Is AAA best for longer distance towing?

[Cubey]

[Manfred58sc]

I've had AAA for years ( top tier RV plus). My last year I have had awful experiences. I was told a 9 hr wait time in a good sized town on a federal hwy ( they showed up 15 minutes later and took the car but left me in the Walmart, I come out and the car was gone!!!!). Was totally blown off after 3 service requests on a Sunday afternoon. They never did show up, had to call friend for a tow strap haul back home ( not much fun when you have to maintain brake pressure on a 73 Chrysler New Yorker, down hill for 35 miles). The AP is a total joke, no updates, no customer service. You can pay for the "service" but you are on your own in reality.
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Fat chick owner/operator

[Cubey]

[Manfred58sc]

Are you refering to the tow company?? Of course "results will vary", AAA pays shit and no sane tow company wants the headache. I'm talking about the call center ( or routing center ) and the lies/ghosting they delivered.
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Fat chick owner/operator

[Cubey]

[CanStan]

Twice I’ve had tows from AAA / CAA that would have cost me ~$1000 out of pocket. Those times alone make the fees worthwhile.

As to lack of service in small towns, if found the opposite. I’ve generally been able to get a truck to show up in minutes because most small towns don’t have a lot going on. It’s the bigger cities where I’ve had to wait sometimes.

I have a lot of vehicles, and have probably uses their services 15 times in the last 25 years. My membership also gets me discounted gas at some stations, cheap movie tickets, and free passport photos for the family, among other perks. To me, it’s worth every penny.

[Cubey]

[Cubey]

Also it's curious how AAA does the "classic" towing for unlimited:

"Classic membership benefits include free towing up to three (3) miles from the point of breakdown or unlimited miles back to the facility providing the tow."

Why would you want your car taken to a tow truck facility? How will that fix your car, unless it's attached to a repair shop? You get that benefit on the higher tiers too, it seems.

[Xevin]

When people calculate average cost per mile to get a tow. Don’t forget to add the average hook up fee is $50.00 for a tow. I save 10% at Napa auto parts which offsets membership costs. I had to use AAA once when my very well cared with new engine 74 beetle wouldn’t start after work (Ignition switch broke) couldn’t bump start it. Another time I had the car towed to my buddy’s shop from my house because I screwed something up Another time my wife’s new BMW had a tire issue so bad she couldn’t drive it. No spare tire on some cars because of the “Run flat tires” that come on some cars. I do keep tow straps in all my VWs because I like long road trips and camping in unique places. AAA is in my budget. I throw away money going out to dinner with my wife too
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Keep on Busin'

[Emily's Owner]

I've had the AAA Premium for all the years I've driven (started through our parents and kept it when AAA finally realized my sisters and I were still under our parents account as "kids" after we were well into our 40's ).

The times I've needed to be towed, it has been well worth it. Only had one negative experience years ago when the tow company owner had to leave a family party on a Sunday as none of his drivers were available, he was a massive asshole about it, but did tow my car to my mechanics from Sellwood to SE Portland. My mom was pretty surprised at his behavior as well (she and I were out antiquing in the bus), and let AAA know about it.

I've never been charged for over mileage either - twice I've bailed the drivers out and they were appreciative that they didn't have to make the call of shame to their office (one driver managed to lock the keys in his truck while we were at a rest stop with my car on the flatbed and I got him into his cab with a random piece of flotsam from the Volvo).

I have the husband and kids on my account - it's not that much money for peace of mind - we all drive old cars, and while they are fairly well maintained, they're still old and weird shit happens.
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Xargaret

ITMC - OG Den Mother

What (and I cannot stress this enough) The Actual Fuck?!

1974 Transporter
2023 Subaru Outback

[my59]

I've had AAA for years, and when my kid was planning on riding his 500 cc Royal Enfield from ct to NC upped it to AAA RV, as that covers mcycles.
His Isuzu trooper shit out the following year, and I discovered that AAA would cover the tow to x miles and then the charge past the milage limit would be the milage AAA paid. Nice twist.
I keep it incase we need the bus towed back from the Cape to CT.
We've used it for way more than I pay for 4 family members
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my59: Well son, my grandfather died before I got to drive it, so does that answer your question?
our79: sunroof bus w/camper interior and 2.0 FI
Other:'12 Jetta, '77 Benz 300D, and a 74 MG Midget.

[OB Bus]

AAA is comforting to parents of young drivers. No matter where they are (with cell service) help is just a phone call away anytime of the day or night.

Actually it is also comforting to me at my advanced age.
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Larry in OB
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
69 Westfalia and 2002 Eurovan Camper.

[dodger tom]

i, too, have had aaa for years. the 200-mile tow with premium has come in handy more than once.

i used to pay for the rv coverage for the extra tows, but they cut the benefits so much i canceled that part.

i’ve only had one bad experience with a service company, and that wasn’t a tow. ran out of gas 20 miles from idaho falls. the jerk brought out gas in an open plastic jug in a driving rain storm. took three days to get the water out of my fuel system.

another possible issue…..the woman on the phone said they wouldn’t make a service call to forest service roads. !!!! luckily i was not on one of those. hope to never break down in that region again.
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1978 Champaign Edition 2 Westfalia
Would never find the time to keep up another classic air-cooled.

[Cubey]

[Cubey]

[Abscate]

I’ve only had one AAA tow in 6 decades of driving, when I pooched a brake job on a VW and ate a caliper, alloy. Rotor, and tire at 70 mph couple summers ago

Towed to select VW in central NY, came back with my dolly a week later and brought her home the next 200 miles
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.ssS!

[Cubey]

[OldSchoolVW's]

Just something else to consider ...

Sometimes it's not the car that breaks down, it's the driver.

We had (still have) AAA Premier when I fractured my femur on a skiing trip in Big Bear, CA. Our health insurance covered the medical transport back to San Diego, but the car needed to be left in Big Bear because my wife needed to ride back with me and do the hospital admittance stuff.

Our AAA plan included trip interruption insurance. So they arranged the flat bed tow back to our house (155 miles) and we were reimbursed in full for the towing charges.

This same plan includes 200 mile towing coverage if our vehicle is disabled. Last year our plan renewal cost was $177. No, we don't need these types of services regularly (thank goodness!) but it was awfully nice to have all of this handled with one call to AAA at a time when we had much bigger issues to deal with. Worth it.
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Tom

"Following distance is proportional to IQ."

'63 Beetle Sedan
'69 Beetle Sunroof
'70 Beetle Sedan
'73 Type 3 Fastback

[16CVs]

I don't think you can a better deal dollar for dollar. when used in a major metrpolitan area.

In a major city tow companies compete for calls and rely on Customer satisfaction.

Once you get in the boonies or outside a major town, there are fewer tow companies that work with AAA and customer service is greatly reduced. Wait times are greatly increased quality of service sucks.

When stuck in Death Valley, the truck that picked me up was called "2 star towing" and lived up to their name.

When in remote areas with AAA get operators names and position and document what they tell you. They will tell you anything to get you off the phone.

I was shocked to be treated the way I was, but upon doing some searches they really bad customer service. I guess they were bought out years ago and have suffered ever since.

Tread carefully

Stacy
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1987 Syncro Westfalia Triple knob (bastard)
1989 Syncro Tristar Triple knob "Swedish"
2013 Jetta Hybrid a true "Zwitter"
Samba member # 14980
Call anytime number 650 722 4914 .
Keep Your van running and upkept tastefully for the love of the hobby.
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[Cubey]