So what should I charge him?

[GWN7]

A guy I know asks me to haul a truck for him. The truck is about 30 miles North of here and the guy lives 90 miles East. It's a 92 Chev reg cab 4x4. He says it starts right up. He gives me directions to where the truck is and gives me the key. I figure it's about a 4 hr job. Load, unload and 3.5 hrs driving. I go to do the job last Tuesday. Drive to where the truck is supposed to be and hunt for it for an hour. Can't reach him on the phone. Two hrs wasted.

Go out Thursday for part 2 of the truck hunt. Find it 8 miles North of where he first gave me directions to and on the other side of the highway.

Truck is suppose to start right up so I put a fresh charged battery pak in it and the starter is dragging. Truck was last insured 2 years ago. Now it becomes a winch onto the trailer job. Fill all tires with air from the 3 air tanks I had with me. Start dragging it on and both rear wheels are dragging. Beat on both drums with a hammer and get one unfrozen. Drag it onto the trailer anyways. 6000 lbs. winch beats 4000 lbs. truck everyday. Strapped it down and off we go.

Find his place in the bush and the mosquito's attack in a swarm. I sucked a couple up my nose. Because the wheel is frozen the truck won't roll off the trailer. It has to be dragged off. Find tow straps and attach truck to a big tree. Because we are at a angle wheel skids sideways and come off the ramp while being dragged off the trailer. Now I have to jack the wheel up and support it to put the ramp in place to get the front wheels off the trailer. Remember the mosquito's? They get worse. It's 100% humidity and I'm drenched with sweat so the horse flies decide I'm the main course. While jacking the truck up I find the spring on the frozen side is broken at the front perch. The weight of the truck was what was holding it in place. This is all while swatting at flying things. I have a 20 ton bottle jack with me so I put it under the frame ahead of the spring perch and start to jack. The frame is so crusty it starts to bend. Should have just hauled it directly to the recycling place. They would have picked it off the trailer with a crane. Logs and boards in place and the front wheels come off the trailer. Load everything back up and head home. Six and half hours, 150 miles and two hours and 75 miles earlier in the week. What do I charge him?

[wdfifteen]

Well. it would depend on where you was from.
In Kentucky they'd charge "nanny-nan-nanny-fav." That's about $100 Canadian.
In southern Ohio it would be "a hunnert an' fy dollas." That's a bit more Canadian.
That's all I know about pricing options for truck related cluster flucks of the kind you described. Did you consult a flat rate manual?

[DanielDudley]

Train A is going 60 MPH, train B is going 75 MPH. Until it derails, that is.

[recycled sixtie]

I would charge him for the actual amount of labour involved. Collecting could be a problem though. You might have to settle for less but he should know how much effort you put into it. Did you not give him a quote before?
Guy.

[rwest]

Best answer? You don't know this guy anymore.

Had a "friend" like him once, just a people user who never returns favors.

[URY914]

$600.

[john70t]

rwest said it.
No good deed goes unpunished.

What was agreed upon?
Did you own him any favors from before?
Why didn't he ride along?
Why didn't he answer his phone if it was so important?

Gas/wear and food minimum.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

minimum $500

[Head416]

If you were offered $100 up front for that nightmare (knowing what it was going to be like) would you do it willingly, or pass? Find the number that changes your answer to that question.

[porsche4life]

Next time it won't start. Call the owner and tell them loading is his problem, you just drive.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Next time it won't start. Call the owner and tell them loading is his problem, you just drive.

Boom.

[GWN7]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

Well. it would depend on where you was from.
In Kentucky they'd charge "nanny-nan-nanny-fav." That's about $100 Canadian.
In southern Ohio it would be "a hunnert an' fy dollas." That's a bit more Canadian.
That's all I know about pricing options for truck related cluster flucks of the kind you described. Did you consult a flat rate manual?

I have $116 worth of fuel in this endeavor. I asked a CAA tow driver what they charged for hauls two years ago. He told me it was $75 for the hook up and a $1 km. Now that was two years ago and didn't come with a "problem" rate. That would be $455 without the bug surcharge.





Here's the POS loaded.

[JJ 911SC]

If you still got the truck, C.O.D.

[ckelly78z]

Sometimes it sucks to have a car hauler/utility trailer and other equipment that people think they can borrow or hire out. Had a co-worker who I spoke to occasionally at work before the company shut down 4 years ago, who called me one night and needed to use my 2 wheeled car dolly the next morning to get his daughter's broken car 200 miles away.

I didn't even know who it was on the phone for a minute and then finally put the pieces together, he didn't want to spend the money to rent a car dolly, so he just figured he could use mine. I let him use it, and didn't ask for any rent, and just shook my head in disbelief.

[1990C4S]

There is no horse fly or mosquito premium. You live in Winnipeg. That part is your fault.

[Baz]

This is what I use - have a bottle in the truck at all times - also one in the garage - and one in my kitchen for when I go out back.

I don't use it everyday but when I need it - it does the trick every time.



I also think the $500.00 figure from Shaun would be appropriate. Not knowing what was discussed though may impact how it actually ends up.

Good luck!

[cashflyer]

Unless a job cost is negotiated before hand, my rate is $75 per hour plus travel and expenses.

BJ McKay charges $1.50 per mile, no questions asked - but he does not load or unload.

[johnco]

if you ever have a move another vehicle with locked wheels, try this little trick a tow driver friend showed me.. use a can of spray wax to lube the trailer in front of locked wheel. I couldn't believe how easily the truck slid on to the trailer even with both rear wheels frozen

[speeder]

There must be slightly more to this story. How much was agreed upon? If you drove a 100 mile tow job without any payment agreed on in advance, I'd have to wonder why. That's not too bright.

The "friend" sounds like a real ass hole. Charge him the extra AH fee for sure. And remind me not to visit your part of the world, where is that exactly?

[1990C4S]

Originally Posted by Baz

This is what I use - it does the trick every time.

LOL. I don't think anyone here is familiar with the mosquitoes in this area...that product likely isn't quite adequate.