🚀 go-pugleaf

I have never heard of such a discount before.
The $58/yr fee isn't all that steep.

You get free towing, jump starts, locksmith, maps, etc.
If you use the towing service once, then you have already broke even.
They will reimberse you up to $60 if you call for private roadside assistance.

Anyway of lowering it?  Yes, change insurance companies.  Then you can call 
for your private tow truck and pay the guy $60.

: However, now I call to all the companies involved, and they know nothing
: about this offer.  Does anybody know better?  Is there any way of
:  lowering the abusive $58/yr fee of the AAA?

In article <2ur04l$dmd@news.csus.edu>, stealth@mercury.sfsu.edu (Kenneth) writes:
> I have never heard of such a discount before.
> The $58/yr fee isn't all that steep.

That depends on which of the services you need.

> You get free towing, jump starts, locksmith, maps, etc.
> If you use the towing service once, then you have already broke even.
> They will reimberse you up to $60 if you call for private roadside
> assistance. 

As far as maps go, you can buy a Rand McNally road atlas, for example.

> Anyway of lowering it?  Yes, change insurance companies.  Then you can call 
> for your private tow truck and pay the guy $60.

All the other emergency road services can be had for $6/year from your
insurance company such as State Farm.  You pay the roadside assistance
service directly and get reimbursed by State Farm.  There is no absurd
towing distance limit (usually 8 km) either.

As usual, YMMV.

-- 
-Konstantin Laufer@math.luc.edu
-URL http://www.math.luc.edu/~laufer/home.html

In article <2ur04l$dmd@news.csus.edu>,
Kenneth <stealth@mercury.sfsu.edu> wrote:
>I have never heard of such a discount before.
>The $58/yr fee isn't all that steep.
>
>You get free towing, jump starts, locksmith, maps, etc.
>If you use the towing service once, then you have already broke even.

Or...  Unless you get towed at least once, you've lost money.  I gave up on
this when it was just $35.  I had no idea it was so expensive now.  This is 
just a variant on the extended warranty scam, as far as I'm concerned.  If
you can afford an expense, insuring yourself against it doesn't make sense.
-- 
 
-- Alan                        # Mountain Dew and doughnuts...
   alan@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov     # because breakfast is the most important meal
                               # of the day.

It pretty much depends.  Let's say that you were driving around, even if
your car was in great condition, sometimes these things happen.
It's also late at night and you need a tow.  You would need to search for the
phone number for a private tow.  And they do charge considerably more during
the night.  If you can't find a phone number, then you may be stuck.

Sure you can buy maps but they too cost money.  AAA gives you unlimited maps.

: Or...  Unless you get towed at least once, you've lost money.  I gave up on
: this when it was just $35.  I had no idea it was so expensive now.  This is 
: just a variant on the extended warranty scam, as far as I'm concerned.  If
: you can afford an expense, insuring yourself against it doesn't make sense.

In <2us1rv$kpl@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov> alan@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov (Alan S. Mazer) writes:

>In article <2ur04l$dmd@news.csus.edu>,
>Kenneth <stealth@mercury.sfsu.edu> wrote:
>>The $58/yr fee isn't all that steep.

>>You get free towing, jump starts, locksmith, maps, etc.
>>If you use the towing service once, then you have already broke even.

>Or...  Unless you get towed at least once, you've lost money.  I gave up on
>this when it was just $35.  I had no idea it was so expensive now.  This is 
>just a variant on the extended warranty scam, as far as I'm concerned.  If
>you can afford an expense, insuring yourself against it doesn't make sense.

I think AAA is a steal.  I've already more than outspent the membership fee
in travel books, maps, tows, and getting my car door unlocked.  My wife and
I have taken three trips in the past year; the maps and books alone were
worth the price.  When we're out travelling we can drop by any AAA office
and pick up more stuff.

I suppose if you don't travel at least once a year and can afford to get
your car towed once, then it's probably not worth it.  But like an insurance
policy, some day you may need it.

-- 
Barry E. Brown                          Internet: bbrown@ucsd.edu
UCSD Academic Computing Services        AOL:      BarryBrown
Student Consultant
<a href="http://www-cse.ucsd.edu/users/bbrown">My WWW Home Page</a>

In article <2urub9$ouh@apollo.it.luc.edu>,
Konstantin Laufer <laufer@math.luc.edu> wrote:

>As far as maps go, you can buy a Rand McNally road atlas, for example.

A road atlas does not contain detailed maps (i.e. one that shows every
street) of any city.  Those are the kind of maps I pick up most
frequently at AAA.  In my travels I must have accumulated something like
40 AAA city maps.

Ed
ed@wente.llnl.gov

In article <2us1rv$kpl@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov> alan@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov (Alan S. Mazer) writes:

   Kenneth <stealth@mercury.sfsu.edu> wrote:
   >I have never heard of such a discount before.
   >The $58/yr fee isn't all that steep.
   >
   >You get free towing, jump starts, locksmith, maps, etc.
   >If you use the towing service once, then you have already broke even.

   Or...  Unless you get towed at least once, you've lost money.  I gave up on
   this when it was just $35.  I had no idea it was so expensive now.  This is 
   just a variant on the extended warranty scam, as far as I'm concerned.  If
   you can afford an expense, insuring yourself against it doesn't make sense.

I easily use more than $58 in services every year, what with tourbooks, 
maps, triptiks (I won't travel without 'em any more-- they beat maps by 
a mile).  If I run out of gas (not usually likely, but it happens) you 
get gas at pump cost, not $5.00/gallon.  If I get a flat, and I'm in a
suit, they'll come and change it.

And, the most important thing of all, especially for Californians--

NO WAITING IN LINE AT THE DMV!

--
--srj         Berkeley has two products: LSD and BSD Unix.  That can't
    o_O       be a coincidence...
   =( ) =     --all information is the personal opinion of the author---
     U  Ack!  Scott Johnson  Cisco Systems  srj@cisco.com   415-324-5205

In article <2ur04l$dmd@news.csus.edu>, stealth@mercury.sfsu.edu (Kenneth) writes:
|> I have never heard of such a discount before.
|> The $58/yr fee isn't all that steep.

First, sorry for the reply I sent DIRECTLY to Kenneth.  I should have used followup
rather than reply.

Second, there IS such a discount from AAA.  They'll mail the promotion directly to
your mailbox.  Just wait.   :-)

--Linda

On 29 Jun 1994 06:52:47 PST, alan@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov (Alan S. Mazer) said:

> In article <2ur04l$dmd@news.csus.edu>,
> Kenneth <stealth@mercury.sfsu.edu> wrote:
>> I have never heard of such a discount before.
>> The $58/yr fee isn't all that steep.
>> 
>> You get free towing, jump starts, locksmith, maps, etc.
>> If you use the towing service once, then you have already broke even.

> Or...  Unless you get towed at least once, you've lost money.  I gave up on
> this when it was just $35.  I had no idea it was so expensive now.  This is 
> just a variant on the extended warranty scam, as far as I'm concerned.  If
> you can afford an expense, insuring yourself against it doesn't make sense.

Others have made the point that AAA is not just towing services.
That's true, and fair.  But even if you look at it from the standpoint
of towing, I also believe that if you use the callboxen at the side of
the road, if you don't have AAA you get relegated to hold rather
quickly.  Having been stuck on the shoulder for over an hour with a
sick car (bad fuel pump!), this is definitely worth it.
-- 
Robert L. McMillin  | rlm@helen.surfcty.com | Netcom: rlm@netcom.com
Surf City Software  | Purveying superior SCSI backup/utilities for the Mac
	      Contact chris@surfcty.com for sales info.
      I don't speak for Surf City, and they don't speak for me.

In article <RLM.94Jun30041814@helen.surfcty.com>, rlm@helen.surfcty.com (Robert L. McMillin) writes:
|> On 29 Jun 1994 06:52:47 PST, alan@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov (Alan S. Mazer) said:
|> 
|> > In article <2ur04l$dmd@news.csus.edu>,
|> > Kenneth <stealth@mercury.sfsu.edu> wrote:
|> >> I have never heard of such a discount before.
|> >> The $58/yr fee isn't all that steep.
|> >> 
|> >> You get free towing, jump starts, locksmith, maps, etc.
|> >> If you use the towing service once, then you have already broke even.
|> 
|> > Or...  Unless you get towed at least once, you've lost money.  I gave up on
|> > this when it was just $35.  I had no idea it was so expensive now.  This is 
|> > just a variant on the extended warranty scam, as far as I'm concerned.  If
|> > you can afford an expense, insuring yourself against it doesn't make sense.
|> 
|> Others have made the point that AAA is not just towing services.
|> That's true, and fair.  But even if you look at it from the standpoint
|> of towing, I also believe that if you use the callboxen at the side of
|> the road, if you don't have AAA you get relegated to hold rather
|> quickly.  Having been stuck on the shoulder for over an hour with a
|> sick car (bad fuel pump!), this is definitely worth it.
|> -- 
|>
We have CSAA membership IN SPITE OF their towing program.  We drive an F350
pickup and pull a fifth wheel trailer.  AAA will not touch a 1 ton truck on 
their standard membership, and will not touch our trailer on any membership.
If we break down out in the middle of nowhere, we're stuck, plain and simple.
We have Emergency Road Service through another company that provides us with
an 800 number.  We break down, we call the 800 number.  They dispatch a truck
to tow our truck, our trailer, and all passengers to the nearest authorised
service center.  If that happens to mean that they need to tow us 200 miles,
then that's how far we get towed.  We hand the driver our card and away we
go.  No worries about whether or not the driver takes plastic, or cheques,
or how much cash we need to part with.  Like AAA, it also includes fuel,
tire changes, lockouts, etc.

We keep AAA for the maps, tour books, camping books, triptiks, DMV service,
and insurance for our teenager son.

-- 
Alan Hepburn             |"That men do not learn very much from the lessons
National Semiconductor   | of history is the most  important of all lessons
Santa Clara, Ca          |that history has to teach."
alan@berlioz.nsc.com     |                                 -- Aldous Huxley

In article <RLM.94Jun30041814@helen.surfcty.com>,
Robert L. McMillin <rlm@helen.surfcty.com> wrote:
>
>Others have made the point that AAA is not just towing services.
>That's true, and fair.  But even if you look at it from the standpoint
>of towing, I also believe that if you use the callboxen at the side of
>the road, if you don't have AAA you get relegated to hold rather
>quickly.  Having been stuck on the shoulder for over an hour with a
>sick car (bad fuel pump!), this is definitely worth it.

Last time I broke down near a callbox they only asked if anyone was injured.
I said no and I got put on hold.  They didn't get around to AAA until much
later, when they came back on.  Re speed of trucks in general, I've only needed
a tow once since I quit AAA and they came a lot faster than before.  Perhaps
companies hold back on AAA calls because they're not as lucrative?  I don't
know.  I just know that I called and they came right away, as opposed to a
half-hour or forty-five minutes later.
-- 
 
-- Alan                        # Mountain Dew and doughnuts...
   alan@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov     # because breakfast is the most important meal
                               # of the day.

In article <RLM.94Jun30041814@helen.surfcty.com> rlm@helen.surfcty.com (Robert L. McMillin) writes:

>Others have made the point that AAA is not just towing services.
>That's true, and fair.  But even if you look at it from the standpoint
>of towing, I also believe that if you use the callboxen at the side of
>the road, if you don't have AAA you get relegated to hold rather
>quickly.  Having been stuck on the shoulder for over an hour with a
>sick car (bad fuel pump!), this is definitely worth it.

If you use the callboxes at the side of the road, you must either have a phone 
number of a towing service handy, or else you must use the "official" towing 
service for that section of freeway. For this you will pay ultra-premium 
prices, which will cost you way more than the yearly AAA dues. (You can always 
carry Two-Bit Tow's phone # with you, but that's typically an hour wait.)

AAA is generally responsive, and you don't have to worry about being able to 
pay for the tow. For this alone it is worth it.
_____________________________________________________________________
Jon Tara|Internet:   jtara@crash.cts.com | My child was Kibo of the  
        |CompuServe: 76477,3422          | month at Usenet Middle
        |                                | School!
 

In article <1994Jun30.155618.13858@berlioz.nsc.com>, alan@lancaster.nsc.com (The Hepburn) writes:
|>
|> We have CSAA membership IN SPITE OF their towing program.  We drive an F350
|> pickup and pull a fifth wheel trailer.  AAA will not touch a 1 ton truck on 
|> their standard membership, and will not touch our trailer on any membership.
|> If we break down out in the middle of nowhere, we're stuck, plain and simple.
|> We have Emergency Road Service through another company that provides us with
|> an 800 number.  We break down, we call the 800 number.  They dispatch a truck
|> to tow our truck, our trailer, and all passengers to the nearest authorised
|> service center.  If that happens to mean that they need to tow us 200 miles,
|> then that's how far we get towed.  We hand the driver our card and away we
|> go.  No worries about whether or not the driver takes plastic, or cheques,
|> or how much cash we need to part with.  Like AAA, it also includes fuel,
|> tire changes, lockouts, etc.
|> 
|> Alan Hepburn

So Alan, what is the name of this remarkable company, how much do they charge,
and how do we get in touch with them?  Enlighten us so that 
we all can send them money, make them rich, use their services, etc.



George

In article <2usfbb$s2o@news.csus.edu>, stealth@mercury.sfsu.edu (Kenneth) writes:
> It pretty much depends.  Let's say that you were driving around, even if
> your car was in great condition, sometimes these things happen.
> It's also late at night and you need a tow.  You would need to search for the
> phone number for a private tow.  And they do charge considerably more during
> the night.  If you can't find a phone number, then you may be stuck.

you should be aware that the AAA contract garages make less on an AAA tow than
they charge J. Random Driver.  So if the garage to which AAA dispatches your
call happens to have several other calls pending, yours goes to the bottom of
the pile.  This can make for some LONG waits. (Three hours, once, while waiting
with a friend.  Oh well, the conversation was good...) 

	--- Jamie Hanrahan, Kernel Mode Systems, San Diego CA
Internet: jeh@cmkrnl.com (JH645) Uucp: uunet!cmkrnl!jeh  CompuServe: 74140,2055

alan@lancaster.nsc.com (The Hepburn) writes:
>If we break down out in the middle of nowhere, we're stuck, plain and simple.

I've been enjoying the ad where the former astronaut says, "Believe me,
you don't want to break down in the middle of nowhere without this."
Personally, I don't care to break down anywhere.
--
Dave Close, Compata, Costa Mesa CA  "Always" and "never" are two words you
compata@shell.portal.com	     should always remember never to use.
dave@compata.ccss.com			Wendell Johnson

In article <1994Jul1.172239.2123@enterprise.rdd.lmsc.lockheed.com>, glyle@thor.seas.ucla.edu (George Lyle (233789)) writes:
|> In article <1994Jun30.155618.13858@berlioz.nsc.com>, alan@lancaster.nsc.com (The Hepburn) writes:
|> |>
|> |> We have CSAA membership IN SPITE OF their towing program.  We drive an F350
|> |> pickup and pull a fifth wheel trailer.  AAA will not touch a 1 ton truck on 
|> |> their standard membership, and will not touch our trailer on any membership.
|> |> If we break down out in the middle of nowhere, we're stuck, plain and simple.
|> |> We have Emergency Road Service through another company that provides us with
|> |> an 800 number.  We break down, we call the 800 number.  They dispatch a truck
|> |> to tow our truck, our trailer, and all passengers to the nearest authorised
|> |> service center.  If that happens to mean that they need to tow us 200 miles,
|> |> then that's how far we get towed.  We hand the driver our card and away we
|> |> go.  No worries about whether or not the driver takes plastic, or cheques,
|> |> or how much cash we need to part with.  Like AAA, it also includes fuel,
|> |> tire changes, lockouts, etc.
|> |> 
|> |> Alan Hepburn
|> 
|> So Alan, what is the name of this remarkable company, how much do they charge,
|> and how do we get in touch with them?  Enlighten us so that 
|> we all can send them money, make them rich, use their services, etc.
|> 

I knew this request would be forthcoming, so I armed myself with the card I
usually keep in the glove box.  Here's the info for everyone to use as they
see fit:

Rapid Response Roadservice Motor Club, Inc.
275 E. Hillcrest Drive, Suite 204
Thousand Oaks, California, 91360
1-800-777-4869 (1-800-RRR-4-TOW)

Currently we pay $70 per year for our truck, trailer, and Jeep.  Note that I
have no connection to this company, other than being a satisfied customer.


-- 
Alan Hepburn             |"That men do not learn very much from the lessons
National Semiconductor   | of history is the most  important of all lessons
Santa Clara, Ca          |that history has to teach."
alan@berlioz.nsc.com     |                                 -- Aldous Huxley

In article <1994Jul2.162319.4217@cmkrnl>, jeh@cmkrnl.com (Jamie Hanrahan, Kernel Mode Systems) writes:
>In article <2usfbb$s2o@news.csus.edu>, stealth@mercury.sfsu.edu (Kenneth) writes:
>> It pretty much depends.  Let's say that you were driving around, even if
>> your car was in great condition, sometimes these things happen.
>> It's also late at night and you need a tow.  You would need to search for the
>> phone number for a private tow.  And they do charge considerably more during
>> the night.  If you can't find a phone number, then you may be stuck.
>
>you should be aware that the AAA contract garages make less on an AAA tow than
>they charge J. Random Driver.  

Yes but think how much business AAA sends their way without needing to 
advertize.

>So if the garage to which AAA dispatches your
>call happens to have several other calls pending, yours goes to the bottom of
>the pile.  This can make for some LONG waits. (Three hours, once, while waiting
>with a friend.  Oh well, the conversation was good...) 

Before I was a AAA member, one tow company told me they had to give priority
to AAA calls even if they come in after you have called.  I waited a long
time for that truck, and even though I had towing insurance on my auto
policy with Farmers, I have since switched because the service is likely to 
be faster when AAA calls for the truck than when you do.

>
>	--- Jamie Hanrahan, Kernel Mode Systems, San Diego CA
>Internet: jeh@cmkrnl.com (JH645) Uucp: uunet!cmkrnl!jeh  CompuServe: 74140,2055
>
--
<<< Brad Houser               "Not Speaking for Intel Corporation" - Anon.  >>>