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

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

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Posted in FAQs

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 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 >>

A stock photo of a gear lever in a vehicle with a manual transmission.

Are you basing your car-buying decisions on outdated information

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Posted in Just for Fun, Tips and Tricks

Are cars with a manual transmission more fuel-efficient? 

In the 100-plus years automobiles have been in production, the platform has come such a long way. Even the changes made in the 10 to 15 years can make a car buyer’s head spin. One question that gets asked quite a bit at Third Coast Auto Group showroom is, ‘Are cars with a manual transmission more fuel-efficient?’ Like so many other things in the automotive world, this is one of those things that started off true but has since changed. In fact, modern automatic transmissions can offer so much more than just strong fuel economy scores and manual transmissions are becoming rarer. Let’s take a look at a few things you might need to know for your search for a new (to you) vehicle.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A stock photo of a table set of Thanksgiving dinner.

Are you breaking out the air fryer for Thanksgiving? Watch this first!

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Posted in Technology, Tips and Tricks

Thanksgiving Turkey Air Fryer Tips Videos 

We are just a week away from Thanksgiving and you may have chosen to scale back your plans to keep yourself and your family safe during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. If it will just be you and your in-house family, you probably don’t need to cook a huge turkey in the oven, when there are other modern kitchen appliances at your disposal. Our team was talking about their modified Thanksgiving dinner plans and found these Thanksgiving turkey air fryer tips videos from the professionals at Consumer Reports. Regardless of what you choose to do with your holiday season, everyone at Third Coast Auto Group wants you to have a safe and happy time with your loved ones. If a new vehicle would make that easier, come talk to us when your schedule opens up again.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A stock photo of cars in a dealership's showroom.

What do you know about all-wheel-drive? Is it for you?

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Posted in Technology

What are the pros and cons of having all-wheel-drive? 

One of the many great reasons to choose a pre-owned vehicle is that a buyer’s dollar can go a lot further. With that intrinsic value on the rise in the secondary vehicle market, people will be able to choose models with features and equipment that they might not otherwise be able to afford. We’ve found that all-wheel-drive is something that interests a lot of Third Coast Auto Group customers. So, what are the pros and cons of having all-wheel-drive? There are a few things you should know about this technology and how it can affect the way you drive. Let’s take a closer look at what our team of product experts found in an effort to help our customers.  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 vehicles lined up at a dealership.

Do you need a little help picking out your next vehicle?

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Posted in News, Trucks, Used Cars

Midsize Pickup Truck vs. 3-Row Midsize SUV 

Because of advances in automotive technology, midsize pickup trucks can deliver incredible performance and capability, while three-row midsize SUVs can offer comparable towing capacity in addition to spacious interiors. You would be surprised by the number of people who come to a Third Coast Auto Group showroom asking about the differences in convenience and usability in a midsize pickup truck vs. 3-row midsize SUV. Several automakers offer both platforms and, depending on the model year a buyer chooses, it could be outfitted with some really innovative technology. Of course, an SUV is more passenger-friendly, but a pickup has obvious advantages of ownership in its own right. These videos from KelleyBlueBook.com might be helpful in your search. If you need to know more, make an appointment with a Third Coast Auto Group product expert today.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A stock photo of a smartphone and a Bluetooth ear piece.

Your old car can use some new technology

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Posted in Just for Fun, Technology

Options for Aftermarket Infotainment Systems 

Modern automobiles are truly incredible. We (obviously) know that Third Coast Auto Group deals in pre-owned vehicles. However, the later model cars, trucks and SUV we’ve received at our various locations have some of the most advanced technology we’ve ever seen in the automotive space. The thought occurred to some of our product experts that our customers might want to know about some options for aftermarket infotainment systems. Just because the vehicle you take home from one of our dealership locations is a few years old, does it mean you can’t have the latest technology at your fingertips. Here are a few features you might want to consider adding to your car or truck today.  Read the rest of this entry >>