A number of comments were made about the corrosion from 'up north' under my 1988 car, since Texas has very little rust. Here the bodies last almost forever.
Bought my first new vehicle, a Chevy S10 pickup. Shopped around and got prices. Went on the internet and used Auto-By-Tel to find a dealer in the area with the best price. Although Auto-By-Tel did not get me a better deal than the dealer already had on an advertised loss-leader, we did almost everything by phone (except the test drive!). License plates stay with the vehicle in Texas so I could not transfer the plates and they give you 30 days to insure the new vehicle as long as you already have an insured vehicle. The dealer was great, got an easy loan through the credit union, took care of the new insurance over the phone and had some options installed with no hassle.
The builder of my home has been fantastic. Even months later when I have questions, he comes back with answers quickly. Minor cosmetic problems were fixed within days, the quality is excellent, and I've been totally satisfied.
I get my hair cut at a salon run by a very nice lady who's very 'Texas' friendly and a perfectionist. She's a real rip.
Had blinds installed on all my windows in my home by a pleasant gent named Dana for less than I would've paid to do it myself.
Took two weeks to get working phones in my rural home. GTE (now Verizon) slipped a little here. Made promises they did not keep about getting me service. No DSL available for me.
Garbage disposal, they take almost anything. Also, even though recycling is not mandatory (except in some cities), they will give you a recyclable container to put them in (for a small fee). No hassle here and not expensive.
When I got my home and auto insurance (Germania), I left with all kinds of goodies that you USED to get; pens, pads, a thermometer, rain gauge, comb, 48 inch yard stick, etc. Ah, the good ol' days. A pleasant experience, and they've been very good on claims.
I have a lady that takes care of my dogs and watches my home when I travel. Not a bad deal. Cheaper and better than the kennel, and it's nice to know someone is there to keep an eye on things.
The electric co. reads my meter over the wire so I don't have to write down the meter reading and they don't have to come out here. Neat. The electric once in awhile does go out during storms, but usually for 30 seconds or so. Not bad, especially with the kinds of storms here.
I've had a few minor problems with the water co. but they were resolved (low water pressure, broken meter) to my satisfaction. They take the meter readings automatically and the price is good as well as the water's taste. You must have a water softener since the water is very hard (mine measured 30 grains).