Date:         Sat, 5 Mar 2005 12:01:46 -0700
Reply-To:     jbrush@AROS.NET
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Anonymous Digest <jbrush@AROS.NET>
Subject:      R: AAA road service, FYI

>A couple of words of warning on this - policies vary from state to state. I've had it happen, so I really >>don't believe the person you talked to (sorry!).

You are not supposed to believe what the guy I talked to said :-) You are
supposed to call your AAA office and find out for yourself. That is why I
posted the comments that I had received, to inspire others to get the
facts,  not rely on stories and implied benefits.

I think I would like to hear from anyone, anywhere in the US, who calls
and asks about destination options, and gets a different answer than I
did. That way we can all learn something, and if what I said is refuted by
another agent, I will get after the man I talked to, and find out exactly
what is going on. How many of us think its a good idea to pay for
membership, and not understand the benefits?

>Also, towing costs vary from state to state, and as with the policy, the state the tow STARTS from is >the one that sets the policy and rates. Calling the local office won't help with getting information if >you are traveling to another state, they can't tell you what will happen in another state (BTDT).

Exactly which AAA do you belong to? It makes no difference what state I am
in, my coverage follows me. If I have a problem with a tow service, I will
call the club that I pay membership in, and anticipate it being dealt
with. The times I have used AAA, I have always been in a state other than
the one I live in, and problems and questions were resolved in spite of
that. I must be misunderstand, because it looks like you are saying that
if I leave Utah, and my van breaks down in New Jersey, I don't have 100%
coverage for towing.

>I had a tow that was supposed to be $400 (200 mile tow) go to $600 because the state it began in >had a $3 a mile charge, not $2 a mile. Found out when the credit card bill came in. Also, for a long distance tow, my local state required cash, and the state I was towed from required a credit card - no cash. Fortunately, I was prepared both ways...

Why are you paying for towing, if you have AAA? If you get towed further
than the benefit provides, then of course you have to apy, but then I fail
to see what that has to do with any of this. Who here has AAA, gets towed
under the guidelines, and pays any money? Doesn't matter how much the
charges are, if its within the guidelines, its free.

>Also, in some states +RV is not available (North Carolina for example).

Out of curiosity, I went to aaa.com and perused the benefits for members
in NC. There I found the option of upgrading to AAA+ and AAA+ RV, so now I
really don't get your point.

 >I wanted to get it for motorcycle tow coverage, but couldn't. Always
wondered what would happen if I did have it and broke down in a state that
doesn't allow it - would they tow my bike?

The AAA web site in North Carolina implies that a motorcycle is covered as
any other vehicle. Are you sure you are really a member? :-) I just
checked the AAA site for my area, and they also offer the same coverage
for a motorcycle, near as I can tell. Of course, as in all things, a phone
call would be prudent. Anyone else have AAA on their motorcycle?

Anyway, I don't think we are talking about the same issues here :-) AAA
coverage is nationwide, not regional. There is no charge to tow a vehicle
across a state line, or from one coverage area to the next, and if one
does happen to have the plus coverage, you can be towed 400 miles in 100
mile increments, in and out of any state, without incurring an additional
charge.

Anyone who has AAA and has not called and verified, hopefully in writing,
coverage and circumstances that they are concerned about, would do well to
do so, get it in writing, and carry contact numbers with you. If not, well
then you surely may not get what you are paying for. Trapped on the side
of a busy freeway is not the right time to be reading the benefits manual
to decide what your options are :-)

Thanks,

John