Tires

So our car had a fast leak in the right-rear tire. I noticed it when we were in LA this past weekend. We were losing about 10 psi a day which is pretty fast I suppose.

I have always taken my car to the Sears Auto shop in UTC (University Town Center) here in San Diego for two reasons:

1) For some inexplicable reason I feel that it is my patriotic duty to buy something at Sears every once in a while.

Which reminds me . . .

One of my most vivid memories is of going to the Glendale Sears Department Store as a child. This was in the days before malls (yes, I am that old) so a trip to a big department store was an adventure.

Sears occupied it's own building and had it's own parking structure in the back. We would park on the top level, walk across the foot bridge and right into the garden tools department. The first thing I remember was the smell of lawnmower oil.

We would walk past rows and rows of lawn mowers and clippers and shears. Sometimes my mom would let me occupy myself by just wandering around aimlessly staring at the big machines.

Downstairs was the clothing department. Smack-dab in the middle of the store was a circular soda fountain with a marble counter stocked with every candy imaginable. To this day, when I think of Sears I think of the smell of fresh-popped popcorn in a red and white-striped paper bag . . .

Anyway . . .

The second reason I go to Sears is because they are located in the parking lot of a good-sized mall which gives me something to do while I am waiting for my car to be fixed.

Actually, I should say I went to Sears. I don't go there anymore. For all the virtues of the department store, the last couple times I had my car at their auto shop I left with the distinct impression that I was being hosed.

So the last time I had reason to take my car in, I took it to the GoodYear tire place on the other side of the same mall. My brakes had been squealing and I wanted to get them checked out.

When I picked up my car, the guy at the counter told me that I had a bad caliper which had to be repaired . . . blah . . . blah . . . hundreds of dollars . . . blah. I was disappointed and he could tell.

"You want me to show you the part?" the mechanic asked. I had never had a mechanic offer such a thing.

"Sure", I replied.

He took me behind the counter and into the shop where my old caliper was sitting in a tub of dirty motor oil. The mechanic picked up the part and turned it over and over in his hands pointing out exactly what it did and why and how the thing went caput etc. It was great service and I left feeling that I had received a fair shake.

ALL THAT TO SAY . . .

When I saw that we had a leak in the tire this past weekend, I decided to go back to GoodYear instead of Sears. I dropped the car off and Annie and I grabbed some lunch. About an hour later, I got the call that my car was ready.

When I arrived, they handed me the keys and said they had fixed the tire. "What's the charge?" I asked.

The shop manager handed me his card and said, how about you have a nice holiday and the next time you need something, you come see us.

I shook my head and said, "You guys are the greatest".

So if you are ever in the San Diego area and are in need of tire / wheel-related repairs, GoodYear tires in the UTC is the place to go. Here is their info:

Certified Tire and Service Center
4335 La Jolla Village
San Diego, CA 92122
858-274-5420

The mall is pretty nice too - they even have an indoor ice rink in the food court!