Yep-same experience with Crappy Tire.I'm lucky I have a Bow-Wow FLAPS close
by.
Gerry
----- Original Message -----
From: "Keith Adams" <keith_adams@TRANSCANADA.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, March 03, 2000 10:50 AM
Subject: Friday - More Canadian Tire Mythology

> HAHAHAHA - man, did you ever make me laugh.  I went into Ukranian Tire
> (as we call it around here - no offence to Ukes!) to look for hatch
> struts for my van.
>
> Me: can you look up a strut for me in the computer?
> CT twerp: we don't list the struts - you just have to bring it in and
> match it for length with the ones in the rack
> Me: (thinking) sounds strange - I've looked up struts before
>
> Go out to van - pop off tremendously leaky strut to carry around the
> store and get everything greasy.  Start comparing it to the ones in the
> rack.  Older CT twerp comes over
>
> old CT Twerp: Can I give you a hand?
> Me: just need a new hatch strut - he (pointing to other twerp) said to
> just match it up
> old CT Twerp: well, let me look it up in the computer for you, that'll
> be quicker
> (and it was in there, too!)
>
> DOH!!!
>
> They ask the DUMBEST questions.  I desperately needed a distributor cap
> for my Golf one Friday night, and after going through all the
> tappity-tapping, and it said it didn't list a cap for my car (yeah,
> because the 2.0 4 cylinder has changed SOOOO much over the years).
> After all that tappity-tapping, I figured I would go see someone who had
> a clue and get a Bosch one.  I wasn't going to try and confuse him with
> the fact that the same engine was in the 97 and the 96 as well as the
> Jetta.... I don't think they understand parts interchangeability.
>
> But I hear you on the CT money.  It is 100% impossible to get rid of it,
> unless you buy an item that costs EXACTLY like 10.95 and you have 10.95
> in CT money.  I remember hearing a story that one of the bars at
> Univeristy of Waterloo, during the cash strapped spring months, took CT
> Money on par.  Also, another (could be legend) was that when Canadian
> U.N. Peacekeepers were stationed in Haiti, they were using CT Money as
> Canadian Currency.  *HAHAHAHA*
>
> CT is always good for some annoyance and laughs, and yet for some
> reason, I always wind up going back.....
>
> Cheers for a good weekend,
> Keith Adams
> Calgary, Alberta
> 1986 Vanagon GL Westfalia, 1998 Golf Wolfsburg Edition
>
> Subject:       [F] Canadian Tire [was: seat covers]
>
> Canadian tire (TIRE, see?) is the most worthless, screwed up, pain in
> the ass, incompetent store around.  The only cool thing about it is
> Canadian
> tire money--it's cool because it is mathematically impossible to spend
> it all.  (You always get some back with every purchase).
>
> I HATE having to go to Candian Tire.  Let me illustrate with the
> following non-exaggerated scenario:
>
> Buying a spark plug at Canadian Tire:
> =====================================
> You: I'd like spark plugs for my 2.1 L vanagon, please.
> CT twerp: What year?
> You: uh, 1989.
> CTT: (tapping away at keyboard...) Four cylinder?
> You: uh, Yes...
> CTT: (tappity tap tap) cargo van?
> You: Um.  No.  It's a westfalia.  What does that have to do with
> anything?
> CTT: (tap tap tap tap tap tap) Sorry, we don't have "westfalia" plugs.
> We only have a "camper" listed.
> You: Fine.  FINE.  I'll take the camper ones.
> CTT: Sure?
> You: YES!
> CTT: (tappity tap tap tap tap tap) GL?
> You: Sure...
> CTT: 3 door?
> You: Mmmhmm...
> CTT: Blue?
> You: YES!  Just give me the damn plugs before I throw you outside to
> freezeto death!
> CTT: I've only got the Canadian Tire "Motomaster" brand quintuple-fire
> hi-performance plugs, but I'll have to order them from our Moosejaw
> store.
> You: Forget it.  Just give me a set of wiper blades for the vanagon,
> then.
> CTT: (tap tap tap tap) what year?
> You: AAARRRGH!!!
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Tobin Copley   Bowen Island, BC, Canada              tobin.copley@ubc.ca
>