lot of knowledge going into a transaction. One of the most common stumbling blocks people encounter is getting too focused on how many miles are on an odometer. If any given vehicle is well-cared-for, the number on the odometer is largely irrelevant. Sure, there are some consumable items to pay attention to, like tires or filters, but a properly maintained vehicle that hasn’t been driven to hard will last a very long time and go on to serve multiple owners. The other issue we see some confusion with concerns buying an extended warranty for a pre-owned vehicle. There might be some peace of mind to be had, but the pitfalls generally outweigh the benefits. Take a look at these two videos our team came across if you have some outstanding questions that needed to be answered.   Read the rest of this entry >>

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A low credit score can make just about everything more expensive, including insurance

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Posted in FAQs, Texas, Tips and Tricks

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.  Read the rest of this entry >>

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The miles on the odometer won’t tell the whole story

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Posted in Safety, Tips and Tricks

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.  Read the rest of this entry >>

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Buying a car can be scary, but less so if you know where to start

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Posted in FAQs, Tips and Tricks

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.  Read the rest of this entry >>

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

Would a set of snow tires be helpful next winter? Probably, but read this first

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Posted in FAQs, Texas, Tips and Tricks

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.  Read the rest of this entry >>

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A leaking car is an unhappy car, learn more today

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Posted in Tips and Tricks

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.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A stock photo of a person walking through snow because their car wouldn't start.

Warming up your car in cold weather is a long-lasting automotive myth

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Posted in Safety, Tips and Tricks

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.  Read the rest of this entry >>

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Learn more about your financing options available at Third Coast Auto Group

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Posted in FAQs, Finance, Tips and Tricks

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.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A stock photo of a person looking a credit report.

Having bad credit doesn’t have to be a life sentence

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Posted in Finance

How can I rebuild my credit score? 

The number one obstacle for people buying a car, even a used vehicle, is obtaining financing. Things get even more difficult when the buyer has a less-than-perfect credit history. Bad things happen to good people and sometimes taking a hit in the credit department is unavoidable. Having a low credit score will not only make getting a loan more difficult, but it will also make the overall cost of the loan more expensive. If you’re wondering, ‘How can I rebuild my credit score,’ the financing experts at Third Coast Auto Group are here to help. This blog is not meant to be a comprehensive guide but instead is supposed to be a jumping-off point. Everyone’s situation is different and getting customized help from a licensed financial expert is probably a good idea.   Read the rest of this entry >>