From: madhaus@netcom.com (Maddi Hausmann)
Subject: Bad Experience at Track Auto U-HAUL, Santa Clara
Organization: Society for Putting Things on Top of Other Things
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 03:13:13 GMT

Since I was going to move this weekend, I called the Sunnyvale
U-HAUL center to rent a truck.  They were booked, so I called
Information (411) to ask for nearby U-HAUL dealers.  They gave
me a location in Santa Clara, on El Camino, so I called that
dealer.  I reserved a truck, a garden trailer, an appliance
dolly and a piano dolly.  The dealer said he would have to
confirm the garden trailer and piano dolly.  I needed this
equipment to move a hot tub.

On Friday he hadn't called back, so I called to confirm the
order, and he said everything was taken care of.  I told him
I would pick up the moving supplies at 8:30 Saturday morning.

On Saturday, I arrived at 8:35 and told the dealer who I was
and that I had made a reservation.  He began filling out forms
at an incredibly slow rate.  It must have taken about 10 minutes,
and there were no other customers there!  Anyway, this is all
just for the truck.  He tells me to come look at the trailer to
be sure it was what I ordered (even thought I described it on
the phone).  It wasn't; it was too high.  After staring at
it for quite a while it was clear he didn't have anything else
that could move the hot tub. 

Back in the office, I then found out that he didn't have the
piano dolly either.  He made some calls to other U-Haul dealers
to see if the correct trailer and the piano dolly could be
found.  Finally, he locates them.  At this point it is 9:15.  I
have 12 people arriving at 10:00 a.m. to help me move.  He says
he'll have them in 45 minutes.  I said unless he's willing to
deliver them to my house they won't be any use, because I can't
keep everyone waiting.  He refuses to do this, but says "I won't
charge you for this."

We move everything except the hot tub, because without the piano
dolly, it's just about impossible.  (We also went to OSH to try
to buy one, but they said they sold out all over the county.)  I
brought the truck back at 3:30 p.m. and reminded the dealer that
he wasn't going to charge me.  He said he had to charge me for
the truck; he was going to give me the appliance dolly rental,
blanket rental, and mileage (wow, 18 miles)at no cost.  I told him 
that his little stunt was going to cost me $350 because now I would 
have to pay a professional to move the tub.  The worst part about it
is this guy had no remorse whatsoever for this.  I called to
specify what I needed; I called back to confirm it would be
there, and he screwed it up.  But he claims he's only the middleman
between me and the dispatcher, so it isn't his fault.  Great.

Anyway, avoid this dealer like the plague.  Do not rent your
moving equipment from TRACK AUTO SERVICE U-HAUL at the corner
of El Camino Real and Calabazas in Santa Clara.  Let them
know that pissing off one customer means pissing off 1,000
in the Electronic Age.

Feel free to distribute this to any friends who are about to
move.

-- 
Maddi Hausmann                       |  The Truth is still The Truth, forsooth 
madhaus@netcom.com                   |  Even if believing It you refuse
Centigram Communications Corp        |  Disproof's uncouth, refuting moot
San Jose California  408/428-3553    |  A Fundie's brain is dead.