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Short of a sidewall failure, most times you can limp to an exit. I didn't even get a spare with my car. I got a compressor with two hoses - one for air, one for Fix-A-Flat!
Good luck with no spare tire. How far can one go with a run flat tire?
I used to have AAA roadside assistance and their car insurance. The price kept rising higher and higher, and the service was not that good, so I went to a different insurance company and paid an extra couple of dollars a month for roadside assistance. I'm much happier now. I've heard stories of AAA leaving people stranded in desert areas, etc. so make sure you know EXACTLY what you are paying for when you use them.
Good luck with no spare tire. How far can one go with a run flat tire?
People have to be aware of the fact that a lot of new cars being purchased these days do not come with a spare tire. You have to check before you buy the car. A few years ago I purchased a new car and "assumed" I would get a spare tire with it and I didn't. Lesson learned. Spare tires are very important to have.
We switched over to using AAA for auto and homeowner's insurance because they were literally half the price that Allstate was quoting us, and the discount for buying AAA insurance while being an AAA member covered the majority of the cost of an annual AAA membership.
And we always did get good use out of the AAA discount anyways. Lots of times the AAA hotel price for 'cancel until 24 hours before check in' reservations was the same as the non-AAA 'prepaid rate- no refunds' rate and we do value that kind of flexibility.
It depends. I just bought a new car earlier this year and part of the warranty is free roadside assistance, including towing, getting my keys out of the car, changing a tire, getting stuck in snow, pretty much everything. I also negotiated an extended warranty (which includes all of this as well), so I have this service until 100K miles.
If you have an older car or one that does not have warranty roadside assistance, yes. Double yes if you make any sort of trips.
Before Christmas, on the way from Michigan to SC, we ended up on the side of southbound I75 at exit 2 when a wheel bearing that decided to go. It took about an hour from the call to the tow trucks pulling up (we had 3 people and 3 dogs, they had to send a flatbed for the car and another truck out for two of us) but I have never been so thankful in my entire life to have them show up.
Also, I'm submitting our hotel and food receipts for reimbursement - their Trip Guard (which IIRC, kicks in when you're 100 miles from home) offers up to $600 for Plus members for hotel and food costs occurred while waiting for the repair.
I've been a member for many years now. Now it is just me with a basic membership. The wife and I both have newer vehicles, so the need for a tow should be minimal. I do like their battery service, but I've forgotten to take advantage of it. I've heard their batteries are pretty much price reasonably and they change them out. Once my wife's battery was dead so I had to take the battery out, run to Walmart, exchange it, and put it back in before she left for work. I totally forgot I likely could've called AAA and had them out within 30 mins. given it was so early. I've used them maybe three or four times over say fifteen years for towing.
Their deals are hit and miss. They usually have the same "deals" other organizations are providing (work, professional, etc.). Their rental car deals with Hertz were OK until I found out my employer, a member of a national group, has amazing non-work deals through another company. A coop I'm a member of beat everyone for a hotel in Moab, UT, by a substantial amount. AAA website has a special discounts/travel section. Enter your member number and you can sometimes get amazing deals here and there. They saved us a lot on a cruise when my wife got her ticket 50% off.
Seems like their membership costs go up every year and the things they do go down. For instance, they used to tow free of charge but now you pay for the towing. Service calls like battery jumps and gas also has their charges as well. So what the point of joining? Free maps and bumper stickers?
I believe it’s relatively very cheap insurance against a breakdown, dead battery, key locked in your car or for getting a flat tire at nighttime. That alone is worth knowing you can make a phone call and have a service safely change your tire in the dark. I’m more than capable to do thebtire change but at night it’s definitely more risky!
Like the donut spares, they are intended to run at slower speeds a relatively short while to get you to a repair shop.
AND that local repair shop can fix a run flat tire ??????????
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