AAA Travel

[mtdjed]

Have been paying for AAA travel for many years. Finally had a need as the 2013 VW Golf decided that it was on strike and would not start in the middle of Spanish Springs. Usually one who tries to solve problems by myself , but decided to reward myself with my membership to AAA and call for road service. Call in system, press a lot of buttons before a person. Finally get a person and a commitment for service 3 hrs later but a promise to expedite. Please stay by car.

Would have been happy with this in the middle of the Mohave Desert but not happy in The Villages. Made other arrangements for a jump start.

Not a good value for me. I know I am grumpy, but picture yourself getting a 3 hour service call when you are stuck.

[Opmoochler]

Have been paying for AAA travel for many years. Finally had a need as the 2013 VW Golf decided that it was on strike and would not start in the middle of Spanish Springs. Usually one who tries to solve problems by myself , but decided to reward myself with my membership to AAA and call for road service. Call in system, press a lot of buttons before a person. Finally get a person and a commitment for service 3 hrs later but a promise to expedite. Please stay by car.

Would have been happy with this in the middle of the Mohave Desert but not happy in The Villages. Made other arrangements for a jump start.

Not a good value for me. I know I am grumpy, but picture yourself getting a 3 hour service call when you are stuck.


Not a good situation for you, but I had exemplary service last spring. I set out from the dog park on Moyer Loop at sunset to discover that I had a totally flat tire, so I called AAA and waited with the dog as it grew darker. In the less than 30 minutes I waited, 3 Villagers stopped to see if we were ok! When AAA got there, the guy topped off the air in and put on the little donut tire. He showed me that I had picked up a huge bolt from one of the construction trucks along Moyer Loop, and the tire was beyond patching. I was home within 45 minutes of discovering the flat. This was the fourth time I had used AAA in all the years I've had it. Each time, I've been very grateful for my membership. Only once, in MD, did I have to wait over an hour for service.

[LitespeedRider]

Not a good value for me. I know I am grumpy, but picture yourself getting a 3 hour service call when you are stuck.

Few weeks ago there was a man in a VERY fancy car at the Rio Grande Family Pool with a flat tire. We of course offered to assist to change the tire but were told AAA was "on the way". Drove by an hour later - he was still there, another offer to help made...and went to dinner.

Another hour and a half driving by, there he was. Would not take no for an answer, got my jack and tools and changed the tire for him (note, the car did not have a tool kit and the spare had to be inflated as is common with many newer cars).

AAA - not worth it from anyone I have ever met. Well, maybe if your car breaks down in your driveway...possibly during business hours on a weekday.

[Skip]

I was with a friend a few years back in another city in Florida. His car would not start. Called AAA at 2 PM. Was told an hour wait. 2 hours went by. No AAA service yet. Called again, AAA said he's on his way. Another hour went by. Called AAA again. Said they would expedite it. Waited another hour.

Finally the AAA tow truck showed up about 6 PM. Said he just got the dispatch a few minutes ago. [Who's lying?] Could not jump start it. It was the starter. Gave the AAA card to the driver, he wrote the tow slip and my friend signed it (got no copy) and had it towed to the nearest dealer. Called the dealer the next day. They can replace the starter $$$ that day, ready at 2 PM. We went to pay for the repairs and there was a $150 charge for towing on the bill. My friend explained it was a free AAA tow, "here's my AAA card". Dealer said you have to take that up with the tow company, here's their number. Called the tow company - no answer. Dealer would not release the car without paying for the tow too. So he did. Next day my friend drove to the tow company and demanded the $150 back. The tow company said, "not my problem, you called, we towed, you pay. Take it up with AAA."

So my friend (furious by now) called AAA and they told him to make a claim with the receipts. They would investigate and reimburse him. He sent in the claim and dealer receipt with summary of conversations with tow company and heard nothing from AAA. A letter to AAA Customer Service also went unanswered. He was ignored.

After 40 years with AAA, he cancelled his membership. $150 is not enough to sue the tow company or AAA. Each year he gets a notice from AAA "your membership has lapsed". He sends it back with "call me to find out why". But never hears from them.

This is not hearsay. I was there with him.

After that, I canceled my AAA membership too.

Maybe you might think about it also. Membership is worthless.

If you have service done by a dealer or local repair shop, ask them who to call. Some shops will split the tow cost with you. The tow may be less than the membership cost.

End of story.

Skip

[Rapscallion St Croix]

Whenever you call AAA for roadside assistance, tell them you have a Third trimester pregnant women on board.

[rde3036]

Two years ago my motorcycle died near Apopka. Triple AAA sent a truck that was there in about an hour and hauled us home.

This summer my car battery died while I was up in Spanish Springs. The triple AAA guy showed up in 30 minutes.

I've always had good service from AAA. Maybe it's my boyish charm.

[Bogie Shooter]

This thread is beginning to read like a restaurant thread..............

[Jim 9922]

This thread is beginning to read like a restaurant thread..............

Maybe it's the new Villages game "Topper" : Whatever story you tell, I'll top it.

[LitespeedRider]

Two years ago my motorcycle died near Apopka. Triple AAA sent a truck that was there in about an hour and hauled us home.

This summer my car battery died while I was up in Spanish Springs. The triple AAA guy showed up in 30 minutes.

I've always had good service from AAA. Maybe it's my boyish charm.

Serious question. Were these issues on weekdays during normal business hours?

[Opmoochler]

Serious question. Were these issues on weekdays during normal business hours?

My 3-hour wait was a Sat around 11a.m. in Annapolis, MD. - really bad timing! Two others were also weekends (but prompt service), and last spring's here was early evening.

[Fraugoofy]

I think AAA is a thing of the past. Most don't need their travel planning or their maps. We have GPS and Google for that. Most don't need their help in planning since we can read the reviews on TripAdvisor... and there are so many other companies that offer towing service at a more competitive rate. American Family is my insurance and towing is included in my premium. I know Geico and Nationwide have this service, too. Peace out...

Sent from my SM-N910R4 using Tapatalk

[Carl in Tampa]

I am no longer physically capable of changing a flat tire, or even of opening the hood of my car to facilitate a jump start of a dead battery.

I have had to have a flat changed, a tow to a repair shop, and some gas brought to me when my gas gauge failed and I ran out of gas. In each case the wait was longer that I would have liked, but it always seems longer when you are sitting on the side of the road.

I agree with a previous poster who said that TripTix strip maps are no longer needed with the advent of GPS and Trip Adviser. However, I used to use them for booking cruises, and Barbara uses them for very reasonable priced home and automobile insurance. If you are diligent in inquiring, you will find that many, many businesses give unadvertised discounts to AAA members. Many hotels/motels give AAA discounts as well as senior discounts and AARP discounts. It never hurts to ask.

To each his own.

[chuckinca]

We have been with AAA for over 30 years.

Recent towing events have not been good. Two summers ago we broke down in the middle of the Utah desert and waited 4 hours for a truck that started 30 miles away, but was sent 50 miles in the opposite direction by the dispatcher.

The previous summer we were in a motel near Arlington, Texas and thieves took the catalytic convertor off our pickup as we slept. The AAA dispatcher insisted that the truck be towed to their authorized repair facility instead of a Dodge dealer. Three hours later (at the end of the business day) the repair facility called and said they couldn't do the work. I had to find a Dodge dealer who would repair it the next day.

.

[LitespeedRider]

I think that is why I have always paid for "Road Side Assistance" from State Farm...years and years ago I needed it (sorta). Had to get a tow and a tire - State Farm reimbursed me 100% (living in Illinois and driving in Alabama).