September 25, 2021
Her Right Rear Tire
Last week, my wife came home and told me that the pressure was low in her right rear tire.
I took a look, and sure enough, there was a screw stuck right through the tread.
My guess was that the tire was fixable and that pretty much any auto shop could do it.
So I threw the damaged tire in the back of our other car, and thought:
Hm... where should I take it?
At this point, I have to pause for a second to give you some backstory:
There are three places I typically go for car issues:
- Anchor Subaru in North Smithfield
- Sullivan Tire Auto Service in Warwick
- Firestone Complete Auto Care in Providence
Anchor Subaru is the dealership where we bought both our cars.
It is the farthest (14 miles away) and most expensive of the three options, so I usually only go there for something that is under warranty (i.e., free) or that requires a high level of expertise, like the electronics in the dashboard.
The customer service is very good, and although the wait is usually pretty long, the waiting area is like the lobby of a fancy hotel - free food and drink, fast free wifi, spotless bathrooms, a fireplace, etc...
Sullivan Tire is the second farthest (9 miles away) but they specialize in tires and the customer service is stellar.
More than once, I have arrived to pick up my car, only to be informed that “It’s on the house. It only took us two seconds.” When they DO charge me, the prices seem fairly high but not unreasonable (and probably lower than the dealer).
They’re usually pretty busy and take a long time to get to your car, and the waiting area, bathroom, wifi etc are all pretty rough.
Firestone is the closest (I can easily walk to and from, if need be) and the service is fine, if robotic.
Like Sullivan, they also specialize in tires, but unlike Sullivan - which is a family run operation - Firestone feels very corporate and chain-like.
I honestly don’t know if the prices are high or low relative to other options because I typically only go there for minor things, like an inspection sticker.
The wait time is unpredictable and the waiting area situation is mediocre (a bit better than Sullivan but no where near as good as the dealership).
So...
Wanna play a game?
Guess which one I took the tire to.
I’ll wait...
. . . . .
. . . .
. . .
. .
.
If you guessed Firestone, you’d be right!
TBH it was a no-brainer for me because:
- it was a tire issue
- it was a minor repair
- it wouldn’t require specialized expertise
- I wouldn’t have to hang around in their nasty waiting area because I could drop it off and come back later
And sure enough, they had it fixed quickly and cheaply!
I drove back, picked it up, and put it on.
Boom, done!
And then everyone lived happily ever after, right?
Not quite...
Yesterday, my wife came home and informed me that the pressure was low in her right rear tire.
😡
(to be continued...)
Yours,
—J