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73kombi
Banned
Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 1215
Location: ~The London Bridge, AZ~
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 Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:05 pm Post subject: AAA don't leave home without it! (a Friday the 13th tale) |
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Ok, I've been camping in the central Nevada desert for the past few days, (I'm sure you been wonderin' what happened) and today the curse of the F 13th hit...
not much out here but the weather has been great!
sunshine and clear skies...
camping by the lake...
leaving today I burried Bessie...it took 3 hours for the tow truck, but AAA pulled thru! 50 miles each way for a 5 minute pull...
I didn't even have AAA but this dude steering Bessie (who I stopped up on the 'highway') used his card and I am now sold on the idea!
This all happened at Walker Lake...middle of nowhere, NV...
Moses is happily sleeping now.
I'm getting the AAA! |
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EZ Gruv
King of Plaid
Joined: December 10, 2002
Posts: 8544
Location: Las Vegas
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| Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:10 pm Post subject: |
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AAA is mandatory.
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Eric
1977 Deluxe Westfalia - 2.0L FI Type IV, Completely Original
Photographer for HotVWs, VolksWorld, AirMighty, VW Camper & Commercial, Hayburner, and more.
My Photography Page. |
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alyachtman
Samba Member
Joined: August 26, 2009
Posts: 12
Location: The house of the rising sun.
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| Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 10:20 pm Post subject: Lake near Tonapah |
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Hey, I know that lake, been by it several times on my way to and from Vegas. 207 miles from Vegas to Tonapah, made it in one hour fifty three minutes three years ago in a 500 SL. They will do 160, by the way.... Yeah, I know, stupid, but what a thrill!!!
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I'm not the man I once was, but once, I'm the man I always was.
"75 Riviera camper, "The Fridge" |
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wyomingriviera
Samba Member
Joined: October 04, 2006
Posts: 384
Location: Vee-Tee
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 6:20 am Post subject: |
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AAA pays for itself with one tow! I got it before our big trip down the Pacific coast last year. We needed a tow before we even got to the ocean. If yer gonna break down in a aircooled VW, Eugene OR might be the best damn place to do it.
Glad yours was just stuck in the sand. Not a bad spot to wait for a tow truck!
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'77 Rivi 2.0 T2 GD
"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different."- Kurt Vonnegut |
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aopisa
Samba Member
Joined: August 14, 2009
Posts: 605
Location: Vermont
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 6:41 am Post subject: |
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You need AAA Plus. Regular AAA will tow you something like 3 miles. AAA plus tows you up to 50 miles. In this case you only had to be pulled out a few feet, but if you really broke down where you were camping, a 3 mile tow wouldn't have been very helpful.
I signed up for AAA Plus about 3 days before I broke down 38 miles from home. It didn't feel great breaking down, but it sure helped knowing I wouldn't have to be towed to some unfamiliar garage 3 miles away (and now how do I get home at 1 AM?) or pay $$$ to get it home. Instead I get the bus back to my house (or perhaps a Samba member willing to help out?) and a ride there as well!
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1977 Westy 2.0L FI
Leap into the boundless and make it your home! ---Chuang-Tzu
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VDubTech
Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2002
Posts: 9142
Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 6:50 am Post subject: |
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AAA Gold is the only way to fly. 100 mile tows at no cost. I've only used it once, but it was worth every penny...the one and only breakdown in the rustybus and it was my fault--a little over 90 miles from home.
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First Trip in the RustyBus:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=279077&highlight=
| borninabus wrote: |
| a measurement of your rod would be extremely useful. |
| notchboy wrote: |
| my dad wasnt a belittling cock when he tought me how to wrench on cars. |
| EverettB wrote: |
One photo = good for reference.
10 photos = douchebaggery |
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aopisa
Samba Member
Joined: August 14, 2009
Posts: 605
Location: Vermont
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 6:57 am Post subject: |
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Correction AAA Plus is 100 miles. AAA Premier is 200 miles, but you have to be a Plus member in good standing for 1 year. At least that's what the website for my local club (Northern New England) says.
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1977 Westy 2.0L FI
Leap into the boundless and make it your home! ---Chuang-Tzu
Please let me know if you do not receive this message... |
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fusername
Samba Member
Joined: March 15, 2006
Posts: 2897
Location: Boston MA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 9:01 am Post subject: |
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I thought AAA was only supposed to tow you to a apporved shop, as towing to your house was a 'convinence tow'?
that said, I do konw people who have had it towed to thier house. I guess the drivers just don't care?
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| obnoxiousblue wrote: |
| Maybe Ben Pon's ghost comes and vomits NOS stampings for your bus, but not mine! |
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VDubTech
Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2002
Posts: 9142
Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 9:07 am Post subject: |
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| fusername wrote: |
I thought AAA was only supposed to tow you to a apporved shop, as towing to your house was a 'convinence tow'?
that said, I do konw people who have had it towed to thier house. I guess the drivers just don't care? |
I've never had a car towed to a shop with AAA, always to my house. There's no such thing as a convenience tow, it's always a pain in the ass.
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First Trip in the RustyBus:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=279077&highlight=
| borninabus wrote: |
| a measurement of your rod would be extremely useful. |
| notchboy wrote: |
| my dad wasnt a belittling cock when he tought me how to wrench on cars. |
| EverettB wrote: |
One photo = good for reference.
10 photos = douchebaggery |
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73kombi
Banned
Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 1215
Location: ~The London Bridge, AZ~
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 9:09 am Post subject: |
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| VDubTech wrote: |
| AAA Gold is the only way to fly. 100 mile tows at no cost. |
| aopisa wrote: |
| Correction AAA Plus is 100 miles. AAA Premier is 200 miles, but you have to be a Plus member in good standing for 1 year. |
I think it all depends on where you sign up...if I use my Colorado address, the best I can get is 'Plus' 100 miles/4 calls for $124, but if I sign up in Arizona, I can get the 'Premier' for $134, which is 200 miles (one tow)100 miles (3 tows)/5 calls...Montana is the same deal as Colorado. It's a weird racket!
The dude that helped me out had the Gold card from Ohio, and had used it twice in 20 years...he was happy to get something out of them.
It's got different names and offers for every different region...but you always get the 10% motel discount.  |
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aopisa
Samba Member
Joined: August 14, 2009
Posts: 605
Location: Vermont
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 9:14 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
I thought AAA was only supposed to tow you to a apporved shop, as towing to your house was a 'convinence tow'?
that said, I do konw people who have had it towed to thier house. I guess the drivers just don't care? |
It wasn't just the driver. I had to tell the AAA representative where I wanted to go and they did not question it at all. Maybe I was just lucky? 
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1977 Westy 2.0L FI
Leap into the boundless and make it your home! ---Chuang-Tzu
Please let me know if you do not receive this message... |
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peaceful warrior
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2005
Posts: 5274
Location: Taoswest, USA
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 9:28 am Post subject: |
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| aopisa wrote: |
| Quote: |
I thought AAA was only supposed to tow you to a apporved shop, as towing to your house was a 'convinence tow'?
that said, I do konw people who have had it towed to thier house. I guess the drivers just don't care? |
It wasn't just the driver. I had to tell the AAA representative where I wanted to go and they did not question it at all. Maybe I was just lucky? |
I have the Premier AAA, and they have towed me to my home twice.....heck I am my own mechanic....
Bessie needs a piece of wood along with the spare for those sandy beaches. 
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"Two things are infinite: The universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." Albert Einstein
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"Tram" says " My bus is bigger than your bus."
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73kombi
Banned
Joined: April 11, 2006
Posts: 1215
Location: ~The London Bridge, AZ~
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 10:11 am Post subject: |
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| peaceful warrior wrote: |
| Bessie needs a piece of wood along with the spare for those sandy beaches. |
Wood? there wasn't any wood or trees for miles...(I had a few 4x4/2x4 blocks for my jack=useless)...the only thing that looked usable as a platform was the dumpster lids, and they were welded on! The outhouse was one of those pre-fab concrete deals. 
It was odd how many 4x4 jeeps and trucks sped by me and moses standing on the highway, and finally this dude in his chevy impala stopped.
What was really odd is he had just driven 200 miles to retrieve a plywood #5 sign from the dumpster, as he had forgotten it there yesterday...he was driving around the country taking pictures of this #5 thing in weird places...he wanted to change his name to "5"...only in America.
Go Figure. |
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Kirk
Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2003
Posts: 5487
Location: North Texas
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 10:18 am Post subject: |
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| 73kombi wrote: |
| peaceful warrior wrote: |
| Bessie needs a piece of wood along with the spare for those sandy beaches. |
Wood? there wasn't any wood or trees for miles...(I had a few 4x4/2x4 blocks for my jack=useless)...the only thing that looked usable as a platform was the dumpster lids, and they were welded on! The outhouse was one of those pre-fab concrete deals.
It was odd how many 4x4 jeeps and trucks sped by me and moses standing on the highway, and finally this dude in his chevy impala stopped.
What was really odd is he had just driven 200 miles to retrieve a plywood #5 sign from the dumpster, as he had forgotten it there yesterday...he was driving around the country taking pictures of this #5 thing in weird places...he wanted to change his name to "5"...only in America.
Go Figure. |
So... you and your dog drive the bus to the beach, get stuck, but get saved by a dude from 200 miles away who is looking for a wooden number five and secretly wishes to change his name to number five who just happens to have AAA stops, calls his AAA who comes and tows you out.
Sounds like a bad drug trip.
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train99
Samba Member
Joined: March 21, 2008
Posts: 467
Location: AZ
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 2:03 pm Post subject: |
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I once got a baja stuck to the pan in sand. Got it out by digging with a hubcap, and then putting a scrap of carpet under each rear tire.
Ruined the carpet, but it was just scraps I had in the trunk to keep stuff from rattling.
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Batan
Samba Member
Joined: March 10, 2003
Posts: 1637
Location: Vancouver, BC
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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AAA(BCAA for me) is definitely a must. I have the plus so it covers our two motorcycles too. I actually used it when I went to get my bus back in July. I was just hoping it would make it in the 100 mile range of my BCAA card. Fortunately, it did. Finally I pulled into a hotel parking lot on the outskirts of Vancouver. The bus was running terribly at this point, only at near WOT(carb self-destructing) so I thought it would be great time to kick back after an exhaust trip and call the tow. So I did.
I learned the lesson while riding with the wife only about 30 miles out of the city. She dropped her bike at a standstill which broke the clutch lever. A $10 part cost $130 in towing. 
But since I got the card, I just love the lack of worry. Plus, being a member you get discounts on hotels and stuff which is great.
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'69 Riviera Bay
'03 20th Anniversary GTI
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chazz79
Samba Member
Joined: August 15, 2008
Posts: 2268
Location: ohio
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 4:20 pm Post subject: |
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AAA is great. I've had them for 5 years and used it 3 times. Well worth the money. The travel guides and magazines they send are pretty useful for coming up with trip ideas too.
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Desertbusman
Samba Member
Joined: June 03, 2005
Posts: 14655
Location: Arizona
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 4:36 pm Post subject: |
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I have the 200 mile Premier and frequently take a trip that is a little more than 400 miles. So the mid-point dead zone is the only real concern. Although In 12 years of only driving my 2 ACVW's they have never needed any kind of tow.
Moses looks exhausted in the motel. Was he worn out from laughing all day??? 
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EverettB 
Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000
Posts: 69820
Location: Phoenix Metro
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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| aopisa wrote: |
| Quote: |
I thought AAA was only supposed to tow you to a apporved shop, as towing to your house was a 'convinence tow'?
that said, I do konw people who have had it towed to thier house. I guess the drivers just don't care? |
It wasn't just the driver. I had to tell the AAA representative where I wanted to go and they did not question it at all. Maybe I was just lucky? |
I have AAA Gold. I have never had a car towed to a shop. It's always to my house. I've used it to move new car purchases to my home as well. The driver doesn't care as long as you give them a legitimate reason for the move to cover their butt.
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Mike C
Samba Member
Joined: September 18, 2008
Posts: 303
Location: Albuquerque
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| Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 4:46 pm Post subject: |
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Very nice pics and I'm glad everything worked out. I like following your adventures. Do you fish? If so, did you catch any in that nice lake?
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