AAA Automobile Club of Southern California

I always takes over an hour for service here. The lady who checks people in is horrible ! At all the other locations they check you in promptly and have you wait in your area. At this location they do not, they try to update life insurance at check in and ask you 20 questions which really holds up the check in line. I understand if you don’t have a long line out the dirt but when you have so many people waiting is when I get upset.
I have also tried to call this location to get the emergency travel number due to a emergency while traveling and the young man (lucky I forgot his name) was so unprofessional when I called he put me on hold for over 20 mins while experiencing my travel emergency and when I Called back he hung up on me. Providing the number in a timely manner I could have resolved my issue. It resulted in missing a flight and having to sit in the airport an additional 4 hours. Lucky for me the airline was disgusted and did not charge the fee after witnessing how I was treated by AAA travel services.
Do not come here unless you absolutely have to … Try another location or even the DMV itself!

Incredible office with great customer service! Staff went out of their way to be helpful! Worth the trip all the way from Long Beach! Office highly recommended!

I don’t know what I would do without AAA. Seriously! It’s worth $ 70a year, think about all the time and agony you would be saving from going to the dmv. I think AAA can handle my automobile needs better because they are willing to listen. I go to this particular location because it’s nearby and ALL staffs are friendly. Honestly, I think all staff members here are well trained to handle automobile needs but it’s Sherlly that really went all the way and made an impression. Thank you for all the help. Thank goodness for AAA!

When I phone them they always seem to get things wrong. Flat tire, they go to some other location. road Trip, when I call they say they cannot help me and transfer me three times to other staff members that could not help me. Fender bender, they fail to pay enough and take forever. I will not renew when my year is up!

Very disappointed with this place. I pay for premier services and get nothing in return. I have had services for 4 years and used my AAA 1 time. Today is April 7, 2016, and the 2 ladies at the checkin desk are very short and unhelpful. Everytime I go into this place people say different things. One will say you need a certain document and the next person will say you don’t need it. It’s totally unprofessional and makes it harder on me (the customer). My last 3 trips to this office has been inconsistent as far as the workers go. No one is on the same page. I do better going to the DMV for vehicle services. Thanks AAA
Example: a few months ago I go in to pay my vehicle registration. I had a pic of the vehicle registration with license plate and vin number in the pic. The lady at the checkin desk stated I needed the DMV renewal form. (Ok my fault). I drive 30 mins back home to get the form. Once I returned to the same office the checkin lady had me take a seat. I got called to the window. The clerk at the window explained to me there are ways to look it up. And I didn’t have to get the form. Once again thanks AAA.

«Man is not, by nature, deserving of all that he wants. When we think that we are automatically entitled to something, that is when we start walking all over others to get it.»
― Criss Jami, Diotima, Battery, Electric Personality
AAA does some good things. Roadside assistance and DMV service for example. plus I was pleased with my insurance before they jacked up rates. However, their travel service is abysmal. I am currently embroiled in a dispute with them and they basically want to steal $ 1100 even though their lack of service (which they acknowledge!!!) caused the issue.
So do not use them, just use the web. Most hotel chains already will give you the AAA discount directly. No need to use AAA. Plus, for car rentals, Southwest for instance usually has better rates at a variety of places and not just Hertz.
AAA Travel Service is a dinosaur offering no service.

Someone stole the 2016 sticker from my license plate. So rather than sit at DMV all day, I went to AAA since I’m a member.
I walked in, and was helped within a few minutes. I paid my $ 20, got my new sticker and left. That part was wonderful, but I’m giving only 3 stars for this review because I don’t appreciate someone using me as a captive audience to suggest that I’m interested in any travel services, insurance, or financing a new/​used vehicle (sorry, I pay cash for mine, and just got it last year). At least DMV doesn’t do that.

This place is awesome. I wish that I had know about all their benefits sooner.
***You can pay and pick up your auto registration tags here! Way better than going to the DMV.
The staff here is very friendly and helpful. Their office is very clean with comfortable chairs. The wait time (if there is one) is short.
AAA has a lot of benefits for members… way more than I thought. I ended up paying for my automobile registration here. I am going to use some of their shopping and travel discounts.
I highly recommend AAA and this location.

Putting a review here as well for Brea Towing and the amazing job their driver did.
Ok folks… here’s the scoop. I called AAA at 6:31 pm today. Tire issue and radiator issue.
Let’s just say my day stank… k?
Aaa said that Brea tow was on the way via text.
I’ve been towed many times (sadly) and given the time of day and the fact that i was on the 57 south in Fullerton… bad day.
Truck arrived so fast that I was shocked. Brea tow. This guy Kyle B greeted me and said he was there to help. By 7pm I was loaded on a flatbed.
But that’s just the start. The driver was calm which helped me because my day was crap. He said that he was happy to get me off the freeway and help out.
I have been towed by Johns Towing before… but the service from this guy from Brea tow…
He made sure my vehicle was loaded and tight on the flatbed… and off we went. He communicated well and that helped too.
I’m sure this guy gets compliments all the time but I wanted to mention to you all that if you are in oc… need a tow… call AAA or this place direct and they will take good care of you. Not sure if you can ask for a driver by name… if you get Kyle your day will get better asap.
I’m looking up AAA corporate now. Going to copy and paste this there as well. Amazing job to that driver and this tow service.
Epic job folks. It’s 10:19 pm and I’m still stoked about the care me and my car got.

I have been a AAA Member for over 40 years. After my experience at this branch last week I’m now going to drop my membership.
After buying a Travel Trailer in Texas I was hoping I could get it registered here instead of the DMV. I wasn’t sure so my wife went to the branch and brought in my VIN verification paperwork and title. She was told, twice, that it would be fine.
The next morning I got up at 5:00 AM drove to the RV storage place, hitched up my trailer, drove to the AAA to get there early and find a parking spot since I had a large trailer to park.
I waited for an hour, was first in line, and when I was called to the window I was told that they didn’t do that service! I explained my wife had come by the previous day and verified that INDEED they did do this service.
The woman at the window asked who told me that. I texted my wife and she said the person at the information booth told her. When I told that to the woman at the window she replied, «Those people at the booth don’t know what they’re talking about».
WHAT? Then what’s the point of having an «information booth»?
They refused to do it but told me they’d make an appointment for me at the DMV. Gee, thanks, but I can do that on my cell phone.
What a mess this place is…

Terrible place all around.
I understand that aaa provides many services and it’s possible to have a good travel department but a bad insurance department, but I had the misfortune of having to deal with this branch on 2 fronts and was extremely dissatisfied.
First, after buying a used car, friends and family recommended aaa to change my title since I wouldn’t have to wait at the dmv and service would be better. The guy who set me up with my initial aaa account was nice enough, but everything changed once I moved over to vehicle registration.
The woman who «helped» me was a piece of work. Very condescending about how I didn’t know what to do, yet had to ask her supervisor for help at least 3 times during the process. The whole time she was gossiping about her coworkers with a colleague right in front of me and all the other customers! I can deal with a relaxed work environment, but it was very unprofessional. Luckily I finished all of that up, but my dealings with this branch were far from over.
My dad was changing house insurance to aaa with this same branch and as part of the process, a field agent had to come and take pictures of the house for the underwriters. He scheduled and subsequently flaked on two consecutive appointments and was extremely late on the third — three weeks after the initial appointment.
Then, a couple of weeks after taking the pictures, my dad received a letter from aaa that they had never received the photos and were CANCELING the insurance. On the letter were several phone numbers to reach the field agent and his supervisor but the field agent’s number was disconnected and his supervisor’s was a recorded message from 5 months prior. Only after calling the 24-​hour number did we finally locate the manager, who repeatedly flaked on us/​screened our calls.
I wish I could say that this nightmare is over, but we’re still waiting on this to be resolved. A tip? If you need any service that aaa offers, find another branch. Heck, even the dmv is better than this. ..

I called this number to ask about DMV tags. …I was on hold for a while so decided to just drive to the location HOPING SOMEONE would answer and provide me with answers to my questions before arriving and avoid the drive…45 minutes later still on hold… I walk into this location! No one ever picked up to talk to me!!! I give this a 2 star because I finally was given answers to my questions… but wow! 45 minutes on hold!

DMV transaction: cash or check only!
When I checked in at the front for my car registration from out of state the lady at the front made sure I had everything that was required so I wouldn’t have to wait for no reason. About 20 minute wait then I was helped by Shirley (I think).
She was the most helpful person I’ve ever met and helped me with my paperwork since it was my first time. It was quick and easy within 30 minute I had my plates and I was out of there!

I have no problem with AAA
but this branch is really strange, were customer satisfaction is not important .
I have moved my insurance to them and was promised by their employee that they would cancel my old insurance and will send them and me a copy. And they never did. So I am paying for two insurances at the same time, and I called them many times, but only to put a voice mail with now reply for about a week .
There phone system is useless were they keep telling you that they are busy, like we are not !!!
Then I had to find time to pass by, only to be told that it was my mistake to follow up .
The I discovered that the offer they gave me is not for all my vehicles. Were I received my insurance missing one and not for all as agreed .
So I called again, and back to square one!
No replies by email. No reply by phone !!
So I have to find time to go them

It pains me to write this review, because I am a loyal AAA member and have been for more than a decade. I guess that’s why I’m so disappointed in my recent experience at this AAA branch in Tustin.
I went to AAA for help with transferring the title of my car to a relative who was buying my car. As this was my first time doing this, I sought the help of AAA with figuring out which papers to submit to the DMV, what lines to fill out on the pink slip, etc.
Gerri, the woman I was sent to, was absolutely no help at all. As I was talking to her, explaining my situation, she cut me off and said, «It’s a very easy process,» then began fiddling with something in her purse. I paused and said, «Well, yes, but I’ve never done this before, so that’s why I came here.» Because what the heck. Yes, this procedure might be easy for you, Woman Whose Job It Is To Know These Things, but for someone who hasn’t done it, it isn’t.
As I asked Gerri another question, she then took out a tube of lipstick and a compact case and BEGAN PUTTING LIPSTICK ON. As I was talking to her. I guess to signal that the conversation was done? She was bored of the topic? She was ready to go home?
While Gerri freshened up her makeup, I ignored her rude attempts to dismiss me away and asked if there was any paperwork I needed in order to transfer the pink slip to a relative. So without a word, she goes and gets a paper and pushes it in front of me. It was the Statement of Facts that needs to be submitted to the DMV when you transfer the car to a relative. «It’s a very easy process. You have everything you need,» she said again. Oh really? Because if I wouldn’t have asked you for the paper, Gerri, you wouldn’t have given it to me.
I am very ticked off at the situation, and how unhelpful Gerri was when it would have been just as easy to be HELPFUL. I left feeling like I was being a nuisance to Gerri and the staff at AAA, when really, what are the AAA branches there for but to help their members?

This location is busy all the time. The good news, paying your monthly insurance bill is quick. The bad, hard to find parking in the same lication. But you can park in the lot by ralphs.
If you wanna do anything else besides paying your bill, you are gonna be waiting for about 20 minutes. So make sure you have some time to wait around.

Approximately three weeks ago, Feb 2015, the awesome manager Janet was transferred to Costa Mesa and from there this office got their manager, Margaret. Normally you see managers being supportive and understanding of members frustrated that it’s taking 40 minutes just to get something notarized. Rather than be supportive, Margaret demonstrated HOW NOT TO BE A MANAGER — she condescendingly told me that there are several members before me… even though the guy just before me was helped (really?).
So Margaret, the manager, do you believe that your employees should follow your example. That is, do you lead by example? If so, then I suspect that when the office starts getting more negative reviews that maybe your supervisors will need to address your nasty attitude to someone who gives your employees patience and understanding and not bitter, self-​righteous, loathsome discourse because he is a manager too.
No really Margaret, get that pole out of your keister and take a laxative. You’re not the most important person there.

I found a great deal on a car private party and AAA took all the hassle out of the buying process. I didn’t know until this week that AAA could handle most DMV transactions and decided to see what it was all about.
Came in on a Saturday and was first in line. Checked in. Took about 1 minute to get called to the DMV station. Got all the DMV registration paperwork done in around 10 minutes! Paid my dues and then called my insurance agent. Got all the insurance paperwork done in around another 20! Just a note… my insurance quote with AAA was about $ 30 – 100 less a month than any other company (including Geico).
This staff is super friendly, unlike that other godforsaken place.
Only note on the insurance is that they give you a price for paying a full year in advance and a payment option. If you can, just pay in advance and take advantage of the extra savings!

Worst AAA branch ever
I have never had a bad experience with AAA the old ladies at this branch are so rude make faces at members for not doing what they want. They don’t follow their own signs make you feel dumb because we actually know how to read and follow directions they should hire people with patience and willing to answer questions will never come back here will stick to Santa Ana canyon Rd

So come here all the time for my DMV needs and have to say that just the pure fact that I can avoid the DMV and do almost everything at my friendly AAA office is worth the price of membership alone. ;)
No appointment necessary and waited a total of 10 minutes to take care of my DMV issues. The people are always friendly, knowledgeable and often, remind you of another service they offer that you might’ve forgotten about.
The Tustin location is also great — lots of parking and next to shops so you can pop in while doing other things. My only wish is that they offered night hours but I guess we can’t have it all. ;)