View Single Post
  #5  
Old December 18th 05, 09:19 AM posted to rec.autos.makers.jeep+willys
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default YJ Breaks down - Bad Triple AAA Experience.

I have had better luck not having a service like AAA, and calling a wrecker
the few times I have needed one. Usually, you can get the cops or a local
service station to recommend a good one.

Earle

"Matt Macchiarolo" > wrote in message
. ..
> Jeez. what a bunch of morons.
>
> My advice, write a letter to the president of AAA New York. Don't bother
> with customer service departments, write directly to the top dog. You'd be
> surprised sometimes how fast they are to rectify a problem like this. Be
> factual, professional and non-emotional in your letter. Good luck, and

post
> what happens!
>
> "billy ray" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Like it or not everyone needs to read it, especially anyone near

Syracuse.
> >
> > --
> > (Remove the SPAM)
> > 2002 WJ Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl Coat
> > Helping is why we are all here on RAMJ+W, or should be.
> > "Lou Boncek" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >>I figure I'd put this ins seprate post, because it is sort of a rant,

and
> >> some people won't want to read it.
> >>
> >>
> >> Last year my 90 YJ Blew a water pump and AAA had an independent tow

truck
> >> to
> >> me in less that 30 minutes, polite tow person, offered me his cell

phone
> >> to
> >> make arrangements with garage, wife, employer, and offered me a ride.
> >>
> >> But yesterday I had my worst experience with AAA.
> >>
> >> My Jeep gets hung up in a snow bank, because a plow went through an
> >> intersection, didn't raise its wing and buried the front of the Jeep

with
> >> a
> >> few feet of snow. It was on an incline, at a red light, with a line of
> >> traffic behind me. Long story-short, going up over the snow bank, does
> >> something to kill the starter and the electrical system.
> >>
> >> OK. Call 911, because I'm blocking traffic on the exit ramp and I am

one
> >> quarter of the way in to the intersection, which is not a flat
> >> intersection
> >> but a hump, so you can't just push through it. Plus it has been

snowing
> >> so
> >> there is over a foot of snow to go through.
> >>
> >> Time is about 7:30 am.
> >>
> >> Local police come. Real pleasant, considering it is snowing, slippery,

a
> >> line of traffic. He helps me shovel the Jeep and gets the traffic

around
> >> the Jeep so we can push it 10 feet back down the ramp, so he can put

his
> >> car
> >> behind it with lights and get traffic moving around us.
> >>
> >> He asks if I want a tow, AAA. I tell him I have Triple A. He says

he'll
> >> make the call for me, if He can have my card. I go to get my card and
> >> realize I can't see! One of my lens has fallen out while we were

pushing
> >> the Jeep!
> >>
> >> I know the card is the gold one in my wallet, so I find it by color and
> >> give
> >> it to him and then spend 10 minutes in a foot of snow and somehow find
> >> the
> >> lost lens in one piece.
> >>
> >> The officer lets me know that AAA is on the way and he will stay there
> >> because he think the situation could be hazardous.
> >>
> >> About 30 minutes later a "real" AAA Flat bed shows up. Logo on the

side,
> >> driver with official looking jacket, etc. The Syracuse Triple A has its
> >> own
> >> trucks and drivers!
> >>
> >> Time is about 8:00 am.
> >>
> >> We are discussing the best way to load the Jeep, since we are in the
> >> intersection, when a second AAA tow truck show up. Wow! What service!
> >> Two
> >> truck - two official looking guys. This is great!
> >>
> >> So he'll stop traffic with his truck and lights, so the flat bed can

back
> >> in.
> >>
> >> All goes just like clock work. Less than 5 minutes.
> >>
> >> HERE IS WHERE IT ALL STARTS TO GO DOWNHILL!
> >>
> >> Driver asks, "Where do you want it towed?" Now BOTH drivers are

standing
> >> right there.
> >>
> >> I tell them, Trapasso's Garage, Fulton (NY), which is located directly

in
> >> front of the Fulton State Police Barracks.
> >>
> >> Driver says he is not really familiar with Fulton. Do I know the

street
> >> address? No I do not, but is is in Fulton, right next to the State
> >> Police
> >> Barracks.
> >>
> >> I tell him, pull out to your left and go down the ramp, take 481 North

to
> >> Fulton. Get to near the center of town and I'm not sure if it is the

3rd
> >> light or the 4th light, but you'll see a company like Hutamaka on the
> >> left,
> >> a wendys, Take a right. And go until you see the State Police

Barracks.
> >>
> >> He then asks, are you going to ride with me?
> >>
> >> I replied that the officer has been kind enough to drive me the mile to
> >> where I work, and that my wife had already called the garage, they've
> >> worked
> >> on the Jeep before and already were getting a starter and some other
> >> possible needed parts to have on hand, so if that was indeed the cause
> >> they
> >> could get it right in and back to me.
> >>
> >> He says, OK. I'll call dispatch and get the street address.
> >>
> >> Both tow trucks pull away. The officer waits until they clear the

scene.
> >> Motions me to get in the car and drives me to work. I thank him for
> >> everything.
> >>
> >> The garage where I wanted the Jeep taken is 14.9 miles North of where

it
> >> broke down. Even in the bad weather, he should be there in 30 minutes,
> >> heck
> >> even give him an hour in case he stops for coffee or something.
> >>
> >> Time is about 8:15 am.
> >>
> >> At 1:00 pm my wife calls me (She had been home all morning waiting for
> >> the
> >> weather to clear so she could put in a half days work - my job, I'm
> >> considered "essential staff" so I get docked a day even when they are
> >> closed, if I don't show up) Anyway, 1:00 PM. She tells me she called
> >> the
> >> garage to make arrangements to pay and pick up the Jeep and they tell
> >> her,
> >> Jeep isn't there! Never showed up!
> >>
> >> 1:05 PM I call AAA.
> >>
> >> "Hey, I had a road side emergency tow this morning at about 8:00 am and
> >> the
> >> garage tells me, the Jeep hasn't gotten there yet. What happened?"
> >>
> >> They go through all the stuff, name, etc to bring up the computer

screen
> >> (Also I am calling the LOCAL Syracuse AAA office, not a 800 anywhere
> >> number)
> >>
> >> "Well, it says here you didn't tell the driver where you wanted it

taken"
> >>
> >> OK - so my bloods beginning to boil, and I say, No, I told the driver
> >> EXACTLY where to take it. I told BOTH drivers where I Wanted it taken.

I
> >> did
> >> not have the EXACT street address, but the driver said he would call
> >> dispatch and get the address.
> >>
> >> "Well where did you want it taken?" I told him exactly what I told the
> >> other two drivers. And I ask, by the way, where is the Jeep.
> >>
> >> "Oh, it's here in our yard."
> >>
> >> We go back and forth a little bit, no swearing or anything, just
> >> disbelief
> >> that it was not delivered.
> >>
> >> "Well it says in the drivers report, you didn't give him your phone
> >> number
> >> so we had no way to get in touch with you to find out where you wanted
> >> it,
> >> so we off loaded it."
> >>
> >> I asked him if he had his computer screen up in front of him and he

told
> >> me
> >> yes, he did. OK. Let's check something, is my address correct? I

give
> >> him
> >> my address. Then I ask him - Now, where is says phone number, you do
> >> have a
> >> phone number listed there for me, don't you?
> >>
> >> Silence.
> >>
> >> "We didn't know your work number?"
> >>
> >> I said, my wife has been home all morning. She has made arrangements
> >> with
> >> the garage. They are waiting for the Jeep.
> >>
> >> "Well sir it says in the drivers report you left the scene before the
> >> truck
> >> left so the driver did not know where to take the Jeep.
> >>
> >> Oh-Boy, can blood really boil! I review with him that the Officer and

I
> >> stayed until the truck left he scene.
> >>
> >> "Oh, the officer was there too? Let me put you on hold.
> >>
> >> Back off hold 10 minutes or so later.
> >> "We'll get it there today sir."
> >>
> >> Unaccepatable! I've made arrangements with some people I know that are
> >> coming in to Syracuse to shop. They were/are going to pick the Jeep up
> >> and
> >> drop it off so I can get home. I live 30 miles from where I work. The
> >> garage said they can fix it by the time the close today at 5:00 pm.

THey
> >> are
> >> not open this weekend. So if you put it on a truck now (It is about

1:30
> >> by
> >> now), and truck it, it will be there in an hour, plenty of time for

them
> >> to
> >> fix it and for me to get home. You do understand the problem? No

Jeep.
> >> No
> >> way to get home?
> >>
> >> "Let me put you on hold" (Another 10 minutes or so)
> >>
> >> While on hold, I look up the address, phone number of the garage. Call
> >> the
> >> garage and talk with them. Yes they will work on my Jeep right way
> >> because
> >> they know I need it.
> >>
> >> The AAA guy comes back on the line. I give him the name of the garage,
> >> the
> >> address of the garage and the phone number of the garage.
> >>
> >> "Sir, all our trucks are busy now"
> >>
> >> I'll tell you what. Don't use one of your trucks. Call a tow company.
> >> Get
> >> one of their trucks there NOW and get that Jeep on the road, so I have

a
> >> way
> >> to get home tonight! And YOU will pick up the cost!
> >>
> >> (On hold again)
> >>
> >> "Sir, we have it logged in for pick up by 2:08 pm toady.
> >>
> >> I figure OK, even if they leave by 2:30, get there by 3:30 the guys at
> >> the
> >> garage should be able to get it done by 5:00 pm.
> >>
> >> I then stay on the line and tell him to add a note, that is is a formal
> >> complaint, that the service has been rotten. (I left out the part where
> >> he
> >> told me that since I was at work I was safe and secure and they had to

do
> >> their assistance first before they could take care of my problem - the
> >> problem they created when THEIR driver decided he didn't want to go 15
> >> miles
> >> North - I need to find out if those guys get paid by the call, that

would
> >> explain why he dumped my Jeep, so he could hit some local tows!)
> >>
> >> So we end up, I remind him 2:08. You have my work number, I expect a
> >> call
> >> at 2:10 for you to updated me on the status of this situation. Hang

up.
> >>
> >> So I'm working away not realizing the time and see that is is 4:00 PM.
> >>
> >> Call the garage. "Hows the Jeep?"
> >> "What Jeep?"
> >> "The White 1990 Wrangler Triple A dropped off, probably 30 minutes, an
> >> hour
> >> ago."
> >> "Hold on." "Sir, I checked our lot, our side lot and inside all the
> >> bays,
> >> there are no Jeeps here. Let me get you the owner.
> >>
> >> The owner comes on, he knows from my wife's call and my previous call

the
> >> situation. He tells me, if it shows up - yeah he was suppose to close

at
> >> 5,
> >> but if it gets there by 5:00 pm he'll stay and work on it. I thank

him.
> >>
> >> 4:10 PM Call Triple A
> >> "I have a problem, my Jeep was supposed to be taken to a specific

garage
> >> today at 9:00 am, it's not there yet -"
> >> "What's you name, etc....again"
> >>
> >> "OH, yes sir, I have the information right here, You didn't give the
> >> driver
> >> a place to take it so they took it to our Taft Road Offices in

Syracuse,
> >> do
> >> you want it to go someplace?"
> >>
> >> I briefly explain, heatedly, how their driver lied for some reason, the
> >> conversation with the person I had a 1:00 pm about the Jeep and how it
> >> was
> >> suppose to be on a truck at 2:08, and how if it is still on their lot,
> >> They
> >> have a real problem, because I don't have a way to get home.
> >>
> >> "Hmmm sir, I think I better have you speak with a supervisor.
> >>
> >> Supervisor comes on line.
> >>
> >> I briefly explain the entire story you've read so far, hitting only the
> >> high
> >> points, like the driver's incompetence, lying, no call back at 2:10, so
> >> we
> >> could have dealt with the situation then.
> >>
> >> "She puts me on hold"
> >>
> >> "Sir, I show here that the transport is at the lot and your Jeep is

being
> >> taken to the garage."
> >>
> >> She does not yet understand the situation. So I have to spell it out

for
> >> her. Had the Jeep been taken directly to the garage in the morning. I
> >> would have a ride home. Had the Jeep been taken at 2:08, I would have

a
> >> ride home. But since the Jeep is now going to arrive AFTER the garage

is
> >> closed, I have TWO problems that they have caused. 1. I have no ride
> >> home.
> >> 2. I have no way to get to work on Monday, because they will need to

fix
> >> the
> >> Jeep on Monday, and I don't want to loose a days pay because of all

their
> >> screw up and incompetence all day long.
> >>
> >> She puts me on hold.
> >>
> >> While on hold, I start making phone calls on another line, and after 5

or
> >> so
> >> calls find a friend who would be able to get me.
> >>
> >> 15 minutes later she gets back on the line, And I tell her, while she
> >> had
> >> me on hold I found a way to get home. She told me she had been working
> >> on
> >> that - I told her that is the first time today anyone had tried to fix
> >> the
> >> situation.
> >> But - I explain to her the second situation. No way to get to work.

And
> >> I
> >> suggest to her that I think Triple A can provide for me a car Sunday
> >> night,
> >> preferably a 4WD or All-wheel drive as snow squalls are predicted, so I
> >> can
> >> drive to work on Monday, make arrangements to get my Jeep and then drop
> >> the
> >> car off Monday night.
> >>
> >> She asks if I have a cell phone and I give her my number. She says she
> >> will
> >> call me back. I told her that I won't be home until 8:00 pm because of
> >> the
> >> arrangements, so you call my cell up to then and my home after that.
> >>
> >> Then I think to ask. When they drop the Jeep off, they will secure the
> >> Jeep. I mean the garage will be closed.
> >>
> >> "Oh, yes" If there is a drop box the driver always puts the keys in

it.
> >>
> >>
> >> So----On my way home I ask if we can make a 10 minute detour to the
> >> garage.
> >>
> >> Guess what? Garage is closed! Guess what? The Jeep doors are open

and
> >> the
> >> keys are in the ignition. Along with the gas cap key and the back
> >> compartment key.
> >>
> >> And of course, oh, yeah, even at night, I can see it. They have a drop
> >> box
> >> right by the door!!!
> >>
> >> They haven't called me yet about a car for work on Monday either.

Think
> >> I
> >> should hold my breath?
> >>
> >> Thanks for letting me rant - but I do want to get the message out, that
> >> the
> >> Syracuse Branch of the Triple A, on this instance has been totally
> >> incompetent. I plan to write a formal complaint (Won't help me, might
> >> the
> >> next person) and find out what other agency's you can write to to

report
> >> how I was treated by Triple A that day.
> >>
> >> Like I said before - I've used Triple A in the past, and every other

time
> >> it
> >> was an independent tow that Triple A contracts with and they have

ALWAYS
> >> been on time, polite and helpful.
> >>
> >> This is the first time that the Syracuse Triple A, which keeps its own
> >> fleet
> >> of trucks and drivers responded, and the response, the lying by the
> >> driver,
> >> the lack of concern and slow/no action is unbelievable.
> >>
> >> But I'm thinking, we have a car in our driveway that is fully licensed
> >> and
> >> insured, and plated, but has slipping clutch that we plan to get fixed
> >> after
> >> the holiday bills.
> >>
> >> What do you think? Should I call up Triple A on Monday at about 5 am

and
> >> tell them I need a tow, and give the the address of my jobsite and then
> >> ride
> >> in with the driver?
> >>
> >> Hope you all have pleasant experiences, and I hope that my complaining

to
> >> Triple A and appropriate agencies will make your next experience
> >> better!.....lou
> >>
> >>

> >
> >

>
>



Ads