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How does towing work?



 
 
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  #41  
Old July 19th 05, 07:02 PM
Rod Speed
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George > wrote
> wrote
>> George wrote


>>> I was driving at highway speed on the Interstate on a busy Friday
>>> afternoon when the engine simply stopped. Fortunately I was in the far left
>>> lane so I was able to coast off the road without cutting
>>> thru traffic. I had the car towed in to the garage. It started and
>>> ran OK. The computer did not have any stored codes. They
>>> eventually found a failing crankshaft position sensor.


>> the engine would not re-start out on the side of the Interstate,
>> but would after cooling down? MIght have been a thermal effect
>> which may recur some sad day.


>> I am not one who automatically presumes dishonesty on the part of service
>> vendors. But I also will not automatically presume that a successful
>> "repair", is a the same as a "cure". There's an old saying that "a conclusion
>> is where you were standing when you got tired of thinking". For example, did
>> they subject the position sensor to a battery of tests, *in a test jig
>> outside the engine*


> You do know that is completely ridiculous.


We'll see...

> The failure that the car had could have been caused by a number of components.


Correct, but he is talking about anticipating the failure, before it happens.

> It is totally impractical to remove all of those components and perform some
> sort of exhaustive analysis on them.


He doesnt appear to be saying that is done, just
that the test system is outside the car. In other
words it checks those components while they are
still in the car. Thats possible with those sensors.

> And more importantly it is outrageous to perform periodic testing on such
> components because it typically does not produce a reduction in failures.


Really depends on the percentage of sensors that go bad
other than instantly. In other words whether its possible to
detect some going bad before they fail completely.

> Instead the mechanic performed a reasonable and customary repair. He plugged
> his analyzer in and went for a ride until the computer
> produced a service code. The service code was for a specific sensor.
> He replaced the ~ $40.00 part and the car has worked fine since.


And that appears to be what Alan is talking about.

> What else exactly needed to be determined?


What has failed.

> The Space Shuttle level inspection/maintenance process you advocate just
> doesn't make sense for a passenger automobile.


He appears to just be advocating the use of the analyser to
pick up imminent failures before they make the car undrivable.

His claim that its possible to completely
eliminate all failures is clearly just plain wrong.

> And even with the extreme level maintenence the shuttle does have problems.


For different reasons tho.

>> You're happy because they fixed the complaint within a reasonable
>> budget. THat's a very normal & rational thing. We should not mistake
>> their actions for a complete diagnostic work-up.
>>
>> A real diagnostic work-up for evaluating a vehicle isn't easy to
>> find.... it takes LOT of expensive equipment, and a learning curve
>> for the mechanics. Money, and more money, which could only be
>> recovered by charging for... no repair work. Bev, over in another
>> thread, already displayed a VERY typical consumer reaction to such
>> an offer: "I don't want to pay for information about the mechanical
>> condition of my property". She is really in the center of the Bell
>> curve. How many people get their homes inspected outside of a
>> trying-to-sell situation? How many people keep even the simplest
>> track of MPG or of (eg) battery specific gravity, or condition of
>> crankcase oil? THese things are quite cheap to do.
>>
>> Go into any auto-parts store and look at the tremendous number and
>> variety of after-market products which cater to activities which
>> enhance the COSMETICS of a vehicle. They get the shelf space because
>> they have a high profit margin (ie, the chemicals involved are not
>> spectactular, but they've been marked up spectactularly); and because
>> they move well. People get pleasure in burnishing the appearance of
>> their vehicles. I don't see many people blueprinting their engines,
>> or the auxiliaries.
>>
>> It used to be that the AAA of Massachusetts owned and operated an
>> actual Diagnostic Center. You paid a few hundred dollars for a
>> top-to-bottom evaluation of your vehicle, by Master Mechanics using
>> the best instrumentation... no repairs, you paid for RELIABLE
>> INFORMATION. I don't know if it still exists.



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  #42  
Old July 19th 05, 07:08 PM
Rod Speed
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Steve > wrote
> Logan Shaw > wrote


>> Call me crazy, but I don't quite get why it's worthwhile
>> to buy insurance for this in the first place.


>> At the worst, I can imagine needing a tow perhaps twice a year


> Yikes, maybe twice a lifetime would be a more reasonable
> worst-case. How many people here have ever had to be towed?


Yeah, its pretty rare with other than accidents. I havent,
tho on one occasion the distributor failed, fortunately close
enough so I could walk to the place that sold a new one of
the bit that rotates and I could walk back and replace it myself.

And that is over 50+ years now.


  #44  
Old July 19th 05, 08:22 PM
Steve
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"Rod Speed" > wrote:
>Steve > wrote
>>> At the worst, I can imagine needing a tow perhaps twice a year

>
>> Yikes, maybe twice a lifetime would be a more reasonable
>> worst-case. How many people here have ever had to be towed?

>
>Yeah, its pretty rare with other than accidents. I havent,
>tho on one occasion the distributor failed, fortunately close
>enough so I could walk to the place that sold a new one of
>the bit that rotates and I could walk back and replace it myself.


Well, ain't this depressing. A response from Rod in which he failed
to call me stupid or witless or even pathetic. Makes me feel like I'm
just not living up to my potential. Sigh.

  #45  
Old July 19th 05, 09:45 PM
The Real Bev
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Logan Shaw wrote:
>
> The Real Bev wrote:
> > I doubt if the tow-jockey cares where you bought your membership -- otherwise
> > you'd play hell getting a tow in an expensive area if you'd bought your
> > membership in a cheap area.

>
> Call me crazy, but I don't quite get why it's worthwhile to buy
> insurance for this in the first place.
>
> At the worst, I can imagine needing a tow perhaps twice a year, and
> that would be in a bad year. Given that it costs about $125 for a
> tow, I'm not sure how it's a catastrophe to have to pay for it yourself.


How far do you get for $125? AT $7/mile, that's 18 miles. Our kids live 50
miles away. I go skiing 86 miles away. My mom lives 11 miles away. Never
can tell, we might even go somewhere else. The idea of making a simple phone
call and having some pre-vetted tow truck show up to haul the truck back home
so we can fix it ourselves seems not all that dumb. You like the idea of
Billy-Bob towing you to his station and telling you that you need your engine
replaced? Save the $75/year!

> All in all, if I had to choose between the two, I'd much rather have
> insurance for the repairs themselves. You can bet that after you
> spend that $125 to be towed to a shop, the repair bill is going to
> come to a lot more than $125 most of the time.


Unless you do it yourself, which is why you want it towed home rather than to
Billy-Bob's shop.

> Seems to me that's
> the type of unexpected expense to protect yourself from. Not that
> I'm aware of a company that offers this type of insurance, but it
> does seem more desirable.


I guess new cars come with stuff like that, but since I wouldn't dream of
buying a new car I guess I'll never find out.

--
Cheers,
Bev
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Some people are alive only because it is illegal to kill them."
-- Lionel
  #46  
Old July 19th 05, 09:56 PM
The Real Bev
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Steve wrote:
>
> Logan Shaw > wrote:
> >Call me crazy, but I don't quite get why it's worthwhile to buy
> >insurance for this in the first place.
> >At the worst, I can imagine needing a tow perhaps twice a year

>
> Yikes, maybe twice a lifetime would be a more reasonable worst-case.
> How many people here have ever had to be towed?


Me. Lifetime, maybe a dozen times. Most memorable: a bearing in the
differential broke, allowing the axle to pull out, which broke the brake
lines. Rolling down Angeles Crest in a 60 Ford station wagon with no brakes.
Fortunately we got to the little bar/restaurant with the sandy parking lot,
which slowed us down considerably before we hit the bank. That was the last
stopping-place on our side of the road, although we could have crossed over to
the other side and scraped up against the bank until we stopped or were hit by
another car.

What's your story?

--
Cheers,
Bev
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Some people are alive only because it is illegal to kill them."
-- Lionel
  #47  
Old July 20th 05, 12:09 AM
Bob Ward
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On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 08:17:44 -0700, Steve > wrote:

>Logan Shaw > wrote:
>>Call me crazy, but I don't quite get why it's worthwhile to buy
>>insurance for this in the first place.
>>At the worst, I can imagine needing a tow perhaps twice a year

>
>Yikes, maybe twice a lifetime would be a more reasonable worst-case.
>How many people here have ever had to be towed?



I've used my AAA road service calls two or three times per year, on
average - If I didn't PLAN to use it, I probably would not continue to
pay for it.

By "planning" to use it, I don't mean a predetermined schedule of use,
but rather making sure that I receive the level of service I'm paying
for. I'm not averse to allowing the autoclub contracted drivers
change a flat in the rain, snow, or heat, nor am I willing to spend
several hours trying to diagnose a problem at the side of the road if
the car quits running.

My time is worth the investment - your mileage may vary.


  #48  
Old July 20th 05, 12:12 AM
Bob Ward
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On Tue, 19 Jul 2005 10:22:02 -0700, Steve > wrote:

" > wrote:
>>> Yikes, maybe twice a lifetime would be a more reasonable worst-case.
>>> How many people here have ever had to be towed?

>>
>>When you drive cars into the ground, it happens more often than you'd
>>think. :-) Let's see -- green car twice, yellow car twice, first white
>>car once, not yet for second white car.

>
>But wouldn't ya think at some point the towing coverage would be
>cancelled by the insurance company, or AAA would cancel the
>membership? Hard to imagine they'd go on paying regular towing bills
>forever without taking some sorta action...


They do - AAA provides a specified number of service calls per year -
you pay after that. In California, it's four calls per card per year
- in any given year, my wife and I between us can call for up to eight
tows.


  #49  
Old July 20th 05, 03:14 AM
SpammersDie
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"Logan Shaw" > wrote in message
.. .
> The Real Bev wrote:
>> I doubt if the tow-jockey cares where you bought your membership --
>> otherwise
>> you'd play hell getting a tow in an expensive area if you'd bought your
>> membership in a cheap area.

>
> Call me crazy, but I don't quite get why it's worthwhile to buy
> insurance for this in the first place.


The ability to have a single number to call for help when the car breaks
down in that remote town.

The insurance of the towing fees is something that comes bundled with the
package. If there was a cheaper version that insured only the availability
of the tow and not the cost of the tow, I'd go for it. (But I'd want such
"insurance" to cover the payment to the tow truck operator and have it on a
"bill me later" basis because Murphy's law section 6, paragraph 3 guarantees
that your bank's fraud department will also shut off all your credit cards
at the same time the car breaks down in that remote town.)



  #50  
Old July 20th 05, 05:50 AM
Steve
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Bob Ward > wrote:
>I've used my AAA road service calls two or three times per year, on
>average - If I didn't PLAN to use it, I probably would not continue to
>pay for it.
>By "planning" to use it, I don't mean a predetermined schedule of use,
>but rather making sure that I receive the level of service I'm paying
>for. I'm not averse to allowing the autoclub contracted drivers
>change a flat in the rain, snow, or heat, nor am I willing to spend
>several hours trying to diagnose a problem at the side of the road if
>the car quits running.


Sounds like you make damn sure your car breaks down or gets a flat
tire at least 2-3 times a year. Nah, that can't be right...

 




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