<p>The mechanic wasn’t the one who let the car run for 3 minutes. The previous owner of the vehicle (an employee of ours and a friend) came to house to take a quick look at the car the morning after it was towed home. He turned the car off as soon as he noticed the temp guage go up. He got the car going just enough so we could basically coast it to the shop.</p>
<p>The mechanic we have is very good. We’ve known him for years and I went to high school with him. He’s not going to rip us off or do a half as.ed job. One thing to remember is this 2001 Jeep Cherokee has over 90,000 miles and although the engine is fabulous, it’s not too surprising that something like this happened. To tell you the truth, it’s the first problem that we’ve had with it. Unfortunately, it happened at the wrong time and at the wrong place.</p>
<p>I’m curious to see if AAA calls us back as they promised. I’m definitely not planning on holding my breath.</p>
<p>Car is back and running. 1 Thermostat, 1 relay-module (control unit) for fan control, and change anti-freeze.</p>
<p>AAA called back. All we got was an apology. They tried to blame it all on the tow truck company. I explained that AAA sure had some blame to share–reminded them that AAA promised to call us back and let us know the status of the situation and they failed to do so. Reminded them that we called at least 6 times between us and besides being told to wait 20 more minutes, were never given a real explanation for anything. I reminded them about the $580 “ransom” at 1:30 am to get the car off the flatbed. I reminded them that a 5 hours wait for a tow while stuck on the side of the road in the dark is unacceptable. All the AAA customer service guy had to say is that he agrees that it shouldn’t be more than a 2 hr wait for any tow. He agreed that it was unacceptable. He said that they will do an internal investigation and listen to the telephone recordings.
That’s it----didn’t offer to give a discount or an upgrade on membership, didn’t offer anything except an apology.</p>
<p>nysmile, sometimes a letter has a much better chance of getting the right response than a pone call. You were probably talking with a customer service rep who was not in charge of making any serious decisions. A letter stating the facts and proposing some form of reasonable “compensation” might get forwarded to someone higher up in the food chain.
This article about travel complaints gives some good tips why some of those complaints go unanswered:
[8</a> reasons your travel complaint is being ignored - CNN.com](<a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/10/14/travel.company.service/index.html]8”>http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/10/14/travel.company.service/index.html)
I would not leave this matter until AAA offers something more substantial than a simple ‘sorry’ on the plate. I hope you prevail. Good luck.</p>
<p>I agree with Bunsen. A tactful well outlined written request normally generates a response. One method I’ve found successful is to state what you intend to do, and the time frame you expect action. Be reasonable, and willing to compromise.</p>
<p>cc: ing a district, regional manager or appropriate level usually gets response (not always results). I normally go three levels up the food chain or more if required depending on the issue involved. As a last resort, I will inform them than I’m more than happy to relay my issue to a newspaper, local news outlet, or one of the many internet blogs. If they are going to compromise at all, theirr reaction to this next step usually gets results. Again, not always what you wanted, but a solution acceptable to both parties.</p>
<p>It might help to remind them that this experience will shape your son’s image of AAA. He represents their generation of customers.</p>
<p>Not to mention all of here at cc who have been reading this thread about AAA–if only they knew how many of us collectively waited for that tow truck and worried right along with nysmile–and now have negative feelings about AAA</p>
<p>I hope OP doesn’t mind, but I just sent the thread to AAA’s national Public Relations department - Ms. Cade, Mr. Sundstrom and Ms. Hyde. In my email I said, “The son was stuck at a freeway for 5 hours waiting for AAA’s tow truck. The drama unfolded in front of thousands of parents wondering where the heck was AAA…I have to say it was a very bad publicity for AAA…At this point many parents are waiting to see what AAA is going to do.”</p>
<p>Gee, oldfort, where were you when I needed you!!! Its been a year and a half now, but AAA left my H and son on the side of the highway in a VERY BUSY (about 6 lanes of traffic going in each direction) stretch of major highwaay after DS’s car was totalled by a car that got hit by a semi tractor trailer (DS’s car was in front of this 3 car accident-- the traffic on the highway had stopped-- DS stopped, the car behind him stopped but the tractor trailer behind it did not!) Even the !@#$$%% tractor trailer got towed away before the AAA truck showed up for DS’s car. And it ultimately got dark during the 3+ hour wait. This was in a major metropolitan area and the weather was fine, so no excuses that they were busy with weather emergencies or couldnt get a truck to the location. And, my H had a free ticket to a private John Mayer concert that night that he had to miss because of this!!!</p>
<p>We have the higher level of service with AAA, and I have been a member for over 30 years. Lotta good that did me. I was going to write a polite, but strong letter, as is usually my inclination, but got sidetracked with other stuff and didn’t get around to it. DH had called AAA numerous times during that night and got the same BS that the OP here got. Frustrating, very frustrating. But for us, not sure what they would have offered. Maybe an adjustment on our membership (which we had just renewed a few months before)? Dunno. But, I guess I make up for it by getting lots and lots of maps and stuff from them. Little consolation for leaving them stranded for 3+ hours and missing the John Mayer concert!!!</p>
<p>*** edit-- by the way, hopw’d you find the contacts for the National PR office?? is it on their website or on Hoovers or what?</p>
<p>I wonder what their response will be? We were going to just let it go after the phone call complaint and the follow up return phone call by AAA. We figured any additional complaints would just be a waste of time and aggravation and we would get nothing more than another “we’re sorry and it shouldn’t have happened.”</p>
<p>Yesterday, after the call from the customer service dept., husband took another look at his AAA card and realized that he indeed had been a member for one year (as of April 2008). Had he realized this earlier, maybe he could have called in to upgrade to the plus membership when S first got stranded. After 5 hours, maybe he would have been in the computer system as a plus member thus allowing the tow to qualify for 100 free miles of towing. I don’t know if that would have been an option. At the time, all we were concerned about was getting AAA to him. Despite our terrible AAA experience, an hour or so after our phone call with AAA customer service, we called and paid for the upgrade to AAAPlus just as a backup emergency plan because S will be traveling this long distance college travel route for another year. Sounds stupid–I know. We can only hope that AAA improves their procedures in sending help to stranded motorists.</p>
<p>I guess the take away from this experience is that when your kid is in a dangerous situation (especially on the freeway or a busy road at night), take the first tow to come and worry about the $$ later. It would frost me to pay for something that I’ve already paid for, but peace of mind and safety of Junior–priceless, as the commercial would say.</p>
<p>First I’m glad to hear the kid got home safely. </p>
<p>For years I lived/worked on a ranch with nearly a mile of frontage that had only a simple 4’ barbed wire fence between us and the breakdown lane of HWY 101. The stream of the college bound during the annual migrations inevitably lead to breakdowns of all types on “our” stretch of freeway that although to many might appear like the middle of nowhere with nothing to be seen except broccoli or lettuce fields for miles and miles, it was our home. I can’t count the gallons of gas I gave away, tires I changed, rides to phones (pre cell phone days), or into town for parts… paid for a few used tires, fans belts, radiator hoses etc, even “stored” a few disabled vehicles out back for a while. Sometimes it was simply a ride to the ranch house while an overheated car cooled, for a sandwich and a much needed call to mom or dad – I almost always overheard, “yes, I’m OK, yes I can handle it, I’m just going to be late getting there…”.<br>
I feel confident that everyone temporarily stranded on “our” stretch of road made it home just fine. </p>
<p>Forgive me, my intent wasn’t to toot my own horn here, rather my point is I believe this country is full of folks who do the same everyday (as witnessed by the postings of the offers of help OP’s son received while stranded), and there is a huge difference between the actual and perceived dangers of highway travel. The kindness of strangers in this country is incredible. No amount of slick advertising like the television ad AAA uses with the guy re-fueling the minivan before the driver even calls for help will sell me that “security” and piece of mind can be bought. Perhaps it’s a good business plan; teach people that they are stupid unless they buy into a service that contracts with the lowest bidder who hires a minimum wage employee to charge whatever possible to “rescue” you now that you now realize you are helpless. I imagine it’s quite a profitable business.</p>
<p>oldfort—Update from AAA. I’m pretty sure the fact that you took the initiative to send this thread to AAA National Headquarters shook things up a bit. Today, AAA Member Relations (same person who initially returned our phone call regarding our complaint) called back. He agreed that AAA messed up and the internal investigation found plenty of blame to go around that night. He said that AAA will reimburse us for the $80 tow off of the Hutch.
Pkwy. He also said that AAA will pay for our next year’s renewal for AAAplus in hopes that it can restore our confidence in AAA service. The monetary reimbursement was nice but what I appreciated most was that AAA took responsibility for mishandling the situation. The tow truck company played a part, but AAA admitted that they messed up too. Nothing seemed to have been done according to procedures. I don’t want this to happen to anyone else. Hopefully, they’ll straighten out their service in the Westchester area. </p>
<p>For me, the only way they can restore my confidence in the company is if one of us finds ourselves in a similar situation again and AAA comes through with real help within a reasonable time frame. Only time will tell. </p>
<p>Thanks everyone. Here’s hoping your children’s driving commutes are safe and problem free. :)</p>