Using Coach-Net... I think I'm in trouble...

[JohnEd]

Jump suit,

I wouldn't give them all that info.  After all they are looking for any excuse to reduce their pay out for any legit reason.  In Pa I once called a tow truck to dig my fathers Oldsmobile and yes, it was my fathers Oldsmobile, out of the snow bank the plows had created.  It was easily doable by a truck and it had to be pulled thru 2 feet of snow for 25 feet till it would be free.  The tow truck driver pulled up, jumped out, grinned and announced he would not pull the car free.  "Why not" seemed a good question at the time.  It's because the state inspection sticker is one week expired and we don't have to tow a vehicle with an expired inspection sticker.  Seemed odd to me but I had to ask if they refunded the insurance fees for the period the car was not inspected seeing as their service was withheld for that period.  That punk said "oh no. we keep all the money but we don't have to do any work for it".  I said, look, the guy is 80 years old and there is no way he can deal with this and I was talking to him with canes in each hand.  All I got was a chipper "sorry" and away he slithered.  It was just a little to public and he was gone to fast for me to bring the canes to bear on the problem cause I figured I could cold cock the little $#!% and stuff him under the tires for traction, but alas !!!!  I called another tow company and said it wasn't an insurance job and they did it for $30.  God it just disappoints me so much when I even hear about people taking advantage of insurance companys and increasing my rates.  After all, just look at how my rates plummeted when they implemented that "NO FAULT" law and cut their expense by , what, 50%.  Yep, I got free insurance for six months out of that.  On, no, I didn't, my rates actually went UP

Now in your case I would tell them that fuel was found to be leaking and the engine presented a potential fire and threat to my family's and public's safety.  That can be corroborated by the Factory Authorized Service Center that you consulted with.  Had to remove the bus in the interest of public safety and the State Trooper gave me no alternative and we can get him to verify that.  Now I was armed with a cell phone and I could have contacted you but I was not given a "contact number"....only a bill, which I promptly paid, and instructions with which I could not comply.  Tell the guy what a absolutely terrible experience you have had with this trip and you have lost precious work time and nearly exhausted your savings and really are depending on their helping resolve the tow bill.  Be sure and tell him that you are HOPING to resolve this with him personally and promptly.  Tell him that you would have been amicable with his suggestion that a closer qualified shop would have been within the bounds of the contract but you understood that his company would determine the location of that shop in the process of arranging the tow service which they did not do.  Always work in the word HOPE.  It insinuates that this very same conversation can ultimately be appended with "Your Honor".  Small claims as a last resort but I would give you all you fees were it me and you have the satisfaction of costing the jerk a days travel expense and adding this to his pers file.  Then write the letter of complaint to the company.  "I hates those mices to pieces".

John

[Busted Knuckle]

OK I know nothing about how they work and what to tell them in order to get them to work with you instead of against you so forget I drove tow trucks for a living for close to 20 yrs working with all the major emergency road service plans.

SO forget I said anything!

JohnEd if you'd called back in they'd sent that little punk back out with his tail between his legs and had him do it! (speaking from personal experience as I was either told "go ahead and cover it" the first time or sent back because I didn't ask!)

That's why I said to tell them that Williams called the tow truck! #1 because it was their local service provider, an #2 because they billed WW and THEN WW passed it onto Marc after finding out it wasn't something that they did wrong. (not saying they did right, just that they didn't cause it!)

[JohnEd]

BK,

Don't get hot with me....I still love ya.....and I mean it this time.  My point was to keep the info and background to a min....just the facts ma'am,  just the facts(Friday).  KISS also comes to bear.

Please don't think I don't respect your experience, knowledge and good intention.  I certainly do.  But don't think for a minute I won't call you when I think you are dead wrong and putting out bad info.... Such as "OK I know nothing about how they work." (BK quote) That's not true and I hasten to disagree, Sir.

You think you can talk sense to these people then you didn't spend 18 years in the Pa I came to hate.  I am uncomfortable from the time I cross the border.  Still, the "people" in Pa are terrific and I usually feel a kindred spirit with them.  Great humor, mine, sarcastic and sometimes a little sharp but always appreciated and we enjoy each others wit.  Willing to lend a hand to anybody.  But the place is corrupt to the hilt but not the people I knew/know.  That driver said that company policy wouldn't let him hook up to a car that had a dated inspection sticker or plate and he was fully confident and chipper in telling me that.  I don't think for a second that he was setting policy, he was following it.

BK, You told me recently that you appreciated my disagreeing with you and I take you at your word with good reason.  You are a man of it.  You are one of the people here that should assume that what I say to you is said in respect and/or humor.   But that doesn't mean we can't fight...only that we will "fight nice".

I can easily see that insurance company telling him "fine, tell the party that summoned the tow truck to pay the bill.  We aren't involved.  We insure only you".  And they would have a great big point.  They aren't obligated to pay bills that occur in proximity to their client.  Now that's true and funny all at the same time and prime Pennsyltucky.

I do appreciate you BK,

John

When I went back there to visit with my father I had just retired and having access to my money and not having to carry much while I traveled in my Winnie was a concern.  I went to my bank and got one of those cash cards that you fed to one of those new fangled(at the time) machines and got money out.  i explained that i was loath to get a card that wouldn't be accepted "everywhere".  They gave me a CIRRUS account with complete assurance and I was so relieved and actually felt loved again.  First crack at a Pa machine on a Friday and I am nearly flat broke as this card has been working wonderfully all across the country and I don't like to carry a lot of cash.  The machine said "unrecognized account or system".  I went to another bank and got the same answer.  @#!^&^%)*&*  I called my bank in San Diego and asked for the lady that hooked me up with that card.  She was amazed and said that there was some mistake as I had a lot of funds on hand and in savings and there was no reason for the card not to work as it was a guaranteed "nationally recognized card".  There was a long pause and she whispered "You aren't in Pennsylvania, are you?".   %$#$&^&% Pennsylvania.  Done it again!  So off to the Ohio state line for cash.  God bless Pa.  Go ahead and tell me that anyone can put their foot down in Pa and get justice.  All banks were required to take Cirrus but somehow Pa hadn't been paid off properly or sufficiently.  Go ahead and tell me that again....it's so endearing when you puff up in futility.   Just the facts Mame.

[artvonne]

BK,

  Don't get hot with me....I still love ya.....and I mean it this time.

 BK, You told me recently that you appreciated my disagreeing with you and I take you at your word with good reason.  You are a man of it.  You are one of the people here that should assume that what I say to you is said in respect and/or humor.   But that doesn't mean we can't fight...only that we will "fight nice".

I do appreciate you BK,

  John, thats the funniest stuff ive read all week, just about blew chips and salsa all over the monitor. You gotta warn people before ya spout off like that.

 

[thejumpsuitman]

Unlike my frustration with Williams, I screwed this one up.  I should have skimmed over their policies before I left in the coach.  If they deny me the reimbursement, I can't really say they are wrong.  I did not follow procedure, therefore they could not strike a deal with the tow company ahead of time using their clout, or call a company in their network.  They could not stay in business paying full "retail" for tow bills.  And what good are policies if people are not held to them?  It works both ways, I'm on the short end this time.

That being said, I would not turn down their mercy...

I would only suggest to them that when someone signs up that basic information is given on one printer friendly page, i.e. Policy #, Basic instructions if you break down, Contact phone number.  There was a printable receipt with the policy #, but no more.

I did not read the .pdf file because I saw that it was 17 pages long and did not have the patience to look through it since I was ready to hit the road.  I made a bad assumption about their reimbursement policy and I might have to pay the price for it.

The only frustration I have with Coach-net is the lack of info given at sign-up and the fact that their phone number is very difficult to find on their website.

[thejumpsuitman]

no triple a rv plus coverage either?  they let you send a bill later.  what about the insurance company?  i think we have tow coverage with our insurance, or at least we did with state farm when we had a house.

Thanks for breaking me out of the tunnel vision!...  I do have roadside assistance with Progressive and they do allow for the bill to be sent in.  I think I might be saved! 

[Busted Knuckle]

John, yer right it's agreed we disagree on this one. I used to be that smart a** punk who used to look for reasons "why we wouldn't cover it under AAA but for $50 we would!" But after a while I got so tired of AAA and all the other clubs we worked for calling me back out to the same car and telling me "over look it this time, they are a valued customer!"  I finally accepted the fact that they valued the customer breaking the very rules they told us to follow more than the vendor who was trying to save them from paying out on "unqualified runs" and actually being able to charge the going rate of $35-50 for something that they only paid $9-$16 for! (That's right $9 dollars is what they paid us to run all over town to change a tire, jump start, or unlock a car, $ 16 was what they paid to winch one out up to 1/2 hr or tow one 5 miles! That is what the vendor/truck was paid the drivers usually got 25-33% of that! How would you like to get up out of bed @ 3:00 AM and go out in BFE and pull a car out of the mud 300' off the road, for a group belligerent of drunks, and no or 2 yrs expired license plate for $4? **violation #1 more than 100' off the road, #2 not supposed to have to deal with uncooperative or belligerent customers #3 not supposed to enable an intoxicated driver to get back behind the wheel # 4 if a car is in unregistered or otherwise in-operable legally on the public roads it does not qualify for service under club rules** And time after time I was sent back to "keep the valued customer happy!")
SO I know if you go through channels they will make allowances BTDT.
  BK 

[Busted Knuckle]

Marc, I would still try Coach-net on it, they may or may not make an exception for you! (in my experience they usually do for the person who doesn't take no the first time and calls back and explains things to a supervisor. And if they don't your only out a phone call!)

And yes Progressive & Allstate (and a few others too!) both allow you to do it either way - call into dispatch and let them send someone or pay it and turn it in for reimbursement.
  BK 

[thejumpsuitman]

Well it is acceptable to do it this way with Progressive, so I'll send it to them.  With Coach-net, it may or may not work.  I just want to be covered, don't care who does it.  Actually, I would like Williams to pay it, but that's another story.

[Busted Knuckle]

Well it is acceptable to do it this way with Progressive, so I'll send it to them.  With Coach-net, it may or may not work.  I just want to be covered, don't care who does it.  Actually, I would like Williams to pay it, but that's another story.

[artvonne]

   Coach net isnt at fault here. As has been said, they didnt have any time to negotiate with other haulers for a better deal.

  There are a lot of lessons to be learned here.

  First off, most all heavy trucking is corporate. They just arent dealing with a lot of owner operators anymore that are living on a budget, and those guys probably stay out of the Big shops (as should we?). In this situation they would just have stuffed a new motor in it. In fact Williams didnt even want to do an inframe, they wanted to put an entire new overhauled engine in. If I read that right. R&R, remove and replace.

  And this is a trend that now encompasses not just heavy trucks, but everything from cars, to appliances, to electronics, that its become more cost effective to replace than repair. R&R, remove and replace.

 Its also very possible that in a large heavy truck center that does a lot of corporate trucks, they dont have anyone that really knows mechanical engine diagnosis, especially an older engine like a Detroit 2 stroke that isnt seen in trucking anymore. R&R, remove and replace.

 In all seriousness, it would have been more cost effective for Marc to have known how to plug off that injector and nurse it on home. Marc will end up spending, when its all said, over half the cost of a complete overhaul, even with Williams doing it, but have a Frankenmotor to show for it. Add in the loss in time and work, and Marc's probably already paid for an overhaul.

 And here is another thing to think about. If the piston broke up and lost chunks, did any chunks come out of the ports and get into any other cylinders? If two different mechanics spent over $1000 in labor and never saw anything wrong inside the bad cylinder, its doubtful they looked in any others, or that they would see anything if they had. Hopefully now that the head is off they will give a gander in there.

 So the lesson ive gleaned here is to just keep the hammer down (lightly) and point old Nellie home. She might be wounded, but she aint dead and she knows where the barn is. In very few cases have I ever had anything go so bad I couldnt continue, even if it was clangin and bangin. Even if the engine was destroyed by the time he got it home, overall you would have saved money, time, and a whole lot of grief.

 So unless its minor stuff a truck stop or Bus garage can fix, im going to nurse her home and Pray. And use coach net only as a last resort to get the Bus the rest of the way, if at all possible. Then I can have more R&R. Rest and Relaxation.
   

 

[Len Silva]

Art,

I have to agree with you to a point.  It mostly depends on your knowledge of things diesel and the size of your check book.  In my case, if I were looking at a $5k repair away from home, I would have no choice.  The only options would be to get it home somehow or abandon it.

[thejumpsuitman]

In spending as much as we did on this bus, I was betting on no problems home... (notice I did not say "counting on no problems.")

But in doing this, I kind of broke one of my own rules which limited my options...  People always ask me why I always drive old, cheap cars.  My answer is that I won't drive something I can't afford to lose or leave somewhere if it breaks down far from home.  Well I couldn't afford to lose the bus with what we spent on it, so we were subject to the horrible costs of repairing it on the road. 

This has been a miserable experience, and hopefully at least others can benefit from watching this unfold.

[HighTechRedneck]

 Its also very possible that in a large heavy truck center that does a lot of corporate trucks, they dont have anyone that really knows mechanical engine diagnosis, especially an older engine like a Detroit 2 stroke that isnt seen in trucking anymore. R&R, remove and replace.

 In all seriousness, it would have been more cost effective for Marc to have known how to plug off that injector and nurse it on home. Marc will end up spending, when its all said, over half the cost of a complete overhaul, even with Williams doing it, but have a Frankenmotor to show for it. Add in the loss in time and work, and Marc's probably already paid for an overhaul.

I tend to agree with Art about the large shops, especially as it pertains to 2-strokes.  More and more of the big shops no longer have any mechanics experienced with 2-strokes.

Too late now for Marc, but it might be worth noting for others.  100 miles north of Atlanta is the Choo Choo Express Garage.  A simple 2-bay diesel bus shop that isn't all that much to look at, but has an expert bus mechanic that specializes in non computerized 2-stroke detroits and a shop owner that knows even more about them and where to find all the rare parts they sometimes need.  And their labor rate is half that of the big shops.  Plus dollars spent there are supporting one of the last of a breed that is very valuable to bus nuts.

When Ken & Ruthi had that breakdown in their 4905, the towing service wanted to tow them to Atlanta, but they paid the extra and had it towed to the Choo Choo.  It was worth it to them.

[JohnEd]

[Too late now for Marc, but it might be worth noting for others.  100 miles north of Atlanta is the Choo Choo Express Garage.  A simple 2-bay diesel bus shop that isn't all that much to look at, but has an expert bus mechanic that specializes in non computerized 2-stroke detroits and a shop owner that knows even more about them and where to find all the rare parts they sometimes need.  And their labor rate is half that of the big shops.  Plus dollars spent there are supporting one of the last of a breed that is very valuable to bus nuts.

When Ken & Ruthi had that breakdown in their 4905, the towing service wanted to tow them to Atlanta, but they paid the extra and had it towed to the Choo Choo.  It was worth it to them.

Exactly!  But Marc was directed to W by some of the best intentioned people on the planet.  And W has a deserved positive rep in those circles.  This was a tough one and the lesson is truly as critical as it is difficult to fathom.  Thank you HTR.

John