Tis the season for the great tire switch and apparently, a lot of folks in Sandpoint were busy this week getting studded or snow tires put on their cars. At this time of year, you see a lot of action at the local Les Schwab tire store. If you have tires on rims, Les Schwab will change your tires for free. Most of Bonner County takes advantage of this service, so Les Schwab is jammed packed with nary a parking space to be found. Cars are lined up, people are running, and tires are rolling.
People in the know realize that the key to the whole tire switch is to try and get in early. Les Schwab opens at 7:30 am and at this time of year there’s generally a line. This week, my husband was in it.
My old studded tires were almost down to wear marks, so this year we had to do more than just the freebie switch. This year, we had to invest the big bucks in new tires. So that meant James had to brave the waiting room. On the day he was there, it was filled with screaming kids running everywhere. The parents were tolerantly observing their offspring and the smell of old popcorn was in the air. After having enough of this waiting room ambiance, he opted to stand outside and stare at my car instead.
Buying tires is expensive, but now my little car drives like a tank. When you live on a poorly maintained private road and there’s a steep hill between you and town, studded tires are so worth the money.