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I didn't want to clutter up the other thread.
So I only ever listened to his radio show, but thought he did good stuff. At least 3 people have told me he is a joke. I don't have any ties to him or anything, and now I'm really curious. Please educate me.
If he endorses it then YOU paid him to do it. It's all about him and $$$ he's a douche.
I think he's a total douche as well. One time he was decent, but now he's all about the bucks and as long as you have enough of them you can be on his "referral list". Everyone I have ever called from his list were crooks - they did good work but really raked you over the coals, just like Martino. Now I call Angies list and the folks I call have been the absolute best and the fairest pricing. Screw Martino, he's a has been washout.
On a personal note, I bumped into him at the Belmar festival last year in Lakewood and not only was he THAT guy who was muscling his way though a VERY thick crowd with his massive yuppie double wide stroller and being a dick, but he slammed into my fiance and didn't apologize or anything, just kept moving along.
+1Quote:
Originally Posted by Mtn.man
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mtn.man
+2 And when you quit paying him you are immediately a POS. I think it started off good, then he decided to make money off it.
Troubleshooter list is a list of companies who are willing to pay $5000/mo (7 years ago rate..who knows what it is now) to avoid being 'investigated' etc etc. To me it's more like a blackmail. Call his website and find out yourself. [Rant1]
When I was going to have my driveway and patio concrete poured I had 2 of his list subscribers (Refferal list) companies come out and give me estimates. Both were considerably higher than any of the other 5 companies that gave me estimates. And not higher by a couple hundred bucks either but multiple thousands higher.
Now get this-I had a railroad tie retaining wall about 2' high that was going to be replaced as part of the driveway work. The company that was highest was one of his referral list companies and he had the crass to tell me that I would be responsible for tearing out and disposing of the ties and the ensuing dirt work.
I told the owner of the company that for the kind of money he was going to charge me the only work I was going to do was open the cooler and lift a beer while I watched him work.
Dickhead!
Martino will hit on some good stuff but he strikes me as a pompous, self serving ass.
Hmmm, I wasn't aware that you had to pay to be on the list. That alone pretty much invalidates the entire thing. Thanks for the input guys. I guess I'll stop telling people to call him.
I don't know if I would put the kabosh on everything he does. In some consumer issues I have heard him really do some good for people that had gotten burned.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuart
But you had better have your ducks in a row and your documentation in order. He can really be a dick if somebody does not have a clear case. Especially if they were complacent or ignorant going into the issue in question.
The moment he accepted money to be "on his list" or be an "advertiser" he lost all credibility with me.
He also trades work on his house to be on the "list"!
Glad to see I'm not the only one who has this opinion of the arrogant bastard.
Why don't *we call his show, describe his tactics, get him interested, and tell him that he is the bad business.
*Someone else that is not me.
A) they'd never get on the airQuote:
Originally Posted by Stuart
and
2) the black helicopters would be circling their house before they could hang up the phone
http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbu...ilhatsmile.gif
Paying to get on a referral list of "preferred and honest vendors". +1 that it puts him last on my list.
Just saw this thread. Martino's a fraud. Years ago, my girlfriend was ripped off by a carpet company that was paying to be on his referral list. Ripped off as in outright fraud - she ordered an expensive high-end carpet and they delivered and attempted to install cheap crap that you'd only put in a rental.
I got involved when they called it a "misunderstanding" and said it was her fault. No one can possibly charge someone for the best carpet they sell and deliver the cheapest grade they have in their store unless they're both dishonest and really stupid. It was obvious they intended to defraud her from the get go.
Not knowing any better, we called the "troubleshitter" and Martino personally defended his advertisers to the hilt.
Far as I'm concerned, any business that is on his list is so likely to be overpriced/dishonest it's not worth the time to even get their bid. If they're honest well meaning businesses, I think they'd smell the scam and not be his advertisers. And have some pity for the poor folks who never shop beyond his referral list and overpay for everything...
I was SO amused when he got sucked into the balloon boy scam and chased after it in his helicopter. (Heh! No one's as easy to con as a con man, particularly one who thinks his sewer smells like fresh cut clover.)
And yes, he shakes down his referral list advertisers for work on his house, etc., etc., etc. - all of which I'm sure he shows at wholesale, if at all, on his taxes. He's that kinda guy.
Took an Italian friend to point this out to me (she should know!) but all Martino has done is 1) found a legal way to run a protection racket, and 2) so thoroughly integrated himself into the media power structure that he's practically immune from investigation.
I've lived here all my life, and in that whole time only Westword has dared show him for what he is.
It's best to just consider his "list" as a "do not use" list.
I can't stand Tom Martino. I have never met him but I have done business with his family and his business partner. Although I didn't like a single one of them, this thread is full of bullshit.
Well clear it up then. It doesn't help to just say something is bullshit and not say what.
Naw?!? A carpet company trying to screw a client? It would never happen.Quote:
Originally Posted by cognitive dissonance
The cpt salesmen I've dealt with were washed out used car salesmen that I wouldn't buy a dead horse from.
I listen to the TM show with a grain of salt. He had some encounters with a Westword reported a few years ago. Pretty funny stuff.
Now Tom Martino is doing promotional commercials for Rocky's Auto, slamming on Medved.