Verizon

Almost forgot, if you ever call for tech support for DSL, you get someone in the Philippines
That can barely speak english.  If you ask for a rep in the states, you are put on hold, then hung up on.  I will use smoke signals before I use Verizon again.

Verizon sucks

I have my house phone with Verizon.  I let them talk me into a bundle.  Big mistake.  I started trying to break up this bundle at the end of February.  I contacted Verizon.  I told the rep I wanted only my home phone and DSL on my bill.  I wanted my wireless on a separate bill.  I also told him I had cancelled Direct Tv.  (This is another gripe).  He told me my DSL and home phone would come to a total of $41.  I got a confirmation number and his name.  He also told me that this would be reflected on my April bill.  I then contacted Direct TV.  I want my service cancelled.  I waited for over a week for the box to return my receiver.  During this time, I was dealing with a $137 charge  for this new HD receiver supposedly because I have not returned the old receiver.  It had long been returned.  It took 5 months to get credit for that.  Also, I was sent an HD receiver and I don't even have an HD Tv.  Ok,so I got a bill from Direct Tv showing I have a credit of $45.  Never mind that I had been charged $82.99 with taxes and fees.  In the meantime, Verizon was still billing me for Direct Tv.  I called again.  Oh, I see where you called.  I will see that this is entered.  Got another bill from Verizon.  Again charged for home phone, DSL, wireless, and, you guessed it, Direct TV.  I called again.  This time I got a really rude rep.  And she hung up on me.  I called again.  I got another rep.  No, I won't get DSL and home phone for $41.  My home phone will be $29.99.  I told him what the first rep had quoted me and gave him the confirmation number.  "Well, I don't care what this rep told you.  This is not happening."  Next I asked why I was being charged for Direct Tv when I explicitly told the first, second, and third rep I had cancelled it.  Direct Tv bills us and you will have to take that up with Direct TV.  Also it would take three billing cycles to fix this and I would have to just keep paying till they got it fixed.  First I asked if this was being recorded.  He told me yes.  Ok, then I just want to tell Verizon to kiss my ass. and hung up.  I am now lobbying my congressman and senators to be allowed access to all land line companies in the United States.  Congress broke up the Bell companies "to give the consumer better service."  And since they did this, got their kickbacks, we have been screwed.  Have cancelled my Direct TV and will be canceling my DSL just as soon as I sign with cable. I am checking out Sprint for wireless and am seriously considering ditching the house phone.  This consumer has had enough.

Aamco

Unless you want to get ripped off, stay away from Aamco.  My son had his transmission rebuilt.  It would not shift down to second gear.  He took it back several time.  He was told it was not the transmission.  He took it to the Chevrolet dealership.  Yep.  It was the transmission.  He had to buy a new one because now that one could not be rebuilt.  I contacted AAmco in College Station.  Got no answer.  I found an address for the private equity company that owns the franchise for AAmco.  I wrote them.  No answer.  Now the AAmco in Collge Station is open under new management.  Once burned, twice shy.  If I need transmission work in  Brazos County, I will use Oliver Brothers.

AAmco

Update here.  Do not under any circumstances trust AAmco.  Not only do they do lousy work, they refuse to stand behind their work.  And they damn sure don't know how to rebuild a transmission.

Terminix

Terminix did fix the termite damage.  They didn't want to.  They tried to find a way out but the contract they had sold me was airtight, thanks to their attorneys.  John O'Brian from Spring came over the last of February to do the work.  He does wonderful work.  I will definitely be using him for whatever handyman work I need.  He said they told him to get over her.  That I was one mad customer.  That I had already taken a hammer to the wall.  I did, but only to show the termites to the tech who was standing there saying "I don't see any termites."  Anyway, my house is fixed and I will maybe keep terminix.  Not sure about that.  I may go with RP Lee.  He is local.

Versa

I'm still driving the Nissan Versa.  I guess it is ok.  I just can't get over the fact that I get no better gas mileage on this small soapbox 4 cylinder than I did my 4000 pound, 8 cylinder Mercury.  I got 30mpg on that big Mercury.  This Versa weighs about half that and is 4 cylinder and only gets about 28-30mpg.  I'm looking for another Mercury.  If I don't find one, this summer I think I will trade the Versa on a Dodge Pickup.  At least I will be in a safer car and they are raising the speed limit to 75 on most of Texas highways.  I don't feel safe in the Versa.

Terminix

The jury is still  out on Terminix.  As previously posted, after I fired off a nasty email to customer service right after New Years, I got a call from one of their reps.  I am so sorry.  We only got your notes today.  We'll get right on it.  We'll be over on Jan 9.  Well it was raining cats and dogs on the 9th.  The rep called to cancel and tell me she would reschedule.  On Sunday night, Jan 27, 36 days after my initial call, I fired off another email to customer service.  Like clock work, I got a call yesterday.  We'll be over tomorrow afternoon.  So I get home from work, close the little guys in the bedroom and put the big dogs out back.  My doorbell rings.  There are two reps from Terminix.  I showed them to the bathroom where I am missing half a wall.  Well, I don't see any active termites.  Really? Would that be because the tech sprayed for them on the 19th of December.  I am afraid I was really angry and let them know it.  So they went into the attic to have a look.  The came down from the attic and told me that they couldn't get a good look around because I had added insulation since the termites had been found.  Oh really.  Well, no insulation has been added and I managed to climb around in the attic and find proof of them.  When was this?  On the 19th of December when the tech was standing in my bathroom deciding whether or not to treat the live termites.  Then they tell me they will have to pull my file and see if I am covered.  I bought the damn contract because I was told by their salesman that in the event termites were discovered, they would pay for repairs.  Now, why in hell would I buy a contract for almost $1200 if it did not cover repairs?  Ok, let me know and if I am not covered, then I will be suing the salesman and Terminix.  I am not a happy homeowner.  Tell your manager that.  Oh he already knows.  So we will see if Terminix lives up to their contract or not.