Road Trips

[Lily&Me]

I wouldn't be too quick to swear off all Apple products, because of this experience.

I dropped our first IPad, it landed on a corner and broke. Drove to an Apple Store which gave us a refurbished on the spot and helped reload at the store everything that had been on the old one.

Certainly seems they need to be issuing a replacement.

I would have all my facts in front of me, call and insist on speaking with successively higher persons in authority until you reach someone who will replace it and tell you exactly when.

They should send you confirmation, and you should confirm with them your conversation and what was agreed to.

I know you are a lawyer, Gene. I was a career worker-bee with the SOI.

Just my two cents.

Good luck,


Maggie

[Gene]

Maggie, there's some truth that you should not be your own lawyer. The reason is you are emotionally involved and therefore, do not make the logical decisions. I do much better for others, but pretty good for myself.

They train the "advisors" and especially the "senior advisors" to let you know they feel your pain, they would be just as upset as you are and they've never seen a case like this. They keep you on the phone and when they put you on hold because they are talking to someone else (actually they are using e-mail, but they don't tell you that), you have to listen to music. Apple uses a lot of barely tolerable 1970's funk and the fidelity is bad, so when having to listen to that, all I want to do is hang up. Do they purposely hang up on you to show you who has the real power? You'd think with their fancy computers they wouldn't hang up, so what's up with that? They call me back right away. It's all a clever psychological game where they'll give you something to keep you sort of happy, but ignore your main concerns.

I don't have the time to keep going up the ladder, but I do make them know I understand their tricks and want results and I want the now! They are so friendly and useless.

No answer to either of my latest e-mails, one to the CEO. Of course, Cook won't answer, but I may get somebody who has more authority to act. So far they haven't charged me for the repair and said they wouldn't, and offered me $100 from the Apple Store. I refused the $100, but made that vague so I could come back to that.

Our country has come to the point where large corporations could not care less about their customers. If Verizon treats you so badly you go to ATT or T-mobile or Spring, a customer of those other three companies will be so disgusted they go to Verizon. The CEO still makes tens of millions of dollars, the board members get hundreds of thousands for going to several board meetings and doing what the CEO told them to do including raising his salary and theirs. What do they care? The system works for them. Sorry for the rant, but read Picketty's "Capitalism in the 21st Century" and you'll get worked up too.

Surely, Apple is reading this too.

But, what is SOI Maggie? Were you Sec. of the Interior? Silicon on Insulator? More than 70 definitions for that one.

Gene

[Gene]

I am informed SOI means State of Illinois. I live in SOC.

Gene

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Gene

I am informed SOI means State of Illinois. I live in SOC.

Gene

I now live in SOW.

Ken

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by Gene

I am informed SOI means State of Illinois. I live in SOC. SOC = California, Connecticut, Colorado, Confusion????

Gene

Originally Posted by Ag&Au

I now live in SOW.

SOW + Wisconsin, Wyoming, Washington, West Virginia, ????

Ken

Hi, SOO?

[Gene]

Confusion. Ken lives in State of Cat.

It doesn't rain for months, then it rains for days—not usually hard and not steadily, but a lot for here. We picked the worst day for a get together—fog, clouds, rain, cold, but it all worked out. The clouds lifted, the view across the Grand Valley and to the Bookcliffs was visible and it stopped raining for a while. Barb prepared tons of food and we bought too much beer. We're back in the clouds now. Our neighbors met some city folk and some Crawford people and there were no fist fights. Two neighbors who never met may figure out how to help each other with their horses. We got lots of compliments about what we are doing with the house—we wonder if we live in our own world and we are doing something that doesn't blend, or compliment each other, or looks out of date. It is good to get some good feedback.

Summerizing begins tomorrow. And we'll go buy some wood to make baseboard, ceiling molding and trim around windows. I started preparing more panels yesterday and I have about 100 8' panels to sand and seal and make pretty. So we have 2 projects for the rest of spring and summer—finish great room and paint the outside of the house. We have 3 trips definite—southern Utah, Ouray and northwest. We've talked about going to the rez (Navajo reservation) and we have some rugs we'd like to sell to a trader. We have more windows and less wall space for hanging Navajo rugs, so it is time to sell some. And we often go to Santa Fe i.n the summer or fall. Maybe we have to trim our plans a little or I need something stronger than caffeine.

I thought I had a week to summerize, but then I realized I had 5 days, but two days are going to be split up by going into town. That leaves 4 days. I guess we like to pressure ourselves.

Gene

[Jim & Susan]

Hey Gene, looks like the house is coming together nicely. I was just catching up on the thread the last couple days and could not believe your tales of woe re: Apple. I believe you, just hard to believe their customer service is that bad. After all, the reason we buy their products is because of ease of use, bullet proof hardware and top drawer customer service. Now we find out that a simple repair requires a plane ride to the other side of the planet? To CHINA?

Unbelievable. We are a mixed family. We have Windoze, IOS and Android devices. A simple battery swap requires all this heartburn?????? Crazy.

There is anecdotal evidence on the internet that if you go to their Facebook and Twitter pages and stir things up there, you'll get a positive response. Sounds like they simply lost the dern thing. They should make good and just give you a comparable device.

I'm getting ready to do battle with the local cable company (Charter Cable) over a similar "simple" dispute that's gotten completely out-of-hand. For the life of me, I can't understand why these companies can't simply do the right thing.

OK, off my soapbox now. Y'all have a great travel season.

See you down the road.

Jim

[Lily&Me]

I have been in AT&T land the past few days....aka no Verizon signal but for momentary bursts.

SOI is State of Illinois.

When I am not getting a satsfactory answer, I am not satisfied with the person on the phone talking to someone else...I want to speak with that someone else myself....and insist on it until I do.

What a bunch of bs. Sorry for you.



Maggie

[Gene]

Thanks for your condolences about my iPad. My e-mail to CEO Tim Cook got a response from some guy from the "Executive Relations". You have to sit by your phone and wait for him to call because his phone is always busy. They will not tell you anything by e-mail because of some dumb policy and won't tell you anything in a phone message either. Imagine a computer company that won't use e-mail—irony time. They try to sweet talk me and I keep telling them I want results. The iPad arrived at Apple 3 weeks ago today.

Yesterday I was told they were "investigating" this and it shouldn't have happened. I pointed that they have already said they wouldn't charge me for the repair and have offered me $100 worth of stuff from their store and this is costing them more than a new iPad would cost them. I keep telling me to overnight it.

Apple makes very good products. Gross receipts were $58,000,000,000 last quarter. They have $193,000,000,000 in cash. They avoid paying taxes in the US. They have always been arrogant, but this has gotten out of control. They are just one of many large companies who don't care. They sweet talk you and offer a pittance for your troubles. Jim, people in Grand Jct. have Charter and it is so unpopular the people voted in the city to authorize the city to look for alternatives for broadband. This happened in a conservative city. Of course, I'd rather have what they have than the expensive plan we have from Verizon. I keep thinking about filing complaints against Verizon with the FTC and FCC, but that takes time and I have too much to do as it is. That's what the corporate kleptocracy counts on.

Yesterday we were in and out of the house getting the trailer ready (much tongue and stairs rust to fix after our first trip; some cracks in one Michelin sidewall after six years—Michelin says change tires after seven—this will become the spare). Then we went into town to get wood and food and of course Carlos called when we weren't here. I called him back at 4:30 his time and the usual message; he didn't return the call nor has he this morning—it is 9:35 am in Cal. He promised there would be a resolution to this by now, another empty promise.

I'd better change that tire now. The others all look fine. They have always been covered unless we were on the road. The cracks are not very deep, but I'd rather change the tire. I also have to get the TPMS working. I just changed the batteries to the 2nd set they sent and nothing happened. Maybe they were dead after 3 years. I really haven't left myself enough time to do everything right. I also have to repack the wheel bearings soon, a job I never enjoy. The stabilizer jacks also have some rust and when we return I have to clean off all the rust and repaint. And we haven't waxed the behemoth in 3 years. I have more energy for remodeling right now, but I'll have to get to trailer maintenance between house, in-laws visit, Utah and Ouray trips. Maybe I should get a job and have more money to hire someone to do the trailer stuff—no, better for Barb to get a job and she can pay someone to do it.

I guess I'll leave another message for Carlos. No iPad has been delivered as of 30 seconds ago.

Frustrations mount. Be glad to get out of town.

Gene

[Lily&Me]

It is very difficult to understand why they just don't replace it.

It would seem that insisting on speaking with you personally is just to delay. And, no recording of a message nor written response.

Very poor public relations.

I am disappointed in Apple. They know better.


Maggie

[Gene]

Good news and bad news.

First, Apple is sending me a new iPad Air, no charge. Carlos said things got screwed up and they are sorry. I may get my old one back and they want it if I do. I suggested I would hand deliver it to him if they paid my expenses to Cupertino. I also asked for new tires for the trailer because…

all the tires have started to crack on the sidewalls. I didn't see it on the cloudy day I first looked at them except for the one tire. I thought it was only one, but they all have started. They are 5 1/2 years old and this is what happens when they sit too much. I know I should have moved the trailer back and forth a few times over the winter, but, well, I've been busy.

Carlos will not personally deliver the iPad (I suggested he drive his Tesla here, but crossing Nevada he might run out of electricity and couldn't fit the tires in the Tesla trunk anyway). But Discount Tires is holding 4 of the same Michelins for me and I just have to go there tomorrow morning and pay a lot. Their parking lot is not trailer friendly so I'll go at 8 am. when there's more space.

I'd better check the brakes now and set up the hitch.

Gene

[Lily&Me]

Well.....good you're going to have a new IPad!

I am thinking of going to a mini later this summer.


Maggie

[xrvr]

Is Apple going to replace your tires, also? Jim

[Gene]

No, Apple is not going to replace my tires, but I thought I'd try.

I just called Michelin and started a claim. The tires are warranted for 6 years and I may get a few bucks off. New tires will be ready for me tomorrow at 8 am. Not what I wanted to happen, but I knew it was going to happen in a year or so. Tempered by a new iPad costing some life expectancy in frustrations. Tires will be in the $800 range, iPad starts at $500, so I guess not a bad day and summerizing is pretty much done except for things I will do later. I figured I'd be buying a new iPad in a couple of years, so this puts it off as much as 5 years. By then I will be so old I'll be reading comic books anyway.

The fresh water tank is now being drained after the Clorox solution matured for an hour and in a while the first of 3 flushes to get all the Cl smell out. That will complete maintenance (except for tires tomorrow) for the Utah trip. But there's rust to remove, paint to apply, wax to polish, bearings to repack at a later date. And clothes and food to pack.

I've pulled the trailer so little in the last 2 years, I have to learn how again. The half mile down in 8 miles of road will retrain me fast.

Gene

[Gene]

After 50,000 miles towing it is second nature and we made it down to Grand Junction easily. Temp 44˚ when we left home and 60˚ in town. Michelin gave me about $65 off each new tire because of the cracking in the sidewalls. Although I bought the tires 5 1/2 years ago and within the warranty, they used the date of manufacture, more than 6 years, but they honored the warranty anyway and I paid $120 per tire instead of $185. With tax, balancing, etc., $699. Not bad for new shoes and M/S2 instead of the M/S I had. Michelin is so much easier to deal with than a lot of US companies.

Now to load up the whale and off to Utah on Saturday. Since, as Moosetags puts it, if we leave at the crack of noon, we should get to Hanksville, less than 200 miles, easily.

My new iPad is due this afternoon, but to get the tracking information, I got it in Chinese. Despite the Chinese lessons in fortune cookies, I couldn't read it, but it did say it was in Grand Jct. today. I guess there are no characters for Grand Jct. so I could read that. I think the rest said "your takeout is ready".

Gene

[Gene]

When they went to remove the wheels from our Airstream at Discount Tires, the floor jack wouldn't lift it up high enough. Mine does, but I put several pieces of 2x10 on it. Their block didn't raise it high enough. I had 2x10's in the truck and we used those to lift each wheel in turn while the trailer rested on the other wheel on that side. It takes 3 2x10's to do it (4 1/2"). For other RV's with regular axles, they can use a floor jack. Like others have reported, they wanted to lift it between the wheels which is a really bad idea as they would crush the tanks. Even with a floor jack at the lifting point at the rear of the trailer, it is easy to miss the frame rail above the belly pan (I've seen it missed and start crushing the belly pan—not a good thing).

I only know of one other Airstream around here and I guess they had never seen one before.

One time I was working underneath and had jacked up the trailer and also used a jack stand for extra safety and wondered why the trailer seemed lower than it had earlier. I looked at the two jacks, and they were sinking into the ground. The lesson was to put some plywood under the jacks to distribute the weight. And I made the 2x10's out of scrap wood I had and cut bevels in one end so the wheel doesn't push the wood when you pull the trailers up onto the wood. Also you need someone to watch so they can tell you when you are on the wood and stay several feet away. Sometimes the 2 x 10's pop out when you are coming off them and can hit someone who is too close.

Two other things happened yesterday when I was too tired to really feel ok about it even when I solved the problems. I went to drain the black tank—there's always some water, crud and antifreeze in there over the winter. I opened the valve and only a trickle came out. We put a gallon more water in the toilet to see if there was a blockage and more water would push it through. No change. Another gallon and no change. I got underneath and removed the access plate, but it doesn't access anything but the (useless) sensor. I was thinking how I would have to remove the belly pan, take the pipe that goes into the tank off and fix something. I was not happy. So I got out and stared at the handle while thinking about backflushing the tank, but I decided to turn the handle. It was as far out it would go, so how could the valve not be open? There was enough tension on then handle so that the valve must be attached. I turned the handle clockwise—that usually means tightening or closing. I turned it several times and pulled it out again and the water came out just like it is supposed to. Lesson—don't turn that handle counterclockwise as it may come apart and turn it clockwise a few turns from time to time. So I learned the handle adjusts the valve opening.

The second thing was when we were finished with sanitizing, I went to close one garage door and it would only go down a foot and then return. It was 8 pm and I just wanted to lie on the sofa. There are no locks on the doors and no lock on the door between the garage and house. I looked at the controls on the motor while Barb looked for the manual. I managed to screw up the remote, but figured out how to fix that. There were some things to turn, but that did nothing. Then Barb found the manual (thank you former owner for saving everything). I read it and went to see if the electric eyes that keep the door from closing on you were aligned correctly. The lights on them worked fine which indicates they were aligned, but I moved one a bit and the door worked. The lesson here is don't wait to summerize the trailer until a few days before you leave on a trip or you'll be working late into the evening and so tired you want to throw things at something or kick a bunny (I did neither and couldn't have caught a rabbit to kick if I wanted to). Someday the motor will fail and although the door can be closed manually, it can be opened that way too. I have to buy some locks for the doors.

The word "summerize" was created by Bob Cross and he should get the credit. Bob has helped a lot of people, especially with corrosion problems and has been a valuable member of the Forum.

Time to pack.

Gene

[slowmover]

My one ton truck Michelins only went 5.5 years [2007-2012] and 77k miles with 5/32 average wear. All failed within a mile, one a blowout. I attributed it to the heat here, but the original set went 3+ years and 121k. I was furious to say the least. But no point getting mad (past the sweetheart $300 tow job ninety miles on a rollback) as Michelin practically gave me a new set of LTX MS2. The grip is bit better than the A/S, but they won't wear as long. The deal was done by phone before the rollback arrived.

Then again, my personal truck miles are low since about then. I'll time out this set early for a commercial truck tire.

Besides legalized tax evasion I've read that if Apple had those thousands of manufacturing jobs here in the U.S., the price per device might go up an astonishing $15-25.

I too am getting reacquainted with my trailer as I ready it for a long move. Set up the PP-sourced adjustable HA stinger just now. New clearance and signal lamps to be bought. Etc.

If you've enjoyed Piketty, then may I recommend one on my near future list: Michael Hudsons endeavor with historical specialists. See The Unz Review or his own website. Graeber is more readable, but ultimately not as much fun as what Hudson provides.

Looking forward to your travel pictures and commentary, Gene.

[Gene]

The new iPad came yesterday at 3:45 pm and I immediately started to play with it. I'm slowly figuring out the new stuff, but I can't get my e-mail working just right. Maybe Google is messed up today. I can get mail, but can't send. I can use the laptop for that and usually do. Safari is acting up. These glitches usually resolve themselves after a while.

The new one is a bit smaller than my iPad2 was. I had to buy a new cover—the Smart Cover doesn't fold into the position to hold up the back as well as the old cover. Also a new car charger since as they always do, Apple changed the plug. I could plug the 120 v. wire into the 120 v. receptacle in the truck, but I didn't want extension cords all over the places. We already have too many things charging and not enough receptacles. I have a triple one to plug into the truck and there's a second receptacle at the back of the console.

Apple's Carlos called today to make sure everything was ok. I told him when the battery on this goes bad, I want another free one. He didn't seem to think that was a good idea.

The old one is still in China and Carlos is trying to get it shipped to Apple instead of me. I told him if it comes to me not to hold his breath while I get around to returning it.

So if you have a problem with Apple, don't call them, send an e-mail to CEO Tim Cook. Sometimes that works with some companies, others (like Verizon, my most hated company now) just blow you off. A French company, Michelin, has something to teach us about customer service.

The food has to go into the trailer. Much will return. Otherwise we are in good shape. Hanksville, here we come. There's one CG there I think and I believe we stayed there once before, but if so, it was not memorable.

I've got about 150 pages to go in Picketty (also French) plus a new issue of Fine Homebuilding. And the NY Times everyday takes a day to read plus the local paper. If I finish Picketty on this trip, I have a book about residential design in the UK and US from 1600 to the present. I got up to the 1700's and put it down. Lots of pictures, but I study them and it takes forever to get through a century. There are a couple of other books here that I'd like to read, but life gets in the way.

So Road Trips fans, is there a rust remover that actually works? I bought a grinder for $20 (sale at Sutherlands) and have never used it, but I will on the rust. If there's a chemical that makes it easy, what would it be?

Gene

[slowmover]

Ospho.

[youngpeck]

Exrust, from Kano Laboratories, is amazing stuff. It's on this page:

Industrial Specialties

part way down.

Not cheap but very effective.

I've used it on old printing equipment. Also the Aero Kroil, which loosens rusted and stuck shafts and bearings like none other.