This is topic Breakdown cover - alternatives to the AAA? in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 08-03-2014, 05:14 AM:
 
This is gonna be a long, rant type post. For those who aren't seeking some free entertainment, the short version of it is this: can anyone recommend an alternative to the AAA for breakdown cover, which will absolutely guarantee to come and help you 24/7/365 and tow you, in a worst case scenario to a destination 75 miles away?

The reason it's gonna be a long, rant type post is because it's nearly 3am, I'm in an empty projection booth in an empty theater with bugger all else to do except write it, and I've just found out the hard way that the AAA will not do the above.

Driving into work this afternoon, I developed a coolant leak courtesy of a split in the upper radiator hose. I attempted a bodge repair involving duct tape and cable ties, but it didn't hold and I overheated about three miles into the drive home (for those that know LA, in Echo Park around Sunset and Alvarado). I nursed the car into a gas station forecourt, called the AAA and waited on hold for over half an hour (this was at around 11pm). The lady who eventually answered asked me where I wanted the car towed. They could only tow me to within seven miles, so home (65 miles away) was out. How about a garage that could fix it? Only if I could give her the name of one that was open (at nearly midnight - yeah, right!). I told her that I was in an unfamiliar neighborhood and needed help finding somewhere. After a catty remark about the inadvisability of trying to do long-distance commuting late at night in a 15 year-old car (which, incidentally, I maintained totally and utterly in accordance with the maker's specs), she tried Googling, found one place nearby and tried calling it, but got no reply.

I won't bore you with the rest of the saga, but the end result was that after nearly three hours a truck did show up, driven by a lovely guy who took me back to the theater and the car to a nearby garage, who will give me a quote in the morning (but this was no thanks to the AAA - the tow firm was a subcontractor and the garage owned by one of the driver's friends - no doubt the quote will not be a competitive one, but frankly I'm beyond caring).

So here I am, with five hours to kill until the first train back to San Bernardino. My wife offered to drive in and pick me up, but there's no way I'm letting her do that at the end of a long day. At least as things are, only one of us is in a jam, and I am now safe. I'm guessing that this place will be able to fix the car pretty easily, even if the radiator is nuked. My wife is urging me to admit defeat and get a newer car, and I may well swallow my pride and end up doing that, given that I have a 140-mile round trip commute four days a week and I truly don't want anything like this to happen again.

I guess I'm shocked because when I lived in Britain, I was a member of a breakdown service called the RAC, for which the deal was simple: for around the equivalent of $200 a year, they guaranteed to come and rescue you, 24/7/365, and tow you to any destination you chose, anywhere in the country. There could be a bit of a wait in the middle of the night (e.g. a couple of hours, especially if you're male and stranded in a relatively safe location), but there was none of this BS about trying to find a subcontractor who was willing to come out, and expecting you to know about garages in an unfamiliar neighborhood along your commuting route.

Therefore, can anyone recommend anything similar in Southern California? I'm willing to pay well over AAA membership rates for a similar level and efficiency of service to that which the RAC provided in Britain. Many thanks in advance. In the meantime, at least the ghost of Sid Grauman has someone to keep him company tonight...
 

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Posted by Matthew Ortado (Member # 5620) on 08-03-2014, 05:44 AM:
 
Check with your auto insurance company. Some of them are offering
some of the same services.
 

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Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 08-03-2014, 06:24 AM:
 
AAA offers expanded service up to 100 miles at additional cost. He in the East its called AAA Premier and costs about $118/year.
 

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Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 08-03-2014, 06:50 AM:
 
I have absolutely no clue about any AAA services, since whenever I'm over there I will usually get a rental with "full service" (or at least I hope so ).

That remark about your 15-year old car is really rather stupid. I've had more failures with brand new cars (gotta love those "teething problems") than with older, well maintained cars.

Since Europe consists of all those different countries with all different rules and regulation, a service that will tow your car from one side of Europe to the other will be horrendously expensive. My breakdown cover does include a rental service though, for up to the day your car is fixed with a maximum of 14 days if I remember correctly. So I do get a replacement car and if they cannot manage to do this within a few hours, they will also cover transportation and hotel costs within reasonable amounts.

This all sounds very logic and reasonable to me. And in a country where you don't get anywhere far without a car, I guess they will offer similar features over there?
 

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Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 08-03-2014, 09:26 AM:
 

quote: Rick Raskin

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AAA offers expanded service up to 100 miles at additional cost. He in the East its called AAA Premier and costs about $118/year.

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Thanks. Once I'm back home, have had a bit of sleep and am feeling sane again, we'll investigate. When I moved here we simply added me to Olivia's AAA plan at a slightly higher annual fee: neither of us thought to ask precisely what was and wasn't included. In my case I guess it was because even the most basic, barebones RAC option in England included a tow to their nearest approved repair facility that was at least open to receive the broken-down car at any hour of the day or night, if not actually to fix it.

What disappointed me most of all about the AAA was that they had to look on Google to find someone to come and tow me - they don't have their own trucks and drivers directly, even in the middle of LA (and so goodness knows what they'd have done if I'd been in the middle of nowhere). That's really why I'd at least like to find a service that claims to have trucks/drivers on standby 24/7 covering the LA metro and Inland Empire areas, because, as I discovered last night, the AAA clearly don't. So an enhanced AAA membership that would theoretically include a tow all the way home wouldn't be much use if they can't find anyone to come out in the first place, which was nearly what happened last night.

I'll check out the insurance with breakdown cover as an add-on route. Our next renewal is due in October, so that could be a possibility.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-03-2014, 10:25 AM:
 
Unless it is an absolute Gapping Hole in your Radiator;this product will seal most coolant leaks. It has been around forever. Could save you hundreds of Dollars. Radiator repair doesn't come cheap now days...



didn't look that close at your post; Replacing a hose will certainly be cheaper than any radiator repair. This Barsleak would probably have sealed the split in the hose if not extensive. I recommend people keep it stored somewhere in your vehicle;especially if you travel a lot...Nobody needs Radiator Problems out on the Road...
 

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Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 08-03-2014, 10:53 AM:
 
Some premium cars (Audi for sure, probably Mercedes, Volvo, etc) offer a 24 hour service free for a year or two. More if you pay.
 

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Posted by Jeff Taylor (Member # 443) on 08-03-2014, 10:55 AM:
 
Leo alluded to this before, but I've gotten the same actual local road towing service company with AAA, Lincoln's service, and BMW's own breakdown service--the only difference being that the BMW and Lincoln services would take you free to the nearest dealer no matter how far it was. All of them are merely dispatching services. Accordingly, the quality of the service is really no different despite who you get it from, but clearly there are differences in the service terms and limits.
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-03-2014, 11:44 AM:
 
I've been with AAA for all of my 35 or so years of driving. They do have different plans and I want to say mine is "Plus" but it may be "Premier". The short story is, the plan I'm on is exactly as you say you desire. Though there is a range limit (nobody is going to tow you cross country for a reasonable rate). I think I have something like a 75 or 100 mile range on my plan. Never and issue and fortunately, never needed it much. But when I have, they have been there.
 

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Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 08-03-2014, 12:21 PM:
 
Just looking at the AAA website, if you go to the $100 level you jump from 3 towed miles to 200 towed miles for the first incident, 100 for all subsequent. Seems like it's worth an extra $51 dollars a year if you're driving that much.
But do check your insurance, you may be paying for Roadside Service already.
 

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Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 08-03-2014, 01:24 PM:
 
Steve - the leak wasn't in the radiator or heater core - it was an inch long, lateral split in a hose. This was directly below the distributor (or at least I think it was - it was pitch black in the middle of last night when I was looking at it). Must have been chafing against something I guess, or just simple rubber fatigue. My guess that it was too big a leak for sealant gunk to have done very much, but I'm certainly going to be carrying a can of the stuff in the trunk in future. Thankfully, it looks like I managed to stop the engine before the radiator was nuked - the garage to where the car was eventually taken have just called to report that they think that a new hose plus a refill should sort it, and will let me know when they've done that and pressure tested.

Back home now thanks to Amtrak, but will check out everyone's suggestions when rested and calmed down a bit - many thanks.

quote: Jeff Taylor

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I've gotten the same actual local road towing service company with AAA, Lincoln's service, and BMW's own breakdown service--the only difference being that the BMW and Lincoln services would take you free to the nearest dealer no matter how far it was. All of them are merely dispatching services.

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quote: Leo Enticknap

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What disappointed me most of all about the AAA was that they had to look on Google to find someone to come and tow me - they don't have their own trucks and drivers directly, even in the middle of LA (and so goodness knows what they'd have done if I'd been in the middle of nowhere).

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I've never needed the AAA, I only used their discounts a few times, many of those are also available with my local Motor club membership with which they have some kind of exchange contract.

Maybe Google works better than their internal systems . But for such a big Automobile club, it's rather stunning they leave it all to contractors. I guess you could expect something like that in bumf*ck nowhere, but not really in major metropolitan areas.

And, the only thing they do is tow? They also don't have anybody that can do small roadside repairs?
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 08-03-2014, 07:03 PM:
 
I have also been with AAA for years. I haven't looked at their contract lately, but I was under the impression that the towing charges only apply if you want to be towed to a station of your choice IF it is not an AAA station. They will tow you to the closest AAA station, no matter where it is, for no charge. At least that's what it used to be. And yes, you can wait anywhere up to an hour for the tow truck to come; they usually show up within the half hour. If it's winter and bad weather conditions, it always takes longer.

Recently I was on a trip back from Kentucky and the battery went dead when I stopped at a rest area to take a break. I fell asleep with the headlights on. I was on the interstate in the middle of West Virginia at 3am. I called information to find a local AAA number, the number they gave me was not in service. Talk about feeling stranded, so I called the New York AAA 800 number on my card and she was very helpful and connected me to the correct AAA station someplace in the WV. They showed up only about 45min later. And the truck driver was from Brooklyn! Thing is, he said they would have towed me to his station if I had needed it. He said the station was closed (they got him up out of bed at 3am) but they would open at 8am. Luckily I got the boost and was on my way.

From then on, I always call the NY 800 number (actually don't know if that is actually NY -- it might be a central AAA dispatch -- they seemed to be able to find my location and route calls to the correct AAA service area.

I didn't even know there were more than one level of service.
 

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Posted by Steve Matz (Member # 1890) on 08-03-2014, 07:58 PM:
 
There are a number of Things motorist can do ahead of time so that you may not need to call AAA. Just because you have a new/newer car/truck doesn't mean you can't have something happen
on the Road and put you in a Stranded situation. In Leo's case I don't know the age of his Vehicle but Belts and Hoses are things that Fatigue after a Period of time and need to be changed out.

When you think of your Radiator Hoses having 200+ degrees of water/coolant running through them continuously;it's actually amazing that they hold up as well as they do. My advice if you do a lot of traveling is to have a number of spare/backup items in your Trunk or storage area. Obviously a small tool kit with the Size Sockets that pertain to items under the hood would be the first item. Most newer car/trucks use a single serpentine Belt that drives everything(waterpump/PS/AC/etc. On older vehicles you may have up to 4 different belts running things. When you break a Serpentine Belt (even though it's rare)your in a world of hurt because you have lost every function that the Engine Drives.They are kind of Pricy but if you were out somewhere and needed one, then the cost would be trivial, so I suggest adding one of those or Fan belts on older vehicles.

Another item is a Tire Pump; unless you have expensive run flat tires you are not void of having a Flat somewhere. You can Buy these inexpensive Pumps that run off your Cigarette Lighter slot. Places like Harbor Freight have several models. You don't need the most expensive tools/items; your just trying to get yourself going again where you can reach a Service Garage or Home. Electrical Problems can arise also; most newer computerized Vehicles have extra Fuses but it's a good plan to check your Fusebox under the hood or under the dash and obtain the ones that keep your Ignition Functioning.

Things like Oil,Transmission Fluid,Engine Coolant,etc., and water are a Good idea also. Some of you may think this is overkill but if you happen to be one of the unfortunates out in no man's land then it's a welcome site to have these things in your trunk when troubles arise...The Frustration of being Stranded somewhere is not a good feeling but having some backup things that may pertain to your Troubles is a better feeling than having nothing...
 

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Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 08-03-2014, 11:51 PM:
 
Steve - agreed completely. One of the thoughts that went through my mind last night was that if I'd only had a length of hose of the right diameter, a couple of cable clamps, a socket set and a large bottle of coolant in the car, I'd have had the problem fixed in the lot at work in ten minutes. I will be putting all of these things in the box in the emergency kit in the trunk as soon as I get it back.
 

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Posted by Pravin Ratnam (Member # 1417) on 08-05-2014, 01:35 AM:
 
I am surprised the lady on the phone didn't advise you to upgrade to the premier plan for future incidents.

I can't blame AAA for you not being aware of the different plan levels. But a 3 hour wait is ridiculous.

Also, a lot of these roadside services offered by many insurance companies, car companies, and even AAA will use some of the same freelancers. The days when most people went to AAA for roadside coverage are over. With the decrease in importance of trip ticks, maps, I even wonder what AAA is useful for anymore.
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 08-05-2014, 02:33 AM:
 
You may have even been able to upgrade right then and there. Once I had to call them and suprise, I had let my membership laps and I thought that was it, no roadside help for me. To the contrary, she told me with a credit card I could renew over the phone and the membership was reinstated and a service truck was forthcoming.
 

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Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 08-05-2014, 05:24 AM:
 
AAA has always been good to me. I have the upgraded coverage that gives 100 miles' worth of towing. I think I used it once, and they towed me for fifty miles with no problems.

Response time is usually an hour or so, but can be longer during bad snowstorms or other times when many people are having car issues.

But, as others have said, check with your insurance and credit-card companies, as they may offer similar services. AAA has other benefits (free/discounted passport photos, maps, discount coupons to attractions, travelers checks, etc.), but you may not need/want those extra servies.

Whatever you do, please avoid "Road Guard Motor Service" (I think that that is their name). They once mis-printed their emergency number as a number that belonged to my previous employer. We had people calling our sales line (for a software company) asking for tow trucks. They tended to become very upset when they found out that we could not help them.
 

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Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 08-05-2014, 09:20 AM:
 
Turns out that our insurance does actually include a barebones breakdown service, but reports on Yelp suggest that there could be very long waits on hold to speak to someone followed by very long waits for a truck to show up.

A co-worker of Olivia's suggested Good Sam Club, which looks promising, both on their own website and in online reviews we've seen. Furthermore, it's significantly cheaper than the "100 miles" level of AAA coverage, especially for a two-person household, so we've decided to give it a try.

Following Steve's point, I'm going to replace every remaining length of original 1999 coolant hose myself over the next couple of weeks. This isn't the first one to spring a leak: the bottom main hose developed a small drip-drip-drip back in May, and I changed that then. This second problem says to me that all the others are now on borrowed time. I'm also going to get the timing belt changed ASAP - there are another 12k miles until it theoretically needs a new one, according to the manufacturer's recommended interval (which people on Honda forums seem to think is overly cautious anyway), but it's not a risk I want to take.

quote: Scott Norwood

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Response time is usually an hour or so, but can be longer during bad snowstorms or other times when many people are having car issues.

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quote: Marcel Birgelen

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And, the only thing they do is tow? They also don't have anybody that can do small roadside repairs?

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