# CAA is stupid **URL:** \ **Category:** SON240sx Automotive\ **Created:** [January 4, 2008, 8:17am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207 "2008-01-04T08:17:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sleepydopey](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/sleepydopey/32/5526_2.png) [@sleepydopey](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/sleepydopey)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 8:17am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/1 "2008-01-04T08:17:26Z")
Okay, so this happened to me a couple of days ago. I was in my winter beater, a 91 honda civic, and was driving northbound on the DVP merging on to the 401 heading east bound. I feel the car suddenly choke and without warning the engine died on me. Now picture this, I’m on the off ramp merging from the DVP on to the 401 and there’s really no time for me to get on to the right shoulder. In fact there was no time for me to even do anything at all, I tried coasting as far to the right that I possibly can, but unfortunately the car had already lost too much momentum due to the snow on the ground. So the car ended up stopping right in the middle of the lane where the merging ramp of the dvp meets the 401 east bound lane (not express). Needless to say, it was not the most ideal position to have your car die on you. So imagine this, you’re in a crappy little civic, with your girlfriend, stuck in 5 lanes of free way and there is zero visiblity for anyone coming around that merging ramp. All I kept thinking was that highway scene from final destination where everyone just dies, and I burn alive from some rolled over semi-truck. Remaining calm, I flip out my handy CAA card and call the emergency line. (there’s a normal service line if you’re not blocking traffic, stupid thing to point out, but it’ll make sense to you in a bit) The emergency line was busy. I hang up and call again…this time a machine kindly asked me to leave a message describing my emergency…greeeat at this point, my gf is a bit stressed out…as a large truck narrowly missed our car swerving into the far left lane to avoid us. I call again, I get an operator. Here’s how the conversation went: me: “um…I’m in a emergency, my car stopped in the middle of the highway and I need a tow right now” her: “okay sir, are you blocking the flow of traffic sir?” me: “ummm…yes…sorta, I believe I’m blocking about 5 lanes of freeway traffic” her: “okay, what is your location?” me: “I’m on the merging ramp from DVP to 401 east” her: “okay…what street is that on?” me: “what? I’m on no street! I’m on the highway!” her: “oh…okay…so you’re really blocking traffic then” me: “yes” her: “okay, where did you say you were again?” this goes on for a bit, as I try to explain to her my exact location. After 20 minutes on the phone with her, I asked her how long a tow truck would be there to get me. her: “can I ask you something, promise you won’t be mad?” ( I swear this is what she said) me: “okay…what is it?” her: “um…what does DVP stand for?” at this point I was quite frustrated, and almost certain that I was going to be on the news as another morning rush hour fatality. after a full 40 minutes on the phone with this woman, she assures me that a tow truck is on it’s way, and it’ll be 15 minutes. I hang up…and let out a deep sigh of relief. Help was finally on it’s way… Then my phone rings. It’s her again. her: “sorry sir, but I just needed to tell you that our service is a bit delayed, and another truck will be sent out, but it’ll be approximately 45 minutes” at this point, i hung up, flagged down another tow truck and paid 145 bucks to get my car towed back to my garage. tell me…why does CAA have an emergency line? ---
**Author:** ![Pants](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/pants/32/5590_2.png) [@Pants](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Pants)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 8:22am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/2 "2008-01-04T08:22:17Z")
yea caa is stupid ---
**Author:** ![nitescream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8797f3/32.png) [@nitescream](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/nitescream)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 8:23am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/3 "2008-01-04T08:23:43Z")
WOW!!! man that sucks ass… i would be cancelling my CAA if i was you ---
**Author:** ![TorontoGT-R33](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/torontogt-r33/32/5500_2.png) [@TorontoGT-R33](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TorontoGT-R33)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 8:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/4 "2008-01-04T08:38:27Z")
I’m not in Toronto but I keep up with the news and 680 news was saying a few days ago with the cold weather and all CAA couldn’t keep up with the amount of incoming calls and the wait time for a tow truck was like an hour and a half. Oh here it is! Staight from 680news: * * * Cold weather increases calls to CAA Thursday, January 03, 2008 - 02:10 PM By: Irene Preklet Toronto - Due to the cold weather in Toronto, Thursday, cars on the road were put to the test. The Canadian Automobile Association said it was very busy today, averaging just over 500 calls an hour. By the afternoon, CAA said it was up to 3,500 calls, which started to come in during the early-morning hours. ## The estimated wait-time for a boost in the GTA is up to 60 minutes and about 90 minutes in the Barrie area. Also keep in mind their call center is not in Toronto so if she asked you what DVP stands for it’s because she doesn’t know. Either way I think CAA is a good thing to have, a few friends have it and they are happy with the service, one friend had his car towed from Mosport all the way to Mississauga if he didn’t have CAA it would of costed him an arm and a leg. I don’t have it my self but I probably should since I always use Ultra 94 at Sunoco for my car and I could collect points. I will look into it when I get back to Canada. ---
**Author:** ![nautica\_t](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/db5fbb/32.png) [@nautica\_t](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/nautica_t)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 8:43am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/5 "2008-01-04T08:43:01Z")
you can probably get caa to re-emburse you some of the amount, cause it usually happens when there is a snow fall, alot of dumb drivers get caught in the snow cause they are idiots. but you must have a receipt in order to request for a refund. and about caa points, sunoco is no longer a partner with caa as of jan 1. too bad. ---
**Author:** ![sleepydopey](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/sleepydopey/32/5526_2.png) [@sleepydopey](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/sleepydopey)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 9:00am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/6 "2008-01-04T09:00:57Z")
actually i dont mind caa at all, for the most part, they saved my ass on many different occasions. It’s just that woman irritated the hell out of me…considering my situation. I’m pretty sure she was new at the call centre…and judging that I called the emergency line, the decent thing she should’ve done was to pass it to someone more senior. Reason being, I was in the tow truck afterwards, and I called again to cancel the tow. The woman I got this time was much more experienced, and she knew exactly where I was, and told me she could’ve got me a tow truck in like 10 minutes, considering I was in an EMERGENCY situation. She actually knew that the lane I was stuck in had a very high probability of collision. In fact…the part I forgot to neglect to mention was that, while I was stuck, that tow truck that I flagged down earlier waited behind me while I was on the phone with CAA. He didn’t even know I was going to let him tow the car seeing I was a CAA member, but he stayed behind me and kept his flashers on to slow down traffic for me. so the only rant i have is…do not let noobs work in the emergency call centre…the normal service line…fine…but when a customer literally has their life in danger…wouldn’t it make more sense to have someone more senior? ---
**Author:** ![face](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/face/32/5504_2.png) [@face](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/face)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 9:35am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/7 "2008-01-04T09:35:59Z")
> [@WRC: Second Half of 2006](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/wrc-second-half-of-2006/15376/10): > > I don’t have it my self but I probably should since I always use Ultra 94 at Sunoco for my car and I could collect points. I will look into it when I get back to Canada. Sunoco no longer offers CAA points, in favour of Sunoco Performance Points. ---
**Author:** ![agent240sx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@agent240sx](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/agent240sx)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 10:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/8 "2008-01-04T10:44:26Z")
Funny thing about CAA… On my second call ever to CAA I indicated my 240sx needed a tow from Toronto to Guelph area. The male operator asked if I was on son240sx lol, took me by surprise but turns out hes also active on the forums and we were both fighting to buy a suspension set off a guy. He offered me a flatbed and everything lol it went super smooth. Needless to say I wrote up a wicked commendation letter and send it to CAA for a fellow son240 member. ---
**Author:** ![Happy240sx](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/happy240sx/32/5515_2.png) [@Happy240sx](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Happy240sx)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 10:45am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/9 "2008-01-04T10:45:02Z")
CAA Rules…that is all. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bing/32/7211_2.png) [@bing](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 10:55am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/10 "2008-01-04T10:55:33Z")
CAA is wicked… i must have towed 20 cars with CAA, some of which i actually owned. ---
**Author:** ![sil8t](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@sil8t](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/sil8t)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 12:07pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/11 "2008-01-04T12:07:08Z")
any tow truck company is like that u just gotta wait it out. ---
**Author:** ![DarkForceJackal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@DarkForceJackal](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/DarkForceJackal)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 1:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/12 "2008-01-04T13:19:59Z")
That sounds like a “oh sorry, help just arrived, thanks anyways!” and call back type of situation (desperately hoping not to get her again). :lol: ---
**Author:** ![Colin\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Colin\_H](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Colin_H)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 2:05pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/13 "2008-01-04T14:05:49Z")
My grandparents just bought me a CAA membership for christmas 🙂 should come in handy cause im moving up to grand valley…could come in handy…but hopefully not. ---
**Author:** ![Gonad](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/gonad/32/5481_2.png) [@Gonad](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Gonad)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/14 "2008-01-04T18:41:27Z")
I’ve never had a problem with CAA (well one time the guy threw a hissy fit but was just cranky because it was like 7am in the morning). Maybe you need to have CAA Plus, the gold card :o ---
**Author:** ![Fobwall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ea924/32.png) [@Fobwall](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fobwall)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/15 "2008-01-04T21:24:08Z")
> [@super bored........pics inside](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/super-bored-pics-inside/15414/24): > > I’ve never had a problem with CAA (well one time the guy threw a hissy fit but was just cranky because it was like 7am in the morning). > > Maybe you need to have CAA Plus, the gold card :o I agree. Not having CAA Gold/Plus is like going to a race track with s13 leather seats. Need I say more? ---
**Author:** ![duckJAI](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/duckjai/32/5553_2.png) [@duckJAI](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/duckJAI)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/16 "2008-01-04T21:37:21Z")
^^ What about s14 leather seats? ---
**Author:** ![G-E](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/g-e/32/5546_2.png) [@G-E](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/G-E)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2008, 9:42pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/17 "2008-01-04T21:42:40Z")
> [@WRC: Second Half of 2006](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/wrc-second-half-of-2006/15376/10): > > I don’t have it my self but I probably should since I always use Ultra 94 at Sunoco for my car and I could collect points. I will look into it when I get back to Canada. as of jan1 they are no longer sharing sunoco percentages… but I can’t remember if they stopped doing it for fs and upi stations too ---
**Author:** ![flyingchicken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac91a4/32.png) [@flyingchicken](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/flyingchicken)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/18 "2008-01-05T21:12:41Z")
my 240 has been in hell a couple of times. and everysingle time i use CAA. i asked for a flatbed. i claimed my car was too low and or there are broken control arms so they cant tow from it. i confirmed and repeated i needed a flat bed, they said. oh yes. 20 min later. a tow truck comes. its so freaking stupid ---
**Author:** ![KoukiS14](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/koukis14/32/5522_2.png) [@KoukiS14](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/KoukiS14)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 8:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/19 "2008-01-06T08:38:27Z")
It sounds like you had a trainee. Shit happens get used to it. CAA has never let me down and arrived on time. ---
**Author:** ![CrypticNissan](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/crypticnissan/32/5663_2.png) [@CrypticNissan](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/CrypticNissan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2008, 8:47am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207/20 "2008-01-06T08:47:23Z")
i dont mind CAA. one time i went on an assumed (still being made road) in my friends Jetta and ended up bahaing in 2 ft of mud… when i was finally stuck i called her CAA card and the guy said he really shouldn’t even help me cause its on an illegal road but for $140 cash he called in said he refused the call and towed my ass out… i was damn lucky no cops showed up… BTW. it was only like a 30min wait for the truck to show… he had his wife with him and she was really nice… even offered to walk he 5 minutes to go get coffee for us all:) [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/caa-is-stupid/112207.md?page=2)