Travis Heights Automotive

Since this place has now turned into a gas station/​Cricket wireless store, and just happens to be the closest one to my house that’s open at the ungodly hour of 6:30 when I’m driving into work, I’ve had the great pleasure of stopping in here a couple of times a week for my Rock Star fix.
The man behind the counter was friendly enough, and laughed as me and my friend tried on a few of the plethora of «designer» sunglasses on the spinning rack at the checkout counter. When my friend said (too loudly), «I wish my head weren’t so big!», he offered the very helpful advice «Well you can just shove it in there, and they’ll swell up to fit.» While I’m not sure anyone in the room understood the full meaning of the sentence that was just spoken, it took all my will power not to say «That’s what she said.», even though it probably would’ve made less sense.
Once at the checkout counter, I took a gander at the collection of random items for sale in the case by the register. There were Cubic Zirconium earrings (2/​$ 4.99), zippo lighters ($ 19.99), a viagra knockoff (I didn’t ask), and the best thing of all — a key chain hunting knife for the bargain basement price of $ 8.99! When I asked why anyone would want such a tiny knife, the counter-​man explained that it was a great gift for kids. Of course! How could I NOT imagine a 1″ switchblade key chain was not the perfect gift for a 7 year old? Then he informed me they were flying off the shelves «like hot bread» — which was a phrase I had never heard before, but will surely repeat.
The highlight of my evening was at the moment we decided to check out. My great friend John had decided to buy a bottle of Blue Hawaiian Boone’s Farm just to prove to me that it was only $ 3, and not the $ 7 I had mistakenly thought. The counter-​man nods his head towards me and says «I take it this is for her,» to which John (thankfully) laughed and said «Oh, no.» this is for me. I wasn’t sure if I should be offended that he thought I looked like the kind of girl who’d be drinking Boone’s Farm on a Thursday night at 8 o’clock. Then the counter-​man says to him (with no eye contact with me whatsoever this entire time), «But how are you gonna make her happy if you don’t give her the Boone’s?» I instantly felt sorry for any woman he had ever even thought about dating. When John said «Her happiness doesn’t concern me,» his response brought that pity to an even lower low: Counter man says «That’s what I’m talking about.»

They get it done. The workers were generally pleasant.
I just wanted an oil change and inspection, so I called in the mid-​afternoon on a Monday and they said they could take me right away. I drove down the block to their grungy looking location, which was my main reason for coming here in the first place — it’s less than a block from my Travis Heights-​area place.
It looks like it used to be a gas station too, but all the pumps are covered and have said «out of gas» since I moved to the area months ago.
Prices were pretty forthright. Like any oil changers, they advertise a price (in this case, $ 20.95) and tack on a few bucks for disposal fees or whatever, bringing the total to $ 27 and change, plus the $ 28 for the inspection.
My one problem with them was when it came time for me to pick up my car. They said it’d be half an hour and they’d call when they were done, so I walked back home and waited — for more than two hours. The problem wasn’t that it wasn’t done on time — it was — but that no one had bothered to call. I ended up walking over there 15 minutes before closing (open 9 – 6 weekdays, I believe, don’t know weekend hours) and asking the bewildered but kind guy behind the counter whether my car, which was parked out front, was done.
It was of course, and I paid, got my emissions report and was out of there lickety-​split. Dudes, if you’re going to be efficient and nice, hold up the rest of the deal too!
I’m so happy that they didn’t try to convince me something else was screwed up in my car or try to tack on any extra charges. I’ll be back.