That's it! I'm taking up GOLF! (Very long)

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Rob LaMoy

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Ever had one of those days?.....Wait years? Man Saturday made me want to take up golf! And then of course on Sunday just to tease me back in, there on the front page of the business section of the paper was me and North County Tours, and exclusive interview during the FLW. FREE PR! Anyway, I need to cry on someone so I don't go kill me an auto dealer. For you GM fans (Sorry Mac) TOLD YOU SO! I shoulda never ought dun bought dat stupit chevy! LOL Lets recap,

April, I announce it's time for a new tow vehicle and go back to the same dealer I got my dodge from and HAD a good relationship with. Was ready to by a 4X4 ext cab dakota when he shows me this Bravada. OK, $5k, price is right, leather, all the toys, SOLD! "Runs GREAT" he says, "No problems, pay not attention to the brake light, it's nothing"

OK, 1 week later and 3 near misses from failed brakes, back in she goes, AFTER I pay $300 for a new speed and odometer module that didn't work. Well, he puts in a new hyd/elec ABS unit, and whata ya know, STILL brakes act up. So finally after dumping my boat in the ditch one night to keep from rear ending someone, I go back. Take the dealer for a little "RIDE" see. Well, After the right wheel grabs, and then the left, truck swerving ALL over the road at 60 mph (a back road), then NO brakes at all and it takes about 400 yards to stop, white as a ghost he says, "yeah, you gotta problem all right. We'll fix it" Now, it had just barley over 100k on it (coincidence?....no) so no warranty, but he was "doing the right thing" Ha! Well, I just went and unhooked the stupid ABS box entirely. Bang, problem fixed. No ABS, but normal brakes just the was I want it. OK, then it goes back because, the breaker for the seats, defrost and locks had a short, plus the handle for the tailgate (that he had put on NEW when I bought it) fell off in my hand. And THEN last weekend, I got to the gorcery store, and when I came out, it wouldn't start. So then I bring it back to him, $130 for a new fuel pump and filter. That was the 4 time it had gone back! Then THREE days later, this Saturday, while towing home, service engine light comes on, and it runs like a yugo firing on 1 cylinder! Plus the tongue of my boat trailer is soaked in gas? Hmmm? Replace the pump did he?

OK the boat, Brought it to the VT guy I posted about that tore it apart but didn't do any work, that's a whole other post in itself! Then I take it to a guy over here, he puts $900 in it with a new throttle control and a wire harness, plus 2 new thermostats upon my request. 1st day out with it, won't run, so I tow it over to a different VT shop, Northland, and you all know the deal with that, $3200, a total rebuild, THREE trips back over for them to get it right, a dinged prop, yada, yada. Well then I get it back, have it a week, BANG, need a new lower unit! OK!....FINE! $1400 later and a new lower unit I'm up and running. Run it for 2 days, BAM, throttle stuck WOT and near redline. Guy that did the throttle box is "too busy" to help, so I try my 5th shop of the year, $140 and 2 new cables. Problem fixed. So I go out this weekend, take 2 skirts (not really, just 2 cry a$$es) that my brother works with, fishing. They wimper as we hit wakes so I let off of one, and SLAMMED the next. Impact tears out my CD player, breaks the front fishfinder...WHICH BTW is the 3rd one up there this year. All fishfinders were new, and have to go back AGAIN. Oh yeah, one time, I had lost my trim after the rebuild, and had to pay the throttle box guy $30 to tighten the screws that Northland left loose and to get power back to my control panel. Well this impact knocks out the power again! AND I'm STILL getting water in the boat! I can't take this anymore! So.......today, the boat and truck go BACK to the stinkin shop for like the 6th time each in 2 months! I give up! What would you do? Golf is looking mighty interesting right now!
 
Rob,



How about if I give you $60,000 towards a new truck/boat? Would that make everything better? I feel bad for your string of bad luck. I don't think golf is the answer!! Then you would have to dress funny and act like a snob!! Just kidding golfers...



Bob G.
 
Boy Rob, you sure you want to do this for a living???? I've gone through some bad times with my car lately, but not the car and the boat at the same time. UGH!



Let's see. Standard advice would sound from your end like someone throwing you an anchor when you need a life jacket - or vice versa. It took me awhile to find my 'car guy'. Finally found a shop with older 'mature' people working at it. Not filled with mech's that are fresh out of mech school or high school. Haven't found my 'boat guy' as yet - but it's relatively new (2 years old).



Now, this advice I am about to post, is going to sound like an old fart's advice. SLOW DOWN! If you are running clients at 60-65, and moving 2 miles, you get them there how much faster at 60 mph, than at 40 or 45. At 60, 1 minute, at 30, 2 minutes, so at 45 it's a minute and a half. Clients are happier, boat is in better shape.



If you are tourney fishing, where time is precious, I can understand the need-for-speed at times. When hosting clients, most are probably going to be uncomfortable running really fast, especially if the water has some chop to it. Where you fish, probably a lot more.



On your vehicle - try a mall parking lot with the keys left in the ignition, windows down. Hope for the best.



Best of luck with your situation(s). I know that it's very frustrating.



 
Rob, I sympathize with you. Here's how to fix your truck problems. Go find you an old truck, preferably pre-75, with no frills like radio, AC, you know luxury items. Make sure it has a good FIXABLE engine and brakes. A good body is just another luxury item. Now you have something you can fix right yourself and the parts are cheap too. As for the boat, aint no boat that is cheap to fix, they all cost way too much.



P.S. You can add on those luxury items later if you just have to have them. Good Luck Happy Hunting
 
Tex, I rarely run over 40 mph while guiding. Need to save my back. Plus, I baby the boat given her delicate nature.
 
Rob,

You must be really upset to mistake your OLDSMOBILE Bravada for a Chevy!!!
 
My apologies. Your comments about the clients in the first message had me off track. Since I haven't as yet had the pleasure of fishing with you, I don't know how fast you go. Maybe park the truck with the boat in the mall??? How's the insurance?

 
Buy a nice NEW Tracker 175 with a 40 Merc for under 10K out the door, sell the Bravada and buy a use Honda Odyessy (even the old 4 cylinders can tow that Tracker) and your set for the next 5-10 years!!! LOL



Man that Stinks Rob!
 
Rob,

Stay back at least 50ft so you don't rub off on your computer. That could spread the virus across the whole web site, HAR! (sorry just jokin')

I had the same problem with my Old Chevy Sub...marine, trying to fish the trail with a blown diesel, scattered transmision, siezed up transfer case was easy to fix. I just went down and got me a Ford Super duty Crew cab F-250, now I have a SUV and a P/U all in the same truck!

Hey Ken, don't you think Rob should look at the bright side, Now that he's cruising in an Olds, it would be that much easier to start hanging out with Tiger and the rest of his Golf buddies!



PS:Don't let it bog you down just keep on fish'n hard. BTW,I have a 2002 901CDX for sale if your interested, Har!



Rip Lips,

GregG
 
Ken, last night I called Jamey and told him, "see what I get for buying a chevy!" He says, "Oldsmobile and Chevy aren't even close" Pardon me, you put a '94 Chevy Blazer or GMC Jimmy next to my Bravada and other than emblems, they're identical. Same 4.3 Vortec, same Tranny, same dash, same EVERYTHING! It's like Ford and mercury, um topaz or tempo, difference....NONE! Dealer said they'll "fix" it tomorrow. So read the local paper tomorrow, I might make the front page again, but in the felony section! LOL Never know, those darn brakes could fail again at any time, say as I drive it to their office and INTO the front door! LOL
 
Rob,



I have a new plan. Drive truck/boat down to the ferry dock when it's not there yet. The brakes just happen to give out, you bail out at the last second or wait for it to sink then swim to the dock (much more dramatic this way). Now you successfully just got rid of your two biggest headaches!! Put insurance money towards the purchase of Buzz's boat and pick up a reliable used vehicle. BUt remember, we didn't discuss this at all!!!



Bob G.
 
OK, this will be known as operation "junk dump". Remember this never happened! Should anyone make any allegations, we will deny everything! LOL Believe me, I've thought about it! If it weren't for the little felony charge that could follow and my conscience, then it would have been done by now!
 
Boat? What boat?



Bravada? Rob, you had a BRAVADA? So sorry to hear about your accident.
 
Nah the mall plan is better, that way one of us can be there for a free treat. Even if there are problems, heck it's free!!
 
Really, it was a good truck! Ha, don't think I could say that with a straight face!
 
Rob -Remember to leave the windows open = new fishing pot.



Jamey -Your political correctness is getting the better hand of you. You don't have to validate everybody's product before tellings us it's crap....you're entitled to an opinion.



Too bad for the troubles...but like my mechanic says....You want to go BIG...pay BIG!



Pierre
 
Rob...Jamey... it's spelling class time...You spell "truck" like this "F"..."O"..."R"..."D"... Okay, now go to the blackboard and practice that 100 times...



Rob...you know I'm in your corner...we'll get my NY Air National Guard Buddies to do a number on both dealers... Heck...I can get ordnance dropped in three or four states if that is what it takes!!!! But, I'm out of get well cards...so the truck will have to wait till I get to Hallmark!
 
Bruce,

That's my trump card. Not only did he put a sticker on it with bad brakes, but the speedometer and odometer weren't working either, hence the $300 module I had to get from the Olds dealer. He knows that and I think is scared. I'll use it! Better believe it. And Jamey, things have got to start going DOWNHILL????? Who's side you on anyway? If things go much more downhill, my doc will call say it's time for surgery and well you know the rest! LOL It can't go downhill much from here in death valley! I'm already 500 feet below sea level!
 
gotcha, I was delirious wid empty pocket syndrome!
 
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