Is AAA membership worth the cost?

[lorraineb]

I have a friend that swears by her AAA membership, but I think it'a bout $75 a year. For those that have it, is it worth the cost? Have you ever had to use it and does it end up saving you money in the long run or not?

[Like2Plan]

That's a tough one.
We've been members for 30 years. A lot of years, we've only used our membership to get a discount on hotel rooms (though now a days there are a lot of different ways to get a discount besides AAA) and attractions.

At one time, we used to get maps -- but, the GPS maps have pretty much made the paper maps obsolete.

We used to get traveler's checks from AAA, but traveler's checks are pretty much obsolete for most places we travel.

We also obtained small amounts of foreign currency from our AAA office, but the exchange rates at our local office were pretty expensive--there are less expensive places to get it.

There have been a few occasions where I was very glad for the road service. It would probably be cheaper to pay as you go, but it does give me a sense of security. Funny enough, we had to have AAA give us a jump on our 2008 Sienna when we were visiting our son in GA over Thanksgiving. The battery was shot.

[QuarterMillionMan]

I've had my AAA coverage for 2 years now and haven't had to use it, fortunately. I chose the premier level (highest tier) coverage ($100/year) which would provide up to 200 miles of towing. Compared to the towing service offered by my automobile insurance of $24 per year for up to 10 miles of towing, AAA is expensive but I like the peace of mind it offers should my vehicle break down half way between Los Angeles and Las Vegas which is a 300 mile trek.

[humandraydel]

Personally I have got MORE than my money's worth out of AAA but that's because I usually buy the gold package (100 miles of towing) only in the last 2 years of a car's life. If you use the towing 1 time per year you've paid for the membership.

[SportGuy]

Does AAA offer help or discount with flights?

[sblatner]

I got stuck on a mountain pass between California and Oregon 25 years ago. AAA came up to the pass and towed me to the closest station which was maybe ten miles away for free. I have been a member ever since. I have used them to open my car when my keys were locked inside, change a flat tire and jump my battery. I gladly pay the bill every year. Ours is up to $120 or so since we added our son.

[TBH]

I've been a AAA member since I started driving. That $100 bill does hurt when it comes due each year, but I can't even count the number of times I've used the service. They've gotten me out of some very tight spots--dead alternator at nightfall in a national park 75 miles from the nearest town, stuck down a snowy driveway unable to get out, many other smaller keys-in-car mistakes or being towed short distances, etc.

In my experience, AAA service varies depending on what part of the country you're in. When I lived on the west coast it was excellent. When I first moved to the east coast, it was really bad. They always took hours to get to me, even in really dicey situations. (Hi, I'm downtown in a city late at night where everything is closed, and I have an infant with me and he's sick with a fever and my car won't start. Can you please come quickly? Three hour wait for that one.) So I was getting ready to ditch them but then they got a lot better. I had a friend who was a driver for them for a while, and he said they had recognized that their service wasn't good here and they made a big effort to improve.

Overall they've helped me so much I'm pretty much a member for life at this point.

[HappySaver]

Based on the variety of prices people are quoting, does the cost vary depending on where you live?

We've been members for many years, and pay $52 for the primary membership, and $24 for the second person. We've used it for battery charges and flat tires enough for it to pay for itself. Now and then it comes in handy for hotel, NAPA, and other discounts.

[Petunia 100]

My Allstate motor club is $57 per year. It includes lock out service and towing service. I'm very happy with it and feel it is well worth the cost.

[moneybags]

You can also use your card for discounts shopping at various places, like the Gap Outlet.

[bjl584]

It depends how much you use it and it depends what package you buy.

If you travel or vacation a lot and you drive a considerable amount, then AAA is probably worth it to you.

[disneysteve]

It's worth every penny. One vacation booked with the AAA hotel rate can cover the cost of membership.

Of course, road service is also great. Think of it more as an insurance plan. A month or two ago, my wife's battery died. She called AAA, they came to the house and replaced the battery right there in our driveway and she was on her way. Their price was the same as what it would have cost at the repair shop but far more convenient.

Over the years, I've called them for dead batteries, flat tires, and other miscellaneous breakdowns and tows.

They are great for travel. We always get their travel guide when heading to a new destination. Some of their travel info is now available free online so that isn't quite as valuable as it used to be but it is still good stuff for a very modest cost.

[ua_guy]

Interesting... I received a membership application from them in the mail about 2 weeks ago. I hadn't thought about AAA for years. I've been driving newer cars and I'm a DIY-er when it comes to tire and battery changes.

I might look into membership and how/where it applies. I'd like to drive from Washington to Alaska in the next two years or so, and I'd like to have some kind of insurance against towing, if I can.

[disneysteve]

I'm a DIY-er when it comes to tire and battery changes.

I'm perfectly capable of changing a battery myself. However, if you are at home with one car that has a dead battery, you're kind of stuck. My wife had no way to get to an auto store and I wasn't there to take care of it or install it. Without AAA, she would have been stranded. The last time my battery died, we were out shopping without an auto store in the vicinity so again, we called AAA and they came and took care of it.

[rennigade]

I personally do not think it is worth it. I had it a long time ago for about 3 years in a row. When I didnt use it for those 3 years I thought why on earth am I paying $100/year for this? Its been 6 years without it...thats $600+ that I can now put towards needing a tow, battery jump, etc. As long as you have a spare tire in your trunk...theres no need to wait for AAA to show up to change it. (for those who do not know how to change a spare tire, you should be ashamed. That should be required to pass the driving exam imo!) And for those who say they're not strong enough...there are devices now that are really cheap and give you a lot of leverage so it requires very little effort to get the bolts off. That excuse doesnt work anymore.

The only way AAA makes sense is if you have a POS car that breaks down a lot or you stay in a hotel for vacation more than a week at a time. The AAA membership could be recouped in the saving from the hotel room.