East Texas drivers investing more on car maintenance

LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) – With the price of gas climbing and inventory of new cars still low, some people are shifting their focus from buying to auto maintenance. Many East Texas drivers are doing what they can to keep their current cars longer.

Cook Tire and Service Center in Lufkin has been servicing East Texas vehicles for 40 years, an accomplishment that President Mark Cook says has been one incredible journey.

“We’ve built this business on customer service … 40 years later we’ve seen a lot come and go, and we’re still here,” he said.

Since their first opening in the ‘80′s, they have grown by servicing in Nacogdoches and Livingston today. Before the pandemic, Cook says many people came to his shop with cars that needed maintenance or repair, but they often decided to trade in their cars instead. As the pandemic continued, people saw fewer new vehicles available to purchase and Cook says the focus then shifted to vehicle maintenance.

“You know, since the pandemic people are coming in and they’re putting new tires on their car, they’re doing automotive services… If anything… It’s the fact that it’s really made people realize how important car maintenance for their vehicle is,” Cook said.

Cook says people are now more aware and are keeping up with their car maintenance. They now work on cars that have over 200,000 miles and says even though most cars are made to last, it’s always a good idea to take care of your ride from the get-go.

His shop has seen the the highest mileage marked on an older car right at 423,000 miles during one maintenance. Cook says he hopes for the company to continue to expand for the next 40 years by staying on top of new approaches and technology.

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