Aptos Tire and Auto Care

By Courtney Dimpel

Aptos Tire and Auto Care is no secret here in town. If you have gone to the Post Office, hit Starbucks for your daily dose of caffeine, or gone for a run or ride in Nisene Marks State Park, you’ve could have waved at the owner Luiz Contiero. Aptos Tire is family owned and operated and has been servicing the cars of Aptos and Santa Cruz County residents since 2011. Luiz and his crew are willing to open early and stay late if it means getting you back on the road; trust me I know!

My first experience with this shop was when I had a slow leak in one of my front tires, and finally got tired of filling it up every other day at the gas station off State Park Drive. Spending money and time on any car repair is not my most favorite thing to do in my free time. But, sometimes when life gives you lemons, you will be fortunate enough to find lemonade.

When I walked in, the first thing I saw was a friendly face. Such enthusiasm at 8 a.m. that morning was contagious and quickly relieved some of the stress I had about my tire. In just 20 minutes the problem was diagnosed and a cost effective solution found; problem solved. One of the greatest advantages of Aptos Tire is the location. I was able to wave to at least a half-dozen friends who passed by while Luiz, installed a new tire for me.

Aptos Tire and Auto Care is open 6 days a week, Mon – Fri, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sat 9 a.m. 2 p.m. Luiz and his staff have garnered an extensive amount of knowledge over their years of working on cars, and bring a wealth of information and experience when it comes to making sure your wheels keep rolling and your engine purring like a kitten. My second experience with them concerning auto care is a testament to this last fact.

Some cars like mine are no easy task when it comes to maintenance. Aptos Tire and Auto Care took care of my 30k maintenance check-up quickly, and at an unbeatable price. They have all the special equipment needed to tackle your service needs when it comes to maintenance check-ups, oil and air filter changes, air conditioning repair, and more. If your car needs it, they can do it.

Luiz chose to open the shop in Aptos because of the small town feel and sense of community this area offers. “We love the community,” he said, “And are honored to work on their cars. We continue to expand the products and services Aptos Tire offers, and are fully capable of fixing, maintaining and servicing anything under your hood,” said Luiz. “We love our location, and enjoy helping the residents of Aptos. It’s really fun to see kids grow up, help their parents fix up their first car, or get it ready for them to go off to college. Aptos is a unique place, and we really enjoy getting to know members of the community.”

While tires is first in the name of Aptos Tire & Auto Care, the highly trained staff can tackle just about any problem with your auto including imports such as Audi, Mercedes, Porche, BMW, Jaguar, and all domestic cars including hybrids! They also have a great website where you can get an instant quote on any tires and wheels. They offer competitive prices, and are tough to beat with their service cost.

These guys are personable and know their stuff. Check them out if you need something fixed on your car, want to put a new set of wheels on your rig, just want to talk tech, or people watch and wave to friends you see driving by the shop. Good mechanics are hard to find unless you live in Aptos. Then it’s easy — they’re at Aptos Tire & Auto Care!

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Aptos Tire & Auto Care 8028 Soquel Drive. Tel# 831-708-2093. Website: www.aptostire.com

Hours: M-F 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sat 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.