The tires on the Jeep were showing uneven wear and howling at 55 mph. The noise was unbearable and I had visions of the tires grinding up as they were being dragged down the highway. We couldn’t put it off any longer.
When the tires were purchased, we also bought a lifetime rotation, balancing and alignment package that any Bridgestone/Firestone service center will honor. A few days ago we called the Bridgestone/Firestone dealer in Huntsville, Texas to explain the problem and set an appointment. Huntsville is about 45 miles west of Livingston.
We got up early to make the 8:00 AM appointment and discussed contingency plans in case we had to leave the car overnight. The drive was through the typical wooded and gently rolling terrain of east Texas. We arrived a little early and settled in for a long, long day.
The dealer was very efficient. After a brief test drive, the dealer determined an alignment would fix the problem and got to work. While waiting, I got into a conversation with one of the locals also waiting for the dealer to finish with his car. The guy was a long-time Huntsville resident. Actually, it was more of a ‘listen’ then a ‘conversation’ and I wish the encounter was captured on video. The guy was hilarious. It wasn’t just his demeanor, or his accent, or his appearance or the stories he told. It was the whole package. Just a big, scary-looking guy talking about his travels, his home town, his family and whatever else drifted through his mind during ‘his’ conversation. At that moment in time, I was content to stand there and watch the show while sipping my Diet Sprite on a sunny Texas morning. At just the right moment, he was informed his car was ready. We shook hands and parted company. He seemed like a good guy and I wish him well.
Sooner than anticipated, the car was ready and we were on our way. The alignment fixed the problem and the car now glided down the interstate. The bill was about $23, which was for the oil change. Once in a while you catch a break.
After a quick lunch in Livingston, we returned to the coach and prepared the coach for travel. It would be a long trip to Texarkana and we wanted to leave early.