Terry Tyler wrote:
>
> That was several years ago and to this day, our Airstream is still
> water tight. A fringe benefit of doing business at Don-Mar Airstream
> is the graciousness of Mom, Pop and son. Whenever we go along that
> stretch of road, we stop for chit chat even when our Airstream has
> no problems. They are good folks.
They are? Here's what I wrote about my visit back in 1999.
> I was in Florence, SC yesterday..... 3.5 hour drive....here's how it
> went........ I now have a 21 foot Airstream...which seems like it
> might get a bit cramped with 3 dogs, 2 cats and me.... There is a
> model I like which has a walk around bed and a chair..... mine has a
> double bed in the corner and just a couch, no chair.........
>
> Let me start by saying Monday I called and talked to the Airstream
> dealer in Florence SC... I asked about 28 foot Excellas.... he told
> me he had 3... a 1993, a 1995 and a new one.
>
> I woke up early yesterday.... those 3 Excella were calling my name
> like Sirens on a Rock when a ship goes by.......... I took
> everything... my title, the original bedspread, the big
> book........... even the Hensley instructions so they could put the
> hitch on the new trailer.
>
> I also brought Brady, my always present Border Colle....... We left
> home at 8:30 am after I fed everyone...horses, donkey, cats and
> dogs....
>
> At 9:00 am I filled up... after a few pit stops.... for Brady and
> me... we arrived at the Airstream Dealer in Florence, SC at 12:15. I
> worried that they would be at lunch, but the good looking son asked
> if he could help and I said I was here to have the Fantastic Vent
> installed.... he parked me and got to work.
>
> Then a man came over as I was heading for the trailers for sale.... I
> asked if he was Don who I I had spoken with the night before....
> "No......I'm ????" I forget what he said....... I was a bit
> disappointed because Don was so nice on the phone. We were both from
> Connecticut etc and had that in common. Anyway, I said my name and
> he said, "I know who you are." I thought that was odd, but he's a
> salesman and I assumed Don told him to expect me.
>
> We went in and out of all these Excellas... all new..... I kept
> saying I want to see the ones Don mentioned that have the QUEEN size
> bed.... we saw every twin bed in the place. Then a guy pulled up in
> a jeep and ??? dropped me like a hot rock. The guy passed him and
> came to see Brady as he has a Border Collie... The Saleman asked if
> he had come to see the dog...... weird again. The guy mentioned he
> had a mini van with a tow rating of 3,000 pounds... and the small
> v-6. Salesguy showed him a 23' Safari and told him it would pull
> it.... it weighs 4200 dry. This guy tells me later he's a minster
> with a wife & 3 kids.... I told him he needed a bigger tow vehicle.
>
> Meanwhile the salesman has disappeared....... I stuck my head in the
> door of the office and ask what's going on...that I want to see the
> 1993 & 1995 28 foot trailers with the Queen or Double beds. He
> finally takes me to see one... a 1999... I think it was
> $46,000........ He is really pissed at me now. I guess because he
> didn't have what he said and now I was pushing.
>
> I went inside and the owner's wife was there........ I said something
> about writing her a check for the installation so I could get on the
> road when it was done.... she told me that they didn't know how much
> it would be as it was taking longer than expected.
>
> I almost lost it... I said that I had driven 3 hours to get there,
> was using a tank of gas...all to see trailers that weren't
> there........ I had gotten a price to install the thing and I wasn't
> going to pay any more than I was quoted. I mentioned that I could
> have driven 20 minutes from home and had it installed... "Then why
> didn't you?" was her reply...then she told me I had a chip on my
> shoulder. HUH? I was holding the checkbook... she snarled she was
> afraid maybe I would stop payment on the check so maybe they should
> stop putting in the fan. My mouth dropped open.
>
> I told her I didn't because I came here today to trade up, but that
> her salesman had told me a bunch of crap from what my Suburban could
> pull to what trailers he had in stock.......... at that point he came
> in and started yelling at me and she said "Don!!!!" I said, "Don?"
> He was Don!! He had even lied about that!!! I said to him that he
> lied to me about the trailer and lied to that young guy about what
> his truck could pull and ...... before I could say any more he
> freaked out..... said no one had ever said that to him and he picked
> up the phone and called the POLICE!!!! He said he was having me
> arrested!!! I was a little amused at this point. He spoke on the
> phone, said who he was and where and he wanted to make a citizens
> arrest.
>
> I wondered if I would get home in time to feed the critters.....and
> if I went to the police station what would happen to Brady.
>
> Then I thought this is so bizarre... no cop is going to arrest me for
> saying that he lied... especially when he did.
>
> Then he stormed out to wait for the police. I said to the wife that
> he told me he wasn't Don........ I also mentioned that I had an
> internet list about Airstreams and this was quite a tale I would be
> telling.... She followed him out for a minute or two... I sat there
> a bit stunned... trying to figure out what the hell had just
> happened.
>
> She came back in real nice and said she was sorry we had gotten off
> on the wrong foot. I told her this was bizarre and he was nuts.
>
> We went back and forth about the $65.00. I calmly again explained
> that I was upset about it because I had wasted 6 hours (driving time)
> and a tank of gas because he had lied to me and I wasn't paying more
> than 65.00 to have the fan installed because that was the price
> quoted, She said that they ran into unexpected problems with the
> wiring. I said I didn't care.. I told them what trailer I had and
> they should have known its wiring.
>
> No police....
>
> Don never spoke to me again.... the wife said a few things like that
> installation was almost finished... and they left for Florida.......
> just left, didn't say a word. I was still sitting there waiting to be
> arrested.
>
> The nice son finished the installation, and showed me how to work the
> vent fan... the charge was $65.00 the daughter handed me the bill. I
> wrote a check.
>
> The police never came... he must have had his finger on the
> button..... ??? Or he does this and they ignore him.
>
> The son & daughter are really nice... the wife seems to be
> too............
>
> All and all it was a 10 hour ordeal ....
Hunter
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