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Is AAA Worth It?
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For those who aren’t familiar with AAA, they’re a practically ubiquitous automobile/travel organization where you pay annual dues in order to have access to a set of resources. The resources include free limited towing, some travel discounts, free trip planning and maps, and limited financial services. The only downside is that it’s expensive; I pay over $150 a year for one Basic membership and two associate memberships! (It’s $70 just for me) Is it worth it?
Discounts:
AAA will get you discounts practically anywhere and especially in places you don’t expect. I once walked into a Jos. A. Banks outlet, saw a nice jacket on clearance for like $30, and even got 20% off for showing my AAA card. Of course, if you’re a big spender, you can recoup the $70 in a heartbeat… save 20% off a $2,000 suit (I doubt the discount is that high on a suit) and you’ve recouped the cost.
When you check into a hotel or call in to reserve, ask about an AAA discount. I recently reserved a room down in Ocean City for three nights and AAA saved 15%, or about $90 or so. The thing is I split the room with six other people so my “savings” amounted to only $15.
Discounted Travel:
Ticket discounts is one of the biggest draws for AAA and the reason why I joined last year. My girlfriend and I planned on trips to Disney down in Orlando and an AAA membership significantly allows you purchase park tickets at a huge discount. Also, AAA is the only place that sells five-day passes. (or something like that)
Towing:
Having to be towed sucks. My girlfriend has had her car towed twice but I’ve never had the bad luck of having it towed ever but the two associate memberships are for my mother and my sister. While my mom would have no problem needing towing service since my dad would be nearby, my sister is much farther away. She’s also not particularly car savvy and having this service is always nice. Plus, she drives a VW Bug that’s been giving my dad headaches so he never knows when the piece of crap is going to need to get towed. For those of you who use AAA because of the free limited towing, check your car manual because your car may already have free limited towing service from your manufacturer that equals that of AAA.
Free Travel Planning:
This is a cool service I would probably never use, even less now with Google Maps or Mapquest. They can print out an entire driving plan to get you from point A to point B, even with highlighted streets. But one thing I do use from their travel planning area are the free travel guides. They have useful phone numbers of local restaurants and hotels and definitely a plus. Their rating system means nothing to me though.. quadruple platinum stars encrusted in diamonds? So what, how much does it cost and is it a recognizable hotel chain? 
I’m not entirely sold on AAA memberships, especially in years where I don’t foresee taking big vacations where AAA would matter. The discounts are nice but not nice enough to be shelling out $70 a year for, I don’t think I should even be spending enough on those sorts of things to even justify the discount helping me out. Ultimately, I keep the membership because of the free limited towing service provided to my sister and my mom and that’s probably why my dad wanted me to get it.
{ 58 comments, please add your thoughts now! }
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I’ve been a faithful member of AAA since I first received my license (although I didn’t pay for the service myself until after college). During the years I had an unreliable car, the membership was worth it several times over. Now that I have a decent car, it’s harder to determine. However, because of my AAA membership I was able to get a lower rate on my car insurance… several hundred dollars less than I could get without going through AAA. That more than makes up the membership fee.
I just talked to my dad and he said my sister had more problems but never called AAA, she doesn’t even use it! He said unless I had a reason to keep it I should go ahead and cancel it… I am doing so right now.
Hmmm that was painless, they didn’t even ask why. Turns out the cost was only $112 but it’s $112 more than my sister was even taking advantage of!
I’m with Flexo, but for different reasons. Between the:
1. Free maps we get (about 10 or so per year based on our travels)
2. Discounts on hotels
3. Jumpstarts to my wife’s car (she had no “lights on” indicator on her last car and had to have it jumped 3-4 times per year)
it’s worth it. Even if I don’t break even with these, there’s still the “insurance” value to membership. Plus, I use their car and homeowners insurance — the best priced in our area.
If you truly take advantage of the discounts, it may be worth it. (Though with the internet and all of the discount travel site, seems you can do at least as well, or better on your own.) For the tow service, it is a bit harder to justify. I guess my thinking with the tow service is I just want to be able to call a single number and get help where ever I am. The actual cost of the tow (or other emergency service) is not nearly as important as getting help when needed – esspecially since for most people, years can go by between tows. Platinum MasterCard holders get road side servce for free. All it provides is a 1-800 number to call for help – you have to pay for any help that is given. But the 800# is where the value is when you’re hundreds of miles from home and have no idea who to call for help.
Like any insurance service, they have an edge — they have to make a profit.
You probably can cope with towing expenses, thus you don’t need it if it is just for towing and simple car service.
However, the discounts usually make it worth it.
And my wife and I made ran the numbers, and it has paid itself off with the roadside assistance only. It is not only for broken cars. Think about being stuck on snow or mud (both have happened to us). Car keys inside car (have happened to us). Or leaving lights on (has happened to us).
Also, calling a tow truck in a place you don’t know in the middle of the night is kind of scary. By calling AAA at least you know you someone is monitoring their service (even if it is minimally).
As it stands, my girlfriend has a membership so all the travel discounts would be available to me – i wouldn’t have the benefit of the auto service benefits though, something I’m willing to surrender. Ultimately, the reason for getting it was my sister’s benefit but if she isn’t even going to call them up when she has a problem, it’s not serving its actual purpose.
My first car was very unreliable and AAA was a GODSEND.
My second car is new and extremely reliable, and AAA has not been used since…..but it offers a very strong piece of mind to have it.
-Nev
did u just got your renewal letter too? I’ve been wondering since I got my renewal letter just today.
my rate seems cheaper. its $46 a year for me (basic) and $23 for my sister. Brings the total to $69 per year.
I’ve been with AAA for 3 years, having a new car and all I didnt have to call AAA much, although I have used it before for friends etc. when I’m with them. “Jump start, towing, etc.”
I’ve also used AAA for discounts on hotel, theme parks, and best of all.. AAA approved car repair locations. Although not all locations have “Show Your Card and Save”, this particular one I went to did. Saved 10% off a $560 brake repair.
As mentioned, if you use it.. its great. I also got 3 free maps from them when I went to Hawaii last month.
I expect I’ll be a member for life. My AAA card once saved me a trip to a Pennsylvania jail, when I was pulled over for speeding during a trip to DC. (Don’t know if it’s still true, but at the time, anyone pulled over in PA with out of state plates had to pay the fine in cash on the side of the road, present a AAA card, or go to jail until their court date.)
The discounts help to justify it in short-term economic terms…but to me, the peace of mind is worth the annual fee.
How long ago was this? It seems very archiac, but I have read the back of the card and it does say it’s worth $1,000 as a bail bond, so I suppose since you weren’t able to pay you’d have been arrested and the card acted as your bail bond until the court date… they just skipped all the unpleasantries?
the back of my card says up to $500, but does not apply in CA. So its great if I’m out of state.
Although I hardly speed.
um, when I’m out of state.
Jim…let’s see…I was out of college for a couple of years already, but I think it was before HC2…so I’ll say Summer of 1995, while confessing that I might be off by a year or so. I went to DC fairly often in the 90s.
I’m not sure of the legal technicalities. I know that I turned over my card, AAA sent me a bill, I paid the bill, I got a new card, and everybody was happy. And I know that, had I not been a AAA member or not been carrying my card, I would have spent at least three days in jail waiting for a hearing before a judge, all because I was going the same 10MPH over the posted limit as every other driver on that stretch of road, but had the unfortunate distinction of driving with out-of-state plates while not carrying $95 in cash.
Wow, that’s not that long ago… I’ll remember not to speed in PA then. Perhaps they have a problem with people not paying speeding tickets out in the sticks? It just seems unreasonable to expect someone to be carrying around $95 to cover a ticket right then and there. Seems like a system that could be easily taken advantage of…
I’ve been a AAA member since I got my driver’s license. In fact, my AAA card says I’ve been a member since 1947 – which is pretty amazing, considering I was born in 1968! (I originally joined on my mom’s membership, and she originally join on her parent’s membership.) The only reason I belong is for the emergency service. There have been several times when my car has broken down and I needed a tow or needed something fixed. They also are helpful when you lock your keys in the car
You can get a roadside assistance plan if you have T-Mobile for $2.95 a month. I had that for a year. Used it twice. More than paid for itself. But the third time I needed it, we were in southern Missouri, deep in the Ozark backwoods (hillbilly country). I was visiting family when the pickup we rented blew a tire. And of course the spare was flat. T-Mobile didn’t have anyone within 150 miles. They called AAA. Someone was there within 20 minutes. After I got back home, I switched over to AAA.
Some auto insurers offer raodside coverage, as well. I have it through State Farm for ~$2/six months and have used it a few times. They even have an 800 number, and will dispatch a local service provider to help you. I’ve used it a few times and been very thankful to have it. While they don’t offer trip planning (I use MapQuest anyway) or hotel, etc. discounts, it’s dirt cheap.
fivecentnickel.com
I’ve been a member of AAA for over a decade. I like their auto-insurance, because they are a “not for profit”, and in certain years, give you a discount off of next year’s policy if results have been good.
I enjoy the trip ticks maps on long journeys, if they still offer them. It’s very useful to plan out if you can make it to the next major city, or if this town you never heard of has a potty or food or whatever you might need.
And I’m sort of lucky that I live near one of their car service prototype places. The prices are slightly cheaper than other service shops, but I have faith that AAA will be honest and won’t try to rake me over the coals on car service.
Use the services, the magazine, the travel, etc. Get as much out of it as you can. AAA may not be for all, though. Depends on personal use.
Cheers!
Not sure why you pay $70 for one basic membership. I only pay $42 a year. I like the peace of mind.
I’m a faithful customer of AAA myself. I’ve had a couple experiences where it’s paid for itself and as our cars are getting older we may end up using it more. I try to make sure that I ask for AAA discounts anywhere I go and am amazed at the stores that give one. I bought brake pads for my truck at Napa and, sure enough, they gave me a discount. We’ve even gotten the price of our hotel rooms lowered right at the desk when we check in.
No complaints here
Hazzard
You shared a room with 6 other people? For 3 nites? Wow. That’s scrimpin’.
Haha, there were two double beds and a pullout couch, everyone had a bed to sleep on.
The plus plan buys me 100 miles of towing and three important words:
Off Road Recovery.
Oh and free maps – those are cool too.
Up until last year, my wife and I had been members of AAA for several years. One tow and it paid for itself; add a locksmith to that and it more than paid for itself. But I cancelled it anyway. Not for economic reasons, but for their lousy customer service. Here’s what happened: In Sept ‘02 I bought a motorcycle. To get towing coverage on a motorcycle, you have to get two upgrades, which took the price from the $70/year we were paying (for two cars) to about $150/year (you have to get their Plus plan, then the RV plan). In May of ‘03, we were riding about 60 miles from home when the rear tire went flat. I called AAA, they sent a moron with a flatbed and one tiedown. Long story short: motorcycle turned over on the flatbed, $750 damage, towing company tried to claim that the bike was damaged before and offered be $325. AAA initially stood by and was apparently content for me to take the matter to court, but then decided to pay the other half. I should never have had to deal with their contractor directly; they should have handled it directly. I did get reimburesed for the whole cost, then asked them for a refund of the $80 extra, then declined to renew when it came up. I joined the AMA’s Mo-Tow program and for $70/year, it covers the bike and the cars.
There’s one other amazing benefit to AAA membership. If you don’t have health insurance or your health insurance doesn’t cover prescription drugs, the AAA prescription drug discount is incredible. It usually roughly halves the price on generic drugs, and 20% or more off of name-brand ones. I make back my $45 annual dues twice over every year with that discount alone.
On the down side, I recently found out that AAA California doesn’t answer their phones at 1:30 in the morning, even if you sit on hold with them for half an hour. (And sitting on hold for half an hour in a bad part of Oakland at 1:30 in the morning is not something you want to be doing, trust me.)
My husband & I have had AAA for several years and love it! We don’t use it every year, but we have more than recovered our membership fees. Have you ever used their trip planning service? It’s awesome. We’ve been towed several hundred miles (more than once) even though we keep our cars maintained. Bad stuff just happens (even to good people).
We’ve also had to have them come out to our house and unlock the car because my husband locked the keys in it while the car was running! We will never go without AAA, as long as they’ll take our money (and I suspect that will be from now until eternity).
Just a few notes–AAA costs vary according to market. Extra benefits vary too. Prescription drug benefits are not available in every state, for instance. I’ve had mixed experience with AAA, with much better office service in VA than in ME. Sometimes road service shows up quickly, sometimes not for several hours. I let my membership lapse and was bombarded with renewal letters for 2 months, some of them not so nice in tone, telling me to return the new card they sent, implying I’d be responsible for paying if I didn’t, or something to that effect. Left me with bad taste in mouth, tho up til then I didn’t have a problem with AAA, just didn’t feel the money spent was justified. I now have road service thru GEICO, but haven’t used them yet.
AAA has not only towed me multiple times but it also paid for the NJ Turnpike repairs division to fix my flat tire. I always make sure go to the AAA offices before leaving on a long car trip for their free maps and TripTiks (my favorite). AAA has a lot of membership perks, and it is well worth the money if you are willing to use the full privileges of being a member. I also always ask when I check into a hotel if they give a discount for AAA members.
Remember that with the basic membership you can only get towed for ten miles. Anyone with a credit card doesnt need AAA. The online discounts are usually better than AAA. Having roadside assistance on your insurance means that the tow is free even if you do have to get reimbursed. A lot of new vehicles come with roadside assistance. AAA doesnt have their own trucks. They contract with local towers. AAA pays their contractors terrible and so some towing companies put off AAA calls if they have full paying calls.
Check betterworldclub.com – they pay their contractors more and usually have faster service. With their $40 gas rebate coupons, the net cost of basic membership is $13.95/year. In markets where AAA membership is lower, they match AAA rates. They offer similar benefits and are more environmentally responsible.
I dumped my former insurance company. After being with them for 6 years! I get into a single fender bended, next thing you know my premium increases substantially. I don’t want to mention the insurance company’s name but its one of the biggest one out there. Anyways, I called local insurance companies in my area and wasn’t too successful either. Not only did I spend long hours calling around companies, brokers and agents, I waited days for some to get back to me. A lot of people have this notion to always go local. But you know what, I checked on the net found it to be easier to go online when shopping for insurance. The place I went to is http://www.insurancepaylite.com they were able to give a quote that was acceptable to me in the speediest time. Hope this helps.
I had to discontinue my membership due to financial difficulties and boy have I paid for it! Since then, my kids have accidentally locked the keys in the car twice, my car has been towed twice, the lights have been left on and the battery needed to be given a boost and I’ve had two flats! That’s life living in the country with 7 kids. Never a dull moment. Now, I took advantage of the deals they offer on the “paid to read sites”. Being alone with all these kids, AAA is more a necessity (to save money on services) than a luxury.
Thanks for letting me know about all the other extras! I wasn’t aware of the 5 day passes. That’s good to know!
I second that Better World pays their contractors better=better service, plus they don’t use member dollars to lobby for anti enviromental issues. Non profit? You betcha!
Yes, so now the next guy that comes along will have to make up the diff of the discount you rec’d in HIS repair bill. I knew there was a reason my dad wouldn’t stay at motels with the AAA logo.
is that $70 a year and not every month?
well, i would still say that its a good price..
how much is the membership if you are a teen driver?
AAA is hands-down one of the most amazing services I’ve ever encountered. The piece of mind and convenience of calling one number and having a multitude of services at your fingertips makes my membership worth every penny. The most impressive part to me is that they’ve never taken more than a half-hour to arrive. On average, the response time has hovered around fifteen minutes.
Another huge benefit to having AAA is that they’ll help you no matter what car you’re in… my friends have gotten their cars jumped multiple times on the association’s dime.
Believe it or not I can say this from an employee stand point. When AAA says 100% customer satisfaction they stand by it. It is the customers who determine if the dispatchers or call center takers receive pay raises or bonuses. If the customers are not happy then that means something has to be done within that branch of AAA to make the customer happy. Every state has a different price that it’s member will pay either for basic, plus, plus/rv, or even premier memberships. Ranging anywheres from 5miles of towing to 200miles of towing free. In the auto stand point they offer fuel delivery, tows, winch outs, locksmith services, bail bonds, jumpstarts, tire changes, and miscellaneous things too; like frozen locks, new batteries, alarms not shutting off. U pretty much name it they cover it! They offer discounts on pretty much everything imaginable from eyeglasses to even movie tickets. You can even take advantage of attraction tickets to basically everywhere also. Plus if you loose your keys to your vehicle they will pay anywhere up to $100.00 on the cost to replace those keys with a locksmith. Better than going to the dealership to have to pay for new ones. So believe it or not this company aims to please thier customers. And if you have a complaint they always try thier best to make it right. What other company can really say that about itself.
I joined AAA especially for the discounts with travel. I made reservation using AAA and recouped my membership fee for the next ten years. It has got to be one of the best deals out there.
I have been with AAA for 42 years and plan to,till I stop breathing.
I thought I’d love AAA too, but I didn’t like the price — with an extra fee for me on my hubby’s account. We got All America Roadside instead, which is FAMILY coverage, including teenagers — all of those under 21 living at home OR away at college. I only paid $49.95, so it beats that $72 my mom pays for herself alone! And I wouldn’t be without coverage either! I’m just this is America, and we have choices!
Sounds to me like a lot of AAA employees are blogging on this site! I took the time to read the websites of the lesser known ones, and read their comparative charts. Hanna, above, is right about All America Roadside. They’re the cheapest for comparable services. Thanks, Hanna, for doing your homework before blogging.
My vote goes to — (drum roll) — All America Roadside Assistance. I’m in Boston and got stuck with a $120 tow in January. I’m sorry that I didn’t have this service before that, but I got it now. They told me that they’d tow me to the nearest repair facility regardless of how far that is. When I drive to California this fall, at least now I know that if I get stuck in the middle of the desert, it won’t cost me an additional arm & leg to get towed out! Great site here, and I read almost all of the comments. People really seem to care about each other and try to protect each other from scams or bad deals. That’s really appreciated! Thanks all!
I slid off the highway in the snow and hit a pole – 300 miles from home. My car insurance company (Allstate) who I paid hundreds of dollars a month to wouldn’t do crap for me so I called AAA who I paid a few dollars a month to. AAA put me up in a motel, paid for my food for a day, and paid for a rental car to get me home since my car was undriveable.
Just for that, they will get $70 from me every year for the rest of my hopefully long life.
The discounts make it all worth while, the Lenscrafters discount pays for my membership each year. Add in Dell Computer, Target.com, NAPA, New York & Company, Hertz, FTD.com, Barnes & Noble.com, The UPS Stores, Prescription Savings…..yes, available in all states, Tanger Outlets, Circuit City, Payless Shoes, RockPort Outlets, Penske Truck Rental, Sirius Radio, Best Buy, Amtrak, several hundred thousand hotel and motel rooms, most major theme parks, Hard Rock Cafes, etc. plus another 55,000 local and international merchant locations ….and more coming this winter.
Yes, I am a AAA employee ….check our aaa.com/save to pay for your membership! Members will save well over $600 million this year. Claim your share!
Just got back from my trip to California, and was glad I called my now favorite roadside program to get updated maps before I left. Never would have known there was so much construction going on all over the country. I appreciated the hotel discounts too. I was under the mis-impression that only AA offered extras like that. Thanks All America for making my trip the best it could be. No, I’m not an employee, just a grateful customer.
We are going to Orlando this summer, my wife has to work, but the two kids and I don’t, so we are going to have some fun. We have AAA because we get a discount on home and auto insurance policies if we carry AAA. In the past two years every hotel we booked was cheaper on the internet or calling the hotel directly – anywhere from $10 to $20 per night. I went in to the AAA office today hoping to get some airline flights cheaper and Disney World tickets. They showed me the exact same flights (from the same two carries)that I looked at and AAA was higher – I am including the fees as well, Apples to Apples. The Disney World Tickets were a bit of a sticker shock for 4 and 5 days. When I got home the tickets were cheaper by 50 dollars each directly from Disney. I am failing to see how AAA is a good deal. The discount on my insurance is about a wash for what I pay for AAA, I haven’t had to use the towing so maybe that is worth it? I am thinking a good GPS for $250, could easily cover the cost for maps for 3 years. Color me not impressed.
I’ve been a member of AAA for 34 years and never had any kind of disappointment. If you actually read your membership benefits …it covers many different aspects of auto assistance, travel assistance and other entities to numberous to mention. I pay $127.00 for AAA PLus which comes out to approximately .35 Cents a day…very very reasonable…..
AAA Sucks
I’ve had AAA for years. With two kids in college over 4 hours away I can’t tell you how many times my answer to car troubles for them was, call AAA. And they always showed up, when they said they would and either fixed the problem or towed the car. I even used it while visiting my brother in Colorado when his car broke down on Thanksgiving Day 4 years ago. We were in the middle of nowhere and while it took a while AAA was there and got us back to civilization. An excellent service and the fees are worth the piece of mind. I have also used the discounts, an additional 8% off a new Plasma TV from Circuit City payed for part of this years membership with the money we saved.
peace of mind is priceless.
broke down in summerville this monday night; i live in providence, ri;
towing fee would have been astomonical
55 miles back home= FREE
yeah i’m happy with AAA
I consider AAA as insurance. Very economical insurance. We’ve been AAA (PLUS) members for decades, regardless of whether our cars were new or used. Occasional use of it’s towing/starting benefits have more than paid for our annual membership fees. However, if it were not for the AAA “PLUS” option I don’t think I would be a member. PLUS is what makes AAA coverage really valuable … up to 100 miles of free towing, for one thing. A story …
My wife and I were taking out daughter and granddaughter to an airport about 175 miles from our home. Our transmission gave out on an Oklahoma tollway about 100 miles from home and 75 miles from the Tulsa airport. Because we carried AAA’s PLUS membership, they sent two vehicles (a tow truck and a van), towed our car back to our hometown garage, and with the van took us on into Tulsa, and right to the airport where we saw our kids safely off. Our only expense throughout the ordeal was for a rental car to get back home.
I am a firm believer in AAA PLUS. And so are those whom we’ve stopped to help along side the road from time to time. (Yes, you can use your benefits to help others as long as you stay on the scene until the help arrives.Then just sign and go.) There are plenty of roadside service plans to choose from, but for us AAA has proved itself to be the superior one–over many years–over and over again.
You may get a small benefit from using AAA travel services, but don’t get rear ended by a AAA insured motorist. With absolutely no fault they will run you around in circles despite the fact that their insured was on a cell phone and hit a stopped car in stop and go traffic. Decidedly negligent. Some substantial damages and minor injuries involved but they will delay, obfuscate and refuse to compensate you for many things including diminution of value on your vehicle.
They minimize pain and suffering, only will settle for two times “their” estimated damage claim and pretty much run you around in circles till your exhausted and think about giving up. They put on a smiley face like most insurance companies until they have to pay out, then watch the smiles turn to stiff middle fingers. As far as evaluating hotels & restuarants, that’s a racket these days also. You are better off using a Zagat. All in all only reason to use them is if you travel loads or have an old vehicle, but price their competitors. But Their Insurance division is hopeless.
I enrolled last year because my daughters’ college is 3 hours away in Indiana. I got a discount during that enrollment of I think something like $15.00. I tried to use AAA for a weekend in Chicago and the AAA hotels were dumps. I called once to ask for maps. I never received anything. All I received from triple AAA was offers for life insurance, car insurance, or vacations. I never received any maps of any way, shape or form. I do want to be able to have a reputable company help my daughters if they are in trouble, but I am not even sure I can trust AAA now since what I was asking for before was really simple stuff.
I had my GTI melt through a fuel line on a trip from San Francisco to Portland Oregon, in the booming large town of Eugene, Oregon. There was one shop that could do the work, told me it would be 3 or 4 days to get the fuel line in and I wasn’t terribly confident in the shop. AAA saved me since it was 100 miles home to Portland from there, and my normal shop for my GTI.
That tow would have cost hundreds of dollars, it was covered.
Got her home, fixed the next day and the biggest thing is that I didn’t miss any days of work.
It is well worth it just to know that you won’t be stranded in some small town for days on end. I have been a member for years, and used them for other small things, it’s a great service.
My Auto Ins C., Amica, gives me Roadside Service at $13. per vehicle. and the distance of a FREE towing is gearter by Amica.
Don’t bother – I have been AAA FREE for 15 years – I banked the money I previously paid this organization and now have over $1,000.00 in case of emergencys.
Yes, as a another commenter stated – all they want to do is up-sell you for insurance and other items you already have.
If they would stop being a travel agent then the price may be worth – providing they would actually consider going back to be a roadside emergency service!
My membership expired earlier this year and I didn’t know it. Well,a few days after that my daughter needed assistance and they would not help her. You’d think after being a member for 15 or 20 years they would have taken care of my family and worried about renewing me later…but no.
You suck AAA.
Subject: FYI: SCAM/FRAUD AAA ARIZONA
Arizona Automobile Association–Ford Motor Co.
1994 Mercury was towed to AAA Auto Repair, Peoria Arizona. on !2-22-06 and was there
until I took it out on 1-2-07. Lorenzo Foster (Service Advisor) is the only contact I had
during this time. We met in parking area on 12-22-06 had telephone conversations and
met again when I picked up car on 1-2-07. The car was never seen by Randy Nowell
(Business. Manager.). The only contact I had with Gary Bons (Ser. Mgr.) was on 1-3-07 with Lorenzo Foster
and I questioned the need for radiator replacement. The conversation lasted less then
three minutes The only decision made was I would receive refund of $201.98 overcharge
on a gallon of coolant. I would have to wait 7-10 days for refund. On 1-8-07 I filed this complaint with Arizona Automobile Association.
COMPLAINT:
In my Inquiry # 18597 to AAA Arizona I said that parts were put on car that was not needed (Radiator).
I was charged for a service that was not performed (Replace Manifold Gaskets).
I can show why I believe that Radiator did not burst.
I can prove gaskets were not installed as engine components were not removed in order to get intake manifold out ..
I would like an honest, competent technician to inspect my engine compartment and I will demonstrate and prove my points. I would like monies refunded to me for these overcharged services.
All I ever wanted from this Auto Repair was honest value and service.
The car is on my carport to be viewed by any AAA Corporate Staff Rep at any time. I am available for any additional information you may want. I would like to expedite this matter as soon as possible so I can get needed services on power steering and engine ignition system.
This complaint was answered on 1-19-07 (10days) later after a brief phone call from Randy Nowell on 1-18-07, At that time I told him the MANIFOLD was never removed from car to install gaskets. ON 1-18-07 I TOOK OVER 40 PICTURES OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO PROVE TO ALL PARTIES
THAT THE SERVICES WERE NOT PERFORMED. I STILL HAVE THIS EVIDENCE.
This is Randy’s answer to my complaint–sent by E-mail on 1-19-07
ANSWER:
Dear Mr. McClung,
Thank you for taking the time to talk with me yesterday. I have interviewed the technician who worked on your car and also the service manager at our Peoria shop and I have reviewed the associated documentation. I am confident that the work that you paid for was both needed, and performed correctly. I want to invite you to bring the car back to our Peoria facility so that the mechanic, Joe, and service manager, Gary, can review with you what was done and explain in detail the procedures used to complete the work. Joe, the mechanic who worked on your car is a very honest, competent, and skilled technician and I’m confident that you will agree with that assessment after meeting him and talking with him about the repairs.
I am concerned that you still have an oil leak, and that you mentioned some other problems with the car and I would like to offer a free inspection and diagnosis of any additional concerns you have as a goodwill gesture. We would like you to be present while we inspect the car for any remaining leaks – that way the technician can also explain and show you what the problems are. You can call me at 602-650-2778, or Gary at 602-308-3017 to make an appointment
On 1-19-07 I filed a complaint with Better Business Bureau asking for help in this matter.
COMPLAINT:
AAA AUTO REPAIR
7422 W THUNDERBIRD PEORIA AZ
PEORIA AZ 85381
Complaint Description:
Problem date 1-2-07, on this date I paid for repairs on my daughters car. After looking over invoice #0000751 I discovered an overcharge of $201.98. I returned on 1-3-07 to repair shop and demanded a refund of this overcharge.( I have documents detailing what transpired in my dealings with this Repair Shop from 12-22-06 to 1-3-07.) I will make these papers/documents available to any and all interested persons. As an AAA member filing a complaint against their employees, how can they honestly represent me? I believe this is a conflict of interests. I would like BBB to act as arbiter in this dispute. I would like to add other material, witnesses and documents as they become available. I will make car available to any and all interested parties and demonstrate my position on this matter.
Your Desired Resolution:
An honest and fair settlement as agreed to by parties after arbitration hearing.
Not getting any help from BBB, I filed a complaint with Arizona Attorney Office asking for their help in this matter.
, 26Circumstances: Brief History: I have a complaint in writing with AAA Auto Repair that started on 1·3-07. Have met and discussed it with Gary, (Ser. Mgr.) and Lorenzo Foster (Service Advisor) Have letter from Randy Nowell, (Bus. Mgr.) who ignored my request. Filed complaint with BBB on 1-19-07. As of this date 1-29-07 there seems to be no response from this Auto Repair. My complaint is that a part (Radiator) was installed that was not needed. I was charged for a service that was not performed. (Install intake manifold gaskets) I can prove this service was never done. I am preparing documents and other evidence to present my case at BBB. (I will send these documents to you in a few days as I feel Auto repair will not appear for a hearing). I am 78 years old. I am credible and knowledgeable in the service, repair and manufacturing of automobiles. This complaint is serious as this is fraud on the part of the Auto Repair. You may reach me at XXXXXXXXX any time if you want more information. Thanks for any help you can give.
After a letter from Arizona Attorney General stating they could not help, however I could pursue this matter in the Small Claims Court.
I filed this matter on 5-1-07 with Manistee Justice Court Surprise Arizona.
Manistee Justice Court
Case # CC 2007081822SC
Arizona Automobile Association (Defendant)
AAA Auto Repair 7422 W Thunderbird Peoria Az.
May 1 2007 Complaint I am suing the AAA Auto Repair for their failure to properly service the 1994 Mercury and return it to me in the condition that met all the terms and conditions of the service agreement (Invoice # 0000751)
BACKGROUND:
I have a complaint in writing with AAA Auto Repair that started on 1-3-07.
Have met and discussed it with Gary, (Ser. Mgr.) and Lorenzo Foster (Ser. Advisor).
Have letter from Randy Nowell, (Bus. Mgr.) who ignored my request.
My complaint is that a part (Radiator) was installed that was not needed. I was charged for a service that was not performed. (Install intake manifold gaskets) I can prove this service was never done.
Any owner of a Ford product can fall victim to this scam that I encountered at AAA Auto Repair, Peoria, AZ. We are led to believe, (owners of Ford products with the V-8 281 4.6 L Engine) that the intake manifold must be removed to install heater pipe on this engine. The manifold is NOT removed as WAS this case on my daughter’s car, a 1994 Mercury Grand Marquis. They disguise this by showing on invoice as “Replace intake manifold gaskets”.
Heater pipe is listed under parts. Invoice shows no labor charge to install. This pipe not visible to owners, so they do not know if it needs replaced. This scam is probably being used in service departments and repair shops all over the country. The removed pipe was replaced September 2005 at Thunderbird Automotive in Phoenix, AZ.
Gary Bons, Lorenzo Foster, Joe W. did conspire and used fraudulent and deceptive methods to make repairs on the 1994 Mercury as I have stated above.
CONCLUSION:
I am asking this court to hold the AAA Auto Repair liable for willful failure to perform in an honest manner and charging me for services and parts not needed and enter a judgment against them.
Therefore, I am asking for a judgment against AAA Auto Repair for the sum of 950.85 as well as the document preparation costs to file this complaint, as well as the court costs and fees, necessary to bring this matter before the court.
A fair settlement from AAA Auto Repair. I would agree to receive all labor charges and price of the intake manifold gaskets not used. AAA Auto Repair would keep profit made on parts.
Being under oath, I affirm I am one of the parties in this action. I have read the attached pleading and find that the statements are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Dated this 30th day of April 2007.
By: _Charles H McClung___________________________
On 6-28-07 a hearing was held, this is the results of that hearing. Dismissed with Prejudice.
Defendants perjured themselves in Small Claims Court. .Case was to be heard by JP. Volunteer Hearing Officer was substituted at hearing. I prepared a written statement to present to Court. I read a paragraph and was stopped ,court would not accept my written statement when offered again at end of hearing.
.Volunteer Hearing Officer dismissed case with prejudice. NO judgment awarded to either party. No appeal allowed in this Court. This case involves FRAUD. I presented many documents to Court prior to court date to prove my case. I feel my case was mishandled by the Court and I did not get due process. Court lasted about 20 minutes…This is not a frivolous matter.
Either a Justice of the Peace or an appointed Volunteer Hearing Officer may hear your case. Any party may object to the use of a hearing officer prior to the hearing date. The court can provide you with a form to make this objection. The case will then be referred to and heard by the Justice of the Peace. ARS 22-506
Letter from Court stated my case to be heard by JP. I had no way of knowing
who was on bench. This was my first time in a courtroom.
My case was # 2 on docket, When I was notified and went in Courtroom he was still working on #1 case.
I did not know who was on bench until I received a copy of JUDGMENT.
I have since found as to why I received no help from BBB.
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 21:01:13 -0700
Principal: Randy Nowell
Customer Contact: Randy Nowell – (602) 650-2778
File Open Date: January 2007
TOB Classification: Auto Repair & Service
BBB Accreditation: This organization is not a BBB Accredited business.
The BBB has requested basic information from this company but has not received a response. As a result, the BBB may not have current information about the company
In Randy’s sworn statement to the COURT he states( Joe Wiley did in FACT remove and replace intake manifold). HOW CAN HE MAKE THIS STATEMENT WHEN NOT EVER SEEING THE CAR??
He further states that RADIATOR was replaced as it was cracked. Again he never looked in ENGINE
COMPARTMENT. (PERJURY?)
Gary Bons tells COURT that I took car to another place before bringing it to AAA AUTO REPAIR. (LIE)
I never approved any of the repairs. Lorenzo Foster, only person I was in contact with at AAA REPAIR SHOP was not present at hearing.
SUMMARY:
SCAM/FRAUD
Ford Motor Company is allowing the use of fraudulent and deceptive
methods for making repairs on heater pipe/tube found on
cars with the V-8 281 4.6L engines since 1992. Labor
charges are based on the removal of INTAKE MANIFOLD.
Pipe/tube is then installed by using method that takes
less time.
This scam is being used in service departments and
repair shops all over the country. I have documents from Ford Techs. from around the country stating that this is the method for R&R of the HEATER PIPE on V8-281 4.6L engine on 1994 Mercury Grand Marquis. ( INTAKE MANIFOLD MUST BE REMOVED)
AAA Auto Repair, Peoria, Arizona ( owned and operated by Arizona Automobile Association) replaced this pipe on the 1994 Mercury using the method that Ford Motor Company FAILED to put in Shop Repair Manuel in 1992. AAA Auto Repair (Randy Nowell) insists they used Ford method to perform this repair operation. I have PICTURES of the ENGINE COMPARTMENT and can prove the INTAKE MANIFOLD was never removed. The pipe was replaced in August 2005 by Thunderbird Automotive
Phoenix, Arizona. AAA Auto Repair performed this repair to “PAD THE BILL”.
It is time that Ford Motor Company addresses this matter and puts a stop to this fraudulent and
deceptive method used in Ford Service Departments. Only then will it end in all other Automobile Repair
Shops.
Arizona Automobile Association (CEO/PRESIDENT) D James McDowell needs to investigate this matter on how AAA Members are treated, take corrective action and compensate me for the ORDEAL that I have been put thru.
Update #264173 8-16-2008
Having filed a complaint on 1-8-07 to expose dishonest employees it seems AAA Arizona
Inc. is not willing to admit to any wrong doing. They keep trying to cover this dispute with
a variety of tricks. This was my request to them on 1-8-07 when this dispute started.
I would like an honest, competent technician to inspect my engine compartment and I will demonstrate and prove my points. I would like monies refunded to me for these overcharged services.
The car is on my carport to be viewed by any AAA Corporate Staff Rep at any time. I am available for any additional information you may want. I would like to expedite this matter as soon as possible so I can get needed services on power steering and engine ignition system.
Sincerely,
Charles H McClung
Member # 343092000 2
This matter was handled by Randy Nowell who made no effort other than use delaying tactics as I sought
to get help from independent third parties. This is not a frivolous matter.
Phoenix, Ariz. March 17, 2008 – Today, chief executive officer (CEO) Jim McDowell of AAA Arizona, the state’s largest membership organization and advocate for motorists and travelers, announced that the board of directors has appointed Michael Tully the new president of the auto club.
May 2008- Randy Nowell is no longer with AAA Arizona as Business Manager.
June 16 2008
Mr. Charles H. McClung
5950 E Missouri Avenue
Lot 31
Glendale, AZ 85301
Dear Mr. McClungWe have received notice from AAA National office that you have forwarded your
complaint to them. This is to inform you we have closed this complaint after
receiving a favorable ruling in the courts regarding this matter. We have notified the
AAA National office that this case is closed.
Thank you,
Donald J. Nunnari
Vice President Membership Products and Service
CC: AAA National Office
The above letter copied and retyped from original to fit this format. (signed copy on file)
“favorable ruling in the courts” Randy Nowell did not file a counterclaim with the Court.
I filed application for DEFAULT as required to keep this matter in the court.
The document I received (JUDGMENT) plainly marked—Plaintiff awarded nothing—
Defendant awarded nothing….
Court record ( PUBLIC INFORMATION) I will share with AAA National and any other Interested parties It now seems that this matter will be handled by President Mike Tully and CEO Jim McDowell at the Corporate level….