A woman inside a newly purchased car

Is a vehicle with a salvage title insurable in Austin TX?

Insurance Options for Salvaged Vehicles

You might find a great used car at a low price, only to discover that it was previously totaled. This results in the vehicle being awarded (wink-wink) a “salvage title.” In Texas, cars get a salvage title if the repair costs (not including repainting) are more than the vehicle’s Blue Book value before the accident. But will you be able to get insurance on such a specimen? Let’s look at insurance options for salvaged vehicles.

Read the rest of this entry >>
three people at a car dealership

How reliable are vehicle history reports?

What CARFAX isn’t Telling You

When buying a used car, a highly recommended step is to get a vehicle history report. But how reliable are vehicle history reports? Do they tell you everything? Ideally, this report lets you know all pertinent information regarding the past lives of the vehicle and whether or not it’s going to fall apart the moment you get it off the dealer’s lot.

The most common vehicle report service is CARFAX. Generally, a used-vehicle dealer will pay for a CARFAX report on the vehicle you’re considering, but you have to ask for it. We’re going to see if CARFAX is a fully reliable source for vehicle history. But first, let’s look at what CARFAX does and how it does it.

Read the rest of this entry >>
letter blocks spelling out Easter

What are the best Easter 2019 events in Austin, TX?

Easter Events 2019 in Austin, TX

“Is it Easter yet?” You may find yourself wondering this question throughout the coming month. Occurring all the way out on April 21st, we’ve got a late Easter this year. The good news is that it gives us all the more time to prepare and find the best events to hit up. So, what are the best Easter 2019 events in Austin, TX?

As always, there’s a lot going on in Austin and its surroundings for Easter. We’ve got Easter breakfasts, Easter brunches, Easter parades, and Easter egg hunts. For this list, we’ve stuck mostly to the egg hunts. Read on, and pretty soon you’ll be hopping around the room with excitement.

Read the rest of this entry >>
Nissan Frontier front view

What are the different types of license plates in Texas?

Types of Texas License Plates

Driving around Austin and the surrounding cities, you might have glimpsed a variety of different license plates. These days, the most common is the familiar, beautifully simple faded-blue background and bold-text design, the modern official plate of our Lone Star State. However, you may also see designs representing hobbies, organizations, or nature, or you might come across an outdated, colorful plate. What exactly are the different types of license plates Texas vehicles can have? Texas license plates fall into three categories: General Issue, Specialty, and Souvenir. Let’s take a moment to look at each.

Read the rest of this entry >>

No License But Want to Buy a Car? Read This!

Can You Buy a Car Without a Claimin Texas?

Though typically individuals wait to buy a car until after they have a driver’s license, a variety of situations may arise where someone wants to buy a car despite not having a valid license. This could range from reasons such as buying the car as a gift, to buying it for an employee to drive, or buying it only for use on one’s personal property.If you’re planning to do this yourself, you’re probably wondering: Can you buy a car without a license in Texas? You have questions – we have answers!

Read the rest of this entry >>
Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX Concept car

Craziest Concept Cars

The Wild, Wacky Creative Underbelly of the Automotive World

Automakers must have a lot of time on their hands because they come up with some pretty far-out ideas. But hey, that’s how progress is made- ideas that initially seem absurd find their way into common usage in unique ways. We wanted to let you in on some of the craziest concept cars we’ve heard about over the years. Who knows, you might just find one that slipped through the production cracks and ended up in our Third Coast Auto Group inventory.

Read the rest of this entry >>
a person walking outside

Where to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Austin

St. Patrick’s Day Events in Austin, TX, 2019

Here in Texas, we love Saint Patrick’s Day. If you’re wondering where to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year, you’ve come to the right place. We narrowed down the main events to hit up in Austin this year on the annual celebration of Saint Patrick converting those troublesome pagans. Just remember to wear green, or you might get pinched.

Read the rest of this entry >>