Can a mod please change the title to "how far will IT go"? Also, I may start calling this thing IT now instead of "the truck".
Can a mod please change the title to "how far will IT go"? Also, I may start calling this thing IT now instead of "the truck".
John Welsh (Moderate Supporter) said:The AAA Plus package will tow you to any address up to 100 miles and do it 4 times per year for less than $100 per year.
This link might take you to a sale price of $54.50
This might also save you from having to travel the 70 miles to go to the truck.
You might have to wait two days from joining till using.
Transmission went out in the truck when I got out of the military. Limped it from north Virginia to mid-north North Carolina. Called AAA. Towed 100 miles. Stayed at a hotel just off the interstate. Woke up the next morning, called AAA, towed 100 miles.
4 days in a row some poor tow truck driver had to pick me up and haul my broken truck and my crap.
Got me within distance of my brother being able to pick me up without missing work the next day
We got up early (for the adults, not the 10 year old) and rolled out around 8. Hit the large state park that is along the way. Spent about an hour exploring some trails and docks, then fired up the grill for some brats and eggs. Packed everything up and got to the truck around 11. After verifying it hadn't been towed, we explored the fairgrounds, checked out the horses, and then walked the rallyx course.
I checked out the truck and everything was good aside from the sparkles on the dipstick, so I hit the key.
In reply to Mr_Asa and John Welsh:
AAA is now 7 day wait for anything beyond the standard package (aka 3 mile tow). Had AAA for years and never used it, too responsible back then. Just need to buy a trailer already.
In reply to Dead_Sled :
Dang, they have gotten wise to our shenanigans!
In reply to gumby (Forum Supporter) :
7 days is only like 2-3 different Walmarts you need to find to stash it at, still doable.
If it wasn't for covid, I'd invite the MIL up for a cookout and she could have joined in the fun, AAA card and all. 
I have been a long time AAA Plus member. I find creative ways to get the value.
Most recently, I sold Pat my two Q45 s. I winter stored them at my buddies boat building business. That means the cars were 20 minutes west of my house. This made the cars about 75 miles from Pat's house. Both cars ran and Pat and I were scheming how to move the cars. I checked w/ AAA to find out that I had 3 services remaining to use in the next 2 months...
The keys were at the boat shop with the cars. I told Pat to pick a day and the first car would be there within 2 hours of letting me know. It worked great. I did it all from home. The same driver flatbedded each car, one at a time. About 1.5 hours each way.
I'll type as I cook more food, bc 4 eggs, 2 brats, a 1/4 lb hotdog, and various snacks aren't enough to fill up a 56 lb 10 yr old.
In reply to John Welsh (Moderate Supporter) :
I think technically the card holder has to be there, atleast on the pickup side. This is totally tow driver dependant, as most just want to get the load over with as soon as possible.
IT fired up no problem. 40 psi oil pressure at idle. Did not sound nearly as bad as the day before. Shut IT down, told swmbo we're going to send it, and aired up the rear tires. Swmbo took my niece to the bathroom for the second time in 30 minutes.
Hit the road with a plan a, b, and c laid out. All was well except for the campers so plan a all the way. It seemed to like 55ish with some load. I should have brought headphones or ear plugs.
Awesome! What did it do when the engine got warm?
Also on later model Fords they just have an oil pressure switch and show oil pressure when there is at least 6-8PSI, do those GMs do something similar or is it an actual gauge?
The previous pic was at normal operating temp probably 20 miles into the drive, oil pressure in lower left, 40 psi is straight up, temp is above it, 210 is straight up. It's an actual oil pressure gauge, but they're accuracy may be questionable. I can say that it seems to give good, consistent relative feedback based on my experience, certainly better than a dummy light.
Everything was going "ok", and we were within flat tow range, so I decided to take a 20 mile detour to get something out of the way.
The lady behind me clearly hadn't heard rod knock before.
That'll get me 2 years of plates without emissions checks, no matter what engine is in it.
After leaving eCheck we got caught by a train 5 miles from home. I shut IT off while sitting and IT fired back up 5 minutes later with an extended crank. IT did not like starting from a stop anymore.
Oooo ... you guys still have to deal with eCheck up North? Cinci area has not had it for some time now, which is nice.
Dang you're one more from it being the last test
"It" will make it!
einy (Forum Supporter) said:Oooo ... you guys still have to deal with eCheck up North? Cinci area has not had it for some time now, which is nice.
Yea, eCheck sucks. The funny thing is swmbo's caddy (which is way, way, way nicer than IT) wouldn't pass eCheck, yet this knocking beast did great!
Wait, when did AAA start making people wait for a tow greater than three miles?
Patrick (Forum Supporter) said:Dang you're one more from it being the last test
Actual phone conversation on 480 just past 252.
Me: how's it going?
Swmbo: fine, my E36 M3 ain't broken, how's it going up there?
Ok, I think I'm going to run into Elyria and eCheck the truck
Wait, what?
I gotta eCheck it before August, and it won't pass if I engine swap it.
It'll pass with that knock but not an engine swap?
Computer doesn't know it's knocking.
Can't you just program some computer after the swap?
Not really.
Ok.... Is this the last eCheck it needs?
One more in two years
Berk it, engine swap it and we'll worry about it then, worst case we take it off the road for a year.
I like how you think it'll be alive in 2 years.
It's not Rusty, you can fix the rest.
Brett_Murphy (Forum Patrón) said:Wait, when did AAA start making people wait for a tow greater than three miles?
As far as I know they've always had a waiting period to discourage people from signing up after breaking down. I think they now charge a ~75$ fee to use it early, which basically doubles your rate for a mid level package.
You guys have some great stories involving abused GM trucks! Congrats on making it home.
Quick shout out to AxeHealey for offering to bail my ass out today. I owe you. I hope you get to drive the truck at some point, it ain't fast, but it's fun!
In reply to Dave M (Forum Supporter) :
Thanks tho this is by far the least exciting retrieval I've had.
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