Blaskin & Lane Tire Centres

Let me preface this by saying that I’ve almost always used Blaskin & Lane for my tire needs. I’ve always said «go to Blaskin & Lane — they’ll take care of you.» I’ll be hard-​pressed to think this way again.
One wintery Saturday, I needed to fulfill a routine rite of passage as a Calgarian and purchase new winter tires. (You’re welcome, fellow drivers!)
We walked in off Macleod trail to an almost empty store and an empty front desk. There was another couple browsing on their own but staff was nowhere to be found. We could hear the general sounds of uh, work* happening in the body shop which was the only indication that they were opened. Apparently, the gentleman manning the store was watching a golf game in the waiting lounge. Listen, it’s not my idea of a great Saturday to be spent schlepping around looking at tires either… And that’s probably why I don’t work at a tire shop. But anyway.
We proceeded to look around until we grew tired of passive aggressively throwing questions pointedly in the direction of the lounge. I called over to the gentleman (we would later learn from his business card that his name was Bo) to ask if they carried Continental tires.
*Now, I don’t profess to be any sort of expert on automobiles or tires or even driving (ovaries) but I had done a bit of research and had narrowed down my desired tires to 3 different brands and models. Bo’s response immediately was a dismissive remark that they were the worst tires on the market. Really. I’m not a tire expert (established) and I’m sure Continental probably doesn’t have the best tires out there but they certainly cannot be considered the WORST tires ever produced just because Bo does not stock them.
Besides not answering my question, Bo also directed every answer to my male counterpart, despite us both repeatedly establishing the fact that the tires were for me and my car. Either Bo had a giant hard-​on for my dude or misogyny had just manifested in an ugly way.
Undeterred, we asked Bo what he recommended as a winter tire. Blizzak LM-​25s. And did he have those in stock? Why, he certainly did. The last 4 in the city in fact. He then said, rather condescendingly, if I was serious about this and not «jerking around» and ready to buy, he could get them from a warehouse in the next few days. Those of us not too busy thinking that you need a penis to buy tires, may remember that I needed the tires installed today (or at least as soon as possible) since snow was already on the ground and rapidly building up. (Sorry, fellow drivers.)
I pretty much had enough at this point but not wanting to be RUDE, we asked a few more questions to break this bromance gently. Nokian’s Hakkapeliitta tires happened to come up in conversation. Knowing full well that Kal-​Tire is an exclusive dealer of Nokian tires, I was curious how he would respond. Bo did not disappoint and said that every single tire he had blew the Hakkapeliitta’s out of the water. Every. Single. Tire!!! Wow, this is quite the tire shop, folks! Alas, something else blows here.
Thirty minutes after my visit with Bo at Blaskin & Lane, we dropped $ 2200 on brand new winter tires and rims at one of their competitors. Seriously, jerk, I was ready to buy.

Been a long time customer and now no more! Poor customer service, not properly managing a problem when I brought the car back as it wasn’t fixed the first time and they left my car a mess.
Addressing the mess, they just spoke to their service guy and told him not to do that again! Took the car in for brakes which they didn’t fix properly and were going to charge me the labor to do it again, with a 10% discount. And a reprimand to the guy that left my car dirty. At 10% and a reprimand and arguing with me that a brake inspection that isn’t thorough is what they do, so it’s not their fault they didn’t find the problem with the free inspection they do offer. Well I brought the car in telling them there was a problem with the front brakes, they fixed the back and the inspection didn’t even cover the front. I didn’t need a «free» inspection that wasn’t going to address the problem, I needed an inspection to address the problem I told them I knew the car had. So when all was said and done, they were going to charge me more money to a job they should have done to begin with and argued they were right. I wasn’t looking for any freebies, but the offer of 10% and a reprimand that was supposed to make me feel better was insulting! Note: a free inspection isn’t worth if you are addressing the problem I said I had, so really you are just finding ways to charge me more money. Arguing with me, when you had the chance to right a wrong. And not offering to clean my car when they left it dirty! O… and they lost a lugnut and put the wrong size windshield wiper on the back… sloppy!
Maybe other locations appreciate loyal customers, but I wouldn’t recommend going to these guys that is for sure!

Ever hate it when while you’re driving, your tire suddenly blows out, and you careen into a bunch of cars causing mass mayhem and disaster not unlike the movie 2012? Yeah, I hate that too, but that’s why I like to go here when something goes wrong. I’ve blown enough tires over the years, that having a reliable place to go to for a quick repair or outright replacement is always handy, especially when all you need is an inexpensive used tire to tide you over until you change the entire set. For example, last summer, my winter tire had to be replaced pretty much immediately (and I was running on my spare). I was expecting a bill over $ 200 when factoring a new tire, installation, balancing and the like. Nope, they noticed that since all of my existing tires were old, that I really should use a used tire, recommended it, and installed it. Final bill… $ 50. I was floored, overjoyed, and then fought the urge to kiss «Bill» on the lips.
These guys are friendly, know their stuff, keep a good supply of men’s and women’s magazines plus newspapers in their waiting room, and even have a tv to relax to while they change and check your tires. (I wonder who’s idea it is though to have Modern Bride magazine there though… though I do like the articles that show me how to look good in my dress… but that’s another story). They do a quick, efficient job and their prices are pretty reasonable. More importantly, they have a neato all store inventory database that keeps track of all of their new and used tires in all of their locations, so even if the tire you need is not there, they can have it there by probably within a few hours.
Their tire prices tend to be pretty competitive with the other chains, and they offer layaway financing which is pretty useful.
They also do other car services as well, such as alignments, tuneups, oil changes and the like, but still tires is their bread and butter. Basically, a place I’m glad that’s around, and not too far from Chinook Centre to boot if it’s going to take awhile, and you want to just wander around to kill time.
#20 of Unilocal’s 30-​Day Review Challenge