3 Cheers for AAA, Brick-Howell Towing and PepBoys of Howell, NJ
It's a Thursday night and I am to meet a group for a meeting. The snow and sleet are being blown by 30+mph gusts and we're all a bit surprised the meeting is not postponed, but driving isn't really that bad (apparently everybody else was smart enough to hide indoors!) One of those in in the group is my daughter, Heather.
As I wait, Heather
calls me. She's hit a pot hole and blown a tire. Imagine that - a pot hole in Monmouth County, NJ! Anyway she found one. Fortunately she's able to get to a parking lot and is safely out of traffic. I am only a few minutes away, so I head up to change the tire (like a good dad does). As we're trying to sort it out, we realize there are locks holding the wheels on. Neither of us had realized and a frantic search for the key was fruitless. Now what??
We call AAA and the call taker is pleasant and accommodating. We're figuring on a night like this, we'll be waiting for a while, but about 15 minutes later the AAA Road Mechanicarrives to change the tire. He, too, is pleasant and accommodating as the sleet & snow are driven into us. He understands about the wheel lock (we're apparently not the 1st to be keyless) and will give it his best try. The stress lowers a bit. Unfortunately, he cannot get the tire off with the tools he has, so he needs to call us a tow truck. Not a problem, but more waiting. And where do we take it too?
While we waited for the tow truck, we figured out that Heather had bought the tires at PepBoys in Howell, 
NJ. They never had asked for a wheel nut key so perhaps they can handle it. When the tow truck ( from Brick-Howell Towing) gets there, he too is very pleasant & accommodating. Getting the car to PepBoys is not a problem for him and the cost is all covered by AAA.
We get to PepBoysat about 7:30pm. They actually are still open, but not many people are still there (most people are smart enough to stay or go home in this kind of weather). PepBoys can handle it tomorrow. We don't have the receipt for the tires, but the service writer finds the information on the sale (8 months prior) in their computer and states the tires should be covered by a road hazard warranty. Wow. Hadn't thought about that! We leave the car, get another for Heather to borrow and we go our separate ways.
The following morning, Heather gets the good news that the tire was covered by the road hazard warranty. All together, getting the new tire cost her about $60. While it does cost to have the AAA and Road Hazard coverage, it's pretty nice when it all works out like it should.
So many times being stranded turns into a nightmare. This time was different. The way all involved treated us and did their jobs was absolutely wonderful. Hip Hip Hooray!!
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