Last Sunday night my daughter called me after her '96 Jimmy started making noise, she lost the power steering and was parked along side the highway outside of Ft. Collins CO, where she is going to school. I figured right away that it was the serpentine belt, but that didn't do me any good since I am 700 miles away and it was Sunday night and I figured everything was closed. To make a long story short, she was able to get a hold of her neighbor, who came out with her husband and he was able to diagnose the problem and he new of an auto parts store that was open until 9:00 PM Sunday night (surprised the heck out of me!). He ended up replacing the belt and then the idler pulley (which had completely toasted bearings) and everything is fine (in fact she is driving around through the blizzard right now with no problems). But, in case she has some other problems does anybody know of a good (ie: somebody that knows what they are doing and won't rip her off) mechanic in the Ft. Collins CO area? Also, a good towing company? Thanks!

 

What kind of father are you? Didn't you get your baby girl a AAA membership? Brrrr...blizzard... Daddy..where are you daddy..help I'm cold.

 

? She had already looked at AAA and decided it was a waste of money, I agree with her. They aren't going to come out and fix her truck when she is stranded by the side of the road. She already has much better, and cheaper, towing (emergency raod service) insurance through State Farm. Just becuase a place is AAA doesn't mean it isn't going to overcharge her, especially with her being women in her early 20s. The best way to find one that won't is by talking to people that have used the place.

 

From what I understand {I have State Farm} AAA membership doesnt even get you priority anymore. That went with plastic becoming universal.
I get a tow about every 18 months for one fail or another - {what happens when all your cars have over 100,000} and I call whoever I want to tow it. They run the plastic, I take the bill to the agent who cuts a check on the spot.
The guys I use have AAA decal and a couple years I asked what they offered AAA members special without charge. He said 'Towing' and Jump starts. All else, you gotta have money or plastic.
"So, bottom line if I'm away and something happens, I might just look up AAA and have them come out?"
"yep"
He said it's actually better if I was a paying customer and mentioned that.

 

I used the term AAA as I would a bandaid. I call Progressive when I need a tow and $18.00 a year is better than $70 a driver or whatever AAA charges. In many cases the AAA operator is the same person who responds if you call your insurance company. I think you get a few extra perks with AAA like trip interruption. In any case all all the drivers have a cousin or uncle that owns a garage that will take "Great" care of you.