Art & Inspiration Is roadside assistance worth anything

"Most important is to make sure that everything which holds liquid is in good enough condition to keep holding that liquid."

Followed that rule for about 60 years.
Saved my butt several times.

Then Broke it twice .in the last year or so.
- Cost of a new snow blower to replace the decades old one that was functioning just fine about 3 minutes before the Big Bang.
- my beloved 1995 daily driver has been parked for almost a year.

 

My local guy who I have known since he was in diapers charged me 183.00 to go 2.7 miles from my house to a shop in town. That was to pick up an ot truck on his schedule and drop it at the shop in town.
Still with a rod or custom on a road trip there are times when you just need to get the car or truck to a place you can work on it or stay and work on it even though the repair may not be that serious especially in western states. There are places that you don't dare just leave a car on the side of the road and hitch to town to get a part and get a ride back because it isn't safe or prudent to go off and leave the car. Depending on the drive train you may not find the part these days or depending on how one or another system is equipped you may not be able to get the part without the assistance of a red label on a box and a brown truck.
Around here don't even let the state patrol call a tow truck for you off rotation as the fees are far more than if you call one yourself. I had to be very firm in telling a patrolman NO, MY SON IS GETTING ME A TOW TRUCK when I was stalled out while towing my 25 ft boat with my one ton. It would have been a 750 tow bill rather than a 250 tow bill.
As far as roll back vs tow truck most newer tow trucks now use wheel lifts rather than the old strap setup along with dolly wheels for the back and that often is far better for towing a low car. If you watch an episode or two of Everything Auto on you tube you can figure that out real quick.

 

When I served AAA ( 55 yrs ago ) the thing that made them was the 2-way radio.
The service truck and the tow trucks were just old beaters.
Sometimes at my arrival the customer had the look of worry. ( like WTF ??? )
I would charm them with my record of experience
We also contracted with the 'other' transmission shop.
The boss ( owner ) charged the trans guy $8 for anywhere in the 3 counties.
I got to keep $4. Five of them (tows) made my days pay.
But I digress, sorry.

 

AAA Plus, four tows a year, three with 100 mile tow no charge and one with a 200 mile tow, no charge. Use it once and it pays for itself and never had a problem with them. I've had them for over 25 years.

 

I'm a member of the American Motorcycle Association and that includes road service. It covers anything I'm driving, even if it's somebody elses vehicle. Only had to use it once in 25 years, but it nice to know it's there.

 

Make your vehicle roadworthy
and keep it maintained - only travel
within the limitations of the reliability
of your vehicle.

Tow truck operators who you would
trust do not participate in roadside
assistance programs because they do
not even pay them equipment
operating costs - no professional
service provider operates to
lose money …

Jim

 

Old vehicles are a lot easier to tow than new stuff on account of account of generous ground clearance and having painted or chromed steel in the places new stuff tends to have plastic. While the towing industry absolutely deserves its reputation for scummy behavior and incompetence I wouldn't be too worried about it.

Maybe if you're lucky the tow company will send a sling lift and you'll get a period correct tow.

 

The towing service AAA typically sends out for me has experienced employees and they use good quality equipment. I do realize that may not be the case everywhere.

 

Hagerty offers this service as an add on

 

I have had mixed experiences with AAA. With my old work trucks with 250k on them had a few breakdowns, sometimes got picked up within the hour, once waited in 0 degree weather 2 hours, called them back to be told the truck had come by, determined I was not registered, I was, then they said it would not be possible to get to me that night. They did pick it up the next morning and bring it to my house.

 

Asking a question like this will get you the same mixed responses as if you asked about a certain movie or restaurant. AAA has saved me twice; both times, their service was both prompt and professional. That is all.

 

I just try to keep my stuff maintained well enough to do whatever I want and then plan to ask for help here if I’m broke down on the road somewhere that I can’t take care of the issue myself. But, I’m also a firm believer that I pay too much for insurance when I rarely use it. If it weren’t for teenage drivers, not sure I would have needed insurance more than a couple times in the last 40 years. Betting I have paid more in premiums than they have paid out the times I needed it.

 

I’ve had AAA for 65 years. Now with 100 mile tow….wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

Rollbacks are fine but there is virtually nobody that is running a tow company today that still uses a sling for light duty-way too much risk of bumper damage. Slings are only rarely still used even on 18-wheeler size stuff that do have good front ends. Almost all light duty towing today is done with a wheel-lift device that cradles the tires.
AAA is good when it works but as mentioned you may not be the highest priority that day-it just depends. In my experience I would just "self insure". If you break down call a wrecker and pay for it.

 

It most certainly is when your sitting on the side of the road. HRP

 

When I was considering 3A, I asked a couple of their tow company drivers if they would tow my car home if it needed a repair. They said home wasn’t an option only to a repair shop or dealer. Needless to say I didn’t get their insurance. My auto insurance has towing that will get the cars home within limitations or with extra expense. But the drivers will get it here on the property not up the hill to the garage or partially up the hill and backed into the shop. As a result my recovery plan is I taught the wife how to hook up the car trailer and hope her or one of the boys will come get me.

 

That's a good plan, but chances are the same towing companies contract with AAA. A large metro towing co. is not going to dead head out 100+ miles into BFE and bring you back. That only happens for 18 wheelers.
AAA is cheap and a good primary plan when you need it.
AAA contracts with independents in BFE areas. Last summer my Daughter, SIL and two kids blew a head gasket traveling a 2 lane highway in mid Utah. Limped into a roadside motel for the night. I diagnosed the car via a Face Time call with him following my directions. He called AAA, and within 15 minutes he got a call from his tow guy. First thing next AM, the guy was there with his crew cab, gooseneck trailer. Loaded the car, packed up the family, car seats and all and took them 200 miles south to the dealership in St George (dealer did the work on warranty, covered the tow excess miles/hotel and was done in a day!).
Tow operator was a retired guy who lived in the country and contracted with AAA. If his phone rang and he wasn't too busy fishing, he'd go make some coin changing a tire, jump start or a tow.
If you're driving through BFE:

• carry plenty of water - for the car and you
• basic roadside tool kit and supplies (fuses, wiring, etc)
• blanket, if it's cold at night and you stay in the car until morning. Also makes a good work mat if you're doing work on hot pavement.

Plan C: if you're 100's of miles from home, the car is terminal and you don't have a buddy that can dead head out to trailer you. Get towed to a major U Haul. Rent a small box truck and trailer and haul yourself home.
A friend did just that years ago. Blew a trans in Vegas and U Hauled himself back to San Diego.

 

I've had AAA for many years. Have used it several times over the years, nearly always locally. I know most of the towing operations in our area and have never had a bad experience. There have been times when there was going to be a longer then expected wait, but the towing company that got my call has always called me to explain why the long wait. Its always been legitimate.
Everyone around here uses wheel lift or roll back, no one has the sling straps anymore.

So I should add, my home is a commercial business address and has been my welding shop for the last 30 years. Never had a problem getting any towed vehicle dropped off here. My place has been the towing destination for many friends and family vehicles for many years. Once here, we can get it to their place or to where it needs to go, or get it fixed here.

 

Had AAA for about 25 years. Used it several times for myself and family with no issues until it got too expensive. Then my regular insurance started offering the same coverage. I have used it once for my ot dd outside of Winnemucca Nevada. What a nightmare! Waited for about 6 hours after numerous phone calls to uncaring, ignorant people on the other end, including the tow truck driver, who couldn’t understand where we were. Even after he was given a Hiway number, direction of travel, mile marker number, make, model, and color of the car we were driving. I just hope I never have to use that part of my insurance again. My new ot pickup has factory warranty supplied towing and roadside. Hope I never have to use that either.

 

I probably put a combined 8,000 miles a year on my cars and Hagerty's Drivers Club has saved me a few times. You do get a discounted rate on the tow service. I think I pay about $90 a year which gives me up to 60 miles free. You pays your money, you takes your chances.

 

Some credit cards have it included for free, I have a Chase card and it does.

 

I use AAA and have had to wait 2 hours or more almost every time. One time I only waited 15 minutes because a great state trooper stopped to help and told me my Suburban was in a dangerous spot, and he knew what tow company would get the call. He called them after I called AAA and told the guy to hustle, and he did!
I've also taken long trips and on one occasion I had no cell service, and was in the mountains, with no emergency parking, and no shoulder. Didn't do any good to have my AAA as I couldn't call! Luckily I could limp along at 10 mph, but had all sorts of ass hats honking at me and flipping me off like I was doing something on purpose. I limped along for 30 miles to the next small town and found an auto parts store to buy the part and of course I always carry a well stocked tool bag.
A well stocked tool bag is more important than roadside service! I've walked to parts stores and back if it was within 5-10 miles.

 

My last post wasn't definitive enough to point out that AAA, and I suspect other plans are only the messenger and cover who ever happens to be receptive ( in that area ) to their offer $$$.