How many carry AAA?
I just got an offer for $60 a year for 2 people. Now on the surface that doesn't seem like much.
I have to wonder about the economics of it.
Case in point, my mom has carried AAA for the last 20yrs, and only used it 3 times, always for locking her keys in the car.
Me on the other hand have saved $1200 over the same time period.
What's your experience?
I have the 100mi tow version for me. Two old cars, it's nearly inevitable i'll be towed somewhere. I want enough coverage to get me home on most trips.
CAA ( here in Canada, same thing more or less) I've had it for well over 20 years also. I have used it a few times for myself, but mainly for the kids vehicle lately LOL I think its cheap insurance for the piece of mind it gives me. I have the upgraded version so it also covers my 30ft travel trailer as well.
I did have the Challenger flat bedded home , turned out to be a green death battery cable
I've had it for a long time and have used it from Hawaii to Florida. How well it works depends on where you are. Here in Florida their services are from good to really bad. Getting a tow truck takes up to 3 hours. I had a battery die on me once and they had a new one in my truck in 30 minutes at 2am. The second time I needed a battery they didn't send a AAA truck. The sent some contractor that didn't have a battery that would work in my truck ... Even though I gave AAA all the details on the battery I needed. Their wonderful guy they sent out shrugged his shoulders and said he couldn't help me and I should call AAA again and have my truck towed in to somewhere that had the right battery. After all it was free. Three hours later a tow truck came.
:Thud:
Quote from: Katfish on February 07, 2018, 06:48:13 PM
Case in point, my mom has carried AAA for the last 20yrs, and only used it 3 times, always for locking her keys in the car.
Me on the other hand have saved $1200 over the same time period.
What's your experience?
:iagree:
I have AAA on all my rental homes so I have to be a member. My Honda Odyssey doesnt have a spare tire (not joking) so I acutally like the piece of mind. I would say no, but in my case its a perfect fit. Went 20 years without it and never needed it. Been a member for 2 years, never used it.
AAA would go broke if everyone who had it used it as much as me. I have car issues every year and have been a member for 25 years.
I have it for all my family members......gives me piece of mind if they are out of town without me.
I don't have it for myself or my wife. We have purchased for our kids who are far far away from dad's toolbox and jumper cables. Keys locked inside and dead batteries have been the main issues.
20+ year member as well.....used it a couple of times in the past 10 years.....used to use it for free maps and triptics but don't do that anymore, also use them once and awhile to book travel and I try to use their discounts at various places in town....
A customer of mine used his to flat deck his 70 Road Runner shell home from my place :huh: not sure how they wrote that up :looney: :haha:
Quote from: anlauto on February 08, 2018, 04:08:37 AM
20+ year member as well.....used it a couple of times in the past 10 years.....used to use it for free maps and triptics but don't do that anymore, also use them once and awhile to book travel and I try to use their discounts at various places in town....
A customer of mine used his to flat deck his 70 Road Runner shell home from my place :huh: not sure how they wrote that up :looney: :haha:
Back in the day they never worked on the cars you just needed to prove the car couldn't run. I towed many cars for free.
When I built a buddies Nissan 240 Race car we used CAA to tow it anywhere we couldn't do in house. Alignments, Exhaust shop, etc... On my First Challenger I just swapped around the spark plug wires and got a couple of free tows.
I don't really do that anymore and my insurance offers me free tows on the challenger so I cancelled my membership.
I have the 100+ mile tow plan also and had it for 20 years. Never needed a tow but did need a jump in my work van at a customers house. You can also use it if you are a passenger in someones elses car. It doesn't bother me that I haven't used it much, in fact I'm happy, kinda like having a fire extinguisher. Good to have and hope I never need it.
I understand the piece of mind aspect, just not sure it makes financial sense. I would never call for gas, locked keys, flat tire or battery, so that leaves towing for a major breakdown. How much could that cost, $300-$400?
So I don't see paying $60 a year (only 5 miles towing at that rate) in that it might save me $250.
I also have AAA with the 100 mi + tow program. Don't forget about hotel, travel, and even recreation discounts too!
Quote from: Katfish on February 08, 2018, 07:02:51 AM
I understand the piece of mind aspect, just not sure it makes financial sense. I would never call for gas, locked keys, flat tire or battery, so that leaves towing for a major breakdown. How much could that cost, $300-$400?
So I don't see paying $60 a year (only 5 miles towing at that rate) in that it might save me $250.
Well you could say that about a lot of things....Do you have car or house insurance you've never made a claim on ?
Knock on wood....I've paid car insurance for 35 years and only ever claimed one windshield.... :looney:
Quote from: Katfish on February 08, 2018, 07:02:51 AM
I understand the piece of mind aspect, just not sure it makes financial sense. I would never call for gas, locked keys, flat tire or battery, so that leaves towing for a major breakdown. How much could that cost, $300-$400?
So I don't see paying $60 a year (only 5 miles towing at that rate) in that it might save me $250.
Murphys Law dictates that if you need a tow, it will happen at the most inopportune time and place and a reputable towing company will be tough to find. Having a reliable service one call away at anytime/place is worth it to me. They will also send a flat bed if you request, something that might be hard to find in a pinch. At 60 per year, that's 5 dollars a month, pretty good bargain IMO. Re-gift the second membership to a loved one. Unless you carry a jump box, every time and in full charge, why do you feel you'd never need even a jump?
We've had AAA Platinum Plus for over 35 years, yes there are times it doesn't get used for a few years but when it does it more than makes up for it.... A few years back we had 8 cars out on a cruise out Hwy 88.. Up near Kirkwood Ski Resort one of the cars had a valve train failure.... 140 miles from home.... We called AAA & went back to the little diner to wait, we had lunch & just as we were finishing up the tow truck arrived.... Loaded the car & dropped it back home... Total cost? We kicked the driver $20 & told him to buy himself lunch... Driver said without AAA it was about a $500 tow.... Guess that pays for about 6 years worth of coverage.... Last year on the way to Spring Fling I had a failure of the fuel injection on my vert.... AAA to the rescue.. Only a 75 mile tow but still..
Have had AAA for about 8 years now. Used it twice for a tow. I have the 100 mile plan. To me it's worth the piece of mind.
And as mentioned above you get discounts on travel and other stuff.
I HAD (past tense) AAA since 1992 until about a year ago. The little discounts on some hotels, the occasional road side service, it was worth it. But the last 2 times I need road side assistance, they were worthless. We were near Sacramento with a buddies trailer and had a blow out, but since we were towing a trailer, we were a commercial vehicle and they would not come out. Fast forward 5 or so years... I was out in a small town in Oregon and my battery died. At first, it was going to be an hour. About 20 minutes into that hour, they called back and said it was going to be 2-3 hours before I would see a truck.
A sweet farm family stopped, jumped my car and I was on my way. I told AAA to suck it and never looked back.
I've had AAA for way longer than I will admit too. That being said some years ago my Lincoln died in an intersection in Chicago on a Friday night. In a blizzard. Yes it was a BIG PITA... but they got my car back to Milwaukee. Plus being on the road allot .... just in case PINKY has an issue... worth every penny....
I have had it for years. Used a few times and the peace of mind is a factor.
An old saying, Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. :cheers:
Bargain priced peace of mind.
Used towing services multiple times over the last 20 years. :perfect10:
This month starts my 35th year (AAA+), always for tows with the farthest being 80 miles. I just consider it inexpensive insurance.
Quote from: RusTy/SE on February 10, 2018, 10:33:57 AM
This month starts my 35th year (AAA+), always for tows with the farthest being 80 miles. I just consider it inexpensive insurance.
This is my issue with AAA, it's the exact opposite of cheap insurance.
Someone asked why have car or auto insurance, it's simple math.
I pay $1000 car insurance to protect myself against $100k liability, 1% cost premium.
I pay $1000 home insurance to protect $200k loss, 0.5% premium cost.
Why pay $100 to protect against a $500 dollar loss? 20% premium!
Joined in 1973 when I bought my first car a 1967 GTX and have had it ever since. Don't use it every year but I look at at the same as I look at carry a concealed gun. It is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it !!
JS27
Well worth that peace of mind.
AAA has gotten me out of some tight jams.