Had my own AAA saga a while back too... got stranded at the grocery store parking lot because of a flat tire. Called AAA and they quoted me 45 mins tops, but an hour and a half later, still nothing. Ended up just changing it myself with some help from a random nice guy passing by. Saved myself the wait and honestly felt kinda proud afterward, haha. Makes me wonder though—anyone tried other roadside assistance services that might be quicker or cheaper?
Had a similar experience last summer—AAA said "30 mins max" when my battery died at the beach. Two hours later, I'm sunburned and cranky, still waiting. Ended up getting a jump from a family nearby who took pity on me (probably looked pathetic enough, lol). Switched to my insurance's roadside plan afterward—cheaper and haven't had issues yet. Might wanna check if your auto insurer offers something similar... could save you some cash and frustration.
Have you checked if your insurance bundles roadside assistance with other coverages? Sometimes insurers offer discounts or perks if you combine services. AAA used to be the gold standard, but lately I've heard similar stories about delays and inconsistent service. Might be worth calling your current provider to see what's included—could save you some hassle and money down the road. Did switching end up lowering your overall premium, or was it just more reliable service-wise?
I had AAA for years and honestly, they were a lifesaver back when my old Honda kept breaking down every other month. But around two years ago, I noticed things started changing. One night I got stranded with a dead battery, called AAA, and waited over two hours in the cold. The driver apologized, saying they'd been short-staffed lately. After that, I figured it was time to shop around.
I ended up bundling roadside assistance with my regular insurance, and surprisingly, it did lower my premium slightly. But the bigger thing for me was reliability—I haven't had to use it much, but the one time I did, they showed up in under 30 minutes. Maybe AAA's just gotten too big or something? Curious if anyone else has seen their service slip like this...
I've noticed a similar trend with AAA myself, though my experience has been more mixed. I drive quite a bit and have had my share of roadside calls—sometimes they're quick, other times it's been frustratingly slow. It makes me wonder if it's a regional staffing issue or something broader like you mentioned. Has anyone compared AAA's response times in rural versus urban areas? I'd be curious if location plays a bigger role than we realize...
