Who to pick for roadside assistance?

[snoopy5386]

Our complimentary roadside assistance has run out on our 2.5 year old car and it's time to get something else. AAA Plus for $142 a year, Roadside Assistance through Geico for $13 a year or Roadside Assistance through AT&T for $3 a month/$36 a year? We had AAA for years in the past, but I'm having trouble swallowing the price this time around. Some other info about us - we are a one car family, have two small kids (7 & 3) and I frequently take long roadtrips with just the kids while DH is working. Any thoughts or experiences with the other services?

 

[Golf4food]

Check out Allstate Roadside as well.

 

[momof3ds]

We have had geico for the past 5 years and are quite satisified with the roadside assistance

 

[tvguy]

Check out Allstate Roadside as well.

I pay $96 a year for Allstate Motor Club. Not sure if it's the same in other parts of the country, but AAA, Allstate and other motor clubs all contract with the same tow companies here, so go for the plan with the lowest cost, you'll get the same towing company.

 

[navywifetill2002]

We have State Farm and pay >$5 every 6 months (per vehicle) for roadside assistants. We've had them cover lock outs and towing with no problems. I like the service better the something like AAA cause I can call anyone that can be there quick and if they can they bill State Farm direct, if not I pay and the local office issues me a check on the spot the next day. I have used AAA before and "their guy" wasn't going to be there for 90 minutes but there was a local place that could have been there in 15 and that's not acceptable when I have a 4 year old waiting with me.

 

[bookluvingbabe]

I have had Geico insurance forever (20+ years) and their roadside assistance has always been great.

 

[Jedana]

We have Geico roadside assistance. No problems with this service. You call (either Geico and they will transfer you or the direct RA line), they get the information. If you are somewhere "unsafe", they will call for a police car for you.

Eventually a tow truck comes, and does what needs to be done--towed, unlock the door, etc--and you sign that you had the service done. For towing, it's to the closest repair shop (or shop of your choice, if it is within a close distance to the others); if you want to go to a shop further out, you have to pay additional. You do have to pay for any gas they bring you too.

 

[lucigo]

I bought AAA earlier in the year when my son was going to be driving 900 miles each way to FL and back and I wanted the piece of mind. Since then I took a 900 mile trip to MO and ended up needing a tire replaced somewhere in West Virginia! AAA sent someone right away, and he didn't even charge me any extra to take me the 10 miles to a wal-mart. I tipped him $20. Thank goodness this happened right at a turnoff for a rest stop, and AAA was able to help me figure out where I was and get the tow truck to us within 30 min.

We have also used our AAA cards to get discounts on our hotels at least 5 times, plus reservations in San Juan in November are a good $30 cheaper, and we got a discount on our rental car also in Nov. so I figure AAA has already paid for itself.

In the past we have had Allstate Roadside Assistance and they were great for unlocking our car doors which happened more times than I care to admit!

 

[tinytinkmom]

Also check out the GM Motor Club (you don't have up own a GM car to be a member)...

We just switched to them from AAA.

 

[rcraw45425]

I have the basic AAA plan and have myself, husband and two daughters on it for <$150 a year. I also have roadside through Mercedes that covers any vehicle we own as well, along with State Farm's roadside. I have used AAA a few times with the girls' cars for towing and then took State Farm the bill for the overage that AAA didn't pay. I also use AAA for hotel discounts and also for discounts at Universal / IOA onsite dining and shops.

 

[RangerPooh]

I've had AAA plus for RA since I started driving 18 years ago (just dated myself). I've used it for short tows, long tows (100 mile range), lock outs, dead batteries, and a car accident.

 

[chuckabone]

Nationwide has great RA, I have never waited more than 20 min. They have come right to my house and the best part for me is that they are great about keeping in touch thru the whole process. Love Nationwide Insurance.

 

[Eastern]

Our complimentary roadside assistance has run out on our 2.5 year old car and it's time to get something else. AAA Plus for $142 a year...

That AAA quote sounds high. Are you sure you are not quoting Premier? They have Basic, Plus, and Premier. Plus should be adequate.

I have used them twice recently, when our cars had problems. They were very efficient, kept in contact by phone/text, and the tows arrived within 1/2 hour. Much different than back in the day when you'd sit there waiting forever.

Also, when you join AAA you have access to a lot of travel discounts, such as rooms at Disney, various shows, etc. One time I had a big order at Bob's store and no coupon. I asked about discounts and they said it was AAA week and I got 25% off the entire order. It comes in handy.

 

[kydisneyfans]

We have ours through Verizon Wireless, around $3 a month.

 

[Lewisc]

AAA covers the member, not the car. Everyone who may need the service has to be a member. You're covered even if you're in a rental car, friend's car, loaner car ....

Some (many?) of the other plans cover the car. It doesn't matter who's driving.

AAA likes to upsell the more expensive plans. Longer included towing is one benefit AAA likes to promote. Even the basic plan will cover towing, without any distance limit, to the responding station. The extended plans might make sense if you want your car towed long distances to a dealer or to your favorite station.

 

[Eastern]

edited

I think you get 4 assistance calls per year before a service charge applies, according to the AAA chart.

 

[IUTBAM]

That AAA quote sounds high. Are you sure you are not quoting Premier? They have Basic, Plus, and Premier. Plus should be adequate.

I have used them twice recently, when our cars had problems. They were very efficient, kept in contact by phone/text, and the tows arrived within 1/2 hour. Much different than back in the day when you'd sit there waiting forever.

Also, when you join AAA you have access to a lot of travel discounts, such as rooms at Disney, various shows, etc. One time I had a big order at Bob's store and no coupon. I asked about discounts and they said it was AAA week and I got 25% off the entire order. It comes in handy.

Sounds cheap to me, lol. We pay $204 a year in Colorado for AAA Plus (myself plus my husband). I can't believe how it's gone up the last few years; it obviously varies from state to state. What really irked me is that they will offer a discount to NEW members but not renewals. Makes no sense, lol. And yet, I get it year after year because the piece of mind is worth it. We get our money's worth out of it.

 

[njmom47]

We have AAA Premium. It's not cheap but with 2 dds who drive all over creation and dh and I who drive to work (15-20 miles each way) and my van that we use for any long roadtrip, it's worth it to us.

DH had Allstate but got dropped because he made too many calls (he had just gotten a new-for-him car and kept locking the keys in the ignition in the winter while it was warming up. So they dropped him!)

 

[snoopy5386]

Thanks all for the advice. Ended up going with Geico for now. We are rarely in other cars except for rentals, so having coverage on just our car is fine and I feel like with AAA plus, I'm paying all this money for DH to be covered when he maybe drives the car 5-10 days a year without me in it (he walks to work) and I feel like I am paying for the towing in advance when the chances of me using it are very small. With Geico if I need to be towed to a specific place I'll have to pay more at the time of the service call, but again, our car is pretty new, so I'm not worried about it right now.

 

[DVC-Don]

I have State Farm in NY and pay $1.60 every six months per vehicle (I have 5) for Emergency Road Service. Just call a toll free number and help is on the way.