Should We Shop Locally??

Miss MoneyPenny believes in shopping locally when at all possible, unless we are talking a serious price difference.  I'm not talking about driving to Silverdale for tomatoes at $1.29 a pound compared to $2.49 locally.  One has to count the cost of gas and your precious time and my time is precious.

So, when the guy from Seattle told me that he was going to buy new tires, I whipped out the $70 coupon for Costco and was ready to go.  He said that he was told by a shop in Seattle that he also needed new wheels as his were tweaked from the pot holes in Seattle.  Costco does not carry wheels so he called our local Les Schwab store.

They said they carry wheels and we could come in without an appointment and get it done.  When we got there, the nice tire guy, Ryan, said that we probably did not really need new wheels and that he could correct most tweaks.  He said that replacement wheels are not near the quality as the ones that came on the VW.  Those wheels were going to cost $65 each!!  What a guy!!

I was surprised to see such a nice waiting room, complete with WiFi and comfy chairs.  The guy from Seattle had settled in with coffee and popcorn when Ryan told us that the car was ready.  That was fast!!  I only had time for one phone call.

The bill for the four new Granada All Season tires, on sale, including tax, was $576.08.  When I had four new Michelins put on the CR-V at Costco, the bill was $490.48, including tax - a difference of around $86, which would have been worth the drive.  But this wasn't a straight forward deal because of the wheel issue and Ryan probably saved us around $260 that might have gotten spent at a different tire store.  Plus, these tires come with local free flat repair and tire rotation.

Who got the best deal??  I think that we both did for our different situations, but there is a lot to be said for a nice honest tire guy (my dad used to be one) and having a local store where they know you.  So, when it comes to tires, the best deal might not really be the best price.

Baby Update:

My great granddaughter was born at 6:42 yesterday evening after two days of refusing to come out.  I wonder if that is a taste of what her little personality is going to be.  She weighed in at 7 pounds, nine ounces, and is 20 inches long.  Mother and baby are doing well, with baby figuring out quickly where dinner was coming from.