STILL waiting for the bloody AA

[cosmobrown]

My DS's friend's car broke down near our house at 6.15pm today. The friend told the AA the clutch had died and he'd need a tow truck. AA sent a local garage to assess the car. Local garage said "the clutch has gone, you need a tow truck". We 're now still waiting for said tow truck which could be up to 3 more hours yet (it's 11:10pm now).
I've always had really good service from the AA, but this is ridiculous.

(Dh has now gone out to try and tow the car to our house, as it's in a bit of a dodgy area, friend can stay over for the night, and deal with it tomorrow. Luckily, he doesn't need to be anywhere tomorrow. )
What are your experiences with the AA lately?

Ahh that's a shame! I got helped by the side of the motorway by the AA in 20 minutes from calling this week, it's the first time I've had to use them and I was really impressed. They'd told me it could be 2 hours and then were there almost immediately.

I know they do prioritise in terms of most to least at risk - so side of the motorway for example would be higher risk than on a residential street, maybe it's that they've had higher-risk emergencies come in in the mean time? People with children or medically vulnerable people are also higher priority,

Clearly area specific - I called the AA yesterday in a no risk situation and they were with me in ten minutes.

We were with the RAC but I left them when I had to wait the whole night long when I was stranded right next to a busy roundabout, standing out in the dark with lorries thundering past. So many excuses every time I rang. I'll never use them again.

We had the same issues a few weeks ago. The engine died completely. DH is a mechanic and said it would need towing. They sent out a local garage after 2 hours who said ‘your engine gas died you will need towing’ three hours later the car was towed into a garage. It was two in the morning before they arrived.

They probably asked if he was with the car did he have anyone vulnerable with him etc? If he said he was at a friends house he will be bottom of the list.

How far from your house does your ds’ friend live? If they’ve organised to have the car assessed by a local garage and it’s a confirmed tow job how far are they towing it and is it their responsibility to get the friend home? As far as the AA are concerned they may just be treating it as a pick and shift to garage job, which will not need to be done in a hurry as it’s on a residential street, there are no garages open until morning and your son’s friend has somewhere to stay.

Never heard of AA sending a local garage to look at it! Thats the very opposite of the way AA run? You sure it wasn't Green Flag?

I've found them hit and miss. Sometimes absolutely excellent, some times hours and hours and hours.
I think depends on who else has broken down and how many people they have out.

@Hellocatshome

They probably asked if he was with the car did he have anyone vulnerable with him etc? If he said he was at a friends house he will be bottom of the list.

This.

update-
Poor boy got home at 3.30am! AA didn't want to wait until the morning.

@Harrykanesrightsock

We had the same issues a few weeks ago. The engine died completely. DH is a mechanic and said it would need towing. They sent out a local garage after 2 hours who said ‘your engine gas died you will need towing’ three hours later the car was towed into a garage. It was two in the morning before they arrived.

To be fair they dont know how competent your DH is as a mechanic, they would need to check the car themselves to make sure of the issue. I bet in the past they've had many people say the car has died, it needs towing only to turn up with a tow truck and find its a blown fuse that could be repaired at the roadside.