Farkin mobile mechanics

[Jonno]

So me and a couple mates were driving along a couple days back, and we heard a weird grinding noise coming from the back of my mates car, take a look in the rear vision mirror and fair enough, the axle retaining plate was only bolted in by 2 of 4 bolts (2 snapped, the other 2 were non existant) so the axle was coming loose. The axle was sticking out about 60 cms with the wheel and the rest of the drum brake on it. Now we didn't have any tools on us that would be able to fix this, let alone the 4 bolts needed to screw it back in place, so we called the RAA.

I was on the phone to them.
"Hello, RAA speaking"
"G'day, my axle is hanging out from the car because the retaining bolts snapped. We will be able to fix it at home, but we need a tow truck to get us there."
"Sorry, I can't send a tow out right away, but I will send one of our technicians out to help you."
"I myself am a mechanic, and I am telling you now, that we seriously need a tow."
"I'm sorry sir, but we need to have one of our technicians look at it before we can get you a tow, im sure our technician will try his best to get you back on the road without a tow"

So now I am slightly angry, but am also curious to see what their "Technician" would say. So I tell her where we are, and get the technician out there. In the hour wait we had, I cracked open on of the woodstock and colas we originally went out to buy (hey, I wasn't the driver).

So finally, this technician gets there. Introduces himself, takes a look at the job and askes if we have any spare bolts to replace them. "Yep, we will just take them off the other side, dickhead" "Ohh wait, got a bag? I'll just shit a couple out" were a couple of the things that went through my head. We told him that we don't. The wise ass came to a conclusion that we need a tow. After letting him know that, that was what I was trying to imply over the phone, he calls us a tow truck, and leaves us too it.

Since it wasn't an emergency, we sat there waiting for this tow truck for 2 hours. Finally get the car home, make our way to my work to pick up some replacement bolts, and had it fixed in about half an hour. Then bought some more alcohol since we drank it all waiting for the tow, and while fixing the car.

My mate gets the bill in the mail today, haven't yet seen the figure but he recons they charged him not only for the tow, but the "technicians" expert advice.

Fucking wankers.

[drewh4386]

Originally Posted by Jonno

I was on the phone to them.
"Hello, RAA speaking"
"G'day, my axle is hanging out from the car because the retaining bolts snapped. We will be able to fix it at home, but we need a tow truck to get us there."
"Sorry, I can't send a tow out right away, but I will send one of our technicians out to help you."
"I myself am a mechanic, and I am telling you now, that we seriously need a tow."
"I'm sorry sir, but we need to have one of our technicians look at it before we can get you a tow, im sure our technician will try his best to get you back on the road without a tow"


Fucking wankers.

It the money they want.

[Steel]

Mobile mechanics eh? Must be an Australian thing.

that's not a bad idea though....

[imtheoneandonlyD]

I would refuse to pay for the mobile mechanics "advise" as you clearly stated in the phone call that all you needed was a tow.

[crayzayjay]

^

[Jonno]

Ok, an update on the situation, Since my friends dad is registered with the RAA (which is basically a company you can ring up if you get a flat battery, or your car wont start) he said that he had his dads card in the car, but was never asked for it. Since my friends dad uses the car every now and again, they dropped the fees for having the technician look at it. Just had to pay the tow company which we are happy with, the way it should be.

We were lucky there was no one driving to the left of us, or behind us, because we couldn't move to the right, but had to go to the left and pull up as close to the gutter as we could, then we had one mate trying to lift up that side of the car to take a bit of load off the axle, while we pushed it into a car park.

On the topic of axle problems, was once driving along and this 57 corvette was in front of us, mint car looked like it had just rolled off the production line, then all I saw was his wheel, with the brakes still attached and a small piece of axle there, slowly moving out from the guard, gave him a quick honk right as the rear right hand side of his car dropped, his instant reaction was to turn off the main road, and being an apprentice mechanic (and slightly curious) I followed. My mate jumped out of our car and sprinted after the wheel still rolling down the main road and caught it about 40 metres up the road.

Couldn't help but laugh when I saw my mate running after the wheel, then I gave the bloke a hand, and stuck around for the tow (some of his mates with a car trailer being towed by a straight as HQ GTS Monaro ) to come. Gave them a hand getting the car onto the trailer, and found out he is a panel beater, told him that my car needs a respray (think he told me after seeing my car..) and he gave me his card, offered a good price of $1000 without the preparation work (which I am doing myself) painted in 2pac paint.

Cheerin!

[fredjacksonsan]

No way you should pay for the mechanic!! The probably do that because most people don't have a clue.