"AAA seems okay overall, but definitely feels like they're stretched thin in some places these days..."
Yeah, that's exactly why I switched away from AAA last year. Had a flat tire near Tampa and waited foreverrr. Ended up going with a smaller local provider—cheaper and faster responses so far. Fingers crossed it stays that way...
Same here, I've noticed their response times slipping lately. Had a breakdown last summer—fuel pump issue on my '68 Mustang—and ended up waiting close to two hours. To be fair, the driver was great once he showed up, but it definitely wasn't the quick AAA service I remember from 5-10 years ago. Might be worth looking into local options like you mentioned...
I've never had to call AAA myself yet (knock on wood...), but hearing these stories makes me wonder—is it just AAA that's slipping, or is roadside assistance in general getting slower? Maybe it's a staffing issue or something? I mean, two hours sounds rough, especially if you're stuck somewhere sketchy or it's super hot outside. Also, curious about the local options you mentioned—are they usually quicker or cheaper, or is it more about reliability? I always assumed AAA was the gold standard, but maybe that's just good marketing, lol. Anyway, as someone still pretty new to driving, I'm genuinely wondering if it's worth shopping around or if AAA is still the safest bet despite the delays.
"I always assumed AAA was the gold standard, but maybe that's just good marketing, lol."
Haha, nailed it. AAA's marketing game is strong, but honestly, roadside assistance everywhere seems slower these days—probably staffing shortages or something. I've had better luck with local tow guys myself. Usually quicker and cheaper, plus they actually know how to handle my old '68 Mustang without scratching her up... AAA once sent a guy who looked at my carburetor like it was alien tech, lol.
Haha, totally agree with you there. AAA used to be my go-to, but lately I've noticed they're not exactly speedy or cheap anymore. Last time I got stuck with a flat, they quoted me like 90 minutes... ended up calling a local guy who showed up in 20 and charged half the price. Plus, he actually knew how to handle my old Civic without breaking anything. Guess sometimes smaller really is better.
