# Is AAA worth it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 27, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-aaa-worth-it/151294 "2003-01-27T18:42:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-aaa-worth-it/151294/21 "2003-02-01T05:42:07Z")
Another bonus…inexpensive International Driver’s license. There are some contries where you cannot rent a car with out one. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-aaa-worth-it/151294/22 "2003-02-01T12:55:41Z")
AAA is 100% completely worth it. My wife and I had a rental car and were visiting the Tuzigoot ruins out in middle-of-nowhere Arizona and we locked the keys in the car. This place didn’t even have a payphone (we had to use the park ranger’s one landline). AAA was there in 45 minutes. Absolutely freaking incredible. Will never let my membership expire. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-aaa-worth-it/151294/23 "2003-02-01T16:55:14Z")
Have to chime in with all the other “Hell ya’s!” It’s worth it for those of us that drive older cars that break down on a semi-regular basis (although I have to pay mileage for towing over 5 kms, which is every tow in Calgary), it’s worth it for the insurance (we saved $100 on our house insurance - dropped from $249/year to $149/year), it’s worth it for the maps and travel planning, it’s worth it for the discounts all over the place, and it’s worth it to know that you have a service that will help you whenever you call. In my experience, the AMA drivers will do whatever they can to help; they show up with a “Let’s get this working” attitude, not a “We can’t do anything for you” attitude. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-aaa-worth-it/151294/24 "2003-02-01T17:15:34Z")
Most auto insurance programs have the cost of towing included for a few dollars a year. ---
**Author:** ![OldBroad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@OldBroad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldBroad)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2003, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-aaa-worth-it/151294/25 "2003-02-01T18:40:44Z")
I had a flat tire on I-80 in the middle of Iowa. Just me, OldBroad, traveling alone. My AAA membership was priceless - so was my cell phone. ---
**Author:** ![Scotticher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Scotticher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scotticher)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-aaa-worth-it/151294/26 "2003-02-02T00:07:42Z")
This year I had the first flat tire I have had since I bought my car (new). I called the tire place, which was only three blocks from where I had the flat. They would fix the flat for free…but it would be $75.00 for them to come out (three blocks) to change it. I expressed dismay. The said…don’t you have AAA? I said no, and my dad is with me and I want to get him home…he shouldn’t have to sit here for hours while I figure out what to do. They said…“Well, does HE have AAA?” He does, and it turns out that if you are even a passenger in a car that breaks down and you have AAA, they will come rescue you. So, they rescued us. They changed the tire for no charge, good old “Les S” fixed my tire for no charge, and…I signed up for my OWN AAA the next day. Cheap insurance. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-aaa-worth-it/151294/27 "2003-02-02T02:52:31Z")
**pseudotriton ruber ruber** this sounds just like a scam I’ve heard was going around the NYC area. Basically garages listen in on the radio for dispatchers to dispatch AAA tow trucks, B-line to the site before AAA truck arives, tries to fix on the spot but make some excuse to tow it to get it out of the area fast (before AAA shows up), Nails you for some big charge. Also if you car was towed with the driving wheels on the ground (rolling) then it very well costed you the tranny (and car). I use allstate motor club, about the same price but has higher benefits such as a much larger towing allowance. I’ve used them for key locked in the car, dead battery, frozen fuel line, 2 tows - so 5 times in about 10 yrs. I have used AAA once for extraction (not my membership) as the truck that just happened to come driving by had a AAA emblem on it and the passenger was a member. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2003, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-aaa-worth-it/151294/28 "2003-02-02T17:13:28Z")
AAA is absolutely worth it. I can’t count how many times they’ve pulled my fat out of the fire. I’ve been towed in at least five different states. My wife and I are also major tourists, so the Tour Books, maps, and hotel and attraction discounts are well worth the price also. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-aaa-worth-it/151294.md?page=1)