Stranded son in Las Vegas, New Mexico: Advice Needed Please!! Update Post 12

[JoiseyMom]

Hey there all. I need some advice. DS is driving cross country to Edwards Air Force Base in CA. He needs to be there by July 6th. His alternator gave out, and he is currently in Las Vegas New Mexico. There is a store in Albuquerque that has the part he needs. They can't get it to him though. I have tried rental cars, but they are all in Santa Fe, non in Las Vegas NM. The places he has called in Las Vegas don't have the part, and Rock Auto can't get it to him until the 5th of July. He needs this part tomorrow or by the 4th the lastest. He plans on calling more auto part stores tomorrow, once they open.

Any and all advice?????? Please??

Thanks!!!

 

[LK03]

I asked DH who is in ARMY and he said your DS should call his unit and tell them the situation. Hopefully he makes it in time!

 

[cuterlt]

fed ex part from ABQ to Las Vegas? Or overnite?
Or Amtrak. Stops in Las Vegas and Albuquerque.

 

[ntburns22]

He needs to call his CO. My DH wrecked his car and was going to be late getting back and they set him up with a bus ticket.

Best of luck to him.

 

[JoiseyMom]

I am not sure if DS knows who is CO is. He has a sponser, who has been checking on him during his trip. He did try to call his sponser, but his sponser is out of town. We were thinking if he has to, maybe he can get his car towed to Alb, where there is an AFB (that was where he was headed when he knew he had car trouble, he figured a big city would have the part for his 1986 rx7), and they can get him to Edwards. If he still can't reach his sponser, I am going to ask him if he has any other back up numbers, and to call them.

Dh, also just found the Amtrak info, so thanks for that!! I am hoping that the worse case scenario is, he can't find the part in LV, or Santa Fe, that he can obtain a rental car, and drive the several hours back and forth to Alb, and he will still have time to fix his car. The problem is that with Tuesday being a holiday he can't get a delivery of any parts.

 

[Caradana]

I think that the part is uncertain. Even if he gets the part, the car might not run. His focus - get to Edwards. A quick Google search yielded the following car rental places all in Las Vegas, NM (did it occur to your son to try their municipal airport? Lots of car rental connections there). It's worth the $200 or whatever it takes to get him on-base, on-time.

Western Union-Floyd's Rental Center
(505) 425-5858
1801 N Grand Ave, Las Vegas, NM 87701

Express Rent-A-Car
(505) 429-0610
726 Grand Ave, Las Vegas, NM 87701

Budget Truck Rental
3219 7th Street, Las Vegas, NM 87701
(505) 425-2874

Enterprise Rent-A-Car
910 Airport Road, Las Vegas, NM 87701
(505) 454-1001

 

[lovemygoofy]

I also posted this one the other board but just in case you haven't read it yet. Have him call Miliary One Source at 1-800-342-9647. They are a 24 hour hotline that answers questions worldewide for all military branches.

 

[JoiseyMom]

I think that the part is uncertain. Even if he gets the part, the car might not run. His focus - get to Edwards. A quick Google search yielded the following car rental places all in Las Vegas, NM (did it occur to your son to try their municipal airport? Lots of car rental connections there). It's worth the $200 or whatever it takes to get him on-base, on-time.

Western Union-Floyd's Rental Center
(505) 425-5858
1801 N Grand Ave, Las Vegas, NM 87701

Express Rent-A-Car
(505) 429-0610
726 Grand Ave, Las Vegas, NM 87701

Budget Truck Rental
3219 7th Street, Las Vegas, NM 87701
(505) 425-2874

Enterprise Rent-A-Car
910 Airport Road, Las Vegas, NM 87701
(505) 454-1001

First of all my son had no idea there was an airport in town. I told him there was a small one. Second of all it is a tiny tiny airport, and according to the town phone book he has access too I think one of the above car rentals are in there. When I did a search for car rentals, they came up servicing LV area, but they were all in Santa Fe, which has a bigger airport.

I got the Enterprise number, but if you go online, they don't have a location there, I called the phone number, but the office is closed. DS doens't have internet, but found a few in the phone book.

Yes, I guess he can rent a car and drive it to Edwards, but what is he supposed to do with his car? And where I might think the cost of a rental car is worth it, I am not sure how much it is going to be, he is a young man right out of college, with a trip budget of $75.00 per day, and he has to fix his car and be able to put down money on an apartment and get that together when he gets out to CA. So $200 is a big outlay.

If he can get a rebuilt part, there is no reason it won't work (I hope), it is just an alternator, and he can install it, he has his tools with him. He does plan on calling Edwards either tonite or tomorrow, if he can't reach his Sponser. He wants to keep with the "chain of command" and try to reach is sponser first. I know my son though, once he gets the part he will drive straight through, even if it will take him 20 hours to do it to get there in time. He has been looking through his maps, and he thinks it will take him about 13 hours to get there. I am hoping one of the two parts he knows about he can obtain tomorrow, or another part will be found. He plans on calling every part store in LV and in Santa Fe tomorrow.

I am sure his CO or sponser will get him to CA in a timely manner.

Keep your fingers crossed!!

Thanks again for the advice !!

 

[JoiseyMom]

Just spoke to DS, he is 1/2 hour or so out of Alburqurque. The shop that has his part is waiting for him. He is in his car, he was able to get his battery charged, and fingers crossed he will make it. It isn't the best thing for his battery that he is doing this but at least he will be in a major city with an AFB if he has to stay another night.

His sponser got in touch with him and told him not to rush, that if he can't make it by the 6th that is ok. Well I am hoping he gets the part, all is good, and he is on the road again, and can maybe see some more sites!

Thanks again for all the great advice!!!

 

[ntburns22]

Glad to hear things are working out. Let us know when he gets there.

 

[JoiseyMom]

Great news! The part is installed (at an awesome price), and he is on his way towards Flagstaff, which I think will be his pitstop for tonite. Then he is going to head towards Las Vegas, Nevada and then his final stop, Edwards AFB in CA.

Thanks again for all the advice. I will just be hoping the rest of his trip is uneventful, and hope he has some great luck in Vegas!!

 

[JoiseyMom]

DS made it to Edwards Air Force Base on time. Now he has to fill out lots and lots of paperwork, and go apartment hunting!

 

[Chris2597]

Hi Joisey
I was born in the town right outside of Edwards....Lancaster, CA....Tell him the desert will grow on him.
My dad worked at Edwards for a number of yrs.

 

[ntburns22]

Glad to hear he made it in OK.

 

[Dina]

Glad he made it ok!!