Senile Texas Aggie - comic relief for the rest of you

[Alaskan]

We have a 1999 (first year of new body style) F 350 diesel as well. We also love it. Almost 300,000 miles and still purring along. We do have the dual rear wheels though. When we were ordering it the person we were buying a 12' Lance camper from told us that his friend had rolled two single rear wheel trucks and campers while towing a boat.

One thing about tires DH says the tires they are making now are not wearing as well as the tires they made 10 years ago. He used to get a lot of miles on the older tires but now he is having to replace them sooner. Even with frequent alignments.

About the duals - Since I was going to be driving up and down the state hauling our kids, the camper, and a 16' stock trailer full of dairy goats, as well as other livestock, we looked at each other and changed the order to duals. The thought of blood and guts spread over the highway did not appeal to me. I was doubly glad when, before we picked up the new truck, I was driving home from Riverside with a friend whose goat we had just taken to the breeder and passed a truck and horse trailer on its side with the horse still inside it. Luckily only one horse in the 2 horse trailer and it was still alive. The police, ambulance, and wrecker were there with the owner (freaking out). I think they were waiting for the vet to come and tranq the horse (who was not a happy passenger) so they could pull it out of the trailer before trying to get the trailer and truck upright. I just kept thinking that the duals would give us more stability on the road.

We eventually bought a 30' 5th wheel trailer and have had rear tires blow out without any problems. So although it eats a bit ore gas than the single rear wheel, the 1999 diesel still gets pretty good gas mieage We get between 10 and 212 miles hauling the 5th wheel. I got 12-14 mpg with the camper and stock trailer. We get 14 mpg easily without a load around town and can get up to 16 on highway miles.

That is true.... about stability.

Good points.

 

[Bruce]

once I get caught up on everyone's journals, and I seem to be taking longer at that than I think it should.

It would be easier if we would all stop posting on our journals

I have had numerous problems with my new tractor. I intend to detail that later. I just wish I had my old New Holland tractor back and the money I paid for the new tractor in the bank.

I am very sad to hear that. I assume the problems are covered under warranty? One good thing about that 350, you don't need to pay the dealer to transport the tractor

Too bad the 350 isn't likely worth more than a "useful size truck for you" at this point. Seems like it might make sense to sell it to someone who needs it and save yourself the extra expense of tires and fuel.

We get between 10 and 212 miles hauling the 5th wheel.

That is AMAZING? Must be you sometimes start at the top of a mountain

My sister had a big old Suburban to tow a large travel trailer. She said it got 12-14 MPG whether they had the trailer on it or not.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

I am very sad to hear that. I assume the problems are covered under warranty? One good thing about that 350, you don't need to pay the dealer to transport the tractor

Most though not all of the problems have been covered under warranty. But getting the tractor to/from the dealership has been a real pain, and I have had to take it to them at least 5 times (and probably more). Yes, the F350 can easily tow the tractor. The problem is that I do not have a trailer wide enough to haul the tractor on. I bought the trailer I have early after moving to Arkansas. It has rails along the side. It is plenty wide to haul a zero-turn mower, and to haul the John Deere Gator when we bought it in eastern Oklahoma. It was wide enough to haul my New Holland TC48DA when I had to take it to the New Holland dealer in Alma (about 45 miles away). But it is about 3" too narrow to haul the Kioti RX-7320. So when I get the tractor serviced at the dealer, I have to drive the tractor to the dealer (about 6 miles away) and then they have to bring me home. Then when the tractor is ready, they will come pick me up and I will drive the tractor home.

The last time I had the tractor serviced a couple of weeks ago was when the A/C line busted. I took the tractor in on a Monday and they had to order a part, which they said would arrive by Friday of the same week. I had ordered a gazebo which was scheduled to arrive via truck on Wednesday of the following week. The gazebo was heavy and bulky enough that I would need my tractor to use the pallet forks to handle the gazebo.

The A/C line part did not arrive until Tuesday morning when they were able to get it installed. But they did not have anyone there to come pick me up. So I drove the John Deere Gator to the dealership, left it there and drove the tractor home. After getting home, I hooked up the trailer to the truck and went back and got the Gator and came home.

All of you may be asking why I don't simply get a trailer big enough to haul the tractor. Well, the biggest objection is the trailers that are big enough to haul my tractor cost at least $5000. While that is pocket change for many of you, for me it is in the OUCH! range. So I have endured the frustration of getting the tractor serviced, and that frustration is part of my resentment at the tractor needing servicing so much.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

All,

Sorry for the long post, but I need some advice and need to describe the situation.

I am having problems with a medical firm here in our town. Both my wife and I have dealt with this medical firm several times in the past and expect to continue to do so in the future. The problem I am having, though, is that I made payment of $500 on my wife's account June 5, which is more than what we owed but I knew we would be continue to get treatment and thus incur more expenses, so paying extra I thought was OK. I used electronic bill pay offered by our bank.

In late June this medical firm billed us for more expenses and failed to show that we had paid the $500 on June 5. So in early July I called the toll free number on the bill. The lady I talked with said that she did not show in her records of the medical firm having received the payment. She recommended that I go to the local office where we go for treatment and talk to a business representative there. So I did so, taking with me a copy of our bank statement showing where we had made two payments, one for which they had records, and the $500 for which they did not. The local business person asked for a copy of a cancelled check. Because I used electronic payment I had no cancelled check, just the bank statement. The business person made copies of the bank statement and said that she would forward them to the folks in the financial department.

After waiting a week to give the documents time enough to get to the "right person", I went back to see if the medical business agreed that we had made the payments. The local business person said that the higher-ups wanted a copy of a cancelled check. After telling her again that I had no cancelled check because I paid electronically, I decided to go to my bank to talk to someone there to see if the bank could provide me with something more formal and hopefully convincing. She gave me two pages of impressive looking details, a few of which I understood (like "ACH" - Automated Clearing House), most of which I did not. She also signed her name to the pages and said that anyone at the medical firm could contact her. I then took a copy of the pages to the medical firm, who sent them to the firm's accounting/billing department.

After waiting another week, I decided to talk to the medical firm's local business office person again. She said that the person handling the case had been on vacation but would look into it "soon". I waited another week, this time calling the local business person instead of visiting in person. She said that the higher up needed the phone number of the person at the bank. I provided that to her, who in turn provided it to the higher up. After waiting a couple of more days, this past week I visited the local business person again. This time she said that the higher-up person had talked to the lady in the bank and reported that the lady in the bank admitted that the problem lay with a third company (which I will call a disbursing company) which the bank employs to disburse the funds to recipients like the medical firm whenever electronic payments are made. I took the business person at her word and decided to pay our balance -- writing a personal check this time.

When I got home I decided to call the lady at the bank and ask about the disbursing company and when I can get the $500 put back in my account. She said that while she had indeed talked to someone at the medical firm, she did NOT agree with the statement that the problem lay with the bank nor with the disbursing company. Ugh! So on Friday I contacted the local business person again, telling her what the lady at the bank said. She provided me with the names and contact info of her immediate supervisor, and of that person's supervisor, who is the one who said that the bank admitted that the error was with them. That is where things are at the moment.

So I am asking for what you folks think I should do. I have considered hiring an attorney, but I am reluctant to go that route, as (1) $500 is small potatoes to an attorney, and (2) even if I could find someone who would take the case, once he contacted the medical firm and the bank, these two would probably refuse to discuss the situation with me any more, insisting that they would have their legal departments deal with my attorney, resulting in even more delay. Plus, both the medical firm and the bank have deeper pockets than I do to pay legal fees, so they could drag it out.

But there has to be some regulatory agency or agencies that I could approach to ask them to get involved. The bank is a national bank, so it is covered by federal laws and regulations. That means that the FDIC regulates some of their actions. And the medical firm does business in multiple states, although they may have a legal structure such that each local business is its own legal entity, meaning that state law would cover it instead of federal law. But I believe there must be SOME law enforcement or regulatory agency which I can approach to ask them to look into the matter.

Comments?

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[farmerjan]

When you paid it electronically, there should have been some sort of screen that came up on your computer that had an authorization number on it. I always write down that authorization number on something that I file in my "paid bills" pile. Most places will also send you an e-mail that confirms the payment. Is there any chance you could go back through your e-mails and see if by chance you have one?
I don't think at this point a lawyer is practical since there is still "discussions" ongoing..... no one is disputing that a payment has been made... just no one is showing it right? I mean the bank has it down as having been made...
NOW is there any possibility that the payment went into a different account????? The bank lady should be able to trace exactly what and where the "disbursing company" did with it.... or if not than the disbursing company that the bank uses, should have to answer to the bank. I think that that is where the breakdown is.... UNLESS the bank and disbursing company can both show where it was paid.... then it is with the medical company. And then I am not sure of your next move.... I would think that the bank might want to get a little more forceful with the medical company.

I pay most of my bills on line, even my mtg... and I keep a record of every transaction number written down...

Just a thought, but can't your wife follow you when you have to take the tractor in and pick you up that way? I know you said she does not like to drive the truck, but only 6 miles just to the dealership?????

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

Is there a way you can go to the bank and have a conference call with both the bank person and the medical company person at the same time?

Failing that, can the bank reverse the ACH and then you can write a check instead?

That is very frustrating and poor customer service that it's taking this long to get resolved. Maybe let the medical company know you are going to write a letter to the BBB regarding this situation and their response/lack of action. Sometimes that threat will help light a fire under their behind.

 

[farmerjan]

I like the idea @Larsen Poultry Ranch of writing to the BBB....

 

[Baymule]

How frustrating! You paid the bill, but now it's floating around in cyberspace and no onw wants to 'fess up as to what happened to it.

 

[Ridgetop]

That is AMAZING? Must be you sometimes start at the top of a mountain

My sister had a big old Suburban to tow a large travel trailer. She said it got 12-14 MPG whether they had the trailer on it or not.

Sorry - typo - 10-12 mpg I certainly wish we got 212 mpg!

 

[Ridgetop]

DH likes doing stuff on line but I think our bank sends out a paper check of some sort instead of it going straight into their bank. I am not sure. I prefer writing paper checks, BUT a lot of banks no longer send you the cancelled checks and if the problem arises later down the line, you have to request a copy of the check from the bank which often takes forever to supply if t ever does.

While you do not want to hire an attorney, you can take steps in Small Claims Court. Small Claims court normally does not allow representation by attorneys.

There should be a transaction number on the check or on line read out that shows where the check went. To what account, and bank, etc. If you have that information from the bank, first I would write a letter to the medic facility, the 2 supervisors at the head office, the medical billing department, and everyone else you have talked to. You can send copies to everyone of the same letter. This should not be an email, but a real paper letter. Send it Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested. This will cost a couple dollars for each letter, but you want proof that the letter was received by the addressees. The letter should demand the return of your $500. This letter constitutes a demand for restitution. Their failure to respond or return the money constitutes a refusal to pay the debt.

In the letter state what you did originally, the date on which you paid "in advance", the amount paid, the transaction number, the date the transaction was received by their company, that transaction number, etc. Then identify all the steps you took to resolve this, identify each person to whom you spoke by name and title if known, what was said to you by each person, and what the result was. Give the addressees a time period by which you expect a response.

This is a lot to do but you want to set up a case for you receiving your $500 back. If you do not receive a satisfactory response within the time period you set, file a Small Claims Action against the medical company. Be sure to add "et al." after the names of all defendants which should include their payment receivers, bank, and the company. By adding "et al." you include in the lawsuit as defendants anyone whom you have not been able to identify yet. When you file, you will claim money damages not only for the $500 which has mysteriously disappeared into their coffers, but also for additional money for your time and trouble going to court and running around trying to get the documents, etc., costs of obtaining all the information, copying costs, mailing costs (Certified Mail and RRR), filing cost and service costs of the complaint. You can also ask for additional money for "bad faith" by the insurance company. Ask up to the amount allowed in a Small Claims action. The judge will decide how much you will get. This is the reason you want to itemize everything that was done and said between yourself, the bank, and the company with names and dates. All the documentation should be copied (2 copies) so you can give a copy of everything to the judge when you go to Small Claims court and hand a copy to the person representing the medical company. If the medical company turn this over to their insurance company, they will return your $500 just to avoid a "nuisance" suit. Otherwise, the judge will probably give you the $500 judgement, and probably most of the additional costs you will itemize.

I don't know if this will help yo get your money back, and I am not an attorney, but I have gone to Small Claims Court and won my claim. Just be sure you have all the documentation to give the judge.

What a hassle for you. And it is a shame your tractor is not working out the way you hoped. DS3 has a Kyoti tractor also. I don't think he has had many problems with it, but with your problems I will cross Kyoti off our eventual tractor list.

Can you see if you can trade in your smaller trailer on a larger trailer? If the trade in value is high enough is would certainly lower the $5,000 trailer cost to a possible affordable cost.