Originally Posted by Bugout4x4 (Post 3501110)

Yep, that's the problem... They have someone on the payroll who does nothing but dream up little "fine print" petty deceptive hooks like this ridiculous policy to screw vendors and customers over every chance they get. It's bad business.

I noticed that there are also quite a few complaints about direct vendor service. One would think this is the fault of the 3rd party vendor right? Nope... All on triple A... because they treat their vendors so bad the vendors could care less about triple A customers.

Trickle down effect with this one resulting from triple A's own corporate vendor relation policies....

In fact it's time someone gave them a REAL run for their money and compete them right out of business.

Originally Posted by PatHenry (Post 3501117)

That's a good point about lack of competition. I wonder what the barriers to entry are for a competing company. Scale? Profitability?

What state is the towing and recovery business in recently? Is towing and recovery profitable and if so how does it compare to related things like service or sales? Locally I know there are a few places that do towing, but they also do service and have contracts with their respective towns for police related towing, so is the towing a worthwhile pursuit or is it sort of a side operation that requires some other revenue stream to do business?

Obviously AAA uses local operators to actually do the towing, do they have corporate locations (sort of like there are franchised McDonalds but also corporate owned locations)?

Originally Posted by ShoffnerXJ (Post 3500650)

So I was driving yesterday and my transfer case just blew up. its on the out put side for the front shaft so I was able to limp it a few miles. but I was wondering if anybody would know if I drove 50 miles with no fluid in there if it'd be fine? I'm going to replace it anyway but would prefer to get it home to work on it.

Originally Posted by cruiser54 (Post 3501127)

I'm thinking you were already driving it without fluid. That's why they explode.....

Originally Posted by PatHenry (Post 3501233)

I'm thinking I need to look into my insurance company's road-side assistance and see what they can do for me so I can cancel my AAA. It's b.s. that they don't pay their bills - if nothing else I'll call and let them know I don't appreciate them playing games.
The tow guys I've met have always been decent guys just doing their jobs.

If ever I drive with an empty transfer case and need a tow I want the bills paid. I don't work for free, my tow company shouldn't have to.

Originally Posted by Bugout4x4 (Post 3501259)

customer

Originally Posted by awg (Post 3501393)

lol Victim...(previously known as)




one way to get back...I recently came across this Wikipedia entry on Mazda BT50 4wd ute.

Clearly, a customer had a very unsatisfactory experience..the Wiki entry lasted at least 2 weeks after I noticed it, and uploaded the link to another site...where someone pasted the text up for eternity...Wiki has been "fixed" now...gave me a laugh anyway


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The Mazda BT-50 (model code J97M) is a compact/mid-sized pickup truck produced by the Japanese manufacturer Mazda since 2006. It is a larger version of the predecessor B-Series pickup. Until 2011, Ford had also sold a version of the first-generation BT-50 as the Ford Ranger and as the SUV Ford Everest. From 2011 the second-generation Ranger has been designed by Ford Australia, with a Mazda derivative sold as the BT-50. It was withdrawn from sale in the Japanese and North American markets after safety and reliability issues with melting parts resulted in the unfortunate monicker “Thermo”.

The BT50 continues to be sold to unsuspecting buyers in . Serious and terminal reliability issues continue to develop in the transmission, diesel engine, brakes, cooling system, fuel injection, emission control, electronic engine control, steering, seatbelts, towing system, dashboard instrumentation, windscreen washers and headlights. At its nadir in 2017, no BT50 could drive more than 100 metres without at least one door falling off. The sight of a hapless driver clinging desperately to the steering wheel of a (barely) moving vehicle with one hand while trying to reattach the driver’s door with the other, while passengers run behind picking up ejected engine parts, has become common.

In October 2017, Mazda made the strategic decision to wash its hands of the model. While still continuing to sell new vehicles, all pretense of customer service and repair responsibility was discarded. Dealers were directed to treat victims (previously known as customers) with scorn and derision, milking them for as much cash as possible while pretending to make repairs using rusty old parts scrounged from lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners and abandoned farm equipment. This required no change for the dealers, who had been using these techniques since mid 2009.



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Originally Posted by Bugout4x4 (Post 3501397)

They threatened to sue me for liable several years back because of all the true experiences I shared :)