I tried to search on this, but AAA is under the search limit.
I got my renewal for AAA, and it’s $60. I’ve used their lock-out service once in 3 years, and I’ve gotten a few maps and traveller’s checks. Probably not ahead in cost, which is making me possibly reconsider.
So do you think it’s worth it to have AAA? And if you don’t have it, how do you find someone to do things like open a locked car?
You pay per incident, which can be a lot more than $60.
The two big advantages of AAA is peace of mind (you don’t have to worry about the cost of towing if you break down) and great travel maps.
A couple of times, I needed to call AAA to be towed; it was useful to have both a place to call and the knowledge that it would not cost you anything extra.
We’ve been members for years. We’ve had to call them on four occasions that I recall, including a flat tire with particularly stubborn lugnuts and keys accidentally locked in a running vehicle. And now that my van has quite a few miles on the odometer, it’s peace of mind to know I can call for help.
I look upon it as cheap insurance.
I’ve had AAA for years. In the last year, I’ve had to call them twice for tows, but before that I hadn’t called them in years. My insurance company offers tow reimbursement for an additional fee, but frankly I prefer AAA because I don’t have to hassle with filing a claim. I do a lot of driving myself, and my car is getting old, so to me it’s worth it for peace-of-mind and minimal hassles.
I forgot to mention - I have our auto insurance and house insurance thru AAA - it’s lots cheaper than other places I shopped.
I’ve been a AAA member for 43 years. And I’m only 37. My parents got a card in 1960 and when I first joined I was on their card.
I use AAA because even though I’m male and should be able to change a tire, I don’t like to do it and I know the AAA guys can do it in about 3 minutes when it would take me 30.
You do have to hold your nose about their politics if you are an environmentalist however. AAA loves to lobby for freeway construction projects.
I have an absent-minded tendency to lock my keys in my car. Once I managed to lock my keys in my car and my wife’s keys in her car… at the same time… and car was running.
I’ve found that AAA can pay for itself easily if you’ve got problems like me.
Now, what pocket did I leave that soap in?
One thing to consider: if all you ever expect to use AAA for is towing, ask your auto insurance agent about towing insurance. It’s a lot cheaper than a AAA membership, though it does require that you pay up front, then get reimbursed.
I recently rejoined AAA. My truck is getting old and starting to make odd rattling noises, and when I drive long-distance I usually rent a car. AAA offers BIG discounts on renting cars, plus I like knowing that no matter where I am, if I’ve got my cell phone I can get a tow or some gas or lock-out service at no charge. Also I’m going to check into their insurance plans when my current insurance is up for renewal; I’m over 25 with a spotless driving record, but if I can get it even cheaper than it is now, I’ll take it.
And I love maps, which they will send you for free. 
AAA gets you discounts at non automoble places, such as Lens Crafters. I’m sure there are others too. When booking h/motels on line I’ve gotten a rather good discounts.
My AAA membership actually paid for itself in a discount at a local framing shop, of all things (it was a colossal frame !).
I have a 38-year-old Ford Mustang as my daily commuting car, and I’ve never used AAA to tow or mend it. But I’m far happier knowing I can call them if I need to.
AAA would be a bargain at a higher price. As was mentioned, they also do insurance, trip planning, etc… (AAA auto insurance is not cheap, but their claims service is really, really good)
They also handle DMV things on your behalf. Vehicle registration can be handled through them. No waiting at the DMV!
My family has used AAA for years, I can remember many tows, lock outs and hundreds of route-specific maps over the years.
It is very worth it for us.
AAA saved my life. No, wait. That was AA. AAA has towed me a few times, and overall has been worthwhile. But AA has been better for me. YMMV 
I actually have a horror story to tell, about how AAA cost me a car a few years ago. My '86 Toyota got a flat while I was crossing Manhattan, I phoned them up, and a kid in a tow truck came and promptly announced that my lug nuts were rusted solid and he would have to tow me to the garage where a machine could get them loose. So we towed it, but after I got there, I learned that the machine would cost several hundred dollars, payable in cash (no checks, no credit cards). I considered getting the car towed out to where I live, several miles away, but computed the towing charge and the fee I’d have to pay to my garage for changing the tire would amount to close to the few hundred, so I (very foolishly) got the cash out of a nearby ATM. BUT–
on the way back home, the transmission started acting up, and when I took the car into my garaqe, my mechanic told me that it was completely shot, not worth repairing. (I had never had any tranmission trouble with the car in 13 years.) So I sold it for a pittance the next week. Coincidence or sabotage? I’ll never know for sure.
I also tried to tell AAA how incredibly badly their garage (Elite on 116th and the FDR) had botched a simple flat tire, and they finally refused to believe my story. Elite still operates as an official AAA garage in Manhattan.
eenerms is dead on. I’ve never (well, only once) ever used my AAA membership for towing. But I saved over $100 on my glasses, over $200 on hotel stays, and got other assorted good deals on stuff based on my membership. Getting travellers’ checks at AAA was a bonus, too. The money I saved on my glasses alone paid for more than a year’s membership.
I’ve had AAA for years; IMO it’s a great investment. Even when I haven’t needed emergency help, the discounts and associated services have paid off, e.g. maps, passport photos, guidebooks, etc.
And it’s great peace of mind. No matter where I am, help is only a phone call away. Example: several years back our car got stuck while we were on a camping trip. It happened in pouring rain, in an obscure state park nobody but one ranger and a few raccoons had ever heard of. The Ex slid the car down a steep embankment; the car sank to the axles in mud. Such fun, I tell ya.
I hiked back to the sole public phone, called the AAA 800 number and in 45 minutes their tow truck had the car winched back up onto the road. In the rain, in the dark, in Godforsaken Bumfoozle State Forest. Pretty impressive.
Veb
As soon as I got my license I signed up with AAA. Not only does it give me that extra piece of mind – 'cause let’s face it, if my beloved Accord breaks down, the less I have to freak out about the better – but I saved a metric assload of cash at Lens Crafters, and get some pretty good discounts at Amtrak and several museums too.
It’s like, I have jumper cables and an emergency hammer and such in my car. Even if I don’t use them (I did lend a customer the cables to jump his car), I’m glad to know they’re there.
Not only is it well worth the $60 renewal fee, but you should seriously consider paying the extra $30 or so to upgrade to AAA-Plus. With AAA-Plus, instead of being towed to the nearest know-nothing gas station (ref. pseudotriton ruber ruber’s horror story), you can direct the tow truck to take your car to the mechanic of your choice up to 100 miles at no extra cost. Once you find a good mechanic, you don’t want anyone else messing with your car, and even if you never need a tow, the $90/year is well worth the peace of mind, not to mention all the great maps, tour books, triptiks, car insurance, travel agency, notary. tag and title transfer service, etc. etc.
I use AAA. Once I had to call them to change my tire in FREEZING RAIN in the NJ Turnpike at 11 PM on a Friday night when I was driving home from the airport from a business trip to Europe.
Well worth the fee.