HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: mem@mv.mv.com (Mark E. Mallett)
Subject: Re: Discrimination at Mitsubishi
Organization: MV Communications, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 05:28:15 GMT

In article <1992Apr14.182647.133@progress.com> matth@progress.COM (Matthew J. Harper) writes:
>  I agree that the dealership treated you badly.  Just about everyone on the
>net does.
>  However, this is a huge file.  You have now posted it at least 3 times.
>  Why not spend your energy nailing the dealership instead of repeated 
>postings to the net?

On the other hand, I only saw the latest issue of it.  Considering that
I have my own horror stories involving the same company -- and the
same dealership -- I'm glad to have seen the posting.  

But probably a smaller followup, with a "mail me for details," would
have been just as good.

-mm-
-- 
Mark E. Mallett  MV Communications, Inc./ PO Box 4963/ Manchester NH/ 03108
Bus. Phone: 603 429 2223    Home: 603 424 8129     BIX: mmallett
Internet: mem@mv.MV.COM  ( uucp: ...{decvax|harvard}!mv!mem )
Looking for news and mail in southern NH / northern MA?  Try MV!
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: pjs@euclid.JPL.NASA.GOV (Peter J. Scott)
Subject: Citibank Autoadvantage - pathetic
Reply-To: pjs@euclid.jpl.nasa.gov
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA/Caltech
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 17:24:56 GMT

A few months ago Citibank Visa sent an invitation to join their
Autoadvantage program, offering many discounts on auto services.
There was a trial period and a membership refund guarantee, so
even though my first reaction was, "Another scam that won't
save money in the long run," my second reaction was, "maybe I've
gotten too cynical about these kinds of things and should give
it a go."  So I did.

I called 'em up, and they were breathless about how *so many*
dealerships had signed on with them, and how lots of Toyota
dealerships had done so (where I like to get work done).  Later
on I asked them which ones in Los Angeles county were in their
program and they admitted that in fact no Toyota dealerships in
Southern California had joined.

Nevertheless, they offered a bunch of coupons good for certain kinds
of work done anywhere, besides many more coupons good only for
auto repair outlets that don't exist on the West Coast, so after
getting a 30,000 mile service I sent in the dealer's computer
printed receipt which showed that I had gotten an oil change and
a tune up, together with their coupons for, I forget the amounts,
something like $15 off an oil change and $20 off a tune-up.

Weeks later, they came back with a form letter saying that they
needed an itemized bill signed and certified by the mechanic
before they would pay up.  I imagine you know that these computer
printouts from the dealership itemize everything short of the
amount of dust wiped from your steering wheel.  Anyway, I decided
joining had been a mistake, and called them up to get out of the program.
It was like talking to an answering machine.  No matter what I
said, the woman on the other end just went on to the next part
of a pre-prepared speech for people who wanted out of the program
(gee, funny they should have been so ready), offering more
useless coupons as incentive to stay.

It was a waste of time and a 29-cent stamp.  I find nothing
surprising in the news of the trouble Citicorp is in.

-- 
This is news.  This is your       |    Peter Scott, NASA/JPL/Caltech
brain on news.  Any questions?    |    (pjs@euclid.jpl.nasa.gov)


Xref: sparky misc.consumers:10190 rec.autos:10899
From: garyh@sco.COM (< Gary H >)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.autos
Subject: Re: Attempted cheating by Sears Auto
Date: Wed, 08 Apr 92 02:51:49 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.


In article <klp.701904997@yar> klp@doe.carleton.ca (Ka Lun Pang) writes:
!
!Warning: someone has mentioned that they might be good for an oil change or
!batteries. Don't take the chance, they are very forgetful on little caps and
!screws. STAY AWAY!!!!

Sear is only good for batteries.  Their DIE HARD batteries are great.

When my original toyota battery went out on me, I asked around about
good car batteries.  Most people I asked mentioned SEARS.  I didn't want
a SEARS battery though.  Anyways, after asking more people, I finally
decided to buy a SEARS DIEHARD.  It's been about six years now and the
battery is still kicking (even after running it down a couple of times).

Gary

-- 
|^^^^^^|            _Yo_Man_____________________________
|      |          /            garyh@sco.com             \
|  _  _|        /             uunet!sco!garyh              \
| (o)(o)      /             425  Encinal Street              \
@      _)   /          Santa Cruz, California  95061          |
 | ,___|   /   W: [408] 457-0195 x7765 / Fax: [408] 429-1887 /
 |   /     \_______________________________________________/
/____\            The Santa Cruz Operation (SCO), Inc.
From: vjd11@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (virgil.j.duncan)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Dodge Caravan ('86 Model) Engine Rattle
Summary: just do it by 60,000 miles
Date: 16 Apr 92 19:22:47 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: AT&T

In article <8191@sun13.scri.fsu.edu>, nall@sun8.scri.fsu.edu (John Nall) writes:
> In article <9710034@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM> rand@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Rand Briggs) writes:
> >Check your owners manual under maintenance.  My 1988
> >Caravan talks about a servicing a Timing *Belt*.  I
> >checked and it costs $300 at the dealer or $150 at
> >a local mechanic to change out.  I have the 3.0 Litre
> 
>    Anyway, after I got back home, I went to my regular mechanic, whom I
>    have reason to trust implicitly, and told him all this stuff.  He did
>    a check on the car, and said all the ball joints, etc., were fine.  But
>    he asked me if I had ever had the timing belt changed.  I said no, it
>    had never given me a problem (83000 miles on the car).  In his low-key
>    way, he told me that the timing belt on the Isuzu Trooper II is supposed
>    to be changed at 40,000 miles, and that it would be $130 for parts plus
>    labor to change it.  I asked him what would happen if I didn't, since
>    I had gone 83000 miles with no trouble.  His reply was: "Well, it may
>    last forever.  But if it comes apart while you're driving down  the road,
>    the damage to the engine is probably going to be pretty bad".
> 
>    Like I said, I trust him implicitely.  So I got it changed.  I am not
>    a mechanic, and possibly someone else on the net knows more about it.
>    But for now, I'm going to change them when the owners manual says to.

On my Camry the dealership did not do it at the 60,000 service.
The timing belt broke at 85,000 miles. I had to wait 2 hrs on a
freeway to get towed - I paid $230 and was lucky that the valves
were not damaged. Do it as the book says and ask for the old belt
to be saved so you have a proof - the job is fairly easy but labor
intensive - (the belt costs ~$25).

good luck
From: lindab@matt.ksu.ksu.edu
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: ----- Follow up -----
Date: 14 Apr 1992 14:38:53 -0500
Organization: Kansas State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: matt.ksu.ksu.edu

    
     I wish to thank everyone who have replied and given useful
information and comments to my inquiry. 

     In the last posting, I didn't mention what was my eye problem. 
I am just nearsighted and don't have astigmatism.  The lenses I was
given are 3-month disposables.  I have to take them out every night
and use "opti-free" to wash them, but I don't use any enzymes. 
Every three month, I'll get a new pair.  Some of guys mentioned a
couple of brand names.  Do they mean much in terms of quality ?

     Just to give you an idea where I am now, I went back to see
the doctor again right after I posted the message, because I was
getting a headache.  This time he told me that my left eye could do
better so he changed the left lens to a higher power.  But I still
couldn't (and can't) see things very clearly in a close distance. 
He thought the cause was that the muscles of my eyes are adapted to
short distances because my old glasses didn't keep up with the
deterioration of my eyesight, so it may take at least ten days for
my eyes to get used to these more powerful lenses.  Is this
possible ?  

     Thank you very much again for your help.

Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.autos
From: klp@doe.carleton.ca (Ka Lun Pang)
Subject: Re: Attempted cheating by Sears Auto
Organization: Dept. of Electronics, Carleton University
Distribution: na
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 19:19:43 GMT

In <23636@scorn.sco.COM> garyh@sco.COM (< Gary H >) writes:


>In article <klp.701904997@yar> klp@doe.carleton.ca (Ka Lun Pang) writes:
>!
>!Warning: someone has mentioned that they might be good for an oil change or
>!batteries. Don't take the chance, they are very forgetful on little caps and
>!screws. STAY AWAY!!!!

>Sear is only good for batteries.  Their DIE HARD batteries are great.

>When my original toyota battery went out on me, I asked around about
>good car batteries.  Most people I asked mentioned SEARS.  I didn't want
>a SEARS battery though.  Anyways, after asking more people, I finally
>decided to buy a SEARS DIEHARD.  It's been about six years now and the
>battery is still kicking (even after running it down a couple of times).

>Gary

>-- 
>|^^^^^^|            _Yo_Man_____________________________
>|      |          /            garyh@sco.com             \
>|  _  _|        /             uunet!sco!garyh              \
>| (o)(o)      /             425  Encinal Street              \
>@      _)   /          Santa Cruz, California  95061          |
> | ,___|   /   W: [408] 457-0195 x7765 / Fax: [408] 429-1887 /
> |   /     \_______________________________________________/
>/____\            The Santa Cruz Operation (SCO), Inc.


Well, I have nothing against the batteries and oil. Same as Canadian Tire here
in Canada. The parts, batteries and oil are OK. The problem is the people that
put the parts in your car. Maybe I should rephrase my Warning...

WARNING: You can get the replacement parts from them but don't let them touch 
your car!!! (They are too greasy anyway :-)

Andy.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
From: kevin@milton.u.washington.edu (Kevin Caskey)
Subject: Re: MCI Telemarketing (was MCI = Morons)
Organization: University of Washington, Seattle
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 17:31:45 GMT

In article <3461@moscom.UUCP> de@moscom.UUCP (David Esan) writes:
<stuff deleted>
>
>
>>BUT ATT calls my unlisted home tele no to market their
>>non-service. Great way to build a customer base. My no. is unpublished to
>>avoid marketting. Way to go! ATT . AND a previous post called MCI morons?
>>If you don't want to save when calling your friends, you don't need to give
>>MCI their Nos.
>
>Telemarketers operate in several manners.  One way they call is using every
>number in the phone book.  Another way is calling consecutive numbers,
>381-0000, 381-0001, 381-0002, etc.  This way they will call everybody.  
>Obviously, ATT is using the last method, and called you.  There is no way
>to prevent sales slime from calling you, yet.  Have an unpublished number
>will not prevent sales calls, but it will reduce them.  Don't blame ATT
>for your ignorance.
>
No Dave, that's NOT how it works. Either of your methods would not have 
given them my name to go with the generated number. They had my name.
My guess is that ATT got the subscriber list from US West when my exchange
went open access. If they got the list (pay attention, Dave, Name AND Number)
they could also request a flag indicating that a number is unpublished. Then
they can contact by mail. I have never in 7 years received a call where they
did not know my name also. So much for generated numbers.

>You do not save money with MCI F&F unless your F&F switch to MCI as well.
>Did you know that you can check your list with MCI to find out who is on
>your F&F list?  Did you know that everyone else can also?  Do you think
>this is just wonderful for the weirdos who like to harass people.
>
>F&F can save money if everyone is on the program.  F&F can also get MCI to
>start harrassing your F&F to switch to MCI.  And it will cost you money
>over other plans if your F&F refuse to switch.
>
AGAIN, pay attention, Dave. No number on my list outside of the US could be
an MCI subscriber (remember,they live outside the US) but I can still list
one foreign number as F&F and receive a rate much lower than ATT. Many
people have one number that accounts for a large percent of international 
billing (many people have parents, as does my wife). S being abls to call 
Holland at 47cents/minute is great and, as I said previously, ATT does not
come close.

The New York Time business section wrote yesterday that F&F has been a huge
success. They also explained that due to their structure ATT can not 
afford to match the program and so must try to run it down in their ads.

Fine, Dave, this is America, you have a choice. Stick with ATT and pay more.
But for me, I save many dollars with MCI and I don't harrass my friends.

Kevin at U dub
From: chrise@atc.boeing.com (Chris Esposito)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: need advice on wedding
Date: 3 Apr 92 18:50:01 GMT
Reply-To: chrise@pierce.tc-suns
Organization: Boeing Research & Technology

Ken Zuroski writes:
>So: is it possible to have a non-denominational or "secular" ceremony,
>albeit a "traditional" one, without having to buy heavily
>into a religious philosophy to do so? 

You might look to see if there are any Unitarian Universalist churches in your
area.  Those that I have been to seem to fit fairly closely with what you say you
are looking for.  An alternative would be to look up the Pittsburgh chapter of
the American Humanist Association - many local chapters can offer secular services
with a good deal more style than you've found.

>Any anecdotes or advice etc. are greatly appreciated. Please reserve
>arguments centering on the religious issue--we have examined our
>beliefs closely and believe what we believe.

I agree wholeheartedly.

Q: Why did the cybernaut cross the road?   A: He was jacked into the chicken
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Esposito  (206) 865-3162            | Internet: chrise@atc.boeing.com
Boeing Research & Technology, Comp. Sci.  | uucp: ...!uw-june!bcsaic!chrise
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:10515 rec.autos:11446
From: dtorok@nynexst.com (David Torok)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.autos
Subject: Insurance- 2 cars cheaper than 1
Date: 15 Apr 92 12:50:27 GMT
Organization: Nynex Science & Technology

My car insurance is cheaper with two cars instead of one!
The scenario:  I have been driving an '85 Toyota Tercel, with
no collision coverage, at approx. $350 for 6 months.  I am in the
"single male < 25 yrs" category, the most expensive category
available.

I recently bought a new Mitsubishi.  The insurance agent said that
they can only apply the "single male <25 yrs" to ONE car, so they
applied the "adult male driver" category to the NEW car, for an
additional $400 / 6 months, making my total $750 for TWO cars. (By
the way, the Mitsu has full coverage - collision, comp, etc.).

When I sell my Toyota in the near future, the price for just the
Mitsubishi will be about $825 for six months [as the "single  male <25"
category would then apply to the new car].

It wasn't clear to me whether the policy of only one car in the expensive
category is a New York State law or an Allstate policy.  I was quite
happy that my insurance agent seems genuinely interested in giving me
the least expensive insurance available -- she could easily have switched
the categories and caused my insurance to be around $1000 for the two
cars.

Anyone else have a similar experience?

-=$>DaveTorok<$=-
-- 
David Torok, NYNEX Science & Technology, 914-644-2378 Fax: 914-644-2211
500 Westchester Ave, White Plains, NY 10604  "torok@nynexst.com"  Juggle!
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:10364 rec.autos:11173
From: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.autos
Subject: Re: Intermittent problem with '90 Integra brakes
Date: 10 Apr 92 21:27:40 GMT
Reply-To: lstowell@pyrnova.pyramid.com (Lon Stowell)
Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA

In article <1992Apr10.130649.24398@walter.bellcore.com> mma@thumper.bellcore.com (Mary Ma) writes:
>
>Problem:
>	I have a '90 Integra which seems to have an intermittent braking
>problem.  The car has about 43K miles on it and never had any brake work
>done on it.  I am the first owner and have taken the car back to the 
>dealer 5 TIMES (last time was yesterday) to have them check the brake.
>Each time, they assure me that there's nothing wrong.  The brakes feels 
>very spongy at times (almost like there's nothing there). It has gotten
>to the point where I don't feel comfortable driving it ('can't quite afford
>to trade it in yet..)
>
    It sure sounds like you have air bubbles OR moisture in your
    brake lines.  Usually the only way to handle this is an
    expensive backflush.  

    I haven't HEARD of this being a generic problem with the
    Integra...

    I would consider posting on rec.autos.tech and see if anyone
    else has heard of a generic problem that might be caliper
    flexing, hose bulging, etc.

>Question:
>	Should I stop taking it back to the dealer and find a 'reputable'
>brake specialist?  (Is there such a person who would know an Integra better
>than the dealer)  I don't have another Acura dealer closeby.

    In a lot of areas there are small specialty garages that
    specialise in import cars.  These operate by word-of-mouth.
    There are also the specialty brake places..and Midas, but good
    ones of these tend to be the exception.  

    Again, posting on rec.auto and rec.auto.tech should get you a
    decent recommendation if you post the city you are from....
Xref: sparky misc.consumers:10418 rec.autos:11276
From: carl@Cayman.COM (Carl Heinzl)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers,rec.autos
Subject: was: Buy American parrots now: union fools
Date: 13 Apr 92 15:40:53 GMT
	<1992Apr08.222221.15247@stiatl.salestech.com>
	<1992Apr13.005306.17558@informix.com>
Followup-To: misc.consumers
Organization: Cayman Systems Inc., Cambridge, MA
In-reply-to: neilw@informix.com's message of 13 Apr 92 00:53:06 GMT
bcc: carl



>...and how about that bill to make it illegal to fire striking workers???
>Simply incredible that this is even a remote possibility.

>These big unions (e.g. UAW) are just killing American industry.

Yea, especially since that is *EXACTLY* what Reagan did to the air
traffic controllers.  Talk about double standards!!!

I was born in raised in Pittsburgh ex-steel capital of the US.  I can
still vaguely remember the last steel mill that was in operation.  The
steel workers were making $23.00 an hour, and that was back in the
late 70s or very early 80s!!!  J&L (I believe that was the company)
said they were loosing too much money and the workers would have to
take a pay cut to $21.50 and hour or they would shut the plant down in
9 months.  The idiot union workers took a vote and 9 months later they
were unemployed.  Talk about stupidity.  I felt absolutely no
compassion toward them (except the ones that WERE willing to take the
pay cut, that is, but I believe the vote was overwhelming).

-Carl-
--
From: rrahn@emdeng.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Russel.H.Rahn)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Living next to a Radio Tower
Date: 6 Apr 92 20:38:03 GMT
Reply-To: rrahn@emdeng.UUCP (Russel.H.Rahn)
Distribution: na
Organization: NCR, E&M Dayton

In article <1992Mar31.171342.10332@cbfsb.cb.att.com> jwb@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (john.w.bean) writes:
>
>>      A local broadcaster has approached the City of Camas, WA, 
>>(the city where I live), and wants to put up a radio tower in the middle
>>of a residensal neighborhood.   The proposed tower will be about 400 ft
>>from our backyard, it will be about 125 feet high, and will be 
>>broadcasting AM and FM with an power of 25 KWatts.

>>
>>     Also, what about the EMI effects on TV reception, radio reception,
>>garage door openers, casette recorders, answering machines, wireless
>>burgular alarms, telephone reception, cordless phones, etc....
>>

A friend of mine lived near one.  We had background music whenever
we talked on the telephone (except when commercials or sports events
were on, then we got those :-) ).  I'm sure that some telephones are
better at screening this out than others.  I hope you have one of the
better ones.

>
>Anyway I'm pretty sure that your property value will go down. 
>

I wouldn't buy near one.  I'm sure there aren't any health hazards,
but they aren't exactly scenic, and I wouldn't want to have to
worry about the problems mentioned so far.

I would do all I could to get the tower moved somewhere else!!!


Russel.H.Rahn
From: ldahlmey@zia.aoc.nrao.edu (Lothar Dahlmeyer)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers
Subject: Re: New Canadian Lotto Scam?
Date: 9 Apr 92 21:11:58 GMT
Article-I.D.: zia.1992Apr9.211158.14661
Distribution: na
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro NM

In article <1992Apr7.222806.13398@dg-rtp.dg.com> miller@dg-rtp.dg.com (Mark T. Miller) writes:
>I just received in the mail an offer to depart with $9.95 to
>participate in the Canadian lottery.  Text below, then a couple
>questions about it's scam-i-ness:
>
>	"YOU have been selected for entry in a special Canadian Lotto
>	6/49 group program. You and your group get 84 sets of computer
>	selected Lotto numbers in the official Canadian Lotto 6/49 game
>	for the next 10 drawings.  You and 249 other Americans in your 
>	group will share all the proze money won duriong the 5 weeks of
>	play. (Prizes are drawn twice weekly, on Wednesday and Saturday)
>	The total prize money given away in prizes over 10 drawings should
>	be well over $100 million dollars. All prize money is paid out
>	lump sum, and no taxes are paid in Canada on lottery winnings."
>
>This offer was interesting, in that recently some European grouping of
>people won a huge pot in one of the state's lotteries.
>
>anyways, seems like the first scam is that they take your money and do nothing!
>Next scam thougt is, how can they buy "840 chances to win" for 9.95? 
>How much does it cost to enter the 6/49 Lotto? My guess is $.50 to $1.00
>per entry (though I don't mess with lotteries, I lose my money on Wall St!:()
>So if it costs much more to buy all these chances, and they claim it all
>is distibuted, then it must be a scam - right?
>
>
>(My mother plays the lottery, and I was thinking of getting her to send
> me $5.00, I'd split the pot. . .:-)
>
>
>Thanks,
>Mark M.
>
>	Mark T. Miller					miller@dg-rtp.dg.com
>							...uunet!xyzzy!miller


No scam, just simple math: 250 people pay them $ 9.95 = $ 2,487.50,
then they "invest" $ 840.- on the group's behalf and pocket $ 1,647.50.
Any winnings the "investment" produces will be divided by 250 to arrive
at your share, which will indeed be free of "Canadian" taxes.
That leaves them with a sure profit and you with a "chance" to strike 
it rich!
Simple, no?

-- 
            /MMMMMMMMMMM\             | ldahlmey@zia.aoc.nrao.edu 
          {|  /\  ~  /\  |}           | Lothar Dahlmeyer  
______nnnn_|_|_@|   |_@|_|_nnnn_______| National Radio Astronomy Observatory
      UUUU       \_/       UUUU       | Socorro, New Mexico, 87801