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this a responce to Stubborn 66 , If you take a little time at the shop one day try try getting  2 one gallon milk jugs and cut the tops and bottoms off below the handles then cut cut it vertically now giving you a large piece of plastic ,iron it flat both pieces . if you insert both pieces through the weather strip this will provide the protection that you will need to protect paint and garnish moldings . simplely slide your wedges or big easy between the 2 plastic milk jugs . it works i use it all the time.

after reading both of your posts , i have to ask ,just how cheap are you ding lock outs for?? you complained about how littke you get paid. i do a fair amount of lock outs for motor clubs some contracted some not, i believe i charge a profitable service fee. i use to turn them down ( 25 years ago) until i went to my first Tow Show (Balitmore) were i took a class from Sully tools. His recomedation was not to take his class if your going to charge $25.00 for service, after all lock smiths recieve upto $125.00 per call. So i took his advice adjusted his suggested price and have been paid well for my services. I have been sent as much a 65 miles away occassionally for loct out services and recieve milage to and back in addition to the service. my time is valuable that is what i charge for.

i was a contracted to Quest for 15 years with no complaints until last August was always paid well no volume to speak of , maybe thats why ,however later a new management team moved in and everything changed ,almost none of the people i had contact with remained in their management jobs. James Sawyer took over for the north east.a couple years ago they had restricted my zip code area to a 20 mile radius ,( i am in a rural area and most clubs had depended on me for the rural  and long distance runs)  not a big deal with restrictions as usually 1-5 calls per month and all usually with in that range. then i was being dispatched for picking up cars 52 miles away and towing another 15 miles even further away , when dispatched i had advised the dispatcher i needed return mileage for 69 miles back to shop as it has taken me out of my contracted "restricted area ". it was agreed too . when billed  James Sawyer had advised they would not pay as you may imagined a lengthy stern conversation and email battle began . During the conversation James Sawyer reviled that the new director came from Allstate Motor Club , that explainis alot i think ,since then quite a few people Erin Bray from Road -America and Alex Francesco of  Road -America , have joined Quest. Erin Bray was good to work with until near the end  , when almost everyone there was doing an about face. In my book i was a contract vendor for over 15 years with only 1 rate increase and that was issued to me ,and only had 1-5 calls per month with very few turned down. How can a venders rate be to high when virtually the rates remained the same for15 years ?  Sure there more to the story ,but it all relates to contracted rates not being paid after agreed too.  

still have not been paid for the last call we did for them.

Quest has gone the path of Allstate ,bye that I mean they constantly try to negotiate after service has been completed and not paid. had really great rates for 15 years but no volume they talked into a contract years ago with no volume so negotiated rates to reflect no volume or retail rate for 1-2 calls per month. Recently they either sold out to Allstate or as I was told they have a new Director recently of Allstate management. I am in a rural are and cover a 50 mile radius for most clubs, Quest restricted me to a 20 mile radius about 2 years ago with only receiving 1-2 call per month no big deal . Now they have evidently picked up a few clients in the Pittsburg Washington Pa area ,30-40 miles out of my restricted area that they have me assigned to.  1 st call 50 mile deadhead and 15 mile loaded to a total of 65 miles from home base ,Billed them $3.00 per mile return milage for a total of $195.00. havn't been paid yet and as you can guess a heated discussion took place . They had asked me I could take this call outside of my restricted area,.  Tow took me 1 1/2 hours from home base , they offered $1.00 per mile, told them $3.00 per they agreed since I told dispatch in advance. Now have questioned my route taken, via Interstate vs rural 2 lane road and county maintained rural road with 35 mph speed limit and Coal truck traffic as such. ETA was main concern so I took the path of least resistance Interstate 49,7 miles in less than an hour . Gave the same quality service and met the ETA way outside my area . They have now suspended my account. Told me my rates are ridiculous and to high , I asked if my rates have been the same for 15 years why weren't they to before ?  James sawyer was the rep and told me that I have the highest rates in the whole system! my response was Great!, someone has to be and I don't see why it shouldn't be me . I was fired. After 15 years of a great relationship with no volume came to end in just 4 short months of their new format. No respect , no loyalties, and no honor.