Is AAA better than a credit card's roadside assistance?

On Wed, 25 May 2005 00:03:20 -0700, SoCalMike
> wrote:

>Bob Ward wrote:
>> Until it gets dropped in the water
>
>mines waterproof.

And solar powered?

"Hardpan" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 22 May 2005 19:44:28 -0400, wrote:
>
>>I'm wondering if it is worth it to buy a AAA membership for the roadside
>>assistance. I have a Citibank Mastercard, and they have something called
>>"MC ASSIST", which provides just about the same services that AAA
>>offers --
>>jump-starts, towing, gas delivery, and tire changes (not sure if they
>>offer
>>locksmithing).
>>
>>So has anyone ever relied on their credit card's roadside assistance? Is
>>it
>>as good as AAA's? If my credit card's is as good as AAA's, then there's
>>no
>>reason for me to pay an extra $60/year for a AAA membership.
>>
>>Thanks.
>
> Lets see he
>
> AAA has : free maps, 100 mile towing service for theb 80 bucks a year
> membership, free travel plans, many DMV services without the wait,
> battery jump worth 40 bucks, door locked service worth 40 bucks,
> cheap car insurance and discounts at major motels/hotels....ect..
>
> Nah, I'd forget about joining up with AAA.
>
> Its just not worth it <bg>

------------------------------

AAA Texas, Inc.
3000 Southwest Freeway

Houston, TX 77098



On the evening of the 15th of July my van stopped for what turned out be a
failed alternator. I called AAA (214) 528-7481 and described the situation.
I told the woman that answered that it didn't look like it could be fixed
and would have to be towed. She took the detailed direction of my car's
location and said a tow truck would be sent with an arrival time of 30
minutes to one hour. Thirty minutes later I called, a new woman answered,
and at my inquiry said that no tow truck had been sent and none could be
sent, because I was in Plano, and they didn't have a person there. She then
went on with a gratuitous monologue about how hot it was, and that a lot of
cars were breaking down because of the heat and that I wouldn't be calling
if it was sixteen degrees now, would I? I hung up in the middle of her next
stupid sentence.



If you maintain tapes (and you should, if you don't) you'll find the
rambling, nonsensical stupidity to be very upsetting. You can only imagine
how upsetting I found it to be listening to gibberish in the middle of rush
hour traffic.



I called my son to pick me up, then City Garage, the next morning, to pick
up the car.



A copy of their bill for $53 towing is attached. I believe that AAA should
reimburse me for this expense.



In five years with AAA-Texas I've called twice. The first time was handled
well. This incident makes me rethink why I'm a member.

------------------------------------



AAA paid me the towing costs. Every year since, they have sent me a letter
to rejoin and I have replied with the above letter. My letter does not do
justice to the absolutely most stupid person I have ever talked to in my
entire life. Seven years have gone by and I still hate AAA with a golden
passion.



Consumer Reports rates them low because they pay their people and their
contractors the lowest reimbursement.



They have no services, from maps, to travel, to towing, to battery jumping,
to jimmying a locked car that can not be found quicker and cheaper
elsewhere. I now carry a spare battery, tire inflators, air pump, laptop
computer, with GPS, and plot my own maps, and a jimmy. I also have platinum
Visa and Mastercards that both have towing services, as well as my insurance
company. Anybody can get any discount that AAA says they offer. There is
no reason to have AAA; they are a false sense of security. When you call
they may, or may not, be there. You want to trust that?



I will never, ever, ever, rejoin AAA.

"Billzz" > wrote in message
...
> "Hardpan" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Sun, 22 May 2005 19:44:28 -0400, wrote:
>>
>>>I'm wondering if it is worth it to buy a AAA membership for the roadside
>>>assistance. I have a Citibank Mastercard, and they have something called
>>>"MC ASSIST", which provides just about the same services that AAA
>>>offers --
>>>jump-starts, towing, gas delivery, and tire changes (not sure if they
>>>offer
>>>locksmithing).
>>>
>>>So has anyone ever relied on their credit card's roadside assistance? Is
>>>it
>>>as good as AAA's? If my credit card's is as good as AAA's, then there's
>>>no
>>>reason for me to pay an extra $60/year for a AAA membership.
>>>
>>>Thanks.
>>
>> Lets see he
>>
>> AAA has : free maps, 100 mile towing service for theb 80 bucks a year
>> membership, free travel plans, many DMV services without the wait,
>> battery jump worth 40 bucks, door locked service worth 40 bucks,
>> cheap car insurance and discounts at major motels/hotels....ect..
>>
>> Nah, I'd forget about joining up with AAA.
>>
>> Its just not worth it <bg>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> AAA Texas, Inc.
> 3000 Southwest Freeway
>
> Houston, TX 77098
>
>
>
> On the evening of the 15th of July my van stopped for what turned out be a
> failed alternator. I called AAA (214) 528-7481 and described the
> situation. I told the woman that answered that it didn't look like it
> could be fixed and would have to be towed. She took the detailed
> direction of my car's location and said a tow truck would be sent with an
> arrival time of 30 minutes to one hour. Thirty minutes later I called, a
> new woman answered, and at my inquiry said that no tow truck had been sent
> and none could be sent, because I was in Plano, and they didn't have a
> person there. She then went on with a gratuitous monologue about how hot
> it was, and that a lot of cars were breaking down because of the heat and
> that I wouldn't be calling if it was sixteen degrees now, would I? I hung
> up in the middle of her next stupid sentence.
>
>
>
> If you maintain tapes (and you should, if you don't) you'll find the
> rambling, nonsensical stupidity to be very upsetting. You can only
> imagine how upsetting I found it to be listening to gibberish in the
> middle of rush hour traffic.
>
>
>
> I called my son to pick me up, then City Garage, the next morning, to pick
> up the car.
>
>
>
> A copy of their bill for $53 towing is attached. I believe that AAA
> should reimburse me for this expense.
>
>
>
> In five years with AAA-Texas I've called twice. The first time was
> handled well. This incident makes me rethink why I'm a member.
>
> ------------------------------------
>
>
>
> AAA paid me the towing costs. Every year since, they have sent me a
> letter to rejoin and I have replied with the above letter. My letter does
> not do justice to the absolutely most stupid person I have ever talked to
> in my entire life. Seven years have gone by and I still hate AAA with a
> golden passion.
>
>
>
> Consumer Reports rates them low because they pay their people and their
> contractors the lowest reimbursement.
>
>
>
> They have no services, from maps, to travel, to towing, to battery
> jumping, to jimmying a locked car that can not be found quicker and
> cheaper elsewhere. I now carry a spare battery, tire inflators, air pump,
> laptop computer, with GPS, and plot my own maps, and a jimmy. I also have
> platinum Visa and Mastercards that both have towing services, as well as
> my insurance company. Anybody can get any discount that AAA says they
> offer. There is no reason to have AAA; they are a false sense of
> security. When you call they may, or may not, be there. You want to
> trust that?
>
>
>
> I will never, ever, ever, rejoin AAA.

I have to add to this, reading that they now charge $60.00 per year.

They could PAY ME $100.00 per year and I would not rejoin.

Because there is no guarantee that they will show up.

It's worth a hundred bucks to me, if they would show up. But since they
don't show up, they are not worth anything.

Well, since I've quit AAA, I've saved $360.00.

And I have not had to call anybody. But if I do, I can promise them three
hundred bucks for a tow, and I will still be ahead.

I just better not call AAA.

Because they won't show up.

"Billzz" > wrote in message
...
>
> I just better not call AAA.
>
> Because they won't show up.

Especially in the UK (please remove the crosspost to uk.rec.cars.modifications
from this thread as it's not applicable)

>Yep. five days before his welfare check arrives bowel boy is back to his standard replies. <snip>

"Bowel boy?" Que-ce que c'est, cet "bowel boy?"

Actually, he's beginning to look more and more like Charlie Nudo every
day!

On Sun, 19 Jun 2005 07:04:07 GMT, "Depresion" > wrote:

>
>"Billzz" > wrote in message
.. .
>>
>> I just better not call AAA.
>>
>> Because they won't show up.
>
>Especially in the UK (please remove the crosspost to uk.rec.cars.modifications
>from this thread as it's not applicable)
>
I get free AA membership on my UK current account.