Upamanyu Biswas
Created by Shane Gillis, Steve Gerben, and John McKeever, Netflix’s ‘Tires‘ centers on the dysfunctional work environment of an auto-repair garage in Pennsylvania named Valley Forge Automotive Center. While the store features in almost every scene owing to the show’s adherence to a workplace comedy format, we are also provided glimpses into the world outside the shop’s four walls. One such prominent locale explored in this regard is the Andiamo Auto Sales dealership, the place where Schulz and Tommy work. As the business is situated in the nearby vicinity, Andiamo becomes a part of the overall framework of the show’s world, adding another notable spot for exploration. Eventually, it even gets tied in with Valley Forge’s business dealings, showcasing its usefulness outside the usual shenanigans carried out by the brothers.
Andiamo Auto Sales is a Fictional Dealership That Adds to the Worldbuilding
Despite playing a somewhat prominent role throughout ‘Tires,’ Andiamo Auto Sales is a fictional car dealership brought to life by the show’s creators, Shane Gillis, Steve Gerben, and John McKeever. It is a business primarily operated by two salesmen, Schulz and Tommy, who often show up at Valley Forge Automotive Center to poke fun at most of its employees while sharing a laugh with Shane. As highlighted by its name, the company has an Italian connection, which is why Schulz and Tommy are addressed as “wops” throughout the series, a derogatory term aimed at Italians or people from Southern Europe. As far as filming is concerned, the car park that acts as the headquarters of the Andiamo Auto Sales stall is primarily recorded in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
There are numerous large-scale car dealerships scattered around the country that provide services similar to Andiamo Auto Sales. For instance, Lithia Motors, AutoNation, Penske Automotive Group, Group 1 Automotive, Sonic Automotive, and Asbury Automotive have sold numerous used car units, which is a sign of their success. It is reasonable to assume that Andiamo parallels such businesses, albeit created to fulfill a specific narrative purpose in the show. This is precisely where it differs from any real-life dealership with a business model based on selling used cars to people looking to buy cost-effective vehicles or cars from vintage stock. Both have their advantages, which is where a company like Andiamo Auto Sales shines, contrasting its success with a struggling auto-repair garage like Valley Forge Automotive Center.
One of the intriguing aspects of Andiamo Auto Sales is the roster of cars that are regularly available for sale. In one of the show’s storylines, we witness Cal being pitched a woo by Schulz to buy an expensive vintage car that is in rougher shape than usual. Although Cal is reticent to go all in with his cash, he eventually purchases the vehicle, using it as the first step in a long line of steps to restore the machine to its former glory. Once the car is in tip-top shape, he realizes that the price he acquired it for was much less than what he might sell it for now. However, this moneymaking scheme is only possible because he sold the car to Andiamo in the first place, a seemingly beneficial deal to him and Schulz and Tommy in the long run, highlighting the diversity of their car stock. Still, it remains a fictional dealership that is conjured from the minds of the show’s writers.
Read More: Tires: Is Valley Forge Automotive Center a Real Auto-Repair Garage?
