On Fri, Jun 13, 2014 at 5:48 AM, <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:
Guess I am too old fashioned for my own good (maybe).  For tires (and most
other items where I can make that choice), two things are pretty important
to me:  (1) a known commodity -- which is one reason I chose Hankook over
Nexen, and (2) a place where I can walk into the shop, deal face to face,
and have someone to go back to in case of a problem, rather than an online
seller.  I know, I know.  But being "modern" is not always all its cracked
up to be, at least for me.

mcneely

   Mostly I agree...One valid way to decide amongst lots of products or to
select a modification or to improve on anything...Look and check around at
what others are using, doing or have done and copy that..Trying something
completely new, totally off the wall often results in a less than
satisfactory outcome.

  Dealing face to face, buying local, patronizing your local business....I
almost always try that first, too.   I'll  give my local merchants my
business when they are 'ball-park' close .   However, the Squeeze is on for
US Workers...I don't have much spendable income anymore,  despite working
just as hard as I always have, so sometimes I have to go "Cheap" or not  at
all.
 When I bought my cheap-o GoForm tires, to get me home  from the desert
this spring, I first went to the only tire shop in town and THEY were the
ones who suggested I try Tireseasy.com,     They offered to take delivery
and I had them do the mounting and balancing.

   Also, just because someone does business near you it doesn't mean they
are automatically 'better' than everyone else, that they "deserve" your
business.  There are plenty of "local" businesses that are living in a
dream world, behaving arrogantly towards customers and charging very over
the top prices...thinking along the lines of  "Hey, we're the only game in
town and that will always keep us in business"...