Re: stranded.......saved!

[Benjamin Harder <vwtype53@yahoo.com>]

Kevin,
  This is one of the best stories that I've heard lately...it's great to know
that there really are good shops/people still around these days!  
It's amazing how things can fall into place like that...
  Thanks for the post!

Ben


--- Kevin Collins <kcollins1@socal.rr.com> wrote:
> So Saturday I'm blasting up US 101, headed for the bay area to meet up with
> some old buds and catch the Giants game Sunday at Pac Bell Park.  Shortly
> after passing through downtown Santa Barbara, about 120 miles from home, 
> the car coughs once, then dies completely.. at 75 mph in #1 lane.  I manage
> to coast safely to the shoulder.  There is so much traffic inches away that
> I can't hear a thing, but it seems apparent that I either have lost a fuel
> pump, or perhaps have an ignition-related problem of some
> kind, or <gasp> maybe some mysterious electrical gremlin that could take 
> forever to find.  First time the car has ever stranded me, hopefully
> it will be the last..
> 
> I call my brother first, who lives just south of town, he's not home.  Then
> call AAA and request a flatbed.  15 minutes later, w/o having gotten my
> message, bro happens by, sees my car and pulls over.  WTF am I doing up 
> here?  Headed to SF!  I tell him I've got AAA en route and he blasts off,
> headed to the local Audi dealer actually (picking up an Allroad Quattro
> today, the rat bastard).
> 
> So while waiting for the truck I call the local VW dealer.  It's now just
> after noon on Saturday.  Service and parts are closed.  A sales drone 
> suggests I get towed to a particular 76 station where the owner is cool
> and should be able to help me.  I get there, he's out of town, rest of
> crew are too busy doing nothing to give me the time of day.  After about
> 10 calls to various shops trying to find someone open, I manage to find
> a combo shop/tire shop that's actually open and sez bring her on by.  So
> I get towed over there, way across town.  As my car is being unloaded,
> I notice a Porsche/BMW repair shop right next door - and 2 guys are in
> there working!  Tire joint looks like a disaster.  So I go to one of the
> Porsche dudes and tell my sad tale.  He offers to help.  First he verifies
> I have spark, then that the transfer pump is working, finally that the main
> pump is dead.  He's pretty sure both pumps are on the same relay, checks
> his Alldata (or whatever) on the computer to verify, comes back and sez
> yep, gotta be the pump.  It's now close to 2pm - any idea where to find 
> one on Saturday afternoon?  Shakes his head, then the other dude suggests 
> ONE place to try - he calls and sure as shit, the guy has ONE in stock.. he's
> on his way out the door but will wait.  So, #2 mechanic and I jump into his 
> 968, #1 starts to remove the bad pump, and we blast clear across town to 
> pick up the new one.  Once back the guy is still wrestling with getting the 
> old one out (almost had to torch the bastard) but once free all was good and 
> was wrapped up quickly.  I had to pay retail for the pump and 1 hour of labor
> at $80, but it was WELL worth it as I managed to get back on the road
> in time to continue my trip rather than abort and be stuck
> in Santa Barbara (there are worse places!) with my car laid up all weekend.
> Just a lucky twist of fate that I got towed to where these guys were.  
> I thanked them profusely, and I think I will follow up with the Crown Royal
> gig or similar to make sure they know how much I appreciated their help
> in a time of extreme need...   ;D
> 
> I'm signing up for the AAA deal that gives you massive free towing
> miles, I'd hate to have been 100 miles north of where I was, I'd have
> been in the middle of BFE and would have been royally screwed.  As it was
> I got towed way farther than the free alottment and the guy waited 
> patiently as I took time calling all over town looking for a soft landing 
> place, and didn't charge me for the extra mileage.  All in all it was an 
> amazing day of stellar service from AAA and Schneider Autohaus of Santa 
> Barbara.
> 
> --
> Kevin Collins
> Huntington Beach, CA
> '86.5 16V 2.0
> '00 Passat GLS 1.8T
> 
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