AAA Emergency Road Service
Category: Auto Repair [Edit]
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin150 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94102 (800) 222-4357
15 reviews
Neighborhood: SOMA
"I first discovered this place in my pre-Yelp days using (dare I say it) Citysearch. The staff was extremely helpful, especially Raul. I had…" read more »
28 Reviews for AAA Emergency Road Service
Picture this: Friday morning and I wake up, well, elated. Why? I don't know; no real reason, just one of those great days. Hey, I'm up early so I can even go in to work early ... I love my job! First, let's get some coffee ... it's cold outside (42 degrees in the City!) Now, let's get on our way. To the freeway I go. Driving on the freeway, sipping my coffee I notice something just isn't "right." How could that be? This is supposed to be my perfect day?! I felt it when I got up this morning! Oh well, mustn't be something too serious ... then it happens - BAM, SHAKING, SWERVING! F*CK$NG tire blows out! Soaked in coffee I desperately try to maneuver to the shoulder ....
My tire has exploded! It's 42 degrees outside. I'm on the shoulder of the highway. I'm alone. No problem, right? I have a spare! Well, who's going to change it? Certainly not me!
That's when AAA came through. I've had insurance with them for years. Why? They're cheap. I've never once needed to use their Emergency Roadside Service. Well, finally I did. I made one phone call, it was answered quickly and they sent a tow truck out to change the flat ... within 15 minutes. I'm serious. Plus, it was free! I'm sure I'm paying for it somewhere in my membership fees, but it was free! And quick, and easy! Either AAA Roadside Service is awesome or it was just part of my great day ;-)
AAAaaaah! the review I so wanted to make!
A bunch of incompetent fooooools!
I've used AAA since school .. I should have changed! Yet those are things one simply establishes and don't think about it.
Except for tonight.
My Baby Kompressor decided to rebel, on a period where I needed a dependable car to work in the Valley.
She is old (my Kompressor, that is)'; hence: she chugged, hiccuped and screamed for service.
Three or four hours later stuck, while Baby Kompressor's Mommy was dying to go to boxing/sparring class: she died!
Cut the story short:
1. Mercedes roadside service is BETTER than AAA
2. AAA - is a farce! beginning from my IDIOT cust service rep (compared to prior Mercedes-competent-phone)
3. WAIT, WAIT AND WAIT..
4.. after, you'll be charged almost $500 for a tow for only 40 miles
5. BIRDBRAIN AAA girl says, tsk, tsk .. ummmm. ummm
6. I called Mercedes again . and she walked me through competence HEAVEN!
again-enuf-sed
People thought this was:
Useful (6)
Funny (2)
Cool (4)
Last night my car didn't start when I tried to drive it to my friend's place. I didn't hear anything when I turned the key. Not a good feeling.
I called AAA emergency road service this afternoon. It's a Saturday a day after a holiday but there was a service technician in the area, he arrived in 30 minutes. They even gave me a automated notice on my phone 10 minutes prior to his arrival so that I could wait in my apartment until he arrived.
I was ready to have my car towed but the service attendant diagnosed my battery was near completely dead with his tools and offered me options to jump start my car and take a chance to drive to a store to get a battery myself or drive to a shop, or have the battery replaced on site by him for $113 with a 3-year free replacement warranty. It was an easy choice for me as I don't know anything about cars except I drive one occasionally and want to spend as little time as possible going to a car shop. He took out the old battery, cleaned the connectors really well where the old battery leaked and built up black goo and put a new one. He thoroughly tested the new battery, and I was ready to go.
I didn't know they replaced batteries on site. I'm glad the phone representative sent me the right type of service car, and the service person fixed it while I waited. I guess it would have been cheaper if I got a battery on my own but considering how painless everything was, it was worth it.
Had my car towed twice *free of charge*. More than paid for my membership with the times I locked my keys in my car. Definitely worth it.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
This is a must have for all car owners...having a car in San Francisco is a pain in the ass alone. Having this service takes those " what the f**k do I do now" emergency burdens off your hands.
I'm giving 3 stars because of the hit and miss of the road service attendants, sometimes very helpful and compassionate to your situation, some give you an assessment on what to do next. Sometimes just straight weird, cracked out like they've been up for 3 days or wanting to rush out like you're crazy and you've made your car break down just to piss them off.
I'm no car mechanic, nor do I even posses basic knowledge on how to assess a dead battery, loose spark plugs, or dead alternator...If I did I wouldn't need to call or have this service. At a about a $50 dollar annual fee, the service pays for itself. Discounts from hotels, car rentals, retail and restaurant hubs is another benefit that not all members take advantage of.
Main concern is getting your car off the road in those unexpected situations, and this service does just that. You got a car? You gotta have it... I won't take road trips out of the city with anyone that does not.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
Hubs insists on keeping his AAA membership. Despite the fact that I have emergency roadside assistance through USAA. (Yeah, I'm a pacifist but those servicemen/women sure know how to keep auto insurance and road service serving the interests of their countrymen/women.) I never have to call them because I drive a consumer reports approved Japanese car, but Hubs has a German car that always seems to need something.
Anyway, our latest call was for the battery being dead - again. It's probably a short caused by some unnecessary gadget. We called at 6pm and they said they'd be here in 45 mins. Well, after 45 mins Hubs started asking about dinner. He's been wanting me to recreate this posole that our friends made. I said I'd make it, if he went to the market to fetch the fixins. He agreed and I said I'd wait for AAA.
Apparently, they came and left while he was gone (for 30 mins). They tried to call (there's no signal at the Safeway by our house) but didn't come to the door although he said his car was at home. We live on a quiet street. Clearly it wasn't a place where you'd be stranded and then maybe wandered off for a drink or snack. What the heck!
When he came home, he had to call again. And we waited another hour before they got to the house.
Roadside service of any kind at almost any rate is much appreciated, but this was little too long for a service call. Yeah, the cable guys give you a five hour window but at least they deliver in that five hour window.
That said, when the guy got here, he was friendly and funny. I still think I'll be pushing for Hubs to switch to USAA.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Jerks.
Won't let me upgrade to plus membership, even though it's more expensive, because I've had a tow in the last year. I've been ripped off by their recommended repair shops and recommended towing companies.
I will say this: Free maps for members. And if you're going to do anything with your vehicle registration, like buying a used car, it's worth joining just so you can sort it out without doing the DMV. And that discount is nice if you rent cars and stay in hotels a lot.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
I posted a question on talk thread about my car a while back.
http://www.yelp.com/to...
Most people voted on bad starter. So I went out a got a new starter. But I couldn't replace it myself because I don't have any car knowledge. Called my cousin to see if he has a friend who can do it for me. Found a guy, called him, waited a week, he never called back.
So I lost my patience and signed up for AAA membership. Called the emergency road services. I wasn't even on hold for 3 minutes before I get a representative on the line. They sent a battery specialist come to see if the car can be jump-started so I can take it myself to a repair shop. The guy came within 15 minutes, took a look at my car, and said "it's just your battery".
Wow... so all these time I worried about bad starter, it was actually something really simple. He changed the battery and I was good to go.
Just a note, the battery specialist was an independent contractor for AAA. The company name is SBAC (San Bruno Auto Care, I think..), and the guy who changed my battery was Mario.
Thanks, Mario! Thanks, AAA!
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Cool (5)
You might say my theme song is "Running on Empty." I can't tell you how much couch time (and $) I've spent being psychoanalyzed to find out why I must always use up or give away everything I have. I still personally think it is just my charming, "Life is to be gulped, not sipped" philosophy, but my empty bank account, depleted liver and sleep stores, and bone-dry gas tank disagree.
But it's really no dramatic affair when I run out of gas in the poor House Honda. Since I can usually remember to pay my AAA bill once a year, I just call em up and 15 minutes and $5 later, I have 3 gallons of gas in the parched car and the party is back on the road. With service like this, what's my incentive for ever wasting time at the pump?!
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (4)
Cool (7)
If you own a car and you have not renewed your AAA account, do it Right Now.
Monday night, driving home from a dinner with the lovely Suzanne B., my dashboard suddenly lit up with this word in screaming red capital letters: "STOP!" and then smoke started billowing out from under the hood. Not cool! Not cool! People were pointing and staring as I maneuvered over to the side of the road and panic set in.
There is no feeling of being alone like you feel when you are stranded with an inoperable vehicle. Trees seem to loom over you in a sinister embrace, and darkness threatens with shadows of things unknown just waiting for you to show your weakness so they can move in. Seconds after you are rocking out to a great tune and chatting with your friend on the phone, suddenly you are slammed into the grim reality of being vulnerable and helpless in the big, bad city.
At these moments, AAA is your knight in shining armor. They must train their people to use their "calming" voice and the first question they ask is "are you safe?" They talk you through everything, and instruct you to remain in the car until the tow truck comes. In this case, my tow truck arrived within half an hour, and within an hour after breaking down, my car was parked safely in my driveway with me securely in my house.
Thank you, AAA. Worth every penny to give me peace of mind and get me home, safe and sound.
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (4)
Cool (7)
I always debate whether or not to renew but then I do, and I am always glad I did.
They bring you gas, jump start your car, get your keys out when you lock it in your rental car (and regular car) and they replace car batteries for you. If your friend's car has problems they come and fix it, as long as you are with your friend and your card is with you. They tow for free for a certain number of miles. (Mind you SF is only 7 miles long and 7 miles wide, so that should never be a concern.)
If you are traveling, they provide maps and travel information and money orders. If you need to pay your DMV dues you can pay at a AAA office and not have to endure DMV lines. All this for a mere $43 a year.
Really, why do I even question them every year?
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (2)
The most justifiable $75 membership. It has saved my ass during minor inconveniences such as a flat tire, dead battery, but I appreciate it even more--during major catastrophes--case in point--two weeks ago, I bought new sport tires and had them installed. I picked up my car after work and proceeded to drive to the East Bay for a family visit. Shortly after I got onto I80, I noticed that my car was driving a bit bumpy. The bumpiness persisted through the bridge...and into the tunnel...When I got to mom's, I did a quick glace at all 4 tires and they seemed fine. After dinner I dialed a friend and consulted with him about my bumpy ride... and he suspected that the tires were not properly balanced during the installation, causing the vibration. I sighed with relief and began my drive back into the city. The vibration did not temper during my drive back, rather was exacerbated by my nervous speeding of 80+mph. Minutes after I went through the tunnel, as I approached the 24/80 interchange(one of the most busy freeway corridors), I began to lose control of my vehicle--I could barely hit the brakes or steer my wheel into the shoulder. Luckily, the oncoming drivers were quite alert and made way for the swirling vehicle. I finally was able to make it to the shoulder safely..and did what I should have done an hour earlier--I called AAA. I was distraught and somewhat frightened when I made the call. The operator was calm and dispatched a tow truck right away. Within 15 mins my tow truck arrived.
When the tow truck driver dropped my car off at my apt, he gasped and looked at my car in disbelief--apparently the geniuses who installed my tires left off several lug nuts from one of my rear wheels--and the wheel was minutes if not seconds from flying off the car. It was a simple mistake but could have turned out ohhh so bad. I am damn lucky--what would have been a major fiasco turned out to be a minor inconvience..Thanks to AAA I wasn't left stranded on the dark shoulders of the 80 corridor in Oakland and calling XYZ towing just hoping they'd actually show.
People thought this was:
Useful (7)
Funny (2)
Cool (3)
Breaking down in my 40 year old VW Bug (may he rest in pieces) in the middle of Hell is no fun for a small, Asian woman with no backbone or courage. Therefore, I loves me some AAA.
They've saved my sorry ass many times, and from several crack ho's in a tail spin, a couple of angry drunk pimps, serial killers with an itch, and a frat boy parade heading towards the nearest dive bar.
So I figure, without the good ol' Triple A, I'd be either dead, drugged, selling my body for a bottle of Yoo Hoo, passed out in the gutter with alcohol poisoning, made into someone's new skin suit, or roofied by a guy named Tank.
An ugly review, but if it makes just one young person aware of the need for road service membership, I'll make the funny vote sacrifice!
People thought this was:
Useful (13)
Funny (19)
Cool (16)
They saved my ass a lot of times. Price is too expensive. They have a DMV window inside of there just for AAA members. Awesome.
I was gloating, yes, gloating. I had just covered a hearing in San Jose for a certain partner who was too busy putzing around to cover his own hearing. He hadn't written me any memos, hadn't given me any instructions on what to do. He had given me the hearing to cover at the very last minute. He hadn't told the client that I would be covering the hearing, hadn't asked the client for authority ahead of time, so when I called the client, she was pretty upset that I was even there and wouldn't give me any authority to settle. Therefore, I did the only thing I could.
I set the matter for trial and put it on the partner's calendar.
So I was gloating, thinking this jerk had it coming, and in all my gloating, I slammed my car keys in my trunk.
So I called Triple A. They said they had a tow truck driver in the nearby area, and they could send him by to unlock my car door for me. (Fortunately, I had left the inside trunk latch unlocked.) So I waited, and soon a flatbed tow truck pulled up, a smashed SUV resting upon the flatbed.
"How you doing?" the tow truck driver asked.
"At first, not so good," I replied honestly, "but in retrospect, not so bad."
It had finally stopped raining after several days of storms, and the tow truck driver explained that they had been quite busy with towing the vehicles of people who thought they could resume their normal driving speeds despite the still slick roads. This particular driver had wrapped her SUV around a tree. He unlocked my car and I thanked him, vowing not to gloat anymore, as it seemed to result in some type of cosmic justice.
So, whether you are the sort of person who absent-mindedly locks her car keys in her trunk after a shameless display of gloating, or recklessly wraps her SUV around a tree while driving too fast on wet roads, get yourself the assurance of knowing that someone will be there to rescue you from your own stupidity. Join AAA.
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (4)
Cool (5)
It seems like every year when my AAA membership renewal comes up I debate whether or not to renew. I figure "Hey, I haven't had to use the service in the past year. Why am I paying $50+/year for a travel magazine (Via)? I haven't even used the travel services in ages." I always do renew and end up being glad I did.
The past couple of days have proven to be worth this year's fee.
I wanted to get an early start to my Sunday only to find that my battery is dead. Call AAA and 30 minutes later a AAA contractor (D&M, Inc.) shows up and jumps my car so I could at least get on my way. He let me know that my battery probably needed to be replaced and to call on Monday and they could send someone out to replace it (apparently battery replacement is only available M-F?). No charge for the jump of course since I'm a member (otherwise if would have been around $56, the guy told me).
Monday: I call up AAA to get their battery service to come out to replace my battery. They sent the same contractor company (different guy) out right away. From the time I called AAA to the time the guy drove away was less than 45 minutes. The cost was around $150 (cost of battery, disposal fee and tax). Not bad at all for a "house call" and better than dropping your car at the shop and not having it for the rest of the day.
Oh triple-A! I shall never doubt your worth again. The membership price is well worth it for the convenience and peace of mind that ERS provides.
Car got a flat wheel as I was headed toward the Justin Timberlake concert. Being that it was JUSTIN, I was panicked which added to my overall freaked-outness at the whole ordeal on trafficy 101. Remember when you used to AAA and you hoped they'd get there within 2 hours or you call time? Well, they must've done something right because they said they'd be there in 45 minutes and she was only 5 minutes late (apologizing profusely). Previously, I've had them come before the 45 minute window.
So...I am going to buy a membership tomorrow. I've been mooching off of my friend/parents for far too long. It's only about 45 bucks a year for non-members.
Oh and for those of your curious, I got to the HP Pavilion in time to see Justin. He was the bomb.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
your radiator hose blows on a work errand & your little motor vehicular dies on the beautiful pedestrian sprawl that is van ness boulevard & you are like I WILL FUCKING DESTROY GOD & SATAN HIMSELF BEFORE THIS MOTHERFUCKING DAY IS OVER!!!!
& then utter haaaaaaaaaawwwwwttttttttttttttttnesssssssssssssss shows up in a tow truck & you are certain
god really is watching over you, she really is.
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (7)
Cool (5)
Update:
3/4/2006
I didn't think I would be needing their services so soon since I only used them a couple of weeks ago but my car wouldn't start and they came to the rescue.
Not only did they tow my car to my house but my gal's car needed a jump start as well. He did both but only charge me one incident.
THANK YOU AAA!
=====
I got stuck today on Gough and Broadway and in no time at all the AAA tow truck was there. It was bad enough trying to jump start my car on one of the steepest streets in sf (Gough) but thanks to AAA I was out of there in no time at all.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
All my relatives wanted me to have for Christmas was a Triple-A membership. After a year in which my car broke down twice (including once on the bridge), a flat tire (through a fault of my own), and locking my keys in the car, they all said "Enough!" So this Christmas morning, I opened a gift from my brother-in-law: a year's membership to Triple-A. Hilarious.
Now maybe my family will starting answering my cellphone calls.
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
I had the ABSOLUTE WORST NIGHT of my life because of the AAA "Emergency" Road service I received.
That and spending four grueling hours at the UOP Dental School getting tortured. That made my night suck as well. All me and my fat lip wanted to do was take seven Motrin and crawl into bed.
Instead, my car won't start. I then find myself sitting out in front of UOP at 9:30pm banging on my steering wheel and crying like a baby.
So I call AAA. They tell me it will be 45 min to 1 hour before someone comes to save me. I wait. And wait. About an hour later a dude driving a pickup truck with a light on it pulls up, claiming he is here to jump start my car. After several unsuccessful attempts, he informs me that, gee, funny thing, but I might need a TOW TRUCK! Hello? Isn't that why I called AAA? Because my car needs to be towed? So he tells me he will call one and it should be about 45 minutes until it arrives. WTF!? I just waited an hour for your ass (I screamed in my head. In reality I mumbled OK and sunk back into my car)
So I waited, and waited, and cried, and waited. It is almost 12:00, I am curled up on my seat, freezing cold, and completely convinced they forgot about me and I was going to be stuck there forever or worse, some psychopath was going to jump out of the bushes, break into my car and cut off all my limbs with a chainsaw.
I waited. 12:30 comes and I have called AAA three times. First I asked nicely for them to follow up on my tow truck. The next time I was still nice, but with a bit more urgency and pleading in my voice. The third time I called I was a complete emotional wreck that was sobbing to the middle aged man voice on the other end of the phone pleading PLEASE PLEASE I JUST WANT TO GO HOME!
At five minutes to one the tow truck arrived. I finally got home and got into the most comfortable bed in the entire planet (or so it seemed then) at almost 2am. And went to work 4 hours later completely exhausted.
Should I go to the president of AAA? What if they leave another girl stranded at night by herself for over 3 hours? I was lucky I wasn't in the TL. I could have been on a milk carton right now!
People thought this was:
Useful (5)
Funny (3)
Cool (3)
I've never been let down by AAA, and I'm sorry to hear that others have. My AAA membership is an annual gift to me from my parents (they go for practicality, not pizazz), but I'd gladly pay the membership fees out of my own pocket if that became necessary.
Depending on your luck, within 30-45 minutes, you can usually get someone to get you into your car, give you a jump, change a spare or what have you.
I wouldn't drive without this service!
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (2)
I love AAA. For only $49 a year you can get emergency road service. But thats not all. Did you know that you AAA card doubles at a discount card?
I saved 30% off of my entire Lens Crafters bill. They even save me money when I travel. And you get a whole bunch of free maps and a emergency kit for you car.
Yay for AAA!
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (2)
I also had a horrible experience with AAA, they left me by the side of the road in a dangerous situation.
Years ago I was in an accident on the highway that was pretty bad. The police came, took the report, got me to the side of the road, called AAA and assured me that they would take care of me and get me home. Not only did it take way over an hour for the tow truck to arrive (probably closer to 2), but the driver, when I told him where I needed to go, refused to do it since he didn't want to go that far (this was in spite of the fact that the cops had stated where I needed to go when they called it in).
It was now dark and I was afraid to be left even longer by the side of the busy highway (I didn't even know if AAA would send someone else and, at the time I had no cell phone so did not have many choices) so I had to manage to drive my messed up car back - somehow I made it even though I was in pain, car was impaired (had no rear lights, and bent frame/screwed up suspension), and clearly neither it nor I were in any shape to be driving. I complained to AAA afterwords and they did nothing, didn't even apologize for the driver refusing to help me out and leaving me there.
I have also used AAA for minor stuff, flats and dead batteries, and it has never taken less then 45 minutes for them to arrive - none of this was in the boonies either.
If anyone knows of a better service please PM me with the info - as it stands I feel stuck with AAA since my current car's Roadside Assistance uses them.
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Best $75 annual dollars you can save your hiney with!!
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Hey after a year get the deluxe membership for $80? because towing over 5 miles was $680 and because my friend had the deluxe version, I didn't have to pay the $680....phew....Do it if you do a lot of driving. It pays for itself...for at least the next seven years at least before that itch sets in.
Plus now the card gets you discounts to stuff you might be buying at market rate, when you can easily get a 10% discount without even haggling!!!!! Those programs are really kinda cool.
worth the 80 bucks for now, help usually in 45 minutes i.e. dead battery, towing to garage, im me if you have better service in the city fom chevron travel service. just curious
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Some staff members are nice....Others are evil. Get the sistas....They are nice.
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
Throughout the thirteen years I've been a member, I've required their assistance a half dozen times or so, and Carla's experience is the exception to what has always been the rule for me . . . a prompt response - usually much quicker than the estimated time given - and an immediate resolution of the problem. The peace of mind - not to mention the numerous discounts - a mechanically-impaired individual like myself gets from carrying the AAA card is worth every penny of the very reasonable annual fee.
People thought this was:
Useful (11)
Funny (1)
Cool (7)
People Who Viewed This Also Viewed...
Related Lists
-
Debauchery - It's Dandy!
"Morality, like art, means drawing a line… -
Auto-Motives
Clearly I get car-ried away: All of my auto… -
San Diego Services and…
We all have to do these things...........but if we…
Hot and New
- Pacific Cafe
205 reviews
Neighborhood: Outer Richmond
- Jubili Frozen Yogurt and…
281 reviews
Neighborhood: Western Addition/NOPA
- Bar Crudo
359 reviews
Neighborhood: Union Square
- Firefly
410 reviews
Neighborhood: Noe Valley
- The Sentinel
76 reviews
Neighborhood: SOMA
