First Strike: i pulled a heavy Amazon 3rd party load of books 60K lbs from Baltimore to Dallas (through I-81) steep hills. Amazon load are typically light, so I was surprised when I read the weight on the BOL.
https://chitopeppler.com/never-ending-hills/
Ran low on fuel in Tenn, so I got off the exit to find a gas station. Bad decision since the roads were steep and winding. I lost power going uphill and stalled several times – almost had to get towed. Once I got back on the freeway I had to do eight (8) Parked Regens during the remainder of my drive to Dallas – and that’s after not doing a single one in six months.
During the last 200 miles, my truck had progressed to Level IV without warning. My dash started to beep like someone was trying to break into my car or there was a mockingbird in my cab. Had to drive 350 miles from Dallas to Mobile constantly beeping. I got to become really intimate with my Bose headset with noise cancellation.
The International Dealership in Mobile tested my Emissions system and recommended I replace my DOC. Thankfully, they cleared the alarm and I decided to think it over – preferring to get any major work done closer to home. I then booked another Amazon load to Richmond. But when I found out it was too heavy, and I was concerned that my emissions would have issues again, I cancelled the load and Amazon suspended my account in retaliation. They eventually returned my account (after over a week of appeals but that was almost the last nail in my coffin).
https://chitopeppler.com/honest-review-of-amazons-freight-brokerage-service/
Second Strike TA screwed up my oil change
I was sidelined for over a week because TA lost two bolts and didn’t tell me. They also improperly installed my drop pan gasket. http://18runner.com/the-oil-change/
An oil change is pretty routine and surprised they screwed it up. Also they first refused to help me leaving me stranded at a Walmart for a few days.
This was quite traumatic because I thought for sure my engine was toast.
Third Strike. After a surprising breakdown in the worst place in the world the break down – straddling two lanes on the GW Bridge, it takes International dealership in Bronx three weeks to fix my truck. Main cause: Air bubbles in my Fuel filter – this is pretty excessive considering the repair could have been done in less than a week. Meanwhile I had to stay in hotels and even spent money renting a car to drive home for a week unsure of when and if my truck would be fixed.
Because of the length of time I was down, this eats up my insurance which is costing me $1,600 a month.
Perhaps the good Lord is telling me something — The last 2 incidents (oil change and air in my fuel filters) were pretty routine and should have been repaired quickly – instead it dragged in the most worst time imaginable.
2020 has been a strange year. Maybe it’s time to hang it up. Thoughts?
