Roadside Assistance is useless

[jmorse]

Delivering equipment last night and the engine started running poorly. Started with a whistle/hissing noise. Progressed to a rattleing /vibrating in a few minutes. By the time I got off the highway and to a parking lot the overhead said the ccv filter needs service. I opened the hood and shut the engine down. The turbo was obviuosly failing as it was making all sorts of noise while coasting down. Called road side assistance and they said they'd send a rollback. After a 1/2hr. they called to say they still can't get anyone to come out. Finally after an hour they called to say they still can't get anyone to come out. One of the towing services called me and said he'd come ,but that roadside will only pay $25. 00 for the call and that is why they can't get anyone for the tow. To say the least I was hot by now! I called my dealer and vented a LITTLE ! They sent a rollback. A simple 2hr. delivery turned into a 5hr. ordeal. The american car companies really don't get it ! Wonder why they're going broke ? Sure makes me want to lay out another 40 grand ! Oh forgot to mention, this turbo only has 1500 miles on it.



Jim

 

[SierraRam]

That is why I have AAA, the best investment you can make IMO.

 

[Regcabguy]

My blunder.

That is why I have AAA, the best investment you can make IMO.

I've got AAA too but I've got one bone to pick with them. I accidentally put six gallons of gas in my '99:-laf. It was my mindless blunder so I called AAA instead of Roadside Assistance. My truck had a popup cabover on it which I paid extra insurance yearly for. When I contacted AAA they asked if it had a camper on it and I of course replied in the affirmative because they were looking at my records right there. The rep. informed me that I had not upgraded my towing insurance to "RV" at the time of purchase so I wouldn't be covered. I then asked them why somebody from AAA insurance didn't advise me at the time. Her reply was that AAA insurance and AAA towing are separate entities. Well a $135 tow bill convinced me to upgrade my coverage to the tune of $28. 00. Make sure you're carrying enough towing insurance. :{

 

[jmorse]

Guys I know all about tripple A, but that is not the point. As a business owner I do not tell my customers I offer something that I don't. That is a sure receipe for failure. Chrysler should not offer it if they have no intentions of giving it. I was going to pay the tow bill to the nearest dealer and then fight for reimbursment. My dealer wanted the truck @ their facility. They stepped up and had it towed to them. It was probably another 80 miles to their shop. I have thanked them for their efforts. Now if they can get the truck back on the road soon.



Jim

 

[AABEN]

I have used Chrysler for years and had no trouble with it. If I by a new one it will be with them.

 

[mcurtice1]

I had a bad experience myself with towing. I had my truck towed AAA for a clogged trubo. Got the truck bad and had an electrical problem. The dealer had me call Roadside Assistance to tow the truck back to get it fixed. Roadside Assistance would not take me back to the same dealer (you know, the ones who sent me to Roadside Assitance). They would only take me to a different dealer. $167 bill for the tow to to original dealer!!!!

 

[Bob4x4]

There has been a huge string of cost cutting going on At Chrysler llc. You just felt the effects. To keep the doors open they have been doing what they can.

Half the dm's have been cut. I have been seeing large parts price increases.

I see people complaining because it costs too much to buy a new truck,then they complain because they don't get their trucks rebuilt under warranty after modifying or what ever else. Free towing isn't perfect.

When will we realize every service cost something



Bob

 

[jelag]

We have an 08 5500 and have used this once..... it took 2 hours to get the truck but the driver dropped the truck off at a dealer and our driver at a motel for NC which we thought was nice... .

 

[icman95]

Some things never change. Bought mine new in May '01 and 3 weeks later it wouldn't start in my driveway. Called my dealer and found out they didn't have a wrecker, but they were happy to call roadside asst for me to get one. Roadside asst. called me back to tell me that the only people who they deal with in the area would be about 3 hours if not more. HHmmm. Not good. They asked me if I knew of any towing services that would do the job and get reimbursed by them. I gave them some names and they called around. Couldn't find anyone willing to tow a dually. By this time I got on the phone rather hot and bothered to my dealer who then called a service they know of with a wrecker big enough. Just before they got the wrecker started in my direction, I was able to get it started and promptly drove it to the dealership where they found an air leak in the fuel system had messed things up. The source of the leak? A bad o-ring on the fuel filter housing.





When I bought my RV my insurance agent told me about AAA RV towing. Like Regcabguy, I didn't know it existed, but am glad he told me about it. I signed up right away and now for $100/year, I don't worry about the possibility of a tow. They will take me anywhere within 100 miles. I highly recommend it. The cost of the tow with the 5er on would be about $175 per hour for a wrecker big enough to handle the job.

 

[Deadbus]

I've used the DC roadside assistance at least 7 times on my '01 and once on my '07. I have yet to have a bad experience. I have had one "enlightening" experience, though. I had the lift pump go out on my '01 and RA sent out a tow service. I neglected to remind them that it was a full size truck and send a proper sized rig. They sent out one of those toy trucks with dollies. I protested he called his boss, the boss assured the driver that the truck was rated for 9000 lbs. I relented and sat in for one heck of a ride. He had to floor the truck to get the hydraulics to lift the front end, and then the fun started. We took off for the dealership, got to the first stoplight and the driver soon realized that my truck weighed more than he was used to. We slid through that light and every light there after. Luckily, we only had a few miles to go (Yeah, I know I'm dumb for letting it go on that long, but hey I needed a good laugh. ) When we got to the dealer, when he backed down the driveway, he couldn't stop. My truck dragged me to the bottom and then some. It was a great end to a bad day.



RA has treated me well, and has even given me the choice of dealerships to go to, rather than the closest; that includes backwoods Louisiana, where all were over an hour away. I have never had to pay a cent for anything and had one dealer even put me up in a hotel for 2 days, with a loaner car (backwoods LA). I guess the service has a little to do with wherever you are and who you talk to. I've called from CA, LA, MT, NY, and WA.

 

[icman95]

I'm glad to hear someone with a good RA experience, but I just have to ask: 7 times for your '01? I wouldn't be mad with RA at this point, I'd be furious with the truck!

 

[Deadbus]

Icman95-



I kinda was, 4 times for alternator replacements, 3 times for the lift pump. It took the TDR to figure out why I was going through so many alternators, bad cabling off the alternator. After it was replaced, never had a problem with 'em again and as for the lift pump, well we all know out that goes. I finally got smart and replaced it with a FASS pump. The truck ran great until the day I got really stupid and let a F*rd dealer convince me to get rid of my truck. He talked so fast that I was saying I don't want to do this as I was signing the papers. Ended up with a 2008 6. 4L F-250 Long Bed, Crew Cab. Biggest POS I have ever owned (13. 3MPG@65mph in cruise control with a slight tail wind and downhill slope). Even under ideal conditions it sucked, at least it was comfortable and in a color I liked. To add insult to injury, it was stolen 13 days after I bought it. I kinda miss it, but then again I am happy to be back with Dodge. I just wish it was my old, trusty 5. 9 instead of this 6. 7L. I love the cab, just don't care much for the engine/MPG.



I digress. DC/RA have never let me down and have been more than accommodating in taking care of my rigs. Too bad not everybody received the same treatment. I keep an optimistic outlook on everything, the Navy operates in water deeper than I can stand up in (no offense, Coasties:-laf).

 

[Moe]

COACHNET is my choice. I have had my MCI bus towed twice on a lowboy. No problem. Once you sign up with them, they will tow you to the nearest facility that can work on your vehicle, and it applys to all of your vehicles. MOE