A A A Minnesota/Iowa

When I lived in StPaul, MN, I was a member of AAA Minnesota/IowaIn late 2014, I moved to Richfield, MN, and notified AAA of my address changeI was not informed that anything about my membership would changeOn March or 9, 2016, I tried to get access to my online AAA account but kept getting redirected to AAA MinneapolisI called AAA Minnesota/IowaThey told me that, since I had moved, I was not a member of AAA Minnesota/Iowa anymoreHOWEVER, they had already deducted my membership dues for renewal in AAA Minnesota/IowaI also never got a notice of the annual renewalThey had to do a refund, which would take weeks to processIf they knew by my address that I was no longer part of their region, why did they deduct my renewal anyway? Plus, they must have renewed my membership in AAA Minnesota/Iowa in without questionI then had to call AAA Minneapolis to set up a new membership accountAAA Minneapolis apparently covers Hennepin County and a handful of other cities; all other Minnesota locations are part of AAA Minnesota/IowaWhat a screwy and confusing system(The opportunities I had to use their road service since were fine.)

Requested a vehicle be towed to a repair shop due to a new mechanical problem, a service that is part of our AAA membership, the request was denied.
On Monday, August 19, 2013 at approximately 1:00 p.m. we had AAA/Iowa tow our black 2002 Volkswagen Jetta, VIN#3VWSE69M82MXXXXXX to [redacted] Iowa due to the vehicle not starting due to a problem involving the Theft/Security System code needing to be re-set as it was no longer recognizing our keys. The Theft/Security nature of this problem requires that the vehicle be taken to an authorized Volkswagen dealership, as only authorized dealerships have the technology available to provide this specific service.

According to information provided today to my husband, [redacted], the Service Manager, [redacted] indicated that the Theft/Security system was re-programmed/completely repaired at the end of their business day on Tuesday, August 20, 2013.

[redacted] went on to advise my husband that this morning, Wednesday, August 21, 2013, service staff noticed a pool of brake fluid had formed around the left rear wheel. They put the vehicle on a hoist and discovered that the brake caliper on the left rear wheel was leaking, and the right rear brake caliper was nearly totally seized up, making the turning of the wheel even while up on the hoist nearly impossible. [redacted] advised that with all the brake fluid having drained out, the vehicle essentially had no brakes anymore.

[redacted] then provided my husband and estimate of $1000., plus sales tax, to have their service department at Volkswagen of Cedar Rapids replace both the left and right brake calipers, an estimate that included new brake pads on both sides.

My husband checked with our usual auto repair shop,[redacted]., Cedar Rapids, Iowa and was given an estimate of $562 for the exact same services, including sales tax.

I contacted AAA/Iowa at approximately 7:00 pm tonight, Wednesday, August 21, 2013, and explained all of the above to a customer service agent. That agent indicated AAA would not provide emergency road service to us in this circumstance because it was no longer an "emergency", but rather a matter of convenience since it was sitting at an auto repair service provider.

I asked to speak to the customer service agent's supervisor in an attempt to appeal this decision, and that supervisor again declined my request for a tow, again claiming that it was simply a matter of convenience.

When asked if AAA would tow it if the disabled vehicle were on the street in front of Volkswagen of Cedar Rapids rather than on their property, suggesting we could push it out onto the street and then call them again, I was told that request would be denied as well given the information they had already been provided.

Our position is this:

1) We are, and have been for many years, paid members of AAA.

2) One of the most useful benefits of said membership is emergency road service. In fact, it's the only reason we've maintained our membership, and I suspect the same is true for many AAA members.

3) The above referenced vehicle was towed to a Volkswagen dealership on Monday, August 19, 2013 for a service only a Volkswagen dealership can provide, that being the re-programming of the vehicle's Security/Theft System.

4) That service was provided and the repair was completed on Tuesday, August 20, 2013.

5) On August 21, 2013 an entirely unrelated/previously unknown problem with the vehicle was discovered by the dealership as the vehicle sat in their parking lot awaiting being picked up following satisfactory completion of the requested repair.

6)AAA has breached our membership contract by denying our request to have the vehicle towed to a different service provider for an entirely different/subsequent problem, their rational based solely upon the fact the vehicle is sitting in a parking lot of a dealership's repair shop that we elect not to utilize if avoidable as they're WAY overpriced relative to other service providers.

7) Choosing a service provider is our prerogative, not a "convenience"