What good is AAA?

[shawn908]

Originally Posted by Jims5543

I have a British car, I think it has had more miles on the back of a flatbed than on its own wheels.

know this feeling as a (used) Range Rover owner for about 20 years...
was happy to have AAA for flat beds, and used it a few times with my 911 as well.

[Macroni]

Love AAA.... many tows.....

[Brian 162]

They saved us when my fuel pump crapped out in Boston, we were starting our 10 hour return trip home.
I always slip them a $20, they usually let things slide.

[stevej37]

Many years ago I had AAA.
When I compared it to the same type coverage through State Farm, I quickly dropped it.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by Noah930

Threadjack here, but I don't understand that. I mean, I know it's not allowed to tow a vehicle with expired tags. That's buried somewhere in the depths of the vehicle code. But that's on the owner of the vehicle (to pay back registration fees and penalties). It's not an infraction by the tow company. What happens when a meter maid tickets a car and impounds it for expired tags?

There's a Statement of Fact form, or something like that, in California in which you attest that the car hasn't been operated on public roadways or even transported on public roadways, in order to avoid having to pay back fees/penalties. I get the operation on public roadways. But even transported on public roads is not allowed? That's ridiculous and a total overreach of the government, IMO. What about new cars that haven't been sold/registered by a dealer? What about dedicated race cars? It's the tow truck that's operating on the roadway, not the vehicle with the non-current tags.

It had a non-op title and it was a Saturday.

[speeder]

I've had AAA for many years and would never be without it. I also have insurance w them on way too many vehicles. I just added RV coverage for my motorhome, that will quickly pay for itself if I ever need it. RVs by definition are road trip vehicles and they are not cheap to tow. I have 200 mile towing, Platinum Member or something.

To give an idea of how popular it is in SoCal, every year they call and offer me a free 2nd membership for a friend or family member. Last year, I called nearly everyone I know and could not find anyone who did not already have AAA!

The roadside service is awesome but it is lenient in some ways and strict in others. It's lenient in that you can loan your tows to anyone, it doesn't have to be your car that broke down or needs a battery, etc. They do have strict rules regarding certain tows, one of them is that I cannot go and buy a project car that doesn't run and have it towed home by them. I can't remember the others but it has to be actual roadside service, technically it's towing your disabled car to a repair shop but you can really have it towed anywhere.

I wasn't aware of the expired tabs rule but it sort of falls under the need for it to be a car you were driving that broke down. And flatbeds can absolutely haul unregistered cars around, in fact it's the only legal way to move one anywhere. I've done it or seen it done dozens of times in Los Angeles.

[biosurfer1]

Originally Posted by RWebb

most insurance co.s will give you towing insurance for $5 to $10

Yep, $14/year to add it to my Geico policy. Includes towing, lockout, tire changes and a bunch of other stuff.

VERY cheap insurance for the wife.

AAA does allow you access to registration services, at least they did years ago when I was a member. Avoiding a trip to the DMV may be worth it by itself.

[widebody911]

I've had AAA for 25+ years, and while it's been a help in the past, it's starting to get more expensive and more difficult to deal with. The last couple of times I needed a tow, I had to deal with a mentally-challenged "AI" phone system, and then it was over an hour wait for a truck.

Years ago I bought a VW bus that didn't have an engine; I called AAA and they asked what was wrong with it: "It won't start" - OK, no prob.

[ted]

My "friends" ask me to tow their cars on occasion.
No thanks, not interested in being responsible for towing or safely strapping down your GT3 in my trailer.
Another reason to have AAA roadside service is for when friends call for a tow.
I offer them one of my AAA tows.

When my wife had a flat tire on the freeway I'm OK that I don't have to go change it.
Or when my 1 ton truck towing a trailer had a flat on the busy 5 freeway while crossing the grapevine, very nice to have AAA change it.

AAA sells Interstate batteries delivered/installed for the same price as Costco.
Have used the AAA DMV and travel services too.

[KevinTodd]

I have premier which includes flat bed towing for cars and motorcycles. It allows (per year) one tow of up to 200 miles, and two additional tows up to 100 miles along with the regular benefits....lock-out, battery service, jump, fuel, etc. It is $145/year and it covers all of my vehicles and anyone who may be driving them (me and my wife).

I have used it a few times in the past few years; once for a dead battery that would not take a jump, once to pick up my Targa after the distributor went south, and once to get my bike to the shop when I had blown a valve o-ring.

It is a necessary evil to me and well worth the price. BTW--I have some amount of roadside assistance through Hagerty as well included with my insurance, but have never utilized it.

[gsxrken]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

I got serious about AAA when my kids were in college; days away in one case, four hours in another and my wife was commuting to DC everyday.

Same reasoning here.
Back in the 80s and 90s, when I drove older POS vehicles and cars were less reliable in general, I sure could have used it. There were several personal tows, straps, and friends standing in the road directing traffic operations that in hindsight were nuts but make for good Dad stories. My kids have used it about 5 times, several far from home, and it was nice not to have to drop everything and parachute in and assume the reins.

[p911dad]

Originally Posted by Jims5543

How did they know that? You tell them too much?

I have a British car, I think it has had more miles on the back of a flatbed than on its own wheels.

I ran out of tows with AAA and was facing charges I used them so much.

The last time I got a flatbed tow for the TR6, the operator asked sweetly, " is that the green triumph.." I was up to 5 flatbed rides in 3 years, and I have since sold the car. 3 times the fuel pump and twice vapor lock in hot weather (the 2 carbs sit directly over the exhaust manifold). After 5 rides I began to wonder when I would hit the limit. I would not go without AAA.

[juanbenae]

i keep it for the DMV services. no license stuff, but registration, title services on a purchase. the DMV where im at is always packed because of the rural nature and not any others near by. appointments are even weeks out.

a bad experience was when my pops wrecked his vette at a sears point track/race weekend. he called on saturday afternoon gave them all the info and was told to call sunday a few hours before they needed to arrive. made it clear it was wrecked on the track, and it would need a flatbed. driver shows finally 4 hours after the call to them suggesting they'd arrive in a couple hours so we had to wait 90+ minutes or so. then when the guy shows it's not a flatbed, but a sling type and the driver informs us since the car was damaged on track they would not tow it even had a flatbed showed. we were pissed.

the driver did feel for us enough to help by lifting the front of the car with the sling truck while we backed the trailer under the disabled car. it took about 3-4 different bites and lift locations to finally get it aboard. he worked with us for over an hour to get the car situated and we gave him $100 bucks tip.

my pops did file a complaint with AAA that they listened to a point, but still stated no towing of a car wrecked on a track or off highway was policy. he was still pissed, as was i because it was fully explained to the rep on the phone saturday a full day before we needed the tow. if they'd said that up front we could have called a private outfit sunday morning and set up the 150 mile tow home.

lesson learned.

[Bigtoe32067]

AAA is a scam your insurance will do the same for much much less

[pmax]

Originally Posted by Bigtoe32067

AAA is a scam your insurance will do the same for much much less

AAA tows vehicles not insured by them. So there’s an extra benefit beyond other insurance but I suppose it’s still a profitable op.

[look 171]

AAA tow my expired tag 911 a couple times. They never said a thing. That's news to me. Learn something new daily here.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by bcgreen

The dispatcher. He asked me when I last started the car and I told him, he asked me to hold on. Apparently had ask someone. Came back and said they wouldn't pick the car up.

In SoCal the rules for AAA are crystal clear. NO optional towing. If it will run, then they don't tow. Sounds to me like the supervisor asked the dispatcher if you were calling in for a disabled car. He asked when you last started it and that told him it ran. You could have said you tried to start it and it wouldn't and then they are obligated to tow.

Transporting a car that you bought not running is not "towable." Transporting cars from one private location to another similar location will not get you a free tow.

The gist of their rules is if you can't drive your car because of a dead battery, locked keys inside, or it just won't drive (including flat tire, no spare), they will be there to get you back on the road or to a repair place. No more than that. Hard if not impossible to get them to tow you to your home, or any other non-commercial location, so you can fix it.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by Bigtoe32067

AAA is a scam your insurance will do the same for much much less

Truest words on this thread.