Roadside Assistance Options?

I'm guessing GRM rather than off-topic, because what could be more GRM than your project car needing a tow?

I had AAA for a long time, and then I had Better World Club for a long time. Both spanning the depths of my driving *only* dodgy old cars and doing a fair bit of shuttling back and forth between Eugene and Portland (a bit over 100 miles). I didn't use them a ton, but probably used each a couple (in both cases I had the extra-distance coverage) and had no complaints.

Fast forward through a few years of being busy with other stuff and driving newer cars and not exercising said benefits. Until a couple of years ago when the Mini's crank damper/drive for accessories sheared and left me stranded in a suburb twenty minutes from my house. Where I spent four hours stuck in a loop with an online tool, stuck in a loop with an automated phone thing, eventually talking to a person, and then waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

I have the not-concretely-founded notion that with modern cars, "breakdowns" are less of a thing, and with everybody (auto manufacturers, insurance companies, sandwich shops) offering "roadside assistance" as one of their benefits, the actual outcome is one or two vendors with the dispatch systems that farm things out to a variety of not-exactly-affiliated tow services who, if they have nothing better to do, might take the probably-negotiated-reduced-rate tow being requested by one of the RA coverage brokers.

I'm contemplating going back to AAA, though I'm not thrilled that they're another one of these agglomerations which seems to have grown into a lobbying body and insurance broker that happens to sell roadside services and international driver's licenses. That said, if they actually provide a reliable service, that's the part I'm concerned about.

Anybody have a roadside assistance service they're still happy with in 2024?

I'll resist the urge to complain about AAA again. I've heard good things about Hagarty.

With a 39 foot motorhome the last 20 years I've had Good Sam Roadside Assistance.   Unfortunately, twice it has paid for itself many times over.  They have always been a joy to work with.   I know it covered the towd also.  Not sure about the other family cars, need to check.

Checked.... $99 / yr   covers all the street cars and boat trailer.

The Outlaw Bug is covered by Hagertys

Hagerty Drivers Club for around $70 per year has some firm of roadside assistance/towing. I am in the club but have not need it yet. Not sure on actual plan details. 

With the ability to Google local tow service from your phone, read reviews, and call them yourself I don't get why anyone pays for any of these services.  Just pay for what you need as you need it.

Everyone's experience is different, but I've always had good, prompt service from AAA.  I haven't yet had to speak to a robot.

Other than AAA (which around here is known for wait times of several hours), most of the roadside services offered by credit cards, insurance companies, etc use a third party vendor. Usually the same one. And they typically suck. I'm with Berck above; I'll just use Google and call whoever has decent reviews wherever I happen to be.

Maybe it depends on where you live, but AAA has paid for itself many times over for me. I check the cost of a local tow company and laughed at $200-300 tows then used AAA. So far they've never screwed me, they tried, but failed to screw me.

That's an excellent point about just skipping it, though I feel like my region has some areas that are pretty bad for cell coverage but you still manage voice. Hrm.

Buzzboy, did I understand that last bit right? That is, AAA has mostly worked out well, but they tried for some malfeasance but you got it sorted? Not a ringing endorsement.

Sounds like it's weirdly regional for such a national institution.

Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) said:

I'll resist the urge to complain about AAA again. I've heard good things about Hagarty.

Weirdly, it was a complaint about Hagerty's roadside assistance in some other thread that reminded me to look into the whole thing.

And now this thread reminds me that even "Hagerty" may be different depending on whether the coverage they advertise as a bonus for insurance is different from what you get if you join their Drivers Club...

AAA screwed me when I was having Fiat troubles. Multiple 12+ hour waits for tows when I stranded on the interstate, then had the gall to cancel ME. AAA can get bent. 

...to be fair, I was averaging like 2 or 3 tows a year for several years. Which, lets be real, makes me an average GRM'er.

AAA hosed me multiple times.  The membership is getting pricey, they are picky about the hookups (like, it has to be a true roadside emergency, and if you call for something like a job you started and want a shop to finish, your car can be blacklisted), and they take forever.

AAA contracts with a limited number of tow companies in any given area, mostly because they pay terribly.  Some companies can't afford to do a contract with AAA and give up lucrative retail hooks.

Contact your insurance company.  Mine (State Farm) has a roadside policy that is something stupid cheap like $15/6mo and it covers the same as AAA.  In fact they'll do more mileage.  They also don't contract with select companies.  When you call for an insurance tow, they just call any or all of the local tow companies to get you the quickest one, and then they pay for it.  The tow companies don't care if it's a project Hearse or a Miata out of gas because they're not working FOR the insurance company.

I used it to get my truck to the shop for a clutch.  The shop I wanted to use was about 30 miles (my free limit).  They were here in 15 minutes, and they towed it.  During the tow, a very sheepish lady called me and said "I'm so sorry, the tow is actually 33 miles, so I'll have to charge you the difference."  The difference was $4.  I was happy.

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

I have had to use the State Farm RA a few times and have no real complaints.

Nobody has their own fleet of tow trucks, they all contract with the same towing companies.  The service you get depends on how busy those towing companies are at that precise moment in time, and on luck of the draw in terms of which driver you get and how motivated he is to do something out of the ordinary.

I've been a AAA member for 30 years and haven't had any reason to look elsewhere.  I haven't used it that often, but it's never been a huge problem when I did.

AAA has NEVER screwed me, tried to screw me, or mistreated me in anyway. The wait times have gotten HORRIBLE, but that's the contractor tow companies. Same ones used by any service, and if a person calls them for roadside, they DRASTICALLY up their rates. (Know a few of 'em)

AAA does treat the tow companies very bad, particularly causing the ridiculously long wait times, but the other services do as well. 
 

There is another contributor to the current problems, but that's another topic. 
 

I can't disagree with the negative reviews of AAA, but have liked other services, less. 

Jesse Ransom said:

Buzzboy, did I understand that last bit right? That is, AAA has mostly worked out well, but they tried for some malfeasance but you got it sorted? Not a ringing endorsement.

AAA contracts with local tow companies. Once they tried to give me the runaround about not calling a local tow company due to unsafe conditions. The unsafe condition was a winter storm predicted TWO DAYS from the time of my call. Once I got in touch with the driver, all was well, but AAA was hesitant to get me to that point. They also suck about "you must be with the car." The drivers have never cared about seeing me and my driver's license, but if you mention that to the phone representative they have COW. My Jeep has been towed 4 times and my BWW twice and my old Mercury once and my Mercedes once. A few of those were very long tows, eg picking a spot exactly 100 miles from where I was broken. Outside of wait times, which is on the local towing company really, I've been pretty happy with AAA.

When I had to have my 2002 towed earlier this year (mechanical breakdown), I contacted AAA and was in the queue, but the deputy who responded - I was in a bad spot on a dark road - called and requested a tow, which superseded the AAA request. He told me that the problem with AAA is that their calls are the last priority, after police and emergency calls, as well as direct calls for service, so if it's a busy night, you could wait for a long time.

I submitted the invoice to AAA and they reimbursed me quickly and without issue.

I have roadside assistance through my insurance company - Erie. I had a breakdown, called a local towing company, was home in no time, and then sent my agent the bill. They covered it but reminded me that I was supposed to call them to arrange the service. Fast forward a couple of years and my daughter had a breakdown while I was of town. I told her to call the Erie number for a tow. After 7 hours of nonsense she finally made it home and then had to deal with the tow truck driver hitting on her. My conversation with Erie the next morning was quite spirited. They agreed that going forward it would be OK if we called the tow company of our choice and sent them the bill. I haven't had to use it since. 

I also have coverage through Hagerty on my old cars but haven't yet had to use it. 

Berck said:

With the ability to Google local tow service from your phone, read reviews, and call them yourself I don't get why anyone pays for any of these services.  Just pay for what you need as you need it.

Because an 8 mile tow ran me almost $200 calling a company direct, while AAA gives me 3, 100 Mile tows a year for $130ish.

I've had one really bad experience with AAA, but my car was broke down 5 minutes from home in a parking lot so it was safe. Just sucked to be winter. 8 hours of waiting, then the helper bumped my transmission back into gear for me and they followed me home. P71 neutral safety switch or gear select thingamabob, whatever it was would up killing the car for me. 

Now I accidentally live 3 minutes from one of their contracted companies. I call, 10 minutes later my stuff is on the way to my preferred shop, and doesn't cost me any extra out of pocket.

I just don't like that I can't call ahead and schedule a tow through them. Example: it's 10pm Wednesday night and I've been replacing brake lines all day until I get to ones I don't have tools or lift to get to. Call to try to schedule a tow the following morning and get told to just call back in the morning.

Have been pretty happy with AAA, aside from a random delayed arrival or 2.  One guy demanded to be paid for tolls when there were obvious ways to avoid the toll road.  I think he was just shaking me down for a tip.  The complaint to management was a waste.  But after 15 years that isn't bad.  Also love getting free maps for all the cars.  For $100 a year with extended towing I willl stick with them.

In reply to Jesse Ransom :

Similar GRM Chatter about AAA, etc from just 5 months ago that you might find helpful. 

AAA sucks. You wait because they have to be an authorized provider and the reimbursement is so low, you can't afford a Wendy's biggie bag afterwards. So you are low priority. A friend used them and they finally got to her vehicle the next day! It wasn't like she wanted service at 11pm either it was 2 or 3 in the afternoon. If she didn't live the exact opposite way I would have flat towed it to her home 50 miles away.

In the past 25 years, I've needed a tow twice, and ran out of gas once.  I'm not including the time my still-under-warranty WRX broke a clutch fork, because the Subaru warranty came wih roadside assistance and they took care of it.  But even if you count that,  I'd have thrown away so much money with AAA.  I suppose if your usage rate is significantly higher, the discount might be worth it.