The Point Of Diminishing Returns

I have several different cars I'm responsible for.  My daughters car that's a local trips, running errands only, four door ride for her and her mom.

My truck, which no longer needs off road tires, since taking a blind woman on a camping trip is just a cruel thing to do.  But I've given it to my son to drive to the wilds of the Murray High parking lot.  Soccer practice, work at Culver's and out with his friends.

The Audi.  Which is the main ride for us.  Deb and I have put 70K miles on it in six years driving every where from the trip to Minnesota, to many trips to California, Oregon, and I can't even calculate how many times we've been to Las Vegas or various places in Colorado.  It gets around.

I haven't had to buy tires for, "The Bitchin' Camaro" yet.  I've had it two years now.  And only put 8100 miles on it.  Its' not a good car for long trips.  It's so tightly sprung, I do believe it would shake your teeth out if you drove it to Denver.

And your luggage better be small, or it's going in the back seat.  Where we normally put our children.

But when I need to buy tires for this high performance, speed rated, fire breathing beast that runs low profile, "Z" rated, Pirelli's?  I'll get them the same place I buy tires for all my other cars.

Costco.

You can order anything from them, that you could get at, Tirerack.com, which is where guys with performance cars buy their stuff.  Well, I do my research there, then take my stuff to Costco and get the same tire for $50 a tire cheaper, WITH a flat repair warranty.

Today, I happened to notice that one of my, "High Performance All Season Michelin" tires on the Audi had a nail in it.  Well, that's not good.  So I drove over to Costco to have that taken care of.

This is where the point of diminishing returns comes into play.

Does anyone remember a tire store chain around here in Utah (and maybe else where, I don't know) called, Grandma's Tires?  They had a store on State Street just north of 4800 S. and just south of the old fire station/BMW dealer on the east side of the street.   They were bought out by, Big O Tires years ago.

But when we bought our first house in the 1980's, they were a five minute walk from, Meadow View Circle.  And they did everything.  And if they couldn't do it?  There was a mechanic named, Gene, right next door who could.

I was a good customer.  When I would show up, the owner would put my car first.  I could get a flat repair done in ten minutes.  I wasn't rich, I wasn't famous.  I was a regular.  And they treated you like it.

Now, you save money at Costco, but you're just another Costco customer.

I don't mean to insinuate that Costco treats you badly. They do NOT!  But as big as they are?  They can't treat you like family, either.

So I guess I have to wonder.  Are there any places like, Grandma's Tires anymore?  And if there are?  Is the extra price worth not having to sit in a warehouse for an hour to get a flat repair?

How much frozen yogurt can you eat when you have other stuff you want to do that day?  Just sayin...

Times have changed.  I'm old.  I like Costco.  I don't want to lose the advantages we have now.  But sometimes?  I miss the personal service.  Even if it cost a few bucks more a tire.