We’ve had AAA for years and have used it a number of times. Most recently, I had met a friend in a town about 25 minutes from our weekend place. Rural area, another 15 - 35 miles to a city. I made it about 3 miles out of town and got the warning light for a flat tire. I’ve changed plenty of tires, but a really rainy winter late afternoon in a pullout on a two-lane highway is not the time or the place for it. H was at home across the water, our only neighbor near the house is in his late 70s, so AAA it was. It took awhile (no nearby tow companies), but the tire was changed and I was on my way.
Years ago I added my best friend of 50 years to my account, it costs about $50 a year for her. Alas, at 85 she’s hanging up her car keys, and I hate taking her off the account because that feels so final.
My love has our D on his account.
I swear by AAA. We utilize their brick and mortar often…DMV services mostly. We’ve heard that several are closing, but ours seems to be spared. So far.
All these folks talking about going to the DMV….exactly how often do you go? Isn’t just when you have to renew your drivers license in person? How often is that, maybe 10-15 years. Last time I went mid morning, 10 a.m. when my drivers license needed to be renewed and the new star (real id) added to it, I waited maybe at most 10 minutes. This just seems odd to me everyone talking about waiting at the DMV.
I like AAA better than the DMV for license renewal because at AAA here, they will retake your picture more than a few times if you aren’t thrilled with the pic. At DMV, we all look like thugs.
Any time you want to register a used car, need new tags or registration card, replace a lost title certificate, etc.
New cars today are complex. Many breakdowns cannot be diagnosed as a simple dead battery. Computers and the accompanying electronics and wiring tend to be the big culprits nowadays.
I was speaking with a buddy at a repair shop here in the SF Bay Area and he sees 10-12+ cars per year where rats or mice have gnawed through wiring. Many modern cars use soy-based insulation for their wiring to save money and environmental reasons. Rodents love it!
BTW, my neighbor just replaced their Audi under the Lemon Law, because the darn thing kept breaking down.
There’s a AAA office about 1 or 2 miles away from our home, closer than the local DMV, and it’s VERY convenient, when needed. The cost difference, if any, is thankfully a rounding error. Having said all that, I sleep well at night knowing that my family is covered driving in any car whether they’re the driver or passenger.
Funny - our DMV is easy - you just have to hit the right time. I get a new license plate yearly (company lease car is 12 months) - and there’s never more than a 30 min wait.
To get my real ID, I hit a rural one 45 mins away. No one was there.
Okay so our cars are registered through the Tax Commissioners office, not the DMV - it is for licenses and driving permits and IDs. We buy lots of cars, but never had to go to the office for a license plate/registration - the dealer does that for us and renewals are all online.
Of course not, I was responding to a “dead battery”. I get everyone loves AAA I just don’t find the $$ spent to my benefit, apparently there are many of you that do. Not arguing your use of the company - it’s certainly got you what you want. Also, how often do your cars break down - it just doesn’t happen very often these days. You no longer see cars on the side of the road like you did int he 70s.
AAA doesn’t do dmv here, our dmv experience was referenced in Dante’s inferno. I use my passport card to fly domestically until I’m forced to go in person to renew my license again and get real ID. It takes months to snag appointments, some can be an hour away of more (less populated areas are easier), and appointments don’t mean you won’t wait for hours. Lines, lines, lines.
Most of my reasons for having AAA have been mentioned already. For me, it’s insurance- I buy it hoping I won’t need to use the roadside service, and I don’t feel like I wasted money if I don’t. It provides me with peace of mind that my family is protected if they have a breakdown, flat, dead battery, or get locked out. I like that they cover the individual, not the vehicle. I love their maps and hotel discounts on road trips.
One thing to remember is AAA is made up of multiple motor clubs offering reciprocity to members of other AAA clubs. Services, membership costs, and benefits vary.
Something not mentioned yet is that many of the clubs offer a bike service that will pick up a rider and their disabled bike as long as the rider can get to a road or parking area. Both my kids enjoy long distance bike rides and it gives me peace knowing they can get help if needed.
We don’t really have any of those here, although it’s easier to get appointments in the smaller couple times in south and west NJ. I know people who drove 2 hours, considering it only takes 3 hours to drive through the largest part of the state, that seems like a lot.
We don’t have AAA DMV services, and DMV in our state is mostly nightmarish. I have nightmares thinking about sitting in there for hours with the number B226. You wait forever and they call B225 and think “It won’t be long now!” Joke’s on you. For the next 2 hours they call all the As, C-Fs numbers!!!
Since covid you can now make appointment which helps, IF you can get an appointment. Younger S in NOVA and needed his new ID at the same time as the REAL ID deadline. Within a few month period he could find 1 appointment 1:30 away. A few weeks ago, older S needed a new Driver’s license. It was still bad, but he got one not too far away within 1 month. Once there, it was easy
But down by me? Nobody here knows how to use the internet it seems. I can pick from 25-30 slots any day of the week. I needed to get new stickers for my car since I apparently threw mine away. I went in and the place was packed with people looking miserable with no appointment. At my time, they called me right up and I was done quickly.
Funny story about older S needing a new license. The last time they let him renew it online. Problem is, his picture is from his learner’s permit days - not only does he look about 12 years old, it’s still vertical like he’s under 21. He’s getting married next spring and went to reserve a block of rooms at a fancy hotel. Afterwards he went to the bar for a drink. They would not serve him because his license was vertical. Doesn’t matter he’s 27! So new ID it is!
We broke down in Somesville Maine (near Acadia NP) years ago. 7 hours away from home, car full with gear and kids. Called AAA. Tow truck arrived in 15 minutes and driver apologized for taking so long!!!
Towed us to a dealer in Bar Harbor (dealer no longer there, unfortunately). Wife walked the kids into town for ice cream while I waited for the alternator to be replaced. One hour later, I’m in town, joining the family, vacation proceeded!!!
I prefer to buy my used cars from private parties.
I never said I love AAA. I just think it provides me with value for the money that we spend each year, which isn’t really all that much money in the big scheme of things.
Just like life, house insurance, umbrella policies, etc., AAA or roadside assistance is insurance, as @csfmap mentions above. But AAA offers me a basket of services and convenience that I appreciate for the miniscule dollars.
You still pay roadside assistance through your car insurance company. But sometimes they just die in one’s driveway, such as our neighbor’s Audi. Whether it’s roadside assistance through your car insurance or AAA, it’s protection against breakdowns or flat tires. And one gets DMV services here in CA.
I’m going to exit this discussion and hope everyone has a wonderful day!
AAA has been in my driveway more times that I can count. My husband will jump batteries of change tires if he’s home, but many times he’s not. At this time we have a 2007 civic, 2012 accord, 2016 odyssey, and 2020 Kia sportage. We only buy used, cash. My son had a 2000 odyssey at college in 2020, transmission finally made it impossible to drive 1 1/2 hours home, so he got it towed and rode home with the driver (and then we scrapped it). We are big Honda fans, really just oil changes, breaks, battery and tires (love our mechanic of 40 years), but since we drive into the ground AAA is helpful.
about the DMV staff.