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Real Members, Real Stories

Real Members, Real Stories

Stories from AA Members across New Zealand
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Award-winning AA Roadservice

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125+ years helping Kiwi

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24/7 nationwide support

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We rescue a Kiwi every minute

This month's feature

A little help when it mattered most

“Seeing the tow truck arrive when we were stranded was like seeing an angel with water in the desert!”

Mariam A. Saved in the Waikato

Read Mariam's Story
Car being loaded onto a towtruck

Stories you'll love

A little extra urgency

"A pregnant woman, a non-starting car, and Braxton Hicks: the perfect recipe for an AA roadside hero."

Louisa B. Saved in the Waikato

Read Louisa's story

Saved with two minutes to spare

"I only got to the job interview because the AA saved my bacon."

Daniel F. Saved in the Waikato

Read Daniel's story

Christmas... saved

"Allowed us to finish our Christmas celebrations!"

Angela W. Saved in Hawke's Bay

Read Angela's story

Stories you'll relate to

Across student life, family journeys, towing troubles and travel adventures, explore moments from AA Members that might feel familiar.

Paul G. Saved in Auckland

"AA pulled me out of the mud when I was trying to be cheap and park on the grass."

 

"I was going to the library to study with friends in time for our exams. The library carpark was full so I thought I could park on the adjacent grass where many other people had parked. Little had I known, my tiny car was not suitable for the grassy, bumpy terrain especially when it had rained the day before. As such, me being overly confident in the car's abilities drove right into a small ditch filled with mud and got stuck. Fortunately, AA was able to pull me out without the need of a tow truck otherwise that would've cost me. After a mini lecture I parked in a designated carpark and have definitely learnt my lesson. Shoutout to the wonderful guys at AA. They were very efficient and quick to respond. I will always keep my membership because of this experience."

Asher L. Saved in Canterbury

"AA got me back to my new flat to move in before dark."

 

"I was travelling over Arthurs Pass to move into a new flat before university began and my Ute overheated going up the Viaduct. I was able to call AA road service who sent a tow truck out to my location and got me out of trouble. This prevented any major damage to the vehicle and allowed me to get back to Christchurch without leaving all my belongings in my Ute on the pass."

Abbey P. Saved in Canterbury

"One dead car, zero mechanical knowledge, and a very overdue nap."

 

"After just getting back from a uni trip away, we were straight back into a full day of lectures (rip, no rest for the wicked). Finally finished and we were ready to go home, drop friends off, and collapse into bed. It was right now that my car decided it had also had enough and had died in the carpark. Called for backup, but unfortunately between 7 of us we had zero idea (how many tired uni students does it take to fix a car???). All book smart no street smart apparently! Anyway, called AA to assist in my rescue, sorted everyone else a ride home. AA arrived took one look and immediately changed my battery. Who knew these could get old and die! 5 minutes later I was on my way zooming home to collapse into bed for a much-needed nap!"

Emily G. Saved in Wellington

"Made me a lot calmer during a very hard day."

 

"I was driving from university to my job when a ladder flew off the back of a Ute landed in front me in the middle of the Wellington motorway. I had cars behind me and to the sides and I couldn’t do anything but hit the ladder. My tyre immediately burst and I had to crawl along at 10kmph to get to the next stepping bay. I was in tears and almost hyperventilating. The Ute with the ladder pulled up in front me at the same bay and then promptly left. I was sitting on the side of the road in tears, and I didn’t know what to do. I called my mum first while I calmed down, then I called AA roadside assistance to help me get back on the road. Within 30 minutes both my mum and AA were stopped with me in the stopping bay. They swapped my tyre for my space saver (luckily it was only my tyre) and pumped up my space saver while they were there. I managed to get back on the road. I missed work, but both me and my car were okay."

Rylie M. Saved in Canterbury

Got my car up and running so I didn't miss a huge uni exam."

 

"I went to leave for my exam. Luckily I am a stress bunny so was leaving super early. Tried to start my car and discovered my battery was flat. AA came to the rescue and managed to sort it out, so I walked into my exam EXACTLY on time."

Emily R. Saved in Otago

"AA gave me confidence and information at a time I was scared"

 

"I was driving my friends to university when my car didn't make it up a hill. I pulled over and my car did not start. I was scared it was going to hurt someone if I kept driving it. AA got it started then drove it to a safe place for me, before calling a tow truck driver. He was very informative and helped me so much, don't know what I would have done without him."

Arabella J. Saved in Waikato

"AA allowed me to actually make it to my first day of university in time!"

 

"I was travelling from New Plymouth to Hamilton with a boot and back seat absolutely chocka full of all my university stuff for my first day, move in day to the halls of residence. I was around the corner from the place I stayed at for the night before move-in day, and my tyre had gone flat severely. Roadside AA came in like 10 minutes and helped me changed my tyre, allowing me to be able to go to uni and not be late, as I had a two hour window to move all my belongings in! Thank you so much for your help, you saved me so much stress!!!!"

Toby S. Saved in Canterbury

"AA got us back to uni and not stranded."

 

"We were on our way back to university when we pulled over briefly to pick up some supplies. When we returned to the car, it would not start. We attempted to start the vehicle several times but were unsuccessful, so we contacted AA for assistance. AA attended and assessed the issue with the vehicle. They were able to get the car running again, allowing us to continue our journey. Once the vehicle had been restarted, we travelled directly back to university without any further problems and arrived safely."

Summer M. Saved in Manawatu

"AA towed my car back home from a long roadie and got it back safely after the bonnet started steaming up."

 

"I was driving back from Rongotea to Feilding after the Rongotea fireworks, a blast of a night with friends. Due to sitting in large amounts of traffic on the way home, my bonnet started smoking. I pulled over, called AA and they arrived extremely quickly! It was free of charge and the towed my car back home for me and even offered a ride! Such a simple service from phone call to pick up, a lot of communication about the whereabouts of the tow truck whilst I was parked up, and overall such a pleasant experience for such an unpleasant event. I am a young female, and this was my first time using AA roadside assistance and I would highly recommend to any other young drivers with their first car - especially with the youth discount!!"

Stella R. Saved in Northland

"AA rescued our family of 6 from the side of the road, enroute to our big whānau holiday!"

 

"Our family of 6, including a pregnant mama were driving down to Auckland for a family holiday. We were booked for a Disney cruise to Sydney and had been planning and saving for over a year. About 20 mins into a 4 hour drive, one of our tyres fully blew out on the state highway. We were so lucky it wasn't worse, but we had to pull over in a precarious place. Our tow truck was a wee bit far away, so we had my mum drive out to collect myself and kids, leaving my husband and one of our sons to wait for the tow truck. We were able to situate ourselves in a cafe and got a full view of the tow truck with our van packed with holiday gear, cruise into town. Thankfully our tyre was able to he replaced and though delayed, we were able to continue making our way towards Auckland, and our family cruise (which is another story altogether)."

Annie D. Saved in Auckland

"AA saved 2 children from being abandoned at preschool."

 

"I just started a new job dropping off & picking up 2 children, 1 & 3 years old, from preschool. I dropped them off & went to lunch at a friend's house, when it was time to pick them up my car wouldn't start. I tried to contact the parents to no avail, couldn't get a lift, so rang AA in a panic, they came straight away, put in new battery, & I was able to get to pick them up in time. Yay AA."

Shannon W. Saved in Hawkes Bay

"AA went above and beyond to ensure a safe return home for me and my whānau."

 

"My whānau and I travelled to the Hawkes Bay so the kids could experience Splash Planet. What started as a great weekend away took an unexpected turn on our return home to the Mighty Waikato when our people mover (van) gave up. The motor blew on the stretch of road between Napier and Taupo and was of course in an area with no service. My partner hitched a ride to the Rangitaiki Tavern while I stayed with the kids and the vehicle. A local from the pub drove and picked us up and returned us to the pub where we waited for the AA guy to travel to us from Tūrangi. He picked up the vehicle and then us from the Tavern. He was such a gentleman and was conscious we had two toddlers who were noisy at times and even allowed us to stop to feed the kids dinner. To this day we educate as many whānau as we can to get AA Plus membership just to be sure that our whānau are safe on the road. We are 6yrs in as AA Plus members and will never live without it."

Tina H. Saved in Wellington

"AA got my kids and I back on the road for the day's activities!"

 

"I was heading to Playcentre with my toddler and baby. A few minutes away from home I took a corner too tight and kerbed one of my tyres. I didn’t realise what I’d done but I knew something was wrong while driving along the next 100m or so. I turned off the main road and down a side street to investigate and found that I had popped my front tyre! My husband was already in town working so couldn't help me change the tyre, so I logged a job with AA. They came within 30 mins which was amazing given the short patience of my kids. The lovely man changed my tyre, and we got back on with our day!"

Jo C. Saved in Auckland

"AA rescued me during a lunch outing with my daughter in law and grandson during the school holidays."

 

"I'd arranged to meet my daughter in law and grandson during the school holidays for lunch near Dress Mart in Auckland. While I was waiting for my family to arrive, sitting in my car, I forgot I'd left my lights on. When they arrived, we decided to move the cars somewhere closer to the cafe but my car wouldn't start. It began to rain as well. I called AA and even let shop owners know where I'd parked, what had happened so they wouldn't tow my car away. I waited for AA for around 20 mins, they got my car started while I sat in my daughter in laws car and we were on our way. Not the best way to start the school holidays (I'm a teacher) or my lunch outing with family, but thanks to AA, it all worked out for the best. We moved our cars and had finally got to have lunch together."

Fredrick G. Saved in Auckland

"The day AA saved our morning!"

 

"My wife was supposed to drop the kids in the morning when our car wouldn't start. We called AA and the technician popped in within 35 minutes. Apparently he was in the vicinity finishing up with another client. Service was awesome. I found the technician to be very professional and quite helpful with the way he carried out his checks and also with his advice. Turns out my vehicle needed a new battery so the technician jumped started our vehicle and my wife could drop the kids off. I headed straight to Supercheap, bought a new battery and replaced it."

Anna B. Saved in Whanganui

"AA saved us in the middle of the night with a sleeping baby and preschooler!"

 

"We were driving very late at night between Taihape and Waiouru, on the way to a family event in Taupo. We had our 1 and 4 year old children sleeping in the back seat! The car started to make a strange clunking noise. Then all of a sudden, the accelerator wasn't working, and the motor sort of died. We managed to glide the last 200 metres down the slight rise into Waiouru, and made it the entrance of the petrol station. My husband pushed the car into the forecourt further as I called the AA. The agent quickly arranged to send someone from Taihape with a truck to collect the car and give us a spare car. The driver was such a help, very patient as we moved the kids and car seats etc. across to the other car. Our four year old woke up and was over the moon to watch our car being hoisted onto the truck bed! The driver was happy to take the car all the way back to Palmerston north and unload it at a local mechanic. We were so grateful to have had the option to call AA in a very tricky situation!"

Sarah A. Saved in Waikato

"AA saved us so we could play in the snow for our very first time."

 

"My family wanted to take my mum to the snow for her very first time. Her 60th birthday was this year, so we booked a place in Taupo and made the drive down from Auckland for the Queen's birthday long weekend. We enjoyed a few days exploring Taupo and our snow trip was planned for our last day. With 3 young children in tow and two cars behind us we woke up early and started the drive to Mount Whakapapa ski field. My car started to make a white noise and then smoke started to fill the back of the car. My son was very scared and was panicking, and my mum yelled to pull the car over and stop. We checked the car and couldn’t find out what was going on but every time we tried to get going, smoke would come back and the noise would stay. We finally decided to call AA and we packed the children into the other two family cars, we sent them off to the mountain so that we wouldn’t miss our ski lesson booking. My mum went too. I cried because I was going to miss my first snow experience myself and had looked forward for months to be a part of this day. Being stuck in the middle of nowhere, the AA lady on the phone was amazing, she calmed me and gave me so much information on when the AA truck would arrive. I started to think about what would happen with my car and how much it would cost me so the panic set in. Forty minutes later the AA van arrived and out popped a nice young man. He checked my car over and over and even got underneath it at one point to see what was going on. He jumped up and said I can’t see anything wrong. He said it may have been a piece of rubbish caught under the car causing the smoke and the noise. He reassured me that I should be okay to drive. He said he would follow behind me for a bit when we drove off to make sure I was okay. The car wasn't filling up with smoke anymore and the noise was gone. I was so thankful for both AA people I dealt with. I managed to make it to the mountain and experience the snow with my family. It was a great day!"

Bronwyn G. Saved in Canterbury

"AA towed our caravan to my niece's home, excellent service thank you from the bottom of my heart."

 

"My husband and I were travelling from Dunedin to West Melton in Christchurch. On the way we not only had one flat tyre but two flat tyres. It was a public holiday when it happened, we were about 15km from Ashburton. We had to wait hours on the road in the dark, nothing around. I had only been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Luckily, we had a portable toilet in the caravan. AA turned up to save the day with a trailer. He loaded the caravan onto the trailer. We went ahead of him to my niece's home. There were only 2 men covering Dunedin to Christchurch that day. We were very grateful and couldn't have praised him enough for turning up. Thank you so much AA. Thank goodness we had AA."

Laura K. Saved in Otago

"New Years Eve, cooked the car towing a trailer sailor yacht over the Lindis Pass."

 

"The AA, despite being rushed off their feet in Wanaka over New Year, kept us informed of progress even after we had a mate come and pick us up and tow us to the lake so we could sleep on the boat that night. They sorted everything out and we still got a magical few days out on a lake Wanaka with our kids, paddle boarding and watching karearea teaching their young to hunt live prey against a cliff face from the lake. Our kids will always remember this."

Tim B. Saved in Otago

"AA got us home from our holiday."

 

"We purchased a caravan which had been sitting for a long time at a caravan park. It looked fine as the tyres looked new still, with a fresh WOF on it. We towed it from Invercargill to Queenstown and with about 20 mins to go we pulled over and noticed one of the tyres had the wires sticked out. We put on the spare tyre and kept going. When we arrived at the camping ground the brakes had failed and the other tyre also had wires sticking out. We parked it up and had a good holiday not taking it anywhere. We rang AA to see what they could do and since we were an AA Plus Member they were able to send in a tow truck to get the caravan back home to our place! Was well worth having the AA membership and have always renewed it every year."

Claire V. Saved in Waikato

"AA helped us change a seized up tyre on a boat trailer in the middle of the night driving from Taupo to Auckland."

 

"My partner and I were driving our new boat from Taupo back up to Auckland when the trailer got a flat tyre on the highway in the middle of the night. We tried to change the tyre, but the nuts were rusted tight. AA came to our rescue and used a special machine to unseize the nuts to replace the tyre. We were very grateful as it was a sketchy area of highway to be stuck on the side of the road with trucks zooming past in the middle of the night. Thanks AA."

Mae H. Saved in Northland

"AA Rescue in the Middle of Nowhere."

 

"After more than 10 years of AA membership without ever needing roadside assistance, I was incredibly grateful to have AA on our side when we found ourselves stranded in the middle of nowhere during a holiday in the far North bush. We'd taken a detour down a remote gravel road to visit a hidden waterfall, well off the main highway and far from the nearest town or house. When we returned to our car, we discovered a completely flat tyre. Later, we found a sharp 5cm stone had pierced the tyre and snapped in half inside it. Unfortunately, our hybrid vehicle has no spare tyre, only a puncture repair kit, and the damage was far beyond what it could fix. To make matters worse, there was no cell phone reception, no other vehicles around, and nobody passing by. We had to walk along the gravel road until one of our phones finally picked up a single bar of signal. I managed to contact AA and describe our location as best I could, despite having no address, no landmarks, and only a rough description of the road and a nearby bridge. After making the call, we walked back to the car and waited, knowing AA wouldn't be able to contact us because there was no reception where we were stranded. About 30 minutes later, the AA tow truck appeared. To this day, I'm amazed they found us so quickly with the limited information we could provide. The driver safely towed our car to the nearest garage, quite some distance away. The story had a happy ending: the garage happened to have our tyre in stock, and we were able to continue our holiday with only a couple of hours' delay. What could have been a stressful and expensive ordeal became just a minor hiccup thanks to AA Roadside Rescue. I'll never forget the relief of seeing that tow truck arrive. Their ability to find us, help us when we had almost no way to communicate, and get us back on the road showed exactly why AA membership is worth having."

David V. Saved in Canterbury

"From hell to heaven."

 

"Left South Taranaki heading to Southland for our daughter's wedding towing our caravan. About an hour past Christchurch the engine blew. Rang AA to see what assistance we could get and was grateful that we upgraded our roadside assistance. We were stuck on the side of the road for a few hours but had constant calls to keep us informed on progress and just to check on us to see if we were ok. Eventually the tow truck arrived taking us, our car and caravan back to Christchurch where we were all safe and secure. A rental car was sorted for us and we organised family to collect our caravan, we arrived at the wedding in time. While we had use of the rental, we were able to find a new car to buy for the trip home. Happy to say without the help that we got things would have been very different and we are very grateful. The car that broke down was repaired and collected a few weeks later with a new engine and we still have it along with the replacement car, both insured with AA. A happy ending to a hell problem."

Caroline C. Saved in Auckland

"AA gave us the horse power to get back 300 km from equestrian camp."

 

"Towing two horses from Auckland to Taupo always has its challenges however this particular occasion rose to new heights. State Highway One was closed and so we were wiggling through the back roads up and down hills when they temperature gauge went off the scale. Breaking down with horses on board is a nightmare. With the radiator topped up we managed to limp to the Taupo Equestrian Centre where my daughter was participating in a development squad. It was clear we were not going to get home with the poor Prado. I managed to hire a Ute, no easy feat to find something with the right tow ball and ability to drive one way from Taupo to West Auckland. My Prado (with my mountain bike) was picked up by the AA and transported all the way back to West Auckland. AA Plus was worth every dollar. The cost of renting the Ute and transporting the Prado home was mostly covered. The AA Help Centre were brilliant and very supportive about the needs of horses! Thank you AA, and over 20 years of quite a few rescues I have always found your service superb!"

Tails on the road

A ruff lockout

“When two furry troublemakers locked me out, the AA didn’t just rescue my car - they rescued a very wet widow with kindness, speed and absolutely no judgement!”

Karyn F. Saved in Wellington

Read Karyn's Story
Jack Russell Terrier in car

Explore more stories

From everyday moments to unexpected situations, discover how AA Members were helped when it mattered.

Sally R. Saved in Canterbury

"Feeling safe and secure."

 

"My daughter goes to Uni in Christchurch - a completely different Island from where we live! She rang us stressed as her battery had gone flat - I reassured her all is ok she's an AA member! Sure enough - 15 mins later she had booked a call out, then got a brand new battery and was good to go."

Fraser M. Saved in Wellington

"AA got me sorted prompto for my golf tee time."

 

"It was a nice, crisp Sunday morning and I was going about my AM routine. Getting ready to carve up the course and make some putts when I got into my car and for some reason it wouldn't start up. Tried again, still no luck. Shouted out some profanity then thought ah yes I can call AA. So pulled out my membership card and yep they'll be there in 30mins which by my calculation was just enough time to get me there for my tee time. The AA replaced it and got the new battery going quick smart and I was on the road in no time, striping my drives and making my putts. If it wasn't for the AA, golf that day would've been non existent."

Wayne P. Saved in Bay of Plenty

"Locked my keys in the canopy of my own ute, thankfully, AA came to the rescue before I had to explain that to anyone!!"

 

"The day I locked myself out of my ute. You know that sinking feeling when you shut the canopy of your ute and suddenly realise your keys are sitting safely inside? Yep that was me... There I was, staring through the window at my keys, wondering how I had managed to outsmart myself. The ute was locked, the canopy was locked, and my keys were exactly where I didn't want them to be. After a brief moment of contemplating my life choices, I called the AA. Thankfully, the AA technician arrived, took one look at the situation and probably thought, another one of those days. A few minutes later, the canopy was open, my keys were back in my hand, and my dignity was slowly returning. It's nice to know that when you manage to lock your keys somewhere they really shouldn't be, AA are there to get you out of trouble. Thanks AA, you rescued me from my own stupidity!"

Anne M. Saved in Taranaki

"Thank goodness for the AA. It was a stressful enough morning without a dead car!"

 

"It was a sad weekend. We had taken my husband's ashes home for internment in the family plot. Fortunately I had arranged to collect the flowers an hour before we needed to be at the cemetery only to find I had a flat battery. Seems my grandaughter had gone back to get something from the car and not shut the door properly and it was like that overnight. Fortunately AA came and charged the battery. We just had time to collect the flowers and get to the cemetery for the service."

Carol K. Saved in Taranaki

"The relief of knowing I was not stranded with no body to help me."

 

"I was heading to the hospital to see the birth of my third grandchild, on the way I met with my son-in-law's parents to transfer other grand-children into my care - car refused to start - I was stuck and worried about the kids - rang AA and they signed me up right then and help appeared very quickly. I was a member prior to this and gave it away. I have been a member again for years and will never give it up no matter what. I also spread the word to my family and friends, don't wait to be in a bad situation, it's scary."

Jane S. Saved in Auckland

"I was so relieved to see the AA arrive - and thanks to their fast and efficient service, I managed to get to work in good time to deliver my presentation."

 

"I was driving along Oteha Valley Road some years ago when my car started overheating. I managed to limp it into a bus stop during rush hour traffic. I called my manager in tears and was upset that I may not make it in time to deliver a presentation to the team. The next call was to the AA who were very kind and calm and had a tow truck out to me very quickly. They dropped me and my sad car to the Torbay service station and from there I caught a taxi into work - and managed to get there in time to calm down and complete my presentation as planned. l was very grateful to the AA for their fast response when I needed it."

Stephanie S. Saved in Auckland

"Great service - very quick."

 

"Got the dreaded thud- thud- thud noise whilst in the fast lane. Put the hazard lights on, into left lane, nowhere to pull over... limped to side of motorway. Flat tyre. No spare. Was on the way to pick up kids! Have to be there on time! Rang AA, who sent tow truck within 20 mins. Saved my day."

Katie H. Saved in Auckland

"AA saved our Christmas, and made sure we got our presents there in time."

 

"Christmas Eve was going perfectly, right up until we managed to lock the car keys inside the car. Not normally the end of the world, except we were on our way to celebrate Christmas with the family and all the presents were locked inside too. So there we were, standing beside a car full of Christmas gifts we could see, but absolutely could not get to. Cue the AA Christmas rescue mission. They arrived, worked their magic and saved us from having to turn up to Christmas empty-handed with the excuse, "your presents are currently trapped in the car". Definitely not the Christmas Eve tradition we planned, but one we'll probably laugh about forever!"

Margo C. Saved in Northland

"So grateful to AA who helped me and a friend who were goin to our friends funeral in Towai Northland."

 

"We left Auckland to attend our friends funeral in Towai. I started having problems with my radiator over heating, starting of the Brenderwins. Stopped to put water in the radiator and kept going.  By the time I got to other side of Brendewins near turn off to Waipu it started  steaming, I knew I had done some damage to the motor. Rang AA and explained what had happened, they sent someone to check my car. Took them 1/2 hr to get to us, said we could not drive the car. I was very blessed to have full cover with AA so my car was towed back to Auckland to my garage, plus the tow truck gave us a ride to Whangarei to a car hire place. Because of my policy I was also able to hire car, attend our girl friends funeral, managed to drive all the way back to Auckland and left the hired car at Airport where the car hire place was and pick up from there. That is why I've been member with AA for many years, thanks to them for their services over the years, very grateful for their services."

Elaine R. Saved in Auckland

"My precious classic car was loaded onto an AA tow truck and delivered back home."

 

"I've been an AA member for over 50 years and I used to drive a beautiful 1957 Chevrolet Belair. It was the school ball season and I was driving 5 beautiful students in ball gowns to their event when I noticed my Chevvy's temperature gauge was creeping dangerously high... I had to pull over on the side of the road and the young ladies were able to squeeze into some other classic cars. I called AA to tell them my 1957 Chev had overheated and a special flat bed tow truck was promptly dispatched to my location. Pretty embarrassed to break down during an important mission and as a single female stranded at night I was relieved when the AA rescue driver carefully loaded my pride and joy on the back of the truck and brought us safely home. I'm still insured with AA and have had to use the call-out service several times over the years and they have never let me down. A membership fee that I'm happy to pay every year."

Christine G. Saved in North Otago

"I cannot believe how wonderful AA roadside service is."

 

"The cat accidently got locked in the car for the night and stood on the hazard light switch. When i went to start the car the next morning i realised i had a completely flat battery. I have no one else to help me and AA were there within 20 minutes, They are a life saver."

Sarah B. Saved in Wellington

"AA got me back into my car, ready to set off for my ferry departure, before I missed Christmas day and subsequently my birthday!"

 

"In the summer of, I believe 2021, I was getting ready to set off to the inter islander terminal to head home to the South Island for summer. It was Christmas Eve and Wellington was quiet - everyone had already departed for their summer away, including my brothers who I would normally call on for help. Due to work I couldn't leave until Christmas Eve so I packed up my car after work and headed off stopping at the gas station for some snacks on the way. Lo and behold with only an hour left till check in and the sun blazing I had locked the keys in my car in the forecourt. After a very brief panic I remembered my AA membership, that I had just renewed, and gave them a call. Within 15 minutes a friendly AA technician showed up, unlocked my car, wished me a Merry Christmas and I was back on the road. I managed to get to the ferry with time to spare and given I was a uni student at the time I was extremely grateful as I would not have been able to afford a new ferry ticket. By the end of the night I was back home in Christchurch ready for Christmas Day lunch the next day and also my birthday which happened to fall on the same day. AA really saved my summer that year and I have renewed my membership every year since!"

Ian M. Saved in Canterbury

"We were stuck, AA literally rescued us."

 

"A wheel which hadn't been securely attached when new tyre purchased came off our caravan. The caravan was then positioned so that I was unable to use a jack to use the spare wheel. Also the AA technician assessed that there was damage to the wheel hub making any use of a spare wheel unsafe. He arranged for a service to assist in transporting the caravan to a repair business. Very grateful for the assistance received."

Ian K. Saved in Otago

"AA came to the rescue up the skifield."

 

"On a weekend ski-trip with my teenage son and his friend. We were driving up Cadrona Skifield, and were almost at the top, when the radiator suddenly exploded with a HUGE bang spraying dirty brown water all over the windscreen. We limped another 50m up the road and pulled over into a bay off the side of the road. Luckily, my friends son was an AA member. We called the AA who came within the hour with a flat bed tow truck and took my car to the nearest garage in Wanaka. That's when I learned that an AA membership was attached to the person rather than the car. We still got to spend the day skiing, while the garage was working on replacing the radiator and we got the bus back down the mountain to Wanaka at the end of the day. The car was fixed the next day and we returned to Dunedin."

David H. Saved in Northland

"AA saved my wife's special weekend birthday road trip."

 

"My two daughters took my wife away on a surprise weekend road trip to celebrate her birthday. Their excitement soon turned to disappointment when, partway into the trip and deep in the far north, my daughter's car unexpectedly broke down with major transmission problems. Stuck a long way from home at the side of the road with a broken car, the weekend surprise was ruined. Or so it seemed. But my wife is an AA Plus member, and after a phone call, AA dispatched a truck to pick up my daughter's car and take it all the way back to her home. AA also arranged a rental car and provided an extra nights accommodation, and the surprise trip continued with more exploring and celebrating. And with no extra costs, thanks to AA Plus membership."

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