I want to replace AAA - response time is terrible!

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kpatter

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I have been with AAA for almost 20 years - The only time I rarely use them is for towing. I have the Plus coverage which covers me even in anothers vehicle. There have been 3 incidents this year that is making me rethink my membership.

I live in the middle of the city, Dallas, and just to get a battery jump takes 1 1/2 hours. Had this happen twice and both times was between 1 and 2 hours. The other incident was assistance with a flat tire, again another 1.5 hour wait, in the heart of the city. This is at night (between 5 and 9 pm) and not in rush hour traffic.

I have done some research online and there are a lot of these same complaints from other AAA members. I pay 85.00 per year and am willing to leave them of there is another viable option some of you may have.

Thoughts?
 
We have their cousin up here CAA and it's terrible the same way. As soon as there is a storm you can wait up to 3 hours for a tow truck. Further what they charge and how far they tow is ridiculous. I would much rather use their competition here instead.

Just FWIW.
 
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It may not be true but I’ve heard that AAA contracts with service providers in your area for their roadside plans. As these are pre negotiated contracts with flat rate fees for service, meaning that someone who calls them for emergency service outside of AAA and pays a premium for service will be in the front of the line-ahead of less profitable AAA service calls.

One work around I heard to solve this is not to call AAA for service, but to call the local wrecker/jump/tire service directly then once they arrive (quickly is the assumption) flash your card or pay and then seek reimbursement from AAA post service.

On the other hand those kind of wait times may just be standard for those types of calls in your area, there may just be a glut of need and a dreft of available providers, so this may not improve your response times any. Meaning it’s not AAA’s fault, just the way things are regardless of who your provider is.

Third issue with the whole thing is there are not many (none nationwide that I’m aware of) for these types of service plans...
 
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There really isn't a viable option. I have heard some of the same compliants-so you are not alone. Some insurance companies provide towing-but many of these are independents and are worse (if you can believe that) that AAA.

I would suggest a complaint to AAA customer service. If the contract station is truly busy-nothing will become of your compliant. However-if they are slow for some other reason(s) a complaint may help matters.

Have you voiced your concerns to corporate?
 
Hmm. I live 30+ miles from any major city and they are over my house in 10 minutes; the guy takes the truck home and he lives a mile away.

You should call AAA and ask for an explanation. Maybe they don't have enough on call trucks for a major city?

I was told once by AAA dispatcher that emergencies take priority; I had a guy drop my car on a side street in the North end of Hartford CT since he got dispatched to a wreck on the highway; State police calls go to the head of the line, i was told.
 
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AAA does not have their own guys. They contract it out to several local companies. Company A has weekends,B has mon and tues etc. Their respons time depends on their work load but here is generally timely.
 
I went to the bruno mars concert at american airlines center here in dallas and dead battery afterwards.. Called and it was 1.5 hour wait in cold weather. Had to take an Uber home - too cold to wait. Just frustrated with AAA
 
I have AAA and thinking about the same to quit them. Been a member for almost 20 years, think 18. I just added roadside service to my GEICO car insurance plan and they are quicker to respond.
 
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Hmm. I live 30+ miles from any major city and they are over my house in 10 minutes; the guy takes the truck home and he lives a mile away.

You should call AAA and ask for an explanation. Maybe they don't have enough on call trucks for a major city?

I was told once by AAA dispatcher that emergencies take priority; I had a guy drop my car on a side street in the North end of Hartford CT since he got dispatched to a wreck on the highway; State police calls go to the head of the line, i was told.


They do prioritize the calls. I had a breakdown on a busy highway. They showed up in 10 minutes. Other times if there's a problem and I just want it towed to my mechanic, it can take an hour or two or more. Just depends how busy they are. Late at night might also be a factor. They probably just don't have enough people that want to work those shifts. Anyway, considering what the cost of one call would cost, you probably made your money back after the first one.
 
Keeping some tools in your car can go a long way towards self sufficiency. I keep a lithium battery jump starter in my car (have used it several times) AND a pair of jumper cables. The lithium jump backs are tiny little things and you would be surprised that they have enough power to start a car, but they actually do. Also a small 12v air compressor can fill your flat tire and get you off the road and to a service station or home. Beats waiting for 2-3 hours if you dont have to. These three tools below cost less than 2 years worth of AAA and you can keep them in your car for the next 20-30 years. They literally pay for themselves the first time you use them. The lithium battery pack probably needs to go back to the manufacturer and get rebuilt with new batteries every 10 years or so, but that should be cheaper than buying a new one.

https://earthxbatteries.com/shop/earthx-jump-pack
https://www.amazon.com/LifeLine-AAA-300-Volt-Compressor/dp/B000SL4AA2
https://www.amazon.com/OxGord-Commercial...s=jumper+cables

Also a 24 inch breaker bar with the correct size socket for removing your tire. Sure beats using the puny tool that comes in the car. I've also had the lugnuts so tight that the tool in the car was impossible to get enough leverage on the lug nuts.

https://www.amazon.com/Capri-Tools-Exten...break+bar+1%2F2
 
Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
I'm using Hartford for auto insurance. I'm paying $152.45 every two months.


I fly Delta and occasionally Southwest. Anything else off topic you want to add that doesn't add to the conversation?
 
I'm fairly certain that switching to a different roadside service won't be any guaranteed quicker. As others have mentioned, they mostly just have contracts with existing towing/assistance companies in your area.

For example, I have roadside assistance through the AMA (American Motorcyclist Assoc) and they actually give me towing/assistance for both cars and bikes up to 35 miles. However, the yearly cost is only like $40.
 
I'm 19 years old. It's 1982. My friend picks me up in his 1973 olds cutlass with a rocket 350 and we go up to Yonkers. He knows his alternator is shot but doesn't tell me until we get there. We valet park to ensure a jump start. We make it about 10 miles into the Bronx and the engine dies. We find a gas station and ask for help. They say sorry, we close at midnight and proceed to place their handguns and long guns into the trunk of their car and direct us to a pay phone around the corner and they leave us. There weren't no phone attached to the phone cord at the pay phone. Somehow we called AAA. 2 hours later a tow shows up and jumps us. We then drove 60 miles at 3am with no headlights to get home. We had to drive fast as we figured the engine would run for a fixed time.


We even got into an altercation with a drugged up armored truck driver at 4am. Something about us doing 80 mph in the dark with no lights.
 
The AAA you hate is a regional enterprise, eg AAA of DFW etc. They license the name from "National AAA."

When I was looking for work two years ago everyone was always hiring tow truck drivers and I'm sure its worse now. Being on call 24/7 was part of the deal. This might be the sort of [censored] job people work during recessions to make ends meet then there's a dearth of talent at the peak of economic bubbles.
 
Originally Posted By: CKN
There really isn't a viable option.

Much better options. Most insurance companies offer roadside assistance for about a buck/month. They do anything AAA does.
Wait they don't plan your trips or give you maps.(what are maps?)
 
Originally Posted By: Balrog006
As these are pre negotiated contracts with flat rate fees for service, meaning that someone who calls them for emergency service outside of AAA and pays a premium for service will be in the front of the line-ahead of less profitable AAA service calls.


Exactly. You wouldn't believe how little AAA pays the service provider. We'll just say that the driver probably isn't making minimum wage during your call.
 
I use the roadside that is available through my car insurance. I belive it costs around $20 per vehicle.

The two times I used it was quick because you pay for tow or whatever they reimburse you.
 
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