A Well-Stocked Emergency Kit is Important
A good vehicle emergency kit covers safety, survival, communication, and basic repairs. Here’s a practical, well-rounded checklist you can adapt to your climate and driving habits. Our staff at Thelen Auto Group in Bay City, Michigan, highly recommends these important items for a well-stocked emergency kit!
Five Things for Your Vehicle Emergency Kit
- Safety and Visibility – Depending on the situation you find yourself in, visibility is essential. Important items include reflective warning triangles, road flares, and a flashlight or a headlamp.
- First Aid Kit – A well-rounded first aid kit is very important for any emergency. Some important pieces include bandages, gauze, antiseptic wipes, and pain relievers.
- Vehicle Repair Basics – You don’t have to be a mechanic to include some maintenance basics in your vehicle. We recommend jumper cables, a tow strap, a spare tire, a jack, and either a tire inflator or a fix-a-flat type product.
- Communication Tools – Sometimes all you can do is call for help, and ensuring you have the correct tools will help you! Be sure you have a cell phone charger and a fully charged power bank somewhere in your vehicle.
- Non-Perishables – If you find yourself waiting for a while in your vehicle, having non-perishable items can help pass the time. Things like bottled water, jerky, granola bars, and snack mixes have a longer shelf life.
Find the Best PreOwned SUV for You at Thelen Auto Group
We invite you to choose from the variety of gently pre-owned SUVs at Thelen Auto Group dealerships in Bay City, Michigan. We offer a variety of makes and models so you can find the vehicle with the performance, features, and value to fit your specific Mid-Michigan driving needs. If you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for, you can use our helpful Find My Car feature and let us assist you in finding your perfect vehicle! Think Thelen and schedule your test drive with us today. Below is a look at just a small selection of what is currently available on our lot.
Currently Available Gently Used SUVs at Thelen
- 2020 Buick Encore GX Essence – A Chili Red Metallic compact SUV with a one-owner and clean history report! This Buick Encore is equipped with a 1.3L 3-cylinder engine and paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission to get an EPA-estimated 26 MPG city/29 MPG highway fuel economy. Enjoy a multitude of features in this four-wheel-drive, like a remote start system, Blind Spot Monitoring, a WiFi hotspot, and a heated steering wheel.
- 2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport SE – This Certified PreOwned option is backed by the impressive VW CPO program with a limited warranty, 24-hour roadside assistance, and a vehicle history. This attractive Atlas Cross Sport is equipped with a 2.0L TSI engine paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission to get an EPA-estimated 19 MPG city/26 MPG highway fuel economy. This AWD option is perfect for your Michigan adventures with features like a tow hitch, adaptive cruise control, a towing package, and a low tire pressure warning system.
- 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander Platinum – A newer Grand Highlander with less than 5K miles on it! This gently used, one-owner option is equipped with a 4-cylinder 2.4L engine and paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission to get you an EPA-estimated 20 MPG city/26 MPG highway fuel economy. Perfect for the winter weather, this AWD provides impressive safety features like Lane Keep Assist, rain-sensing windshield wipers, automatic high-beams, Lane Departure Warning, and a rearview camera.
Finance Your Next PreOwned Vehicle at Thelen Auto Group
When you’re going through the financing process, keeping it simple and stress-free is important. At Thelen Auto Group in Bay City, Michigan, our finance department will work hard to ensure we exceed your expectations! Our knowledgeable and friendly finance managers work with people all over Mid-Michigan to make sure you get the right vehicle loan at the most competitive rates and terms available. Do you have OK or bad credit? Not to worry – we can help you too! We have programs that can help get you into a vehicle and rebuild your credit. Below is a look at some of our helpful tools on our website to get the process started from the comfort of your own home! Give us a call at 989-414-2711 with any questions you may have.
Helpful Financial Tools at Thelen Auto Group
- Get Pre-Approved Today! – We offer an easy-to-fill-out pre-approval application. Just click which of our dealerships the vehicle you’re interested in is at and fill out this form. Then we will get in contact with you and assist you further!
- Value Your Trade-In – See the market value of your vehicle today! If you are planning on trading in a vehicle at the time of purchase, this is a great way to see how much it might be worth. In two steps and about 10 seconds, you can get an estimate.
- Payment Calculator – Estimate your monthly payment and your buying power with this helpful calculator! You can adjust terms and interest rates to be able to get an idea of how much vehicle you can comfortably afford.
(Photo Credit: iStock)
Happy New Year from Thelen Auto Group
Happy New Year from Thelen Auto Group in Bay City, Michigan! We will be closing at 5 p.m. on New Year’s Eve (December 31st) and will be closed on New Year’s Day (January 1st). We will reopen on Friday, January 2nd, for normal business hours. Think Thelen for the New Year for your next new or used vehicle.
Happy Holidays from Thelen Auto Group in Michigan!
Happy Holidays from the staff at Thelen Auto Group in Bay City, Michigan. We will be closing early on Wednesday, Christmas Eve (at 12 p.m.), and we will be closed on Thursday, Christmas Day, to give our staff the deserved time off with their loved ones. We hope you have a safe and joyous holiday season!
Why Should I Choose a Hatchback?
You should get a hatchback for its flexible, integrated cargo space that is more versatile than a traditional sedan’s trunk, its compact yet practical size for city driving, and often sporty or versatile design options. Hatchbacks offer a larger, more accessible opening for hauling bulky or awkwardly shaped items and provide better rear visibility and maneuverability in urban environments. At Thelen Auto Group in Bay City, Michigan, we have a revolving selection of preowned hatchbacks on our inventory lot. Below, we will go over some of our top picks currently available at our mid-MI dealership. Think Thelen and schedule a test drive today!
Available Gently Used Hatchbacks at Thelen Auto Group
- 2019 Chevrolet Spark 1LT – A fun little hatchback in an attractive Mosaic Black coloring with a stylish black and gray combo interior. This Spark is equipped with a 1.4L 4-cylinder engine to get this front-wheel-drive option an EPA-estimated 30 MPG city/38 MPG highway fuel economy. This vehicle is equipped with tons of great features like Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, a WiFi hotspot, and heated side door mirrors.
- 2019 Audi A7 Prestige – A luxury hatchback with a lower odometer reading than many others of the same model year. This A7 is equipped with a 3.0L 6-cylinder engine and paired with a 7-speed automatic transmission to get an EPA-estimated 22 MPG city/29 MPG highway fuel economy. This Triton Blue option is packed full of plenty of features any driver would enjoy, including a navigation system, heated seats, a rearview camera, and a power sunroof.
- 2023 Subaru Impreza – A sporty vehicle option that is great for an adventurous driver. It is equipped with a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine to get an impressive EPA-estimated 28 MPG city/36 MPG highway fuel economy. This Impreza is an attractive Crystal Black Silica exterior with a plush Ivory interior coloring. Other features you can enjoy include Lane Keep Assist, Bluetooth® connectivity, keyless entry, and a tire pressure monitoring system.
Winter Tires vs All-Season Tires
Deciding between winter tires and all-season tires can be confusing, because there are pros and cons to each type. Knowing the differences between winter tires and all-seasons can help you make the best decision for your vehicle. Whichever you choose, the service experts at Thelen Auto Group in Michigan can assist you!
Should I Get Winter Tires?
Winter tires have specialized treads that are perfect for icy and slushy weather conditions as well as snow. This tread is set up with wider grooves and open patterns to channel away snow and slush more effectively. This means that winter tires are the best for challenging winter driving. If you live in an area that experiences harsh weather conditions consistently during the winter, these tires are the best option. The con is needing another set of tires to switch back to during other seasons.
Should I Get All-Season Tires?
All-season tires (as per their name) are ideal for around-the-year use. They are designed with tread for grip in a variety of weather conditions. There are grooves around the tread that allow for evacuating water consistently during the drive. All-season combines the best of summer and winter tires for dry, wet, and light winter conditions. Therefore, if you are looking for tires for harsh snowy conditions or icy roads, all-season tires might not be the best choice.
Schedule a Service Appointment at Thelen Auto Group
If you are ready to replace your current tires with a new set of winter or all-season tires, schedule your appointment at Thelen Auto Group in Bay City, Michigan. We offer a large inventory of high-quality tire brands and have skilled technicians available to explain the benefits of each. Think Thelen and give us a call at 989-667-3321 to schedule a service appointment today!
Trust Thelen Auto Group to Test & Replace Your Vehicle’s Battery
The battery in your family’s vehicle is such a vital piece to its overall well-being. When it starts getting older or is damaged, the likelihood of your battery failing and being unable to supply power to the components that need it most increases. As such, it is important to routinely have your battery tested to ensure you are safely getting around Central Michigan throughout the year. If you are concerned about the state of your vehicle’s battery, let the knowledgeable technicians at any of the Thelen Auto Group Service Centers in Bay City provide a battery test. If we find that your vehicle does need a replacement, we will make sure you get a battery that is suitable for your make and model to give you the most consistent performance possible.
What Are The Warning Signs That Your Battery Might Need Replacing?
- Noticeable Damage and/or Corrosion – One of the best ways to determine if you need to have your battery replaced is to open the hood of your vehicle and look at the battery itself. If you see any sort of cracking on the exterior, please schedule a battery replacement as soon as possible. The same is true if you see signs of corrosion on the terminals. Leaving these unchecked will result in an eventual battery failure.
- Flickering Dashboard Lights / Electronics Cut In & Out – As your battery gets weaker, it will struggle to maintain a charge and supply consistent power to everything in your vehicle. One noteworthy way that you can suspect your battery is reaching its end is if the lights in your vehicle and other electronic features start cutting in and out. This could include the music intermittently stopping playing from the infotainment system.
- Longer Average Startup Time – If you notice that your vehicle takes longer than usual to start up, this is another potential sign that you need to have your battery tested. A fresh battery will start your vehicle up quickly as it can supply plenty of power to the starter. However, a weak or damaged battery will take longer to get to that same level of charge. While it could also be a sign of something else other than the battery, it is a good idea to have our team conduct a battery test if you are uncertain.
(Photo Credit: iStock)
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving from Thelen Auto Group in Bay City, Michigan! We will be closed on Thanksgiving Day (November 27th), but we will be open for regular business hours on Friday, November 28th. Our staff hopes you have a great and safe holiday!
Finding the Perfect Minivan for Your Family
If you are heading out on a family road trip for the holidays, finding a spacious vehicle for the whole family and their luggage is important. That’s why we tend to recommend a minivan for your needs! When choosing a minivan for your family, there are several key factors to consider, including safety features, interior space, and reliability. Minivans are family-friendly and practical, making them a great choice for family travel. They are useful, provide excellent value for your money, are easy to get in and out of, and offer excellent utility. If you are looking for the ideal family-friendly minivan, look no further than Thelen Auto Group in Bay City, Michigan. Stop into our mid-MI group of dealerships to take a test drive.
Currently Available PreOwned Minivans at Thelen
- 2011 Chrysler Town & Country Touring – With low mileage for its model year, this Town & Country is a wheelchair-accessible minivan option. This Bright Silver Metallic front-wheel drive option is equipped with a 3.6L 6-cylinder engine and paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission to get an EPA-estimated 17 MPG city/25 MPG highway fuel economy. It is also packed with great features too including a rearview camera, parking assistance, keyless entry, and a power liftgate.
- 2013 Honda Odyssey EX-L – A spacious Taffeta White minivan perfect for your upcoming holiday road trip, thanks to a roomy interior and great features. The Odyssey is an overall favorite in terms of minivans due to its longevity! This option is equipped with a 3.5L 6-cylinder engine and paired with a 5-speed automatic transmission. Other features it is equipped with include heated seats, a power sunroof, Bluetooth connectivity, and Emergency Brake Assist.
- 2020 Chrysler Pacifica Limited – A luxurious and stylish minivan for the modern family. This Pacifica is equipped with a 3.6L 6-cylinder engine and paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission to get an EPA-estimated 19 MPG city/28 MPG highway fuel economy. The whole family can enjoy features in this option, like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity and a Wi-Fi Hotspot, while keeping them safe with advanced technologies like Bling Spot Monitoring, a rearview camera, and Emergency Brake Assist.
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Recent Blog Entries
- Five Essentials to Have in Your Vehicle Emergency Kit in Michigan
- Power Through Winter with a PreOwned SUV from Thelen Auto Group
- Finance Your Next PreOwned Vehicle at Thelen Auto Group
- Happy New Year from the Staff at Thelen Auto Group in Michigan
- Happy Holidays from Thelen Auto Group in Bay City, Michigan