By Terra Avilla
Admission time. I am not good with cars. I mean, I can change a tire and know how to check my oil, but that’s about where my knowledge ends. If you ask my husband, he might even tell you that is an exaggeration of my skill in that arena. Luckily for me, years ago, I happened to stumble upon a local shop that takes care of all that maintenance for me: Main Street Lube.
When I lived in Reno I never took my green beauty into the shop. I hated the service I received from the chain store oil lube places. No matter what I went in there for, by the time I left, I was always told that if I didn’t buy at least an additional $80 worth of services or products my car would inevitably blow up.
They made me feel like an inept car owner and always pressured into buying things. One time Frankie caught them charging me for services I didn’t even receive.
After moving to Susanville, I saw Chris Cordova, the owner of Main Street Lube, everyday working at his shop as I would pull into the police department across the street. He was always outside waiving to the police cruisers or making some funny noise to make me laugh as I entered our parking lot.
After months of driving by his business and putting off getting an oil change, (4,000 miles overdue in fact) I caved and drove it next door to his shop.
Chris greeted me and I instantly felt less anxious about getting my car serviced. I didn’t receive a lecture about waiting so long to get my oil changed. I didn’t receive any pressure to pay for a new filter, windshield wiper, half of a new engine, etc. I just received genuine friendly service.
Since that day I have bugged Chris multiple times for donations for various events and he always donates. Take a look at the athletic teams in town, you will find that Main Street Lube is often a sponsor of teams and events.
Last year when I was pregnant my car was making a scary sound, that when I tried to explain it to Chris (“it’s like a “chunk chunk-screech, ker-plunk”), he laughed and said, “Okay I’ll take a look.”
He quoted me a price and then fixed it… wait for it… below what he quoted me for. I couldn’t believe it, but then again Chris is just that type of person and business owner.
When you support Main Street Lube you also support his beautiful family and wife who are just as kind and funny as he is. The anxiety I have toward getting my car serviced has evaporated in large part to the hometown friendly service we have here in our community. No large box stores, where you are just a number. Chris and his staff make it apparent they see us as people.
As the disorganized, clueless about cars, mother that I am, Chris recognizes that I need my vehicle to transport my babies to and from school and to get to work. I may not know anything about how a car engine works, but I know a good human being and an honest company when I see one and Chris Cordova at Main Street Lube is just that. A local company that makes me love the place we live!
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