JnJnKatiebug
NW Arkansas River Valley
Senior Member
Joined: 10/14/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
 Offline
|
We left AR Friday afternoon for our annual trip to Ouray, CO for cool weather and Jeepin. We only have 10 days this year so we planned on driving hard. We were going to stop for a couple of days in Chama, NM to check out the area. We spent the night in Amarillo, TX and up and going again the next morning hoping to be in Chama Saturday afternoon. Stopped just east of Clines Corners NM to fuel, pulled up from the pump and parked. I got out to do my walk around before heading out and there it was, a big puddle of anti-freeze under the back of the coach and still running. I went into the back closet, popped open the hatch and the water pump was spraying everywhere. I called CoachNet, the first thing the lady asked was if I was in a safe location. She took all of my information and put me thru to a tech. He asked a few questions and said he would call me back. He called back in about 10 minutes and said he had a tow truck set up to come get me and take me to Albuquerque, NM, about 90 miles away and a Cummins shop would take a look at it on Monday afternoon and hopefully they would have me going Tuesday afternoon. I told him to put the wrecker on hold and I would get back with him. I called some shops myself in Albuquerque, one shop said they would do it Saturday afternoon. It would be a $250 call out charge, $200 per hour, with a 4 hour minimum, plus parts. That would be about $1,300 for a water pump. I told him no thanks. I went inside the store and ask around. A guy told me to call this mom and pop shop down the road about 30 miles. It is now about 2pm Saturday. The lady said they were open until 6pm if I could make it in. I put a couple of gallons of water in and headed that way. I watched the temp gauge and it stayed at a normal temp all the way. I pull in and a tech came right out and crawled under the coach. He came out and confirmed it was the water pump. They called a dealer in Albuquerque and found the part. It was a 100 miles round trip. They sent a guy to pick it up, I spent the night in their parking lot and they put it on this morning (Sunday). Total cost $675 and they fixed it on a Sunday morning. Arrived at my spot in Chama at 3:30 pm with only 1 day lost on my vacation.
Bottom line, CoachNet tried to help. If it had been a more serious breakdown or a tire issue I think they would have been right there to help. But in this case handling it myself was the best choice.
If you need a repair around Moriarty, NM call 2nd to None service. A great little mom and pop shop that will help you out.
2003 HR Endeavor 38PST
2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Picture in Profile
"The best things in life are the people you love, the places you've seen,
and the memories you've made along the way".
|
kalynzoo
Los Angeles , California
Senior Member
Joined: 12/30/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
Very happy to hear that all worked out well and you only lost a day. I personally believe your story is true for all of the "big three", CoachNet, GoodSam, and AAA. They offer a friendly voice, they are first and always concerned for your immediate safety, and they will eventually arrange for assistance from a network of providers, often the same providers. I have ERS because it is nice to know you can call someone who can find reliable service for you. At the same time, it is often more convienient to "do it or arrange it yourself". A few years back I had a flat on the front MH tire. Drove over a lost boat plug. AAA service said they could have a truck out in 3 hours. The gas station across the road said they could handle it right away. I paid the gas station, ate fresh crab at the crab shack across the street, and had a lovely day.
Sometimes it just works that way.
Happy Trails.
|
Gale Hawkins
Murray, KY
Senior Member
Joined: 07/22/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
Glad you was able to find a quality mom and pop shop to get you on the road with min down time and cost. Due to their limited range of service I expect mom and pop shops have a hard time making the databases of agents selling road service contact info. Sounds like all parties had a solution to offer however.
We did the same in Williams AZ and Midland TX last fall. The tech in Midland had lived not to far from my home in KY before moving to TX to work in the oil fields 20 years before.
The key is to being able and knowing how to still limp along or it is tow city time.
Have a good rest of your vacation.
|
MrWizard
Traveling
Moderator
Joined: 06/27/2004
View Profile
|
i bought a fuel pump 'gas' in Moriarty about 17 years ago at the Napa store there
Options, always have options, and the journey goes much smoother
....
Connected thru Verizon with HotSopt WiFi using a Samsung Galaxy Nexus
Member of the Verizon Wireless Customer Council
I BOUGHTthis phone
|
JcoFS3500
East Central OK
Senior Member
Joined: 10/26/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
Please make sure that you give 2nd to None their due review on RVServiceReviews.com. We've driven that route a few times and it's good to know that there are shops like that out there.
'93 Jayco FS3500 TT behind a '92 Dodge D250 powered by 5.9L Cummins
'94 Vogue Prima Vista powered by 8.3L Cummins w/ 6spd Allison
|
|
|
wallynm
Los Alamos NM
Senior Member
Joined: 09/27/2000
View Profile
Offline
|
x2 and clicky RV Service ReviewJcoFS3500 wrote:Please make sure that you give 2nd to None their due review on RVServiceReviews.com. We've driven that route a few times and it's good to know that there are shops like that out there.
DONATE THAT OLD CELL PHONE TO SUPPORT SOLDIERS click here
Have a Diesel Engine Diesel RV Club
Have a Freightliner Yahoo Group or FCOC Web Page
2002 DSDP 3567 PUSHED BY KITTY KAT
THOSE THAT DO NOT KNOW HISTORY ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT
|
2inAlabama
Huntsville, AL
Senior Member
Joined: 01/08/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
It helps all of us if we always write a review of the shop on www.rvservicereviews.com, whether we get good service or poor service. Every time I need service or repair I use that website to locate good competent service.
Just DH & DW
|
Alfred622
Rochester, MN
Senior Member
Joined: 03/21/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
I also value www.RVServiceReviews.com along with RVParkReviews.com.... I use those two sites a lot.
Great ending for the water pump story. I'm a little nervous, though, about having non-factory authorized/trained technicians work on my power train. Maybe I'm over reacting... are you all comfortable with a "mom and pop" organization working on your motorhome?
Alfred
2005 Sightseer with Workhorse, ReadyBrute Elite towing 2003 Honda CRV
Map below shows states where we actually camped.....
|
JnJnKatiebug
NW Arkansas River Valley
Senior Member
Joined: 10/14/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
This guy had lots of different certifications hanging on the wall. A water pump is actually a pretty simple install. If it were internal engine or transmission I would not want a mom and pop shop.
|
