The Journey Begins…
Morning Frustration at Jeep on East Sahara
Today’s journey began with a $25 Lyft ride, which undercut Uber by $15 by the way…, to the Jeep dealership on East Sahara. I had no choice but to go in person because they required an in-person signature, with no shuttle or transportation support offered by the dealership. Jeep was dropped off over the weekend due to electical issues.
Once there, I encountered more frustration: East Sahara Jeep wanted $250 per item just for diagnostics. Another dealership JEEP ONLY quoted $300 total to install a second battery (which was the issue in the first place). So I needed a another tow. Several miles. I called the roadside assistance form my Team Ford extended warranty and they scheduled the tow provider Phenomenal towing and said it would take approximatly 90-120 minutes for a tow. This all started around 10 AM.
With time on my hands, I took a walk to the nearest Walgreens down the street in a sea of car dealerships, sales associates and passer-by pedestrians and vagrants. The desert heat was unforgiving, soaring plus 100 degrees.
Inside Walgreens, I bought three bottles of water and a Red Bull, totaling $12—WTF? When did drinkable liquid H20 become more expensize than premium gas? Thanks for that, Biden Administration. The nice store attendant explained that a Walgreens card reduced it to $8. I asked if I could use the restroom and she told me that I would have to go use the one next door in the Dotty’s casino. When did Walgreens stop allowing paid customers to use their restrooms???
After using the restroom in the casino and hydrating on my Red Bull, I walked back to the Toyota dealership next to Jeep. There wasn’t much around except for car dealerships and homeless people. Unlike Jeep, Toyota’s customer service was a refreshing change—they even offer a complimentary service shuttle.
How I wished I could get my Jeep serviced at that Toyota dealership. The waiting area had shaded seating and free coffee, making the wait more bearable.
As I sat there, sipping coffee and browsing the crypto and stock markets on my phone, the time approached 11:45 AM, and still no tow truck in sight. Ford’s extended warranty roadside assistance proved to be slow and inefficient, adding more stress to an already frustrating day.
Phenomenal towing called and said they needed another 45-60 minutes. Then every 20 mintues after that, they said they needed another 20 mintues. All this time waisted in 100+ degree heat. Don’t use Phenomenal towing they have hunderds of 1 star reviews. I was forced to by my Ford Extended Warranty…
I finally cancled after almost 4 hours. I called 365 Towing and Ramon came out in 20 mintues. I was waiting at Toyota for almost 4 hours because of Phenomenal towing, watching Toyota customers picking up their vehicles, or getting chauffered back to their destinations while their vehcicles were serviced. Should have started with 365 Towing…
Jeep Only at West Sahara
Despite the earlier setbacks, Jeep was extremely fast and helpful when checking in my Jeep Rubicon. The entire process took less than 10 mintues. With my vehicle in capable hands, and my tow truck driver offering to take me to lunch near by, I took the opportunity to grab lunch right up the street at Casa del Sabor, hoping for a delicious break from the day’s earlier frustrations.
Lunch Break at Casa del Sabor
With my car troubles temporarily on hold, I managed to sneak in a quick lunch at Casa del Sabor, just up the street. The flavors were a perfect distraction from the day’s earlier chaos. The atmoshpere was lively. The decor looked was cross between a diner and a resturant. The food was good, I was full and at a reasonable price. Free, thanks to my tow truck driver!
Reflections on Service
After our delecious and filling meal, Ramon offered to give me a ride back to Aliante so I didn’t have to call another Uber/Lyft–Usually if I take one company to a destination, I need to take the other one back otherwise I get price gouged. The day ended with some reflections on the importance of good customer service, as illustrated by my varied experiences. I couldn’t help but wish that all service encounters could be as pleasant as those at 365 Towing, Toyota and Casa del Sabor.
