Believe us, there’s a lot to look forward to. We know there are many of you that agree. Some may be skeptical. Regardless of where you are on that line, join us and our guests Jeff Reidel and Dwight Jackson to share what’s coming our way… that’s good.
We continue our fan-favorite segments including “Stump Steve.” This week, tires (don’t roll your eyes – there’s a lot of interesting stuff! “Felecia’s Rant” is about Brady (and a little bit about the Jets), Matt shares his “Good Neighbor” news and Ryan gives us his “Lock of the Week.”
You’re gonna love this one. Don’t miss it!
Episode Recap
The gang returns this week still stuffed from Thanksgiving and thankful the Jets no longer play on the holiday so they can enjoy the meal without suffering through bad football. Steve and Felecia are still working to forget the infamous year they celebrated Thanksgiving in the parking lot of the Meadowlands during the infamous butt fumble game.
Tire Sales — Too Good to be True?
If you’re on the lookout for tires this time of year, you’ve likely been seeing a lot of sales — buy three get one free or even buy two get two free. But you’ll never see these kinds of deals at the small local shops like Friendly Auto. Why? They usually aren’t much of a deal at all.
Tires are a fairly low-profit margin product. So how do folks selling tires make their money? On rebates from the manufacturers to incentivize them to push a particular brand. Then, the dealerships or mechanics will tack on a bunch of required services for you to purchase in order to qualify for those sales.
Here’s a hypothetical scenario to show how it works. At Friendly Auto, you could get four tires at $50 each, plus $25 for each tire installation for a total cost of $300 for parts and service. Down the street at Uh Oh Tires, you could get a buy two get two free deal, but the tires cost $100 dollars, meaning the total cost is identical. To get that buy two get two deal though, you have to buy an alignment package that costs similar to what Friendly Auto charges, but they only adjust the toe (the most common part out of alignment). If you need other parts of the alignment, they’ll charge extra. Then you have to buy a tire protection package to cover future rebalancing, tire rotation, etc. What that does is lock you in as a customer to them.
But what about a spare tire? Is it really necessary?
Spare tires can be confusing because they are often either a fraction of the size of your regular tires or you might not have one at all. Mini spare tires are not garbage, which you might perceive them as. They are strong but light so you don’t hurt yourself lifting them out of the trunk. Most cars also can’t fit a full-size spare at all times so the mini tires are better.
If you don’t have a spare, you might have a run-flat-tire. A run-flat tire is a solid rubber tire inside a pneumatic tire. The gap between the outer tire and inner tire is approx. 2 inches, so if you get a flat on the outer tire, you can run on the inner tire for 50-80 miles—enough to get you where you need to go to replace it.
Dwight Jackson – Lifestyle Publications
For a small business, the local press can be a game-changer for bringing in new customers. Lifestyle Publications is a luxury lifestyle magazine with local versions in Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Gilbert, and Chandler. What makes this stand out from the dozens of mailers you typically receive is how local and community-minded the publications are. People read it because it’s personal — about their neighborhood and interesting people in their area. Even an independent agency that audited Lifestyle Publications found that 82 percent of people who receive the magazine actually read it.
So how do you get your local business featured? Connect with Dwight Jackson at 480-590-3243 or dwight.jackson@lifestylepubs.com.
Prop 207 passed. What does it mean for Arizona?
Prop 207 passed in Arizona, which means that adults 21+ will be able to purchase marijuana and possess up to an ounce. Of that ounce, five grams can be concentrated. So how soon can you go buy some pot? Not as soon as you’d think. Governor Ducey certified the election on Monday and on Tuesday morning the law was in effect.
The tricky part is you can’t purchase it yet. The only way to purchase it will be through a licensed distributor and those licenses will be awarded by the Department of Health, but expect that process to start in the next few months. Now that the law has passed, the department of health has to now come up with the rules for this program. Understandably, this is not the health department’s first priority with COVID-19 surging.
Until those licenses are distributed, not many changes. Even though marijuana is now legal in Arizona, you can’t drive to California and buy it then bring it home due to the federal laws governing interstate travel. If someone with a medical marijuana card buys it for you, they could be breaking the rules of the medical marijuana program. The exception is if you grow it yourself. Each person is allowed to grow six plants—you just can’t sell it.
It’s an important time to be a good neighbor
During the holiday season, people come together to celebrate with their families, even if that has to happen virtually this year. But it’s important to remember that the holidays aren’t great for all families, sometimes it’s a reminder of loss or financial struggle. There are lots of organizations out there that are there to help, so if you’re in need, don’t be afraid to ask, and if you’re not in need, consider taking the time to give back.
Friendly Auto is giving back by adopting a family to make their Christmas and fill their home with gifts under the tree this year. In addition, they’ve kickstarted a large food drive that will continue all year. People are traditionally really generous between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but there is a need throughout the year.
The whole world is having a rough year, but giving to others can help you feel better. If you are in need or looking for a way to give back, feel free to reach out to the gang at Drive Friendly who is always there to help.
