I’ve always had it, I think my father got it for me when I first started driving, and I’ve just held onto it mindlessly ever since. I have utilized it for being towed, hotel discounts, etc. at various times since I was a kid, but I have no idea if it’s been cost effective, never really added it up. It’s more of a peace of mind kinda thing, I guess.
I did learn recently that some auto insurance companies factor in the number of times you utilize their roadside assistance into the rate they charge you, crazy as that sounds, so something else to factor in.
Been a member going on 10 years now, and have since added my daughter to it. I got for her in case I wasn’t able to get to her if the car broke down while she was driving.
In that time I’ve saved decent money on several hotels, vacations and restaurants.
I’ve (or the ex) had to use their tow service three times, and had them unlock a door once (keys locked inside), and a jump once.
Also in RI (other states may vary), you can renew your driver’s license with them - no long lines to wait.
So for me, yes they are more than worth the cost of yearly membership.
I agree that you don’t buy insurance for stuff you can afford, but to me the discounts are worth it, as well as being able to call one number anywhere to deal with a problem. Before I had AAA my blower stuck “on” overnight draining the battery while I was in St. Louis. It took most of a morning calling about a half dozen numbers in the yellow pages before I could get someone to come out and jump start it.
Maybe, though depending on one’s age, AARP has similar discounts.
Like some others have mentioned, AAA may not get used often, but it’s tremendously helpful when you do need it.
Our uses that I can recall:
- Unlocked car when I accidentally locked the keys in it on our honeymoon (“AAA saved our marriage!”)
- Jumpstarted Typo Knig’s old car when the battery died (older Hondas didn’t have that chime that says “Dumbass, you forgot to turn off the headlights”).
- 3-4 separate tire-changing sessions (though on 2 of those occasions someone else happened along and helped me before AAA got there; yes, I did try to change the tire myself but lacked the physical strength)
- Two jumpstarts on my current car (like an eedjit, I didn’t replace the battery after the first time; I did after the second!!).
- Unlocked my brother’s car when he locked the keys in it while visiting us (he subsequently joined it himself)
- And the most famous in our household: they have a deal with CAA.
On the Canada occasion: we’d pulled our Dodge Caravan (this is relevant, trust me) into the parking lot at a restaurant near Niagara Falls, meeting up with a bunch of folks we knew from an email list. I started walking in with the kids while my husband got the car locked up etc. He suddenly came chasing after me, to tell me the car was making weird noises and suddenly wouldn’t restart. So I sent the kids on into the restaurant with a group of “strangers” (well, some I’d met in real life before, others I’d “just” been corresponding with for 10 years, but that isn’t nearly as funny sounding), then I rejoined my husband to try to deal with the car.
We called AAA, they connected us with CAA, and meantime we tried to Do Things like pulling / replacing fuses to see what made the noises stop. The car sounded like every single chime / warning sound was trying to go off at the same time, but half-heartedly as though they had low power. Nothing we could do got the car to start.
Then I looked toward the front of the parking lot (we were waaaaay in the back), and saw a CAA truck pull in and stop. I was terrified they were going to look, not see us, and decide they might as well leave since we had disappeared, so I took off running for the front of the lot, waving and hollering.
Only… he was there for another call. Another American-owned Dodge Caravan. In the same parking lot. Two for the price of one??? He got the dispatch call for our breakdown while he was working on the other car.
We got lucky: he was able to get our car restarted by cleaning off the battery terminals, and shortening one of the attachment wires a bit (it had corroded and wasn’t connecting). The other car, not so much - they wound up being stuck. Poor folks.
One of the older uses (the tourbooks and trip-tik map service) has largely been replaced by use of the internet though it can still be nice to have the tourbooks for offline browsing.
Another vote for yes.
I’ve used their services a half dozen times over the years. If you break down in BFE you may have no idea where to get emergency road services.
My AAA has 3 numbers; in town, in state, and national. All 3 numbers are programmed in my phone. It offers peace of mind.
Sadly, our AAA has paid for itself each year just for the roadside services, but even if we were luckier on the road, AAA would be worth it for all the other perks. Discounts on prescriptions and eyeglasses not covered by insurance! Notary services!
Anyone remember the Triptiks, or however they were spelled? Not necessary anymore what with GPS and googlemaps, but getting those long, spiral-bound maps was just invaluable for road trips back in the day.
I was a member for years when I was shuttling kids around all the time. In addition to using RA a few times for dead batteries, I saved several hundred bucks on hotels throughout the years. I also saved $50 off their Driver’s Education courses x 2 kids. FYI, in addition to hotels, you can get discounts at Lenscrafters, and local zoos and museums. You just have to poke around on their website. BTW, I’ve never found good car rental rates with them.
Back in 2010, I dropped AAA because our insurance offered complimentary RA coverage. But earlier this school year, when I saw that I could save $20 or $30 off the best 2 hotels in my daughter’s college town, I went online to renew. But after experiencing technical issues, I just gave up.
However, just yesterday I happened to receive in the mail an offer to renew. It said that the offer was good for former members only, and the rate was $60/year for me + 2 additional people in my household. Since my daughters are still living with me, I decided to renew.
Oh, and FYI, AAA coverage follows the person, even if they’re a passenger. I always thought that I was cheating if I called for a friend, but apparently that’s not the case.
I definitely use it; twice in the last year for roadside towing service, and at least ten nights of hotel discounts. I also get it for my daughter in college, who just last week used it when her car battery died on a frigid night.
I put a lot of miles on my cars each year and it’s good for the peace of mind. I like having the 1-800 number to call and letting them find the closest tow or repair shop.
Over the years between the handful of tows, a tire change and discounts I have gotten, AAA has paid for itself for many years to come. I renew every year.
Another vote for checking with your current auto insurer for some kind of towing or roadside assistance coverage. Mine is $27 a year for 2 cars. I’ve used it for flat tires, dead batteries, and keys locked in my car.
If you’re iffy about signing up from AAA, just keep their 800 number in your wallet. You can sign up at any time and your membership is immediately valid. This way if you find yourself needing a tow, you can call and start your membership at that time.
Last summer in a scorching hot 100 plus degree parking lot my battery died. They came out, gave me a bottle of water and I sat in the shade while they replaced my battery at a price comparable to an auto store and had me on my way in less than an hour. To me that’s worth it to not have to bother a friend or relative to stop what they are doing, come give me a jump and follow me to a auto parts store to make sure they have the correct battery in stock.
Also, if you buy a battery from them, they install it and guarantee it (IIRC for the life of the vehicle) and they’ll come to your house (or wherever the car is) and replace it for nothing if it dies. We actually utilized that service once, not that long ago.
I’ve had AAA for I don’t know how long. Among other things I have a second dental insurance policy through them that has paid off several times over. Also, as mentioned above, the membership is for the person, not the car, so it applies to anything you want service for. I’ve often had cars towed that could have been driven to a garage for repairs, but it was just easier to call AAA. You can have any car towed (even someone elses) as long as it is registered. And if you know the local operators even registration can be ignored.
AAA has gotten my family out of some tough situations. One time we were travelling across the country and our vehicle broke down in Montana. We called AAA and were at an auto shop within an hour. This was before smart phones so we wouldn’t have been able to find a local tow company, and we would’ve had to pay it as well.
AAA was able to find an insurance deal with a local agency that was HALF what Farmers was charging us (freaking thieves, we’d been with the company for over 35 years and they were WAY overcharging us).
The peace of mind and insurance savings are more than worth it for us, but add in the discounts and I feel like I’m taking advantage of them.
Tripolar, would you elaborate on the secondary dental insurance?? I had no idea they offered this. My primary insurance isn’t great so I’m very interested…
It’s offered through AAA of Southern New England. I don’t know if it’s available nationwide. I think I’m paying $44 a month now, but with my teeth it’s worth it. It’s a Delta Dental policy, I have another one from my wife’s job, so this ends up covering 100% on a lot of things, and pays some prosthetic costs my wife’s policy wouldn’t cover.
Well, yes and no. I called in mid-October last year to get my car towed after I broke down on the way home from work. They told me my card had expired, but I could renew it immediately, and be eligible for my tow. Goody, quite accidentally I had brought my credit card, so I was ready for action! "Very good, mr. harry…do you have access to go online? No? Well, eff off till you can renew online! Have a good night!’
We still use the Triptiks. They tell you where highway construction is and the best routes to avoid it, plus they give you interesting facts about each town and region. I would rather use a TripTik than deal with GPS or Google Maps any day.