Charlottesville Tire Issues

This was written yesterday while I was at the tire joint, I apologize for not posting it, but I didn't want to while I was still in Charlottesville, and I didn't have the opportunity to post it last night.

So I rolled into town last night, and headed to the local Sam’s Club.  Unfortunately, it was too late to see their tire guys, but I figured I’d check my membership status/renew it while I was there, and find out when the tire department opened.  I met a very nice woman at the member’s services counter, who told me that my membership had expired and I needed to renew it.  I figured that I’d be spending some serious time with Walmart and Sam’s over the road trip, so I might as well spring for the 40 bucks to re-up it.  She told me that the tire center opened at 7am, knowing that I have a non-business membership, although it is a 7-year membership.

So I bedded down in the Sam’s parking lot for the evening, secure in the knowledge that I would awake, get some fresh tires, and be back on the road.  Unfortunately, it was not to be.

I entered the Sam’s, and headed to the tire desk, where a rather disgruntled employee grumbled at me about not having a business membership.  I explained my circumstances, that I was basically living out of the damned car, and that I’d been in the store the previous day, and was told to come in at 7am.  To be fair, I don’t think I got so far as to tell him about coming into the store yesterday, because he cut me off.  He put my keys on the wall, and I sat down to wait.

Waiting there, I realized that the prick was going to stonewall me, and refuse to look at my tires until the proper time.  Thus invigorated with piss and vinegar, I took my keys off the board, told the guy in the shop to tell his boss to close my ticket, and headed to the next tire shop that was nearby.

I was given very friendly service and help at the University Tire and Auto Center (http://www.universitytireandauto.com/).  They did a good, quick job balancing my new tires and taking care of my alignment.  I would heartily recommend them to you if you ever need work done while you’re in the region.