Man, I hear you. I once waited so long for a tow that I started naming the cows in the field next to me. Ever tried explaining to a client why you’re late because your “backup plan” is stuck in traffic? Makes me wonder if carrying my own jumper cables is the new normal... or am I just paranoid?
I totally get the paranoia—I've started keeping a mini tool kit in my trunk just in case. But honestly, is it just me or does AAA take way longer to show up these days? I remember them being faster, like years ago. Maybe it's just more people using the service now... or is it a staffing thing?
Yeah, I’ve noticed the wait times creeping up too. Last time I called them for a dead battery, it was almost 90 minutes. Used to be way quicker, at least in my area. Makes me wonder—are folks still finding AAA worth the yearly fee, or are there better alternatives now? I keep thinking about switching but not sure if the grass is any greener with the other roadside services. Anyone tried something like Good Sam or even just relying on insurance add-ons?
Last time I called them for a dead battery, it was almost 90 minutes. Used to be way quicker, at least in my area.
Not sure the grass is really greener with the other guys, honestly. I get the frustration—wait times have definitely gotten worse. But before jumping ship, I’d look at what you’re actually getting for the fee. With AAA, you’re paying for more than just towing or jumpstarts. There’s the travel discounts, DMV services, and some of those random perks that come in handy once in a blue moon.
I tried relying on my insurance’s roadside add-on for a year. It was cheaper, but when my alternator died on a road trip, the service was... let’s say “bare bones.” The tow truck took almost two hours and they only covered five miles before charging extra. Good Sam is decent if you’ve got an RV or do a lot of long-haul driving, but for regular cars it didn’t seem like much of an upgrade.
If you’re thinking about switching, I’d suggest making a list of what you actually use. Sometimes it’s worth paying a bit more just to avoid headaches down the line. But yeah, I wish AAA would step up their game again.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had better luck with my insurance’s roadside lately than AAA. Maybe it depends on the area? Last winter, my car wouldn’t start and the insurance service had someone out in under 40 minutes, which surprised me. I do miss some of those random AAA perks, but honestly, I never used most of them. Curious—has anyone actually used the travel discounts or DMV stuff recently? I always wondered if those were worth it or just marketing fluff.