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vandy
Senior Nomad
Posts: 538
Registered: 10-10-2003
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I should know better! Cops and expensive tow
So my truck sprang a fountainous gasoline leak over the fuel tank while at the beach in Los Frailes.
I glommed a ride in a van back to the hot springs to grab my car and some tools to fix the truck.
The VAN then died about 50 feet from the paved road. Some friendly cops stopped by and I asked them to call for a tow to Autopartes Bacho's in La
Ribera, where I know a good mechanic next door.
An hour later, a tow shows up and we go the ten miles.
The bill: 1500 pesos
I really should have known better. I could easily have hopped a ride to Bacho's and gotten a tow with a rope...or asked the price before the van was
loaded.
Anyway, the mechanico and his electrician friend had the van straightened out in no time for less than 1/3 of the tow.
In case you wanted to know: My truck had its fuel pump replaced a while ago in Miraflores, and they put the assembly back c-ckeyed ignoring the arrows
that showed proper alignment, then "stretched" the fuel hoses to fit. I spent the last two mornings on the beach removing and re-installing the tank
in the wonderful blowing sand while 12 gallons of gas languished in various pots and pans.
The van had its motor out a while ago in San Jose, and the coolant hose (way back behind the motor) was not connected properly. Then a ground wire
shook loose, stalling the motor, although it would still crank. Good thing too, what with no water in the system.
All problems (except the cops" call for the tow) were directly attributable to poor workmanship while the vehicles were out of the owners' sight.
How many times will I have to say "NEVER AGAIN!" ?
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15939
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
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sounds like the Mexico i love.
everyone seems to be an expert! some are, some might be one day, and some just want to look like one.....
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
Member Is Offline
Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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vandy
I think the old days when car's where cars where simple,,the y could get um going,,today is a different story as you have different system and tool's
and you really need to study to stay on top of your game/repair skill's and today you really can't getaway with shortcut's,,,Vandy are you the guy
that loaned me a scan tool last winter ????? Keith & lil tasha 
[Edited on 12-17-2011 by captkw]
[Edited on 12-17-2011 by captkw]
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Woooosh
Banned
Posts: 5240
Registered: 1-28-2007
Location: Rosarito Beach
Member Is Offline
Mood: Luminescent Waves at Rosarito Beach
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Mexicans don't want to disappoint you so they will say they can do something or that they can fix something, even if they know they can't or won't.
It's the spirit of welcoming and hospitality. It has nothing to do with taking your money, damaging your property or potentially causing you physical
harm.
 
Having said that, I add that the ingenuity of Mexicans and their lack of fear in the face of an electronic/technological repair is inspiring. They
can "fix" most anything or bring it back to life for a short time again at least (with a 30 day guarantee too). Some of the goofs are funny, but
I've had more wins, a few laughs- and they have saved me some money. I wouldn't get my truck worked on down here because that's a safety issue to me.
My friends that bring their Jeeps down for work always get a good deal and then have to redo it right- and they still come back for more. Part of
the charm I guess.
[Edited on 12-17-2011 by Woooosh]
\"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing\"
1961- JFK to Canadian parliament (Edmund Burke)
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vgabndo
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3461
Registered: 12-8-2003
Location: Mt. Shasta, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Checking-off my bucket list.
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One of the best "TRIES" I can remember was many years ago in my bubble top van just south of San Quintin, I stopped at a Quaker State place to get the
oil change I was too impatient to get in the states. I'm squatting at the edge of the pit and two guys are under the van and one sticks fingers into
the outflowing oil, smells it and in gloom says "Ummmm, gasolina!" I guess my disbelief was so complete that they both burst out laughing, but I have
a hunch that if I had taken the hook.......
I edit that. Those two hard working guys had a great sense of humor and for an instant they stopped my heart. And I STILL smile when I tell the story.
Amistad! Fraternidad. They likely wouldn't have taken a thing they didn't earn. Sorry Jesse.
[Edited on 12-17-2011 by vgabndo]
Undoubtedly, there are people who cannot afford to give the anchor of sanity even the slightest tug. Sam Harris
"The situation is far too dire for pessimism."
Bill Kauth
Carl Sagan said, "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
PEACE, LOVE AND FISH TACOS
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Leo
Senior Nomad
Posts: 518
Registered: 9-23-2004
Location: Todos Santos
Member Is Offline
Mood: could be better
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Woosh is right; Mexicans can't say NO, I can't.
The grass is always greener....
and so, there is always a better spot in Baja
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dtbushpilot
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3294
Registered: 1-11-2007
Location: Buena Vista BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: Tranquilo
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1500 pesos....a little more than a hundred bucks for a tow truck to make a call out to your location and tow you to the mechanic of your choice? How
much would you expect to pay for that in the states? Doesn't sound out of line to me....but it does sound like everybody else that worked on your
stuff let you down...just sayin....dt
"Life is tough".....It's even tougher if you're stupid.....
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
Member Is Offline
Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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VANDY,,as a master mech/Electrical specialist,,I can tell ya with confindence,,It dosnt matter if you are their,,watching or not !! good work, will
alway's be good work and marginal work will add to more problem's,grief,breakdown's and cost's. aka ..no free- lunch in any type of repair,your
house,car,boat,,how about air------- get my drift? glad ya got it fixed and back on the road,,AND I use that term lously when in baja,,my other
home,,when I say road,,LOL..driving the baja hwy (1) is like flying on a 727,,,,hour's of boredom with ,moment's of shear terror !! K&T 
[Edited on 12-17-2011 by captkw]
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Woooosh
Banned
Posts: 5240
Registered: 1-28-2007
Location: Rosarito Beach
Member Is Offline
Mood: Luminescent Waves at Rosarito Beach
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| Quote: | Originally posted by dtbushpilot
1500 pesos....a little more than a hundred bucks for a tow truck to make a call out to your location and tow you to the mechanic of your choice? How
much would you expect to pay for that in the states? Doesn't sound out of line to me....but it does sound like everybody else that worked on your
stuff let you down...just sayin....dt |
250 pesos should have covered it. The police weren't giving the AAA Auto Club Free tow...
[Edited on 12-17-2011 by Woooosh]
\"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing\"
1961- JFK to Canadian parliament (Edmund Burke)
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
Member Is Offline
Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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YA,think,,I have driven that section amany,many time and It's not that Bloody far,,,one fav spot's to camp and leave my livingston on the hook,,is the
very end of cobo pumo (south) great fishing in the winter.. sshh
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CaboRon
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3401
Registered: 3-24-2007
Location: The Valley of the Moon
Member Is Offline
Mood: Peacefull
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| Quote: | Originally posted by dtbushpilot
1500 pesos....a little more than a hundred bucks for a tow truck to make a call out to your location and tow you to the mechanic of your choice? How
much would you expect to pay for that in the states? Doesn't sound out of line to me....but it does sound like everybody else that worked on your
stuff let you down...just sayin....dt |
No charge with AAA
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UnoMas
Nomad
Posts: 328
Registered: 2-8-2008
Location: East Cape
Member Is Offline
Mood: Great
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The LAST time I had mechanic work done in Baja the alternator went out and I took it to the mechanic. He replaced it and I picked the car up later. A
few miles down the road the pulley came off the water pump, he had pried against the pulley to release the tension on the serpentine belt, he did not
know the proper and easy way to do it.
I went back to the place where the repair was done and he turned both palms toward the sky and shrugged his shoulders, a classic and typical response,
Baja warrantee I now do all my own repairs.
The tow cost would be about $100.00 in the U.S. so they knew you had little options but a fair price if in the middle of no where
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Bob and Susan
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8813
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
Member Is Offline
Mood: Full Time Residents
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i think the "price is right"...
i had the police call me a tow truck a few years back...
he got me "out of harms way" in tj...thank god
that driver got me a tow across the border to a dealer...
when you're in trouble...take the assistance
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john68
Nomad
Posts: 205
Registered: 7-9-2006
Member Is Offline
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if you have AAA in the States and you got a receipt for the tow, they may reimburse you. Colorado AAA reimbursed me last year for getting an
automobile key replaced in BCS.
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BajaBlanca
Select Nomad
Posts: 13237
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
Member Is Offline
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Those AAA stories are great. way to go ...
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Ramon
Banned
Posts: 25
Registered: 5-17-2010
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by woody with a view
sounds like the Mexico i love.
everyone seems to be an expert! some are, some might be one day, and some just want to look like one..... |
Sounds like most Forums!
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BAJACAT
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2902
Registered: 11-21-2005
Location: NATIONAL CITY, CA
Member Is Offline
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I got stuck in Punta Banda, on a 4runner,wasn't 4x4, the tow truck show up, I never ask for a price and the chrge me &110 dollars . i almost made
it to the pavement when got stuck...he pull me for about 12 feet.
Afther that I only buy 4wheel drive vehicles...
BAJA IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE, FUN,DANGEROUS,INCREDIBLE, REMOTE, EXOTIC..JUST GO AND HAVE FUN.....
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Bajatripper
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3151
Registered: 3-20-2010
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by UnoMas
The tow cost would be about $100.00 in the U.S. so they knew you had little options but a fair price if in the middle of no where |
Hundred bucks for a tow of ten miles in the US? Really?
There most certainly is but one side to every story: the TRUTH. Variations of it are nothing but lies.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajatripper
Hundred bucks for a tow of ten miles in the US? Really? |
That would probably be a conservative estimate. AAA pays for a lot of them and who doesn't mind gouging an insurance company?
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durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: thriving in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajatripper
Hundred bucks for a tow of ten miles in the US? Really? |
yep, last year on my way home from Canada, my Yukon broke down on I15 just 8 miles north of Idaho Falls and it cost $125 to get towed into town.
Bob Durrell
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