Topic: Roadside services

[Noto]

My dad and I have been using the roadside coverage provided through BMO. It came up for renewal this year, which is $65 for his card (it's just him) and $85 for mine (one for me, additional card for my wife).

The service is offered through DAA, and is its basic coverage (tow to a max of 10km). It goes with the person, not the vehicle.

Costco has two options:
1) $59.99 for single car (so it'd cost me $119.98+tax), limited to tow "to the nearest authorized repair centre"
2) $169.99 for unlimited drivers in the same household, towing up to 250km.

Of course, the first option is better for my dad in any event since he doesn't go very far and just has the one vehicle.

For me, commuting to Toronto in the Mazda, and then weekend trips wherever in the Forester, I would be better off with more towing distance. 

CAA has basic coverage for $70, with very limited towing.  Costco is clearly better than that plan.  But for $114, CAA's mid level plan covers very well, BUT ONLY ONE PERSON (no matter which car he/she is driving).

My wife never drives more than 10km from home unless I'm in the car with her.  It may make sense therefore to buy the mid level plan for me only and leave her uncovered. Worst case scenario if she gets stuck the 6km between her work and home, she can leave the car and walk/cab home.

I suppose true worst case scenario is if the engine blows in the middle of Gordon Street and a tow will come and grab the car as an officer will require that it be moved... Seems pretty unlikely that would happen, but it's a possibility.

Any thoughts?  Anyone have other options?  Is DAA as good as CAA?

[Ex-airbalancer]

Buy a couple of new cars that come with roadside coverage

[Solstice2006]

Maybe try telling CAA about the Costco deal, and they will change the price.  I just renewed last month for myself, and my wife, $125 tax in.  But I have had it for about 6 years now.  Kind of funny, as the 6 and GC already have factory roadside assistance.  But it's whenever I drive an older vehicle that I worry.  Like the Entourage right now. 

[Noto]

Maybe try telling CAA about the Costco deal, and they will change the price.  I just renewed last month for myself, and my wife, $125 tax in.  But I have had it for about 6 years now.  Kind of funny, as the 6 and GC already have factory roadside assistance.  But it's whenever I drive an older vehicle that I worry.  Like the Entourage right now.

I didn't know CAA was flexible...perhaps you have a "grandfathered" plan?  I'll have to call to find out - thanks for the heads up!

I'm still leaning towards just getting the one membership.  According to CAA's website, the first driver is $114, the second is an additional $85 :|  Thanks for the discount

[Gurgie]

No-san, I've come to realize that you're a very risk adverse guy on some things & not so much on others 

I've been driving for 30yrs now & needed a tow truck only 1 time... and that was when I got high centered in a ditch full of snow trying a short cut with my 98 Jeep Cherokee... which actually had roadside assistance, so it ended up being free.

To me, if you don't even use the service once per year, then it's not worth it.

[Solstice2006]

Maybe try telling CAA about the Costco deal, and they will change the price.  I just renewed last month for myself, and my wife, $125 tax in.  But I have had it for about 6 years now.  Kind of funny, as the 6 and GC already have factory roadside assistance.  But it's whenever I drive an older vehicle that I worry.  Like the Entourage right now.

I didn't know CAA was flexible...perhaps you have a "grandfathered" plan?  I'll have to call to find out - thanks for the heads up!

I'm still leaning towards just getting the one membership.  According to CAA's website, the first driver is $114, the second is an additional $85 :|  Thanks for the discount

Not sure where you get gas.  But you can redeem Petro Points towards the CAA membership.  I usually redeem the points for car washes or gas cards.  Only have 1 gas card left. 

[SeaBlueS4]

We've had the Costco family plan for a few years. Only ever used it once when the 9-2x radiator blew. 11pm on a Sunday night on the highway and they were there within 20mins, flat-bed car to our preferred local garage ~ 35km away and brought my wife home. She was alone though so may have got the faster service, but we were really happy with them. Like all (bar CAA?) though, they contract out local towing companies I think so always a chance you get an a-hole...

Found that it's the cheapest plan to cover us both with decent tow range and also covers the TR6 which was a nice surprise so I dropped the specialist cover from Hagerty (many plans have a 10 / 12 xx year age limit on covered vehicles).

[Noto]

No-san, I've come to realize that you're a very risk adverse guy on some things & not so much on others 

I've been driving for 30yrs now & needed a tow truck only 1 time...

It's like any type of insurance.  It's not like we'd be stuck if we break down - you call for a tow, and pay a couple hundred bucks for it.  It'd suck.

...but it's more so that you all freaked me out that the Forester's going to blow a HG or its turbo at some point soon and, like my article said, I can't convince the wife to replace the Fozzie, so I'm left here with a decision.

By the way, it's not that I am risk averse - I just like researching the out of everything - it's like a fun project

We've had the Costco family plan for a few years. Only ever used it once when the 9-2x radiator blew. 11pm on a Sunday night on the highway and they were there within 20mins, flat-bed car to our preferred local garage ~ 35km away and brought my wife home. She was alone though

That's my concern here...trying to make sure that she's taken care of.  I'd rather buy a cheap battery booster pack, which I could for not a lot of money, but it's the towing service I'm looking for in the event that hits the fan in the Forester.

[Solstice2006]

The main reason I got it was for my wife who commuted to Toronto everyday, especially shift work.   It's cheap insurance, $10 a month. 

[Brig]

I can only vouch for CAA Plus, because they've saved my bacon many a time over the years - dead battery, flat tire, broken oil pan (~120 km tow), dead ECU (~150 km tow).  The membership truly has paid for itself.

[Gurgie]

The HG in the Fozzie won't be your problem... that'll be the next owner's problem, because you will have long sold it by then 

[84im]

We have BCAA's premium membership, which allows for three tows each year (250km each tow). 

For years I never needed to have any of my vehicles towed, and then I bought a V8 Miata. 
In the next two years I had to have the car towed 5 times.    Three tows were for overheating, one tow was for a broken drive shaft U joint while at my local drag strip, and the last tow was for a broken axle.

A couple of days ago I used my BCAA membership to have my Thing towed to an auto repair shop, so I'm still getting my money's worth.

[tpl]

Buy a couple of new cars that come with roadside coverage
[/quote
Quite right!    A couple of nice FGCs where the assistance lasts the length of the warranty and buy new ones at the end.   Perfect! helps to boost the Canadian and German economies.

[johngenx]

I'm risk averse in some areas too, and having my trip interrupted, etc, is one of them.  As we drive long distances for all our travel,  we have CAA Premier.  It includes one tow up to 320km and three more at 160km.  It also includes a lot of trip interruption benefits.

It's expensive coverage, but in the grand scheme of car operating expenses, acceptable.

http://ama1.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/311812_3d10920_bf5fpremierhandbook7f1.pdf

[me_2]

Member of CAA-Québec since last 19 years, my son used to call them maybe 5 times for key locked inside his car until the lesson was learned!

I called them only once at home, my Saturn 1995 had a weak almost dead battery and didn't crank. That specific cold morning (-30C or so), the waiting list was few hours so I put the slow charger at work and leave a bit later that day for work!

[Fobroader]

For the $80-100/year that the AMA charges, I would rather fork out the $200 for a tow once in a blue moon

[Gurgie]

For the $80-100/year that the AMA charges, I would rather fork out the $200 for a tow once in a blue moon

 

[dkaz]

I don't know about AMA but there are good discounts with BCAA. 30% off WHL tickets for example. The kids love going to Kelowna Rockets games. Then in the last year I earned $120 CAA dollars through Petro Points and buying stuff through partners, got $40 just for buying a $299 Xbox One on Boxing Day, so my $167 renewal was only $47. $167 because I have Plus for myself because of my motorcycle plus basic for my wife. I've used them numerous times in the last two years:

-Odyssey starter died (guy was able to get it to start so I drove it to my mechanic. Had I known starters were two bolts to replace, I would've done it myself)
-Vino 125 tire blew out (towed to dealer)
-Vino 125 CVT belt shredded (towed home)
-Mazda 3 locked me out in -3C weather while I was delivering papers (unlocked, after an hour, I laid down on the hood with the engine running to keep warm)
-Vino 125 engine blew up (towed home)
-Vino 125 battery ran down trying to start the engine (spark plug cap came off, easy fix)

I originally got it because of my Odyssey but my Odyssey only ended up needing it once.

[Noto]

The HG in the Fozzie won't be your problem... that'll be the next owner's problem, because you will have long sold it by then 

Come now - you know my wife won't let me sell Camellia 

For the $80-100/year that the AMA charges, I would rather fork out the $200 for a tow once in a blue moon

How many times do you read about tow operators charging a fortune for a faking tow? 

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/sketchy-6-000-bill-leads-to-call-for-more-tow-truck-regulations-1.3340610

It's never $200 for a tow...especially if the Fozzie breaks down somewhere between Toronto and Hammond River Brewery (I kid...we're flying there ).

I like the idea of haggling with CAA.

[Fobroader]

I have only needed one tow ever....was about 4-5 years ago and it was about $150. If I paid AMA for it in that time it would have been about $500.