State Farm road assistance sucks and broken.

[Grumpy old man]

We have State farm and their road service is slow but it works , We also have AAA premium and they are faster and the 200 miles of free towing back to my house only needs to be used once to make it worth the cost . We have 4 millennial aged kids between Mrs Grumpy and myself and as boring as it may be we buy them all a AAA premium membership for Christmas every year . At least we know if they ever need help it's only a call away .

[leddzepp]

No complaints with AAA here either. The one time I needed a tow home it paid for itself. Wife/kids needed a jump start a few months ago and they were there in 20 mins. The time they saved me registering a truck vs. waiting in line at the DMV was priceless.

[best view]

I have aaa for my company trucks there the best

[FleetsidePaul]

I had to call AAA a while back. I was driving my 06 Corvette on some errands. I went to the post office and the ATM. No problems.

Then I went to the supermarket and bought a bunch of groceries. Loaded them in my car and it wouldn't start. Dead battery. Well that's just great. This was my third stop for the day and it started fine before. It had to wait until I had a bunch of stuff melting in back to die.

I called AAA and told them of my dilemma. It was a hot day and all my food was going to go bad. And worse than that...My beer was going to get warm.

The guy was out in 15 minutes and replaced my ancient battery with a new one. And I was on my way. I was in a tight spot and I figured that I paid too much so I looked up prices out of curiosity.

Turns out I paid about what I would have at a parts store. And the guy put it in for me.

Can't complain about that.

[Jason Banks]

I have State Farm but have never called for roadside assistance. I have AAA the only time I REALLY needed them, I was stranded in west Texas with a dead alternator about 2 hours from either of their service providers at about 10:30 at night. They both basically told AAA it would be hours before they could even leave to get me. I paid a semi-local guy $200+ to tow me back to the nearest town(about 20 minutes away). I was able to submit my receipt to AAA and the reimbursed me. AAA For the Win!

The local tow guy didn't get me back to town until about 1:00 AM because he had been out up righting big rigs that had blown over since a big storm had just come through. He had to get back and get his smaller wrecker before he could come get me. The AAA people were not even ready to start heading my way until 3:00AM. The local guy also took me to a shop where I slept in the parking lot until the shop owner got there and drove me to the parts store where he let me buy the alternator(on his discount). Then took me back where his guy verified my diagnosis and threw the alternator on for $70. Except for the breakdown and sleep in the truck part it was a great experience especially with the AAA reimbursement.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

I think last time I called AAA they lost the record, it ended up what would be 3-4 hours but I made other arrangements.

Welcome to the big business computer age I guess. Seems phones displaced responsibility. And "services" are often a sales pitch anymore, should have seen the guys who brought me a wash machine a month after ordered. Wish I had those straps, they should learn how to use them. Real sloppy work, they got stuck a few times. I asked the guys to pretty please stay away from my project truck, and dog gone it I nearly tackled the big fellow who would have struck it if I hadn't reached in. Apparently a clear path with 12+" safe space isn't enough

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by 71CHEVYSHORTBED402

And "services" are often a sales pitch anymore

I have the same problem when I try to pay a bill online. I get nothing but ads. All I want to do is pay my bill. Very simple. But the satellite company has some upgrade "better deal" and I have to sit through their BS ads before I can pay my bill.

Is that what they call customer service these days?

[rgunlock]

I was on a 3200 mile roadtrip in my 78 when a u-joint exploded and left me and my wife stranded on the side of a 5-lane (one direction) interstate after dark. AAA showed up in less than an hour and hauled my truck 80 miles to my brother's place. No complaints here!

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by FleetsidePaul

I have the same problem when I try to pay a bill online. I get nothing but ads. All I want to do is pay my bill. Very simple. But the satellite company has some upgrade "better deal" and I have to sit through their BS ads before I can pay my bill.

Is that what they call customer service these days?

I hear you. Try calling Verizon Wireless "Customer Service". Try reaching a live human there. Go ahead, I dare you.
While it is possible, it is a very lengthy exercise in frustration. Maddening, even for a retired guy with time on my hands.

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by Stocker

I hear you. Try calling Verizon Wireless "Customer Service". Try reaching a live human there. Go ahead, I dare you.
While it is possible, it is a very lengthy exercise in frustration. Maddening, even for a retired guy with time on my hands.

As,a retired guy, my time is more valuable now! My time is limited!

['68OrangeSunshine]

It did take me about 3 tries to get a human when I called Verizon. I don't have a smartphone. Only a flip phone -- voice only -- no text. So their automated system couldn't GPS track me and text back with links to the system. Main reason why I fixed it myself.
When I finally did get an Operator, I had to say, ''Do not put me on hold. Do not text me. Call me back, if you need to.'' They like to keep you on hold while you battery discharges listening to a stretched out tape of some bad music.