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2003_MM_FYRE49
10-14-2005, 09:08 PM
So this afternoon I took the MM to the dealer to get the oil changed. I left went to the store, the car wash, and then went home and put the car in the garage.

A few hours later I wanted to leave and I started the car. It was bucking, and the check engine light came on as well as the battery light. the car bearly made it out of the garage, died and would not restart. I know the Tech that worked on the car did not do anything to it because I was with him the entire time BSing with him as he is an old friend. I called Roadside assistance and the lady was very nice and she told me that the wrecker would be there within the hour. I looked at my watch, it was 6:00 p.m. and knew that would be ok because I could still miss cocktail hour but get to the dinner if I could leave the house by 7:00 p.m. I asked her to have a flat bed sent and she was very understanding as she told me that the MM was her favorite car. She said that she wanted to get one herself but could not afford one so she bought a black Grand Marquis LSE. I then called my dealer to let them know that the car was coming in on a flat bed and asked if the car could be rolled off inside the garage as I did not want the car to be left outside all weekend. The service department had no problem with that and said that they would let the cashier know it was to be dropped in the garage instaed of the lot. With that I waited for the tow truck.

An hour went by, then an hour and fifteen so I called back to Roadside. This lady was equally as nice as the first one and put me on hold for a few minutes to find out where the wrecker was. She came back to the line, appologized and said that it would be another 20 minutes. Since I was now going to be late for what I had to do this evening I figured what the heck is 20 more minutes.

So I waited, and then comes the tow truck. :mad2:

He rolls down his window and asks me if I called roadside. I looked at him and asked him where the flat bed was and was told by the toothless hill billy "awl thu flaat bedz wur tyed up so i brung this cuz yer ve-hikle don't need no flat bed." I looked at him and said "your F:censor:king kidding me right? I specifically asked for a flat bed." He then said "i kin drag that thin no problum". Again, I said "your F:censor:king kidding me" there is no way in h3ll that you are dragging this car on the ground, I want a flat bed. I then get a response of "i hawl all kins uv cars with this thin, yers wont be nuthin." I looked at him and said you better find a flat bed :banghead:. He gets on his Nextel and lets the dispatcher at the tow company know and she tells him to tell me, not knowing that I am within earshot, too bad take it or leave it because it will be at least 2 hours before a flat bed will be available. Now mind you this tow company is about 15 minutes from my house, and that is stretching it, and it took them an hour and a half to get to the house and now I have to wait another 2 hours...NOT!!!!:bs:

Once again I call Roadside and get another very nice person on the phone. She could not appologize enough for what had happend to me. She told me that she would do her best to get a flat bed out to me as soon as possible and that she would call me back within 10 minutes. It is now 7:45 p.m. and am now 15 minutes late for the dinner that I could have been at by 7:30 if that hill billy tow company was on time with a flat bed like they were supposed to be. The lady from Roadside called me back 5 minutes later and said that she found a flat bed but that it would be 45 minutes until he got to the house and that they would take it to a storage lot to keep overnight because the dealer would be closed by the time they would arrive there. I declined the offer because h3ll would freeze over before my car would sit in a storage lot overnight. I told her that I would contact the dealer directly tomorrow morning and let them handle it and went outside and pushed the car back into the garage. :cry:

I hope that I get a survey from Mercury on the Roadside Assistance Program, because I am not very happy with them right now. I know the ladies that I spoke to did their best, and could not be appologetic enough, but I think Ford needs to do background checks on the tow companies that they use because I am not impressed with the service one bit.

Thanks for listening to my :soapbox: , but I had a really bad night becuase of this and missed a really nice dinner. My fiance was able to make it because she went there straight from work. Has anyone else had an ordeal like this?

Bradley G
10-14-2005, 09:15 PM
No Tim, I have not.

I hope I never do!

RCSignals
10-14-2005, 11:20 PM
Ford roadside service should send a flatbed anyway. Ford recommends only a flatbed be used.

2003_MM_FYRE49
10-15-2005, 06:53 AM
Ford roadside service should send a flatbed anyway. Ford recommends only a flatbed be used.
I know that's why I asked where the flat bed was when the wheel lift showed up and I got an answer of "all the flat beds were tied up so I brung this cuz your vehicle don't need no flat bed." I called Roadside again this morning and they are sending a flat bed out ...keeping my fingers crossed...I also spoke to the service manager and he told me that they will lock the car inside over the weekend.

jgc61sr2002
10-15-2005, 07:04 AM
Tim - I also have not used the roadside assistance program.

Is there a possibility that your engine got wet at the car wash.
A wet engine can cause the check engine light to come on.

I would attempt to start it after the overnight stay in your garage.

2003_MM_FYRE49
10-15-2005, 07:13 AM
Tim - I also have not used the roadside assistance program.

Is there a possibility that your engine got wet at the car wash.
A wet engine can cause the check engine light to come on.

I would attempt to start it after the overnight stay in your garage.
Yes I did John, it still is not starting. After speaking with the service manager this morning we think that the fuel pump ***** the bed. I guess I'll find out on Monday what happend for sure. :depress:

MM2004
10-15-2005, 07:21 AM
Tim, Be careful when loading/unloading from a flat bed. My experience with one was with my '01 GM. There is a potential of the back of the car dragging the ground? I had to solicit the help of several people at the tire store to raise up on the rear quarter panels to keep the rear facia and exhaust pipes from contacting the ground when unloading.
BTW, the rear facia did contact the grround when loading but no damage seen.
Just my .02.

Mike.

2003_MM_FYRE49
10-15-2005, 07:23 AM
Tim, Be careful when loading/unloading from a flat bed. My experience with one was with my '01 GM. There is a potential of the back of the car dragging the ground? I had to solicit the help of several people at the tire store to raise up on the rear quarter panels to keep the rear facia and exhaust pipes from contacting the ground when unloading.
BTW, the rear facia did contact the grround when loading but no damage seen.
Just my .02.

Mike.
Thanks for the info Mike. I will make sure that this does not happen when he gets here. :up:

fastblackmerc
10-15-2005, 07:46 AM
Thanks for the info Mike. I will make sure that this does not happen when he gets here. :up:
I haven't had to use the road side assistance yet... I think others have said that the tail pipes get scrapped when loading on a flatbed....

2003_MM_FYRE49
10-15-2005, 09:38 AM
Well the flatbed showed up, it was a medium duty chassis. The guy driving it was an older gentleman and I could tell he had been towing cars for a while. He rolled the bed back and then set the parking brake on my car half way so there was a little tension drag as he was pulling the car onto the bed. When my car was half way up the bed he stopped and tilted the bed up about 6 inches and then placed four - 4 ft. 4X4's (2 each bolted to each other) with a 120 degree angles cut into the ends on the ground. He lined the 4X4's up with the rear wheels, lowered the bed onto the boards so they would not move, and then pulled the car up the rest of the way. this prevented the tail pipes and rear end from dragging on the ground. I was very impressed with the way he handled my car. The driver then told me I know how you feel about this car, I have a 69 Plymoth Barracuda that I do the same thing with if it needs to be towed. I called the service department to let them know it is was on the way.

Bradley G
10-15-2005, 09:56 AM
Good to hear someone finally took care of you Tim.

Refreshing to have someone who shares your concern to to do the job right.
Pride in your work, sometimes is not an easy thing to come by.
After not being able to drive your Marauder for some time, this was bad timing.
Here's to getting the car back soon!~:beer: ~

Well the flatbed showed up, it was a medium duty chassis. The guy driving it was an older gentleman and I could tell he had been towing cars for a while. He rolled the bed back and then set the parking brake on my car half way so there was a little tension drag as he was pulling the car onto the bed. When my car was half way up the bed he stopped and tilted the bed up about 6 inches and then placed four - 4 ft. 4X4's (2 each bolted to each other) with a 120 degree angles cut into the ends on the ground. He lined the 4X4's up with the rear wheels, lowered the bed onto the boards so they would not move, and then pulled the car up the rest of the way. this prevented the tail pipes and rear end from dragging on the ground. I was very impressed with the way he handled my car. The driver then told me I know how you feel about this car, I have a 69 Plymoth Barracuda that I do the same thing with if it needs to be towed. I called the service department to let them know it is was on the way.

Mad1
10-15-2005, 10:12 AM
I haven't had to use the road side assistance yet... I think others have said that the tail pipes get scrapped when loading on a flatbed....

When I had my MM pulled onto a flatbed, I definitely saw my tailpipes slid along the ground. Fortunately, the road was covered in ice and snow so there was no damage to the finish.

Jeremy
Mad1

MM2004
10-15-2005, 10:41 AM
Tim,

Good talking to you over the phone and am glad you had a conscience tow truck operator!

Makes all the difference in the world. I am sure your Dealer will take care of her based on what you have shared with us.

Mike.


Well the flatbed showed up, it was a medium duty chassis. The guy driving it was an older gentleman and I could tell he had been towing cars for a while. He rolled the bed back and then set the parking brake on my car half way so there was a little tension drag as he was pulling the car onto the bed. When my car was half way up the bed he stopped and tilted the bed up about 6 inches and then placed four - 4 ft. 4X4's (2 each bolted to each other) with a 120 degree angles cut into the ends on the ground. He lined the 4X4's up with the rear wheels, lowered the bed onto the boards so they would not move, and then pulled the car up the rest of the way. this prevented the tail pipes and rear end from dragging on the ground. I was very impressed with the way he handled my car. The driver then told me I know how you feel about this car, I have a 69 Plymoth Barracuda that I do the same thing with if it needs to be towed. I called the service department to let them know it is was on the way.

Bigdogjim
10-15-2005, 11:34 AM
I was very impressed with the way he handled my car. The driver then told me I know how you feel about this car, I have a 69 Plymoth Barracuda that I do the same thing with if it needs to be towed.
Hope you got his card or name in case you need his service again.
ps..hope you never need a tow again:)

DeepSea117
10-15-2005, 11:57 AM
... When my car was half way up the bed he stopped and tilted the bed up about 6 inches and then placed four - 4 ft. 4X4's (2 each bolted to each other) with a 120 degree angles cut into the ends on the ground. He lined the 4X4's up with the rear wheels, lowered the bed onto the boards so they would not move, and then pulled the car up the rest of the way...
Can you draw a picture of how this looks? I'm not sure of how it works, but I feel like I shoud carry a set in the trunk, just in case.

2003_MM_FYRE49
10-15-2005, 01:41 PM
Can you draw a picture of how this looks? I'm not sure of how it works, but I feel like I shoud carry a set in the trunk, just in case.
All the boards were 4 ft. long.

He bolted two 4X4's together which would then make them 4 inches tall by 8 inches wide by 4 feet long. This esentially gave the driver two 4 foot ramps to work with.

Then he cut a 120 degree angle on one end. This angled end was placed in front of the tires and lets the car roll up on top of the board smoothly.

The other end (flat end) was the end that was placed under the roll back and the roll back was lowered onto the top of the boards so they would not move when the car was being pulled up.

Hope this explanation helps. If not let me know and I'll try to draw a detailed picture. Downloading the pic is what I'll have to figure out how to do. :bigcry: :lol: :lol:

RCSignals
10-15-2005, 05:02 PM
you can make them by bolting two eight foot 4x4s together. Find the center point (four feet) divide a 120 deree angle over the center point, (along 4 inch side) and cut,
You will have two ramps just a little longer than four feet total.

Svashtar
10-15-2005, 09:10 PM
Wow, I learn so much from this site! Stupid me, I did not know A) that a flat-bed should be used to tow the cars, and B) that we even HAD a roadside assistance program! Guess I should start paying attention better.

I hope any tow-truck driver that I get knows a similar trick to keep the tail end from dragging.

Thanks,

Norm

2003_MM_FYRE49
10-18-2005, 10:42 AM
Well just as I thought the fuel pump ***** the bed. The dealer ordered a new one yesterday and hopefully I will get the car back this afternoon. I was kind of surprised that they had to have it shipped from Detroit. I would have thought they would have been kept at the Chicago Warehouse. Has anyone else had a fuel pump problem?

wchain
10-18-2005, 11:36 AM
Glad to hear you are being taken care of! I always ask for a flatbed, even when my F150 took a dump! Make sure they dont put the sending unit in upside down!

DeepSea117
10-18-2005, 06:27 PM
All the boards were 4 ft. long.

He bolted two 4X4's together which would then make them 4 inches tall by 8 inches wide by 4 feet long. This esentially gave the driver two 4 foot ramps to work with.

Then he cut a 120 degree angle on one end. This angled end was placed in front of the tires and lets the car roll up on top of the board smoothly.

The other end (flat end) was the end that was placed under the roll back and the roll back was lowered onto the top of the boards so they would not move when the car was being pulled up.

Hope this explanation helps. If not let me know and I'll try to draw a detailed picture. Downloading the pic is what I'll have to figure out how to do. :bigcry: :lol: :lol:
Got it! Useful to have, even better if it was foldable. That'd be a nice project to tackle