My geology being minimal, all I know is it's pale, fractures into polyhedral slabs, some very thin, and takes no prisoners.
Descending, I could feel the steering getting mushy. At the bottom, in the DOT area, I skipped my usual response -- Let's make coffee! -- and just did it, like brushing my teeth.
A loyal Discount Tire (American Tire in Idaho and other places up there) customer, I've ALWAYS bought their Certificates of road-hazard-protection (RHP). But noooooootttt last time...or so I discovered.
At just under $600.00, the buying experience was a bit traumatic, apparently enough that I just THOUGHT I'd gotten the RHPs. But I've enjoyed the increased traction of the Goodyear Wrangler Trailrunner ATs.
I often wonder what prompts people to kindness. In this case, my adamance around having bought the RHPs and subsequent chagrin at discovering I HADN'T (sure enough, there on the receipt next to CERTIFICATES was a zero) may have had something to do with it. Maybe our buying history, which goes back decades (ahhhh, databases!), had some influence; both the 2008 and 2015 Honda FITS have been "shod" by Discount. Still, I was surprised when they said it could be filed under the Manufacturer's Warranty.
There was some magic involved. I bought five certificates at $15.25 each to cover the three from the original purchase, one for the new tire and, I think, one for the one that died. The bill came to $82.92. The tire had to be ordered from Denver and is slated to arrive today; it seems I'm the only one still running fifteen-inch wheels.
Although we usually buy from the store near us in Albuquerque, I bought the Trailrunners in Anthem, Arizona. Regardless of location, I've been impressed by the salesmens' (they're all men) knowledge and helpfulness. This time I looked 'em up online.
Bruce Halle, founder, alleged to be the wealthiest Arizonan, died last year (2018) at the age of 87.
The description of his ethics is interesting; and though his politics don't jibe with mine, his customer-oriented attitude was the key to success...and happily, appears to be fully extant.
Thanks Justin and T.J. and, actually, to all at the North Avenue store.
I had a similar situation. The guy at Discount Tire in Yuma asked if I had RHP. No. He fiddled with his terminal a bit. "Well, you can buy it now for $35 and we'll replace your flat free."
ReplyDeleteCool!
DeleteMy inner anthropologist wonders how much is individual initiative and/or company culture.
Or maybe there's just a huge markup on tires.
DeleteNo doubt. But when you consider the necessary infrastructure of manufacturing, markup on most things has to be huge.
DeleteCamping in the oil/gas fields at Fantasy Canyon, I watched as the trucks came each day to service the wells. New trucks, equipment, and, of course, the renowned hourly rate. I'm amazed they've kept the price of gasoline, at least in this country, as low as they have.
On the other hand, is all the abraded rubber competing on land with the micro-plastic debris in the ocean?