Where do you choose?

I have known that I would be needing tires for some time. I started investigating the situation when my Camry hit 40K. When I first started looking at tires I discovered that Toyota put tires on the 2007 model Camry's that are sprinkled with "magical gold dust." This HAS to be reason that they cost $153-$158 A TIRE!

Knowing that I obviously would not be replacing the tires with what was on the car and I still had time on my side mileage wise I started shopping around. You name the tire store I checked it out. Well at least all of the major ones. I thought about stopping by Jose's Tire and Rims (actual name not making it up) but I wanted to go to a store that I KNEW would be there next week.

I found that National Tire and Battery had the best deal for me. I ended up getting a 60K tire for $93 a tire with free rotation and balance for the life of the tires. This should get me to the 100K mark.

While I was there I asked the service guy why the tires that were on the car were over $150 a tire.

He said that they were a 50K tire but most people get 35K-40K on them before they need to be replaced. The big reason for the price hike was that they were a 140 rate tire. That means that you can travel 140 miles per hour on the tire before you risk the tire blowing up on you.

I just looked at him with a WTH look. He commented that I probably don't travel
140mph so I was going to be very pleased with the tire I got. I asked him if he ever thought about going 140mph in a 4 cylinder Camry? No, probably not.

So I was very pleased with the service I got. THEN IT HAPPENED...THE UPCHARGE!!

I am sitting in the waiting room and he comes in and says Mr. JDHTEACH did you know you had a BUSTED STRUTT on one of your back wheels? WTF??? NO!

I go out there and he shows me where the strutt has some oil on it. I get the price of $180 for the strutt and $88 for service. Total- $268.

HHHHHUUUUMMMMMMMM!!!!

I told him to hold off and I was going to take it to my mechanic. For those of you that don't know what a strutt does.... when your car goes over a bump...if your car continues to bounce long after that bump..your shocks and or strutts need to be replaced. That is why I was confused....I have none of that!!

I took the car to my mechanic and said that yeah the strutt is starting to show signs of wear but that I could drive the car for at least another year before anything needed to be considered. If I had the money to do it fine go ahead but if it was his car he would hold off.

His price to replace... $172 for the strutt but $159 labor.

So who do you chose....the store that had me thinking my car was falling apart at a cheaper price or the honest guy who you have used in the past but is more expensive?