Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  02/02/2025

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Aaa is refusing to return my money back to original form of payment there by stealing my money *****

  Business response

  02/14/2025

  Can the customer provide additional information? I will need to know what service the refund is being requested for, such as "Membership", *********** "Roadside Assistance", etc. Once I have the additional information, I will be able to respond accordingly. Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  12/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My car had been sitting for 3 years and it didnt start. I needed it towed and went in person to AAA of Hamilton and spoke with *************************. I told her my problem she said I could get a free card and 5 tows. She suggested I could have it towed to their shop and have it fully checked for free. I had no plans of doing that whereas I had my own mechanic but I thought it would be good since I could get checked first. I went to service counter and spoke with ************************* and told him my car was sitting 3 years and he said they could look at it. This was Saturday, Tuesday they call me and tell me it should be junked but I asked for a breakdown of what needs to be fixed with prices. I emailed ****** from his card with request and it didnt work so I emailed ***** who forwarded it. He sent me a description of what is wrong and a price of $5304.17. I emailed back I wanted a breakdown of all the things that needed fixing whereas I never in my life just got an estimate with a price like that and no breakdown. He never sent it. Early Saturday morning he calls me and tells me I owe $25 storage fee and will be charged that daily. I asked to have my car towed home and he said I would be charged and I said I have AAA and 5 ties. He said if you tow it to the shop they wont allow your AAA to tow home if not getting fixed by them. I said nobody told me that I was told I would get 5 ties, nobody said once you tow to their own shop you couldnt use a tow to tow out unless you paid!? That is unacceptable? I told them the condition of the car they never said if I take there I have to get fixed by them or pay out of pocket to tow. That is bait and switch. He told me its in contract I didnt see that in my paperwork they gave me and I got towed next day. I would have used my own mechanic who wouldnt have charged storage fee. I plan on donating bc I cant afford their crazy not itemized bill in such short notice. That is not acceptable or legal practice to get my car there and demand I pay all that or no tow

  Business response

  12/19/2023

  Member *************************** has a complaint about services rendered to her free of charge under her membership. After inspecting vehicle we advised the repairs cost and suggested donating or selling car due to condition of car. She requested the invoice be sent to her that had the cost broken down and it was sent along with the inspection that had notes and pictures of the car to both email and text. Every work order is broken down by line and is digital so it can be sent quickly at any request. We absolutely sent everything asked and when member owed us no bill but was not answering our calls to let us know what we are doing with the car we marked it at potentially abandoned. We cannot have vehicles left for an extended period of time with no answer on if we need to order parts or have it towed out. Member towed vehicle out and but the key is still here no one came in to get it before towing. No bill is due storage fees would start if vehicle is abandoned on our lot. Emergency road side towing is included with the membership but if vehicle can be serviced and services are declined roadside may charge member to tow out to another shop or back home since it is not a road side service call. 

  Customer response

  12/19/2023

  
  Complaint: 20982790
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  that is not what happened. My car was there less than a week and they didnt look at it until 3 days later. At that time I requested an itemized bill which I never reviewed. Two days later I received a message I was being charged $25/ day and owed $50 thus far. It was weekend when I received this info after several attempts including sending to ********* lady. Since it was weekend I could not get towed to donate. 
  My complaint about not being informed about AAA charging me to tow back home or to different garage was not informed to me when I was cohearsed to bring to their free inspection that once there I couldnt have towed out as part of AAA membership. I clearly said I was taking to my mechanic when they suggest I bring to them first since inspection free. They didnt say free if you get fixed there. That was cohersion and misleading.
  where is my car now? 
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

  Business response

  01/08/2024

  We do sincerely apologize for all of the misunderstanding and I would like to make sure you understand all your benefits with being a member of AAA. As I mentioned previously your membership covers the cost of many services including roadside assistance and here at the repair location.Roadside which covers spare tire, jumpstarts, and towing free of charge. Different levels of membership cover more specific things that were reviewed with you when you signed up. An example might be tow mileage or additional tows depending on which you decided. Towing the vehicle out of the shop may require a cost to the member due to it not being a road side call. Here in the shop you received diagnostic for free ($169.99) and a warranty on parts and labor with ten percent off all labor. I understand your situation was different because we didnt recommend you putting any money into the car due to the condition. We always want you to know the complete over view of the car so you can make an accurate decision on the repairs.In regards to the diagnostic and estimate time, getting towed in on a Saturday can be challenging due to parts and cars that are already in the shop being repaired. Your car was brought in the shop on Monday and an estimate was created same day. After having trouble getting in contact with you over multiple days the car was marked as needs tow out with no confirmation with member. Storage fee will start if vehicle needs tow out but is unconfirmed due to no contact with member. We did not recommend putting money into the car for repairs so we absolutely do not want to charge you to leave it here. No bill is due at this time and we still have the key to the vehicle as it was towed out without it. Unsure of what company removed it since it was not AAA and no driver came in to pick up key. Please feel free to call or stop in if we can help with anything. We have tried to call you again multiple times to speak with you about the key we have and your question at the end asking where your car is now. 

  Customer response

  01/24/2024

  
  Complaint: 20982790
  
  I am rejecting this response because: that is not true, I specifically said I was getting towed to my mechanic and sales lady said I could have it towed and checked at AAA for free. I clearly said so I can do that first to set what is wrong before I take to my mechanic and she said yes. She FAILED as well as man at shop desk to tell me I would have to pay to have it towed out if I did t fix there. I clearly purchased AAA at that shop, explained my situation and they offered to look at there. That is bait and switch. My car should not been marked as abandoned and charged storage where I called and emailed shop requesting a detailed bill and what was wrong. He sent a bill that didnt break up charges I requested and heard nothing. I had to email sales lady to get a detailed one. By then I was being charged for 3 days and ticking. If I was able to take to my mechanic I would not of been rushed and charged storage fee and I could have had towed back home rather then having to donate my car. I hold them responsible for baiting me and charging storage instead of allowing me to take to mechanic as I planned before entering store. I was charged storage and dx I gave receipt, I didnt pay but I was forced to donate.
  
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

  Business response

  02/05/2024

  Per our previous responses, ***************** was informed of the way towing and membership work.  We cannot provide a billing adjustment as we did not charge ****************** for any repairs nor did we charge her for storage.  We do inform customers once they have decided not to repair that there will be storage fees charged if the vehicle sits on the lot more than a few days.  This is because sometimes people leave their unrepaired vehicles on the lot for weeks or months, and we do not have parking capacity for that.  We certainly did not force ****************** to donate her vehicle; that would be solely her decision.  We trust that this will resolve this issue.

  Customer response

  02/25/2024

  
  Complaint: 20982790
  
  I am rejecting this response because: what was said is not true. AAA baited me, lied and scared me. I dont owe money because my car was towed away when not there. They are thieves.
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

  Customer response

  02/26/2024

  
  Complaint: 20982790
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I am rejecting this response because: what was said is not true. AAA baited me, lied and scared me. I dont owe money because my car was towed away when not there. They are thieves.
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩