Do you buy AAA each year?
Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2020 12:38 pm
Do any you buy AAA every year for your vehicles?
My father used to buy it for me but I don't think I've had it since the 70s.
I have an envelope here with an offer for a AAA basic membership for $58.
My philosophy is that It is a bad buy and I'm better off in the long run NOT buying it and paying full costs for needs as they come up. Plus, I believe that providers treat you as a second class person compared to a full payer since I imagine AAA pays them less than a full payer?
The worst experience I had with them when I did have AAA was during a snow storm in 1976 and my car would not start on a bitterly cold day. I called and was told I'd have an hour's wait. Understandable. But was also commanded that I had to be outside, standing next to the car. I protested, saying I could be inside looking out a window and see when the truck pulled up. That I'm clearly remembering this 44 years later shows the highly negative impact this had on me.
The last time I would have really needed them was in November 2007.
I was on my way to a Boston Celtics / New York Knicks game in Boston.
While on a four lane highway my car stopped. Then it started again. At that point I was about 5-10 miles from my office (my exit point for this trip). I asked myself if should turn around. I said, "No. You really want to see this game.) A few minutes later it happened again. This time the car did not start again. And, while I was trying to coast over to the breakdown lane a tractor trailer was entering the highway. Luckily I got over to the breakdown lane.
I had no cell phone and tried to get someone to stop. But no one did.
Until an unmarked police car did. And, because he made the call the tow company was entitled to charge me the highest rates. It was a $300 bill for a 20 mile tow. I had it towed to a place aa few miles down the street from my office. It was a Thursday afternoon. They so mid-handled the situation that when I called them Saturday morning for their progress I was so angered I just told them to not even put the car back together, that I was going to have it towed elsewhere. The elsewhere was someone who had correctly diagnosed it over the phone (ignition switch) just on the basis of me describing to him what had happened. That was another $100 for a tow.
Later got into a big argument with a friend (total opposite to me in terms of personality types) who thought I could not say I'd made out in the long run by NOT having paid AAA every year while still paying $400 for these two tows. Here we are 13 years later. I think back then everyone was paying $100 a year. If it had stayed the same $100 since then that would mean I'd have had at least $1,300 less net worth and I'm not remembering one time since November 2007 when I would have used their services.
Vinny
My father used to buy it for me but I don't think I've had it since the 70s.
I have an envelope here with an offer for a AAA basic membership for $58.
My philosophy is that It is a bad buy and I'm better off in the long run NOT buying it and paying full costs for needs as they come up. Plus, I believe that providers treat you as a second class person compared to a full payer since I imagine AAA pays them less than a full payer?
The worst experience I had with them when I did have AAA was during a snow storm in 1976 and my car would not start on a bitterly cold day. I called and was told I'd have an hour's wait. Understandable. But was also commanded that I had to be outside, standing next to the car. I protested, saying I could be inside looking out a window and see when the truck pulled up. That I'm clearly remembering this 44 years later shows the highly negative impact this had on me.
The last time I would have really needed them was in November 2007.
I was on my way to a Boston Celtics / New York Knicks game in Boston.
While on a four lane highway my car stopped. Then it started again. At that point I was about 5-10 miles from my office (my exit point for this trip). I asked myself if should turn around. I said, "No. You really want to see this game.) A few minutes later it happened again. This time the car did not start again. And, while I was trying to coast over to the breakdown lane a tractor trailer was entering the highway. Luckily I got over to the breakdown lane.
I had no cell phone and tried to get someone to stop. But no one did.
Until an unmarked police car did. And, because he made the call the tow company was entitled to charge me the highest rates. It was a $300 bill for a 20 mile tow. I had it towed to a place aa few miles down the street from my office. It was a Thursday afternoon. They so mid-handled the situation that when I called them Saturday morning for their progress I was so angered I just told them to not even put the car back together, that I was going to have it towed elsewhere. The elsewhere was someone who had correctly diagnosed it over the phone (ignition switch) just on the basis of me describing to him what had happened. That was another $100 for a tow.
Later got into a big argument with a friend (total opposite to me in terms of personality types) who thought I could not say I'd made out in the long run by NOT having paid AAA every year while still paying $400 for these two tows. Here we are 13 years later. I think back then everyone was paying $100 a year. If it had stayed the same $100 since then that would mean I'd have had at least $1,300 less net worth and I'm not remembering one time since November 2007 when I would have used their services.
Vinny