Readers Poll 2024

Shopping & Services may be obsolete. But Mark Twain said riding a Concord—the stagecoach, not the Chrysler—was like “a cradle on wheels.” It goes without saying that you want to trust the person selling you your car. Cardinale is the used-car dealer to trust in Monterey County. Their pre-owned vehicle stock can provide a teenager with their first reliable and economical mode of transportation, or give a teenager-at-heart the chance to own a European supercar. With so many pre-owned cars (and maybe a Conestoga or two) in stock Cardinale will have something for any driver. BEST CAR DEALERSHIP - NEW Victory Toyota 5 Heitzinger Plaza, Seaside (831) 275-2536, victorytoyota.com Drivers these days are spoiled by horsepower—they always want more. But in the Old West, if your mode of transportation had one horsepower, you were happy. Two horsepower? You were living large. Victory Toyota knows horsepower, and thanks to the rise of hybrid and electric powertrains, vehicles have more ponies than ever before. There are plenty of steeds to choose from, including workhorse trucks such as Tundra and Tacoma, and the ultra-fuel-efficient Camry and Corolla. BEST TIRE SHOP Sullivan’s Tire Pros 1730 The Mall, Seaside (831) 215-5250, sullivanstires.com Not much changes. For a long expedition, you need to check alignment and suspension. If the wheels are worn, they need a good kick. Horseshoes need to be rotated, too. Sullivan’s opened their doors in 1950 and have served Seaside with their automotive and tire expertise ever since, even as parts evolved. To complement their tire selection and installation, they also service brakes and suspension, to make sure every mile on the tires they provide will be driven at peak performance. BEST PLACE TO GET SMOGGED Pacific Smog 2039 Del Monte Blvd., Seaside (831) 899 8877, pacificsmog.com Like Matt Dillon of TV’s Gunsmoke, who always did the right thing, these days it is incumbent upon all of us to do so about our engine’s carbon footprint. This year makes it an even 10 years in a row that our readers have chosen this business as the best, and for good reason: nowhere is this process more efficient and effortless than at Pacific Smog. BEST CAR REPAIR SHOP Pacific Motor Service 550 E. Franklin St., Monterey (831) 288-5777 1123 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove (831) 531-2295, pacificmotorservice.com Maybe the rim on one of the wooden wheels of your buggy is loose. Perhaps you have a long trip lined up to Oregon, say, and the spring in your Conestoga is busted. Actually, Pacific Motor Service probably can’t help you with those problems. Today’s modes of transportation are a little more finicky. From the basics like oil changes and tires all the way to engine work and everything in between, they can handle whatever ails your horsepower. BEST OIL CHANGE Midas 1543 Del Monte Blvd., Seaside (831) 264-8768 227 John St., Salinas (831) 296-2719, midas.com Midas has some big boots to fill. It is said that Kit Carson was a grease merchant, and without axle grease, wagon trains crossing the prairies and mountain passes would come to a stop. Ask any member of the Donner Party how disastrous that could be. Any oil shop can get you in and out in a snap, herding customers through the line like cattle. Midas knows that sacrificing 74 BEST OF MONTEREY COUNTY® 2024 montereycountynow.com/bestof WE ARE HUMBLED AND GRATEFUL FOR BEING NAMED ONCE AGAIN ’15 ’17 ’18 ’20 ’23 ’21 ’19 ’16 BEST USED CAR DEALERSHIP IN MONTEREY COUNTY ’24 www.CardinaleWay.com CARDINALE GMC 2 Heitzinger Plaza, Seaside cardinalegmc.com • 831.394.1233

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