7/1/2017 Update: I called AAA this morning to get a new battery. My 4 year old battery had failed the cold crank test at the dealer service department when they did their 23 point inspection and I had decided not to buy the dealer's battery. I was on hold for 20 minutes and finally hung up without speaking to an agent. This does NOT bode well for AAA service.
I finally went online and ordered my battery. You have to sign into their website (where the heck did I put that password?). They gave me an online estimate of the costs and the ETA was 60 minutes. I got an automated call about 30 minutes later telling me that the ETA was now 40-60 minutes from the order. The battery tech showed up 60 minutes after I placed the online order and 90 minutes from my first attempt to call/contact AAA. Like my AARP Allstate roadside assistance program, they sent a responder from Apache Junction instead of Tempe. This accounts for the lengthy response times.
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7/2/2015
I am giving AAA Arizona one last chance. I just sent in my check and paperwork for 13 mos of roadside assistance for $57. I had been a AAA Arizona member a few years ago, but left them because the Classic plan (the affordable one) only offers a 5 mile tow. That will not get me across Tempe, let alone Phoenix or any trip outside of the valley. It is almost double or more the Classic plan fee ($97 for the Plus plan or $125 for the Premier plan) to get the 100 mile tow option.
Here are some other reasons why I have not been a fan:
*Travel discounts are usually not a good deal. For example, I was able to book a Holiday Inn Express in Barstow, CA online from the Holiday Inn website for $84 per night with a 2 week advance purchase. The AAA price for the same night is $94. I have checked a half a dozen hotels that I commonly stay at and it is always less expensive to book directly with the hotel.
*The trip planning feature was helpful years ago, but now Mapquest and other online tools have pretty much replaced maps, and other trip planning services. Both my Allstate and AARP roadside assistance programs offered trip planning services as well.
*Shopping and dining and other non-travel discounts can be had via AARP, credit cards, or other group affiliations or other roadside assistance programs, so they are not a big deal nor unique to AAA.
Here is what I am hoping for and what will raise AAA's rating:
*Response time. The reason why I left AAA's competitors and am giving AAA a second chance is that Allstate and AARP roadside assistance programs have routinely taken nearly 2 hours to respond to towing and battery jump requests. That is a long time in our AZ 110 degree heat. If AAA can deliver assistance in 30 minutes or less they will have a fan here! :-)
*AAA needs to realize that a 5 mile tow feature is unacceptable. It may work back east where it is just a few miles between towns, but in the Western US the distances between towns can be quite far. Just to drive from my Tempe home to a friend up in Sun City is 44 miles. Maybe they should offer a 50 mile tow option, not just a choice between 5 miles or 100 miles.