Category Archives: Tips and Tricks

broken car

Are you holding on to your car for all the wrong reasons?

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Posted in Tips and Tricks

When should I get rid of my car? 

The car culture in the United States is unlike anything else in the world. Americans fall in love with their cars for any of several reasons, all of which, no matter how esoteric, are completely valid. That makes the question, ‘When should I get rid of my car,’ very complicated. People can easily get into financial trouble if they are constantly setting money on fire to keep a car, truck or SUV running for purely sentimental reasons. There are a few criteria you can objectively use to decide if it is worth it to hold on to your beloved vehicle or if it is time to move on. Our team spent some time putting together this information to help people make tough decisions. Let’s see what they found.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A stock photo of a person connecting their smartphone to their vehicle's infotainment system.

Don’t let this era of technology slip through your fingers

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Posted in Tips and Tricks

How can I make hands-free calls in an older car? 

The kind of technology that is available in new cars, trucks and SUVs is nothing short of incredible. If you’re driving an older vehicle, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the latest connectivity options. If you’re wondering, ‘How can I make hands-free calls in an older car,’ the product experts at Carizma Motors have some answers for you. The technology exists to retrofit your vehicle to make it match the capabilities of anything that just rolled off of the assembly line. A few of our product experts put together this handy guide to help people get started on their journey toward modernizing their daily driver. Let’s take a look at what they found for customers.  Read the rest of this entry >>

tire service

Do you understand what you need to know about tires?

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Posted in Tips and Tricks

What do I need to know about new tires? 

It’s never a good idea to ignore any automotive component. Tires, unfortunately, often get overlooked until it’s too late and someone is stuck on the side of the road with a flat. In the rain. Or in the blazing Texas heat. The tires on a car, truck or SUV are the first lines of defense when it comes to handling and stopping. Making a bad decision when picking out a new set of tires can have lasting and potentially dangerous consequences. Our team wants to make sure the vehicle you’re driving is as safe and reliable as possible. They thought it would be helpful to share these two videos to help get people thinking about this important decision. If you ever need any help making a decision about your vehicle, please make an appointment to speak with a Carizma Motors product expert today.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A stock photo of a person breaking into a vehicle.

Stealing car radios has become outdated, thieves find new target

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Posted in Tips and Tricks

Why do people steal catalytic converters? 

Thieves have been breaking into other people’s automobiles since automobiles were first created. Many of us have had to deal with the violating feeling of knowing a stranger has been inside of our property. Car radios, easily seen valuables and the vehicles themselves continue to be popular targets of criminals. But over the last couple of years, these people are targeting a new component, the catalytic converter. So, why do people steal catalytic converters? Well, the answer is pretty simple, it is a valuable piece of equipment that is actually very accessible and easy to remove if the thief knows what they are doing. Our team thought it would be helpful to understand this phenomenon and provide you with advice to prevent having your catalytic converter stolen. Let’s take a look at what they came up with.  Read the rest of this entry >>

police car

Driving behavior, not vehicle color plays the biggest role in getting pulled over

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Posted in Tips and Tricks

Do red cars get pulled over more often? 

There are few harder decisions to make when buying a vehicle than picking out its exterior color. This is especially true when there is more than one buyer in the mix. During this occasionally laborious process, one of the questions that often gets asked is, ‘Do red cars get pulled over more often?’ We have to admit, this is one of those automotive things that a lot of us at Carizma Motors believed was true. However, we have recently learned this is actually not the case. A recent insurance industry study has quickly and clearly dispelled this as a myth and our team is very excited to share what they learned. Let’s take a closer look.  Read the rest of this entry >>

car insurance

Car insurance might be required but it doesn’t have to be expensive

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Posted in Financing, Tips and Tricks

How can I make car insurance less expensive? 

When someone is in the often arduous process of buying a vehicle, they must come to terms with their entire financial situation. Certainly, the price of the vehicle is important, but it isn’t the only number to consider. Buyers certainly need to understand annual maintenance costs, monthly fuel costs and, of course, insurance. Maintenance and fuel costs can be controlled a little bit by keeping up with oil changes and driving as efficiently as possible. The cost of insurance can also be mitigated if you know where to start. If you’re wondering, ‘How can I make car insurance less expensive,’ the financial wizards at Carizma Motors are here to help. Before we start, it is important to note: We are not licensed insurance agents. Your situation is unique to you. Consult a licensed agent for more specific information.  Read the rest of this entry >>

used car lot

Let us help get started on buying a used car, truck or SUV

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Posted in Tips and Tricks

Tips for Buying a Used Car 

Buying a car isn’t something that should be an impulse purchase. The team at Carizma Motors is here to help people through the hardest parts of the process, including finding financing. Over the years we’ve found the best tips for buying a used car almost always center around education and solid financial planning. Carizma Motors is a buy here, pay here dealership, meaning we really focus on people with less-than-perfect credit situations. However, we still encourage people to get their credit situation as cleaned up as possible before buying a vehicle. If you’re completely lost about where to start your journey toward buying a pre-owned vehicle, give these videos a watch and make an appointment with one of our product experts today to have any additional questions answered.   Read the rest of this entry >>

Mechanic checking the vehicle fluid

Automotive fluid leaks are a sign of bad things to come

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Posted in Tips and Tricks

What is leaking from my car? 

There are several different kinds of fluids necessary to run a vehicle. When one or more of those fluids start appearing outside of the vehicle, that is almost certainly a sign that something bad is happening. If you’re wondering, ‘What is leaking from my car,’ the automotive experts at Carizma Motors are here to help. For the most part, the three most common fluid leaks will be motor oil, engine coolant/antifreeze or transmission fluid. Knowing what you’re looking at can help you figure out the problem and how difficult or expensive it will be to repair. Let’s take a look at some information that you might be interested in knowing.  Read the rest of this entry >>

car in snow

Buying snow tires might seem tempting right now, but read this first

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Posted in Community, Tips and Tricks

Should I buy snow tires for my car in Texas? 

Texas is a wonderful state filled with great people. However, we are not set up for snow. If our northern friends want tips for beating hot, humid days, we can help. Drop a few inches of snow and ice on us and we are unprepared. After dealing with a week of these nearly unprecedented conditions, a lot of people have been asking us, ‘Should I buy snow tires for my car in Texas?’ This is an interesting question because snow tires are absolutely outstanding at doing what they are designed to do. However, given the general infrequency of meaningful snowfall in Texas, going this route might be overkill. Our team did a little homework to be able to give people the best possible information on this subject. Let’s take a look at what they found.  Read the rest of this entry >>

A stock photo of some people completing a deal.

A co-signer can be useful, but there are risks to be aware of

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Posted in Financing, Tips and Tricks

What does a co-signer do for a car loan? 

Very few people are going to be able to come up with several thousand dollars to buy a car, truck or SUV. Most Carizma Motors customers are not only coming to our dealership with the goal of buying a new (to them) vehicle but also looking for the most affordable financing options available to them. One of the ways someone with a low credit score can find a loan is to have another person with a higher credit profile act as a co-signer. So, what does a co-signer do for a car loan? A co-signer isn’t a character reference. Someone acting in this role is essentially promising to take over the payments if the primary borrower falls behind on the load. Let’s take a closer look at a few other helpful pieces of information.  Read the rest of this entry >>