On August 17, 2018 we started our vacation return trip home from Red River, NM to Fredericksburg, TX. We were driving a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado LT 2500HD diesel-powered truck towing a 35' bumper pull travel trailer. Going up the Bobcat Pass grade on NM Hwy 38 out of Red River to Eagle Nest, NM, the truck displayed a check engine light on the driver display and seemed to be stuck in 3rd gear with a maximum speed of 35mph. This is known as "limp mode" and is done to protect the engine and/or transmission components. We limped into Eagle Nest, pulled over to a safe place and called Coach-Net. We were informed by Coach-Net personnel that the nearest qualified repair facility for the vehicle was in Taos, NM, and a tow truck was called. The tow truck arrived and delivered the vehicles (truck and trailer) and us to Friday Motors in Taos. Not familiar with Taos or its repair businesses, we accepted at face value that they could repair the vehicle in a timely manner, and do it correctly.
Well, they told us they might not get to it that day at all, as they had only one diesel technician on staff. The diesel technician was at the service desk when we arrived, standing around talking and not really working on anything, and the conversation she was having with the service advisors gave me cause for concern that she wasn't very experienced working with GM diesel engines or Allison transmissions. I called back later, around 4:30pm to see if they had started on the truck, which they had not and said it would be started on Monday. I paid them a personal visit Monday morning first thing and the one and only diesel technician was not at work and they didn't know when she would actually be in but at the earliest it would be the next day or so, as she got bit by one of her dogs over the weekend. Both my wife and I were supposed to be back at work Aug. 20.
As we came to find out from various vehicle repair shops I visited around Taos to see if they could work on the truck, and from the relatives we stayed with during this situation, Friday Motors does not have a good reputation for timely or reliable vehicle repair work. Every other repair shop in town was busy until the end of the week, which we could not afford to wait around for. Most people in Taos who we told of our dilemma automatically take their GM vehicles to Chevrolet of Santa Fe, about 70 miles away.
I called Coach-Net that Monday morning, Aug. 20 and informed them that Friday Motors is not really a qualified repair facility for this truck and could it please be towed to Chevrolet of Santa Fe where the service advisor there said he had a diesel technician standing by to work on our truck as soon as it came in. Coach-Net denied my tow request.
I had the truck towed at my own expense ($300) and Chevrolet of Santa Fe got right on it and we picked it up on Wed., Aug. 22. We drove the long distance home with no further difficulties.
My issue is this - Friday Motors in Taos, NM should not be considered a nearest qualified repair facility by Coach-Net, at least for GM diesel vehicles. People who break down in the Red River-Eagle Nest-Taos area should be taken to Chevrolet of Santa Fe. Coach-Net's designation of Friday Motors in Taos as a qualified facility is deceptive. They clearly are not.
Coach-Net has denied my claim for reimbursent of the $300 tow charge to Santa Fe (cheaper than their $400 contracted rate if they had covered it, according to the customer service rep I talked to). I have been a Coach-Net customer for many years and I am extremely unsatisfied about this situation and if I am not reimbursed I will be looking for another service provider, and informing all of my fellow RVers whenever I can about this situation that has occurred with them.
Coach-Net Reviews
On August 17, 2018 we started our vacation return trip home from Red River, NM to Fredericksburg, TX. We were driving a 2010 Chevrolet Silverado LT 2500HD diesel-powered truck towing a 35' bumper pull travel trailer. Going up the Bobcat Pass grade on NM Hwy 38 out of Red River to Eagle Nest, NM, the truck displayed a check engine light on the driver display and seemed to be stuck in 3rd gear with a maximum speed of 35mph. This is known as "limp mode" and is done to protect the engine and/or transmission components. We limped into Eagle Nest, pulled over to a safe place and called Coach-Net. We were informed by Coach-Net personnel that the nearest qualified repair facility for the vehicle was in Taos, NM, and a tow truck was called. The tow truck arrived and delivered the vehicles (truck and trailer) and us to Friday Motors in Taos. Not familiar with Taos or its repair businesses, we accepted at face value that they could repair the vehicle in a timely manner, and do it correctly.
Well, they told us they might not get to it that day at all, as they had only one diesel technician on staff. The diesel technician was at the service desk when we arrived, standing around talking and not really working on anything, and the conversation she was having with the service advisors gave me cause for concern that she wasn't very experienced working with GM diesel engines or Allison transmissions. I called back later, around 4:30pm to see if they had started on the truck, which they had not and said it would be started on Monday. I paid them a personal visit Monday morning first thing and the one and only diesel technician was not at work and they didn't know when she would actually be in but at the earliest it would be the next day or so, as she got bit by one of her dogs over the weekend. Both my wife and I were supposed to be back at work Aug. 20.
As we came to find out from various vehicle repair shops I visited around Taos to see if they could work on the truck, and from the relatives we stayed with during this situation, Friday Motors does not have a good reputation for timely or reliable vehicle repair work. Every other repair shop in town was busy until the end of the week, which we could not afford to wait around for. Most people in Taos who we told of our dilemma automatically take their GM vehicles to Chevrolet of Santa Fe, about 70 miles away.
I called Coach-Net that Monday morning, Aug. 20 and informed them that Friday Motors is not really a qualified repair facility for this truck and could it please be towed to Chevrolet of Santa Fe where the service advisor there said he had a diesel technician standing by to work on our truck as soon as it came in. Coach-Net denied my tow request.
I had the truck towed at my own expense ($300) and Chevrolet of Santa Fe got right on it and we picked it up on Wed., Aug. 22. We drove the long distance home with no further difficulties.
My issue is this - Friday Motors in Taos, NM should not be considered a nearest qualified repair facility by Coach-Net, at least for GM diesel vehicles. People who break down in the Red River-Eagle Nest-Taos area should be taken to Chevrolet of Santa Fe. Coach-Net's designation of Friday Motors in Taos as a qualified facility is deceptive. They clearly are not.
Coach-Net has denied my claim for reimbursent of the $300 tow charge to Santa Fe (cheaper than their $400 contracted rate if they had covered it, according to the customer service rep I talked to). I have been a Coach-Net customer for many years and I am extremely unsatisfied about this situation and if I am not reimbursed I will be looking for another service provider, and informing all of my fellow RVers whenever I can about this situation that has occurred with them.