Mechanic with a tool

How can I prevent carbon build-up in my direct injection engine?

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Posted in FAQs

Causes and Prevention of Direct Injection Carbon Build Up

A direct injection engine brings many benefits- higher fuel efficiency, more power from smaller engines, and fewer emissions. Unfortunately, they also reintroduce an old automotive problem- the threat of carbon build-up. Carbon build-up can cause a variety of serious problems, including making an engine misfire.

So what does the owner of a direct injection engine do when faced with the threat of carbon build-up? Is it just a fate we must accept? Nay! Read on to find out the causes and prevention strategies for the issue of direct injection carbon deposits.

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An overheated car stranded on the road

What can cause a warped cylinder head?

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Posted in FAQs, Safety, Tips and Tricks

Having a misshapen cylinder head can lead to some pretty big problems in your vehicle. Like, really big- it could damage your engine so much that the whole mechanism needs to be replaced. Instead of dealing with that, the best path to take is to prevent your cylinder head from ever getting harmed in the first place.

In order to prevent a cylinder head from warping, you need to know: what causes a warped cylinder head, and what should I do to prevent it?

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Mechanic with a customer

Why is my steering wheel hard to turn?

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Posted in FAQs, Tips and Tricks

Steering is a pretty important part of the driving experience. Unless you’re simply going in a straight line from one spot to the next, it’s pretty safe to say you’re going to be using your steering wheel. So when that steering wheel starts being difficult to move, it can be pretty inconvenient, not to mention frightening.

What are the reasons for this? Why does a steering wheel get stiff?

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Woman showing key from a vehicle

Where can I find used cars under $10k in Austin, TX?

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Posted in Community, FAQs, Tips and Tricks, Used Cars

Budget-Priced Used Vehicles at Third Coast Auto Group

Having a car can be a necessity in American life, but that doesn’t mean it has to break the bank. A good way to get able wheels for the less materialistic among us is by buying a budget-priced used vehicle. Where can you get good pre-owned cars under $10,000 in the Austin, TX area?

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2017 Chevy Colorado side view

Where can I buy a truck with no credit in Austin, TX?

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Posted in Community, FAQs, Finance, Texas, Trucks

How to Buy a Truck with No Credit in Austin, TX

Sometimes, you might decide that buying a truck is the best path for your life. You might need it for work, recreation, or daily transport. Having the right vehicle can certainly help a person move in the right direction (both figuratively and literally) in their life.

Unfortunately, people may be held back from their truck-obtaining goal by their credit situation. They may have low, bad, or nonexistent credit. Is there any way to purchase a truck without involving one’s credit score or history in Austin, Texas?

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A close up of engine oil

What is in synthetic oil?

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Posted in FAQs, Just for Fun

The Ingredients That Make Up Synthetic Oil

You’ve probably heard a lot about synthetic oil; these days, more and more vehicles are recommending it. Synthetic oil is a more effective form of engine lubricant that boasts improved viscosity performance under extreme temperatures, resists oxidization and thermal breakdown, and avoids the occasional sludge issue. But what is actually in synthetic oil?

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Customer and salesman at a dealership

Which car ads are the weirdest?

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Posted in Just for Fun

Strangest Car Commercials

Car companies are always working hard to stand out from one another. One way to do this is to make a unique ad. Sure, showing a crossover cruising through a striking landscape with a soothing voice-over conveying the upgrades in an endearingly concise manner is all well and good, but it’s not likely to be remembered.

The drive to make an impression is likely what motivated the following collection of “unique” commercials. And we’re grateful- whatever else one may say about them, they are indeed entertaining. We’ll leave it up to you to decide whether the oddness comes across in an ultimately successful or unsuccessful manner.

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Mother and daughter paddling in kayak

What are the best summer activities in Austin, TX?

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Posted in Community, FAQs, Just for Fun

Top Summer Activities in Austin, TX

At the time of this writing, back to school sales and similar propaganda are attempting to ram home the notion that summer is coming to an end soon. Come on, guys: there’s still a month left!  A full third of the season remains, so don’t throw in the towel (and swimsuit) just yet; there’s plenty more summer to enjoy.

And what better way to enjoy it by trying out some of the many activities found around Austin? Studies have shown that humans perceive time to move slower if they experience it in a variety of ways rather than settling into a repetitive routine. So pack some variety into the remainder of your summer with the help of our following suggestions, and make it last longer!

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A close up of the Earth

Are electric cars really more energy efficient?

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Posted in FAQs, Technology

Electric Cars: Environmentally Friendly or Unfriendly?

You may have heard conflicting statements tossed around about whether electric cars are more fuel-efficient than conventional cars or not. Adherents like to tout the obvious marketed qualities of these machines: the fact that they don’t burn limited, expensive fossil fuel and emit lung-clenching smog into the atmosphere, burning out the ozone and frying our poor planet.

Critics like to hold the contrarian card and point out that manufacturing demands and the fossil fuels used to produce electricity itself both contribute a fair amount of carbon pollutants of their own to the skies, perhaps even more than that pushed out by a traditional piston-powered car.

So which is it- are electric cars more energy-efficient and better for the environment or not?

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