AAA Auto club, Is it Worth it?

[JB4310]

Was thinking of joining triple A mostly for the discounts from Retailers or lodging etc.

Napa gives 10% off for AAA members, I probably spend enough there to justify it.

It's 80 bucks now! I already have road side assistance through my auto insurance company which covers every car, AAA only covers the member and they car they are in.

I've seen people stuck on the side of the road for hours waiting for triple A.

Any thought and opinions.

Thanks, JB

 

[yooper1]

I pay $6 every 6 mos for road side service and it is for any car I drive.

I also have a free road service plan from my new trailer that will cover any problems with the trailer and any towing vehicle.

Of course the problems covered are the usual flat tire, out of gas, stuck, lock outs, and break down towing. It also has something for motel deals .
(and we have to remember that often the wrecker / service guy will charge you on the spot and then you submit the slip for reimbursement while some may bill your insuarnce or plan carrier direct)

so my $12 a year trumps the $80 AAA price.

I do not do enough business with the places AAA have agreements with to justify AAA

...and just a side note....if you have a favorite NAPA, get to know the counter guys and or manager, and maybe open a free account with them and you will probably often get the 10% off on most stuff.

Not all accounts have to be charge accounts. I was an outside salesman for an auto parts store here and we had many many accounts set up cash. This way it allowed every counter person to get the exact price for the customer without one saying I can give you x while the next counter guy said I can give you y

 

[robs660]

Very much worth it. I had my truck towed 185 miles back to a dealership for free. Also had keys that were locked in a co workers car unlocked and my mother had her battery jumped after it lost voltage at the mall. The discounts are great s well.

 

[CHDinCT]

We had AAA for years. A few months back, my wife's car needed to be flatbeded or towed to the dealer about 15 miles away. That's when I found out my AAA membership covered free towing for only 5 miles. Thank goodness my auto insurance included roadside assistance. We never did make much use of the AAA discounts, so we dropped it this year. I guess you can get a higher level membership that includes towing for longer distances. I think our membership was the $79 ish plan.

 

[JB4310]

Yup, pros and cons I see.

Yooper I will ask them at napa to set me up as an account, I am a contractor and have accounts with many supply houses. I've got 5 vehicles now and another coming soon, with 4 drivers in the family and another in 2 years :confused2:
I'll be living under these cars.

I have taken advantage of their discounts with out even being a member, by just saying I am a member. but napa wants proof.

JB

 

[charlz]

We had the next level up from the basic AAA coverage for longer towing distances. My wife wanted it and we really just had it for her in case she ever broke down while traveling alone or with the kids. She mostly used it to get locks popped for customers who locked themselves out of their cars when she worked at a couple of credit unions. I did use the towing a few times; the wait wasn't any longer than if you called the tow company yourself (45mins-1hr). Once when her battery died I just had them tow it home... I was working from home so it was easier to just have them bring the car to me than me run all over to get the bad battery, buy a new one, go back and install etc etc. We recently got an RV and all the experiences that I read said AAA doesn't know how to handle RV problems (Sending too small of tow trucks etc) so I switched to CoachNet which also supports all the cars you drive etc. Have not had to use CoachNet for anything yet.

 

[Cat_Driver]

Stay a couple nights a year in motels/hotels and the discount alone pays for the card. let alone other discounts at theme parks, events, stores, etc.

 

[joemd11]

We had AAA for ten years and just dropped them this year. Just couldn't justify the yearly membership. Tried using them a few times for dead batteries and I was on hold and just gave up waiting for them. Seems it is just better to call a tow truck yourself and cut out the middle man(AAA).

 

[Bird]

We never joined AAA until we moved back to town 9 years ago. I bought the basic membership just in case my wife had a car problem in the city; $79 a year for both of us. And it covers any car that one of us are in. But then later, AAA offered their auto insurance at lower rates than I'd been paying, so we did that. And when we bought this house a little over 6 years ago, their homeowners insurance was the best deal I found. So we're all the way with Triple A.:laughing:

Yep, the basic towing is only for 3 miles. I've thought about upgrading, but just can't see it was worth it to us. I've had one car towed in my life, so if I have to pay a towing charge someday, so be it.

I have called AAA once when I had one that wouldn't start and thought it might be more serious than just a dead battery; suspected it might need towing. However, it turned out to only be the battery so the wrecker driver had one of those booster batteries that started it. I called one other time for a flat tire; just decided to let them do it instead of me doing it. Both times, they responded pretty promptly. No charge, no paperwork; just asked to see my AAA membership card.

There are AAA offices fairly close to us, and I've used their free (to members) notary a few times.

As for the discounts; probably a good deal, but I don't think I've used them. Nearly any place I could have used the AAA discount also gave the same discount to AARP members and we're members of both.:laughing:

 

[jinman]

We carry a laptop on trips. We pull up outside a motel where we'd like to stay and use their internet connection to make a reservation. If we can't get in that way, we go to McDonalds and use thier WIFI. In most instances, the "Internet Only" rate is better or as good as AAA or AARP. That's true at Best Western motels at least. I"ve made several reservations in the motel parking lot and then walked in to the desk and given them my reservaton number.

 

[Bird]

We carry a laptop on trips. We pull up outside a motel where we'd like to stay and use their internet connection to make a reservation. If we can't get in that way, we go to McDonalds and use thier WIFI. In most instances, the "Internet Only" rate is better or as good as AAA or AARP. That's true at Best Western motels at least. I"ve made several reservations in the motel parking lot and then walked in to the desk and given them my reservaton number.

I'd never thought about that. Of course I don't have a laptop, but I understand about the Internet rates being better. When we go to West Virginia, there's a Days Inn there that we like and I always make our reservations online before we leave home.

I guess one of these days, I'm gonna have to get a wireless laptop.:laughing:

 

[jonyyuma]

We are dropping the AAA this year due to their increase in rates, pull for free first 5 miles , and the long waits for assistance. We make our hotel arrang. by internet too..

 

[JB4310]

We carry a laptop on trips. We pull up outside a motel where we'd like to stay and use their internet connection to make a reservation. If we can't get in that way, we go to McDonalds and use thier WIFI. In most instances, the "Internet Only" rate is better or as good as AAA or AARP. That's true at Best Western motels at least. I"ve made several reservations in the motel parking lot and then walked in to the desk and given them my reservaton number.

Some one just told me the other day they do all their shopping on line, then just walk in the store with the quotes to get the best prices.
They said that the is best way to get the cheapest prices on tires from the Town Fair Tire franchise, instead of playing cat and mouse with the salespeople.
Supposedly they will match other online discounters, where as if you walk in the store they will not.

I just came back from Napa and the manager said depending on my volume, it looks like AAA would be a better discount than having a cash account, but he encouraged me to fill out an application anyway, he said maybe they can "do something" for me.
Bought a battery today for $120. so that would of been 12 bucks saved right there.

JB

 

[Sutol]

Our British AA covers you and car you happen to be friving in or even if you are just passenger the car is covered.

They are rerliable most of the time but I'm better


Towed this AA breakdown van 250 miles with the V8 Land Rover

 

[forgeblast]

I had to get it. Before I ripped up the rail road ties that lined the driveway(previous owner put them in) my wife would back up and be hung up on them once a month. Took a tow truck to pull her off...but she swears she doesnt have a lead foot...

 

[brokenknee]

I don't think it is worth it. At 79$ a year you would have to use it a least once every three years just to break even. Not all tow companies are AAA so you may have to wait a long time to get a tow or jump in bad weather. Not sure how the discounts would factor into this, but I don't travel much so it doesn't matter.

I believe AAA only covers three calls a year, after that you are on your own. As already stated the basic plan only covers hook up and I think five miles, after that you pay by the mile. You can upgrade at an additional cost.

I pay 6$ every six months per car for reasonable towing. I have used it twice in ten years, I pay the tow, email a copy to my insurance agent, have the check in just a couple of days. Both times, once my car and once my truck had to be towed over twenty miles, they did consider that reasonable.

To me it is not worth it.

 

[Kioti guy]

I'm Canadian so my AAA is actually CAA ,My wife and I have one of the upgraded versions that will tow me 300 km (180 miles+-) I have a 50 mile one way commute and do a lot of traveling throughout the year as well. Due to my long commute I am usually driving higher mileage/ older vehicles ,

 

[Kioti guy]

I can usually depend on one of my vehicles to break down at least once a year, and around here a 100 mile tow could be $300 plus. I have had the policy for over 15 years and I don't ever remember feeling like I didn't get my money's worth.....Craig

 

[Bird]

I don't think it is worth it. At 79$ a year you would have to use it a least once every three years just to break even. Not all tow companies are AAA so you may have to wait a long time to get a tow or jump in bad weather. Not sure how the discounts would factor into this, but I don't travel much so it doesn't matter.

I believe AAA only covers three calls a year, after that you are on your own. As already stated the basic plan only covers hook up and I think five miles, after that you pay by the mile. You can upgrade at an additional cost.

I pay 6$ every six months per car for reasonable towing. I have used it twice in ten years, I pay the tow, email a copy to my insurance agent, have the check in just a couple of days. Both times, once my car and once my truck had to be towed over twenty miles, they did consider that reasonable.

To me it is not worth it.

I can certainly understand it not being worth it for some. In fact, I didn't buy it myself until the last 9 years. But of course to have their auto insurance and/or homeowners insurance, you have to be a member, and so far I've not been able to beat their insurance. The other thing is that if we needed any of the AAA auto club assistance we just have one number to call. My wife would have no idea who to call if she needed a tire changed, or needed a tow.

So, as with many (or maybe most) products, it's good for some; not worth it for others.

 

[OneMan]

We had AAA for years. A few months back, my wife's car needed to be flatbeded or towed to the dealer about 15 miles away. That's when I found out my AAA membership covered free towing for only 5 miles. Thank goodness my auto insurance included roadside assistance. We never did make much use of the AAA discounts, so we dropped it this year. I guess you can get a higher level membership that includes towing for longer distances. I think our membership was the $79 ish plan.

What plan do you have? I get towed 100 miles free from point of breakdown and if it is out of town, I get one nights motel stay free. My plan also covers any vehicle I own (and I own 3) and I have used it in over 9 states now without any problems. I have even had them come to my home and tow my vehicle to the dealers or other garage for free.
How did you get 5 miles total towing?